| 22. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with the historical present legei {λέγει | lé-gei} ‘says’, a vivid device that keeps the exchange immediate. The dative autō {αὐτῷ | au-tôi} identifies the one addressed before the subject ho Iesous {ὁ Ἰησοῦς | ho Iē-soûs} is stated, thereby placing Jesus in emphatic focus. The conditional conjunction ean {ἐὰν | e-án} introduces a protasis governed by Jesus’ volition: auton thelō menein heōs erchomai {αὐτὸν θέλω μένειν ἕως ἔρχομαι | au-tón thé-lō mé-nein hé-ōs ér-kho-mai}. Here thelō {θέλω | thé-lō} takes the infinitive menein {μένειν | mé-nein} as its complement, while heōs erchomai {ἕως ἔρχομαι | hé-ōs ér-kho-mai} marks the temporal limit of the imagined scenario. The interrogative ti pros se {τί πρὸς σέ | tí pros sé} is idiomatic and asks about relevance or concern rather than information. The final sequence sy moi akolouthei {σύ μοι ἀκολούθει | sý moi a-ko-loú-thei} is sharply personal: the emphatic sy {σύ | sý} redirects attention to Peter, and the imperative akolouthei {ἀκολούθει | a-ko-loú-thei} closes the saying with a direct command to remain focused on discipleship rather than comparison. The contrast between another disciple’s future and Peter’s present calling is the discourse center of the verse. |