| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The sentence begins with the connective kai {καί | kaí} linking to the preceding argument. The prepositional phrase en tō nomō {ἐν τῷ νόμῳ | en tôi nómō} designates the sphere “in the Law,” and the transitional particle de {δέ | dé} with tō hymeterō {τῷ ὑμετέρῳ | tôi hymetérō} underscores that it is “your Law,” the interlocutors’ own authoritative standard. The perfect passive verb gegraptai {γέγραπται | gégraptai} conveys enduring written authority. The conjunction hoti {ὅτι | hóti} introduces an indirect content clause: “that the testimony of two people is true.” Within this clause, the numeral dyo {δύο | dýo} with the genitive anthrōpōn {ἀνθρώπων | anthrṓpōn} functions as a genitive-of-source modifying martyria {μαρτυρία | martyría}, the nominative subject. The predicate adjective alēthēs {ἀληθής | alēthḗs} with the copula estin {ἐστιν | estin} affirms the legal validity of such testimony. The Greek word order places emphasis on “the testimony” and its quality as “true,” and the English renderings preserve this emphasis while ensuring natural readability. |