| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the historical present legei {λέγει | lé-gei} ‘he says,’ a vivid narrative device that keeps the scene immediate even though the surrounding context is past time. The inferential oun {οὖν | oûn} ties the speech to what has just happened, so the line reads as a consequence of the prior fishing scene. The subject ho Iesous {ὁ Ἰησοῦς | ho Iē-soûs} follows the verb, with the article functioning idiomatically before the proper name. The vocative paidia {Παιδία | pai-dí-a} creates a warm, paternal mode of address. The question mē ti prosphagion echete {μή τι προσφάγιον ἔχετε | mē ti pros-phá-gi-on é-khe-te} uses mē to expect a negative answer, while ti softens the inquiry and prosphagion points to something ready to eat. English naturally reshapes the Greek order to preserve both the negative force and the conversational tone. The aorist apekrithesan {ἀπεκρίθησαν | a-pekrí-thē-san} presents the disciples’ response as a complete, brief act, and the independent Oú {Οὔ | Oú} closes the exchange with abrupt finality, underscoring their lack before the coming provision. |