| 23. Linguistic Exegesis The verse is arranged as two tightly parallel conditional clauses with no coordinating conjunction between them, so the reader hears a direct contrast rather than a softened explanation. Each clause begins with an {ἄν | án} ‘open conditional particle’ and tinon {τινων | tinōn} ‘of anyone’, keeping the scope broad and indefinite. In the first clause, aphete {ἀφῆτε | aphēte} ‘you forgive’ governs tas hamartias {τὰς ἁμαρτίας | tas hamartías} ‘the sins’, and the apodosis apheontai {ἀφέωνται | aphéōntai} ‘they have been forgiven’ presents the outcome as a settled state. Autois {αὐτοῖς | autoîs} ‘to them’ identifies the recipients of that forgiven status. The second clause repeats the pattern with kratete {κρατῆτε | kratēte} ‘you retain’ and kekratentai {κεκράτηνται | kekrátēntai} ‘they have been retained’, so the perfect passive form again emphasizes an already established condition with continuing force. The shared structure heightens the authority granted in the saying and preserves the stark symmetry between forgiveness and retention. |