| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The coordinating conjunction kai {Καὶ | kaì} links this verse to the prior teaching, presenting the request as an immediate response. The clause eipan hoi apostoloi {εἶπαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι | eîpan hoi apó-sto-loi} follows normal narrative order, with the aorist verb preceding the subject, marking a simple past declaration by the group. The dative phrase tō kyriō {τῷ κυρίῳ | tō kyríō} functions as indirect object, identifying the Lord as the addressee of the plea. The aorist imperative prosthes {Πρόσθες | prós-thes} is a second person singular command directed to the Lord, conveying an urgent, focused petition. The combination hēmin pistin {ἡμῖν πίστιν | hêmîn pí-stin} places the dative pronoun before the accusative object, highlighting the beneficiaries (“to us”) and then the requested gift (“faith”). The overall structure moves from speaker (the apostles) to addressee (the Lord) to imperative request, emphasizing the dependence of the community on the Lord’s action to supply the needed faith. |