| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the aorist verb egnon {ἔγνων | égnōn} ‘I knew’, introducing an indirect question with the pronoun ti {τί | tí} ‘what’ and the subjunctive poiesō {ποιήσω | poiḗsō} ‘I will do’, reflecting the steward’s deliberation. The conjunction hina {ἵνα | hína} marks a purpose clause expressing his intended outcome. Within it, the temporal conjunction hotan {ὅταν | hótan} ‘whenever’ and the subjunctive metastathō {μετασταθῶ | metastathṓ} ‘I may be removed’ present his dismissal as a future but indefinite event. The phrase ek tēs oikonomias {ἐκ τῆς οἰκονομίας | ek tês oikonomías} specifies the office lost. The subjunctive dexontai {δέξωνταί | déxōntai} ‘they may receive’ sets forth the hoped-for response toward me {με | me}. Finally, eis tous oikous heautōn {εἰς τοὺς οἴκους ἑαυτῶν | eis toùs oíkous heautō̂n} ‘into their own houses’ adds a spatial and relational dimension of hospitality. The sequence from realization to purpose to timing and reception is preserved in English. |