| 34. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the adversative all {ἀλλʼ | all} meaning “but,” marking a contrast with the preceding action. The expression eis ton stratioton {εἷς τῶν στρατιωτῶν | heîs tôn stra-ti-ō-tôn} “one of the soldiers” identifies a particular agent through a nominative “one” with a partitive genitive “of the soldiers.” The dative logche {λόγχῃ | lóg-khē} functions as a dative of instrument, specifying the means by which the action of the main aorist verb enyxen {ἔνυξεν | é-nux-en} “pierced” is carried out. The direct object is the accusative phrase ten pleuran autou {τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ | tēn pleu-rán autou} “His side,” where autou is a dependent genitive expressing possession of the “side.” The coordinating conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} then introduces the resulting event: exelthen euthys {ἐξῆλθεν εὐθὺς | ex-ḗl-then eu-thýs} “came out immediately,” with the aorist verb depicting a completed result and the adverb euthys highlighting its suddenness. The nominative neuter nouns haima kai hydor {αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ | haîma kai hý-dōr} “blood and water” function as the things that emerged, providing a vivid, almost forensic narrative detail. In translation, the instrumental phrase “with a spear” is placed after “side,” and “blood and water” are treated as the content that “came out” or “flowed out,” preserving the Greek sequence of agent, instrument, action, and immediate result. |