| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The verse unfolds in three segments: the crowd’s reply, Jesus’ response, and the narrator’s note concerning Judas. The opening aorist passive indicative verb apekrithesan {ἀπεκρίθησαν | apekríthēsan} ‘they answered’ with the dative pronoun autō {αὐτῷ | autō̂} ‘to Him’ introduces the dialogue. The object phrase Iēsoun ton Nazōraion {Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον | Iēsoûn ton Nazōraîon} ‘Jesus the Nazarene’ combines name and geographic designation. The historical present legei {λέγει | légei} ‘he says’ heightens immediacy, followed by the emphatic pronoun Egō eimi {Ἐγώ εἰμι | Egṓ eimi} ‘I am’ as a standalone declaration. The narrative then shifts with the proper noun Ioudas {Ἰούδας | Ioúdās} ‘Judas’ modified by the articular participle ho paradidous {ὁ παραδιδοὺς | ho paradidoús} ‘the one betraying’, which functions appositionally to identify him, while the pluperfect verb hēistēkei {εἱστήκει | hēistḗkei} ‘he was standing’ conveys a sustained state. The particles de {δὲ | dé} ‘but’ and kai {καὶ | kaí} ‘and also’ softly add Judas to the group that has apprehended Jesus. |