μὴ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 μὴ

   MÊ

   not
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 ἵνα μὴ μιανθῶσιν ⸀ἀλλὰ φάγωσιν τὸ πάσχα.

   HI-na MÊ mi-an-THÔ-sin al-LA PHA-gô-sin TO PAS-kha

   so that not be defiled but may eat the Passover
3. clause🔊 καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον, ἵνα μὴ μιανθῶσιν ⸀ἀλλὰ φάγωσιν τὸ πάσχα.

   KAI au-TOI ouk ei-SÊL-thon eis TO prai-TO-ri-on HI-na MÊ mi-an-THÔ-sin al-LA PHA-gô-sin TO PAS-kha

   and they themselves not {they} entered into the praetorium so that not be defiled but may eat the Passover
4. sentence🔊 Ἄγουσιν οὖν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀπὸ τοῦ Καϊάφα εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον· ἦν δὲ πρωΐ· καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον, ἵνα μὴ μιανθῶσιν ⸀ἀλλὰ φάγωσιν τὸ πάσχα.

   A-gou-sin OUN TON ee-ay-SOON a-PO TOU ka-i-A-pha eis TO prai-TO-ri-on ÊN DE prô-I KAI au-TOI ouk ei-SÊL-thon eis TO prai-TO-ri-on HI-na MÊ mi-an-THÔ-sin al-LA PHA-gô-sin TO PAS-kha

   then they lead {the} Jesus from {the} Caiaphas to the praetorium and was early morning and they themselves not {they} entered into the praetorium so that not be defiled but may eat the Passover

Exegesis

The purpose clause hina me mianthosin {ἵνα μὴ μιανθῶσιν | hí-na mē mi-an-thô-sin} states the negative aim of avoiding ritual contamination, and the contrastive alla phagosin to pascha {ἀλλὰ φάγωσιν τὸ πάσχα | al-lá phá-gō-sin to pás-kha} gives the positive goal: preserving access to the feast. The grammar creates sharp irony, since concern for purity is preserved even while justice is being moved toward Jesus’ death.