| 20. Linguistic Exegesis The clause opens with the fronted direct object tas entolas {τὰς ἐντολὰς | tàs en-to-lás} ‘the commandments’, followed by the perfect active indicative oidas {οἶδας | oî-das} ‘you know’, which presents these commands as already familiar to the hearer. A chain of prohibitions then follows, each formed with the particle of prohibition me {Μὴ | mḕ} plus an aorist active subjunctive verb—moicheuses {μοιχεύσῃς | moi-kheú-sēs}, phoneuses {φονεύσῃς | pho-neú-sēs}, klepsēs {κλέψῃς | klép-sēs}, pseudomartyresēs {ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς | pseu-do-mar-tu-ré-sēs}—a standard construction expressing strong, categorical interdictions. The coordination between these verbs is asyndetic within the quotation, creating a rapid, staccato listing reminiscent of the Decalogue. The final injunction shifts to a present active imperative, tima {Τίμα | tí-ma} ‘honor’, which governs the two coordinated direct objects ton patera sou {τὸν πατέρα σου | tòn pa-té-ra soû} and ten metera {τὴν μητέρα | tḕn mḗ-te-ra}, joined by kai {καὶ | kaí}. This switch from aorist subjunctive to present imperative marks a movement from prohibiting discrete actions (do not do these things even once) to commanding an ongoing disposition and pattern of behavior toward parents. In translation, “do not” plus the verb conveys the force of the prohibitions, while “honor” and “respect” are used to express the continuous obligation inherent in the imperative. |