| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The sentence begins with the fronted demonstrative tauta {Ταῦτα | tauta} ‘these things,’ which places the visible subject matter at the head of the clause for emphasis. The relative pronoun ha {ἃ | ha} then links that topic directly to the present-tense verb theoreite {θεωρεῖτε | theōreíte} ‘you are seeing,’ making the disciples’ current observation the point of departure for the prophecy. The future expression eleusontai hemerai {ἐλεύσονται ἡμέραι | eleúsontai hēmérai} is a prophetic time formula: literally, ‘days will come,’ introducing an assured future event. The relative clause en hais {ἐν αἷς | en haîs} ‘in which’ sets up the time span during which the predicted condition will hold. Inside that clause, ouk aphethesetai {οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται | ouk aphethḗsetai} uses the passive voice to present the destruction as something that will happen to the structure rather than something the structure can resist. The idiom lithos epi lithō {λίθος ἐπὶ λίθῳ | líthos epí líthō} intensifies the image by saying that no stone will remain resting on another, a vivid way to describe total collapse. The final relative clause hos ou kataluthesetai {ὃς οὐ καταλυθήσεται | hos ou kataluthḗsetai} reinforces the totality of the judgment by denying any exception: nothing will escape being torn down. English word order is adjusted for clarity, but the sequence of topical emphasis, future certainty, and repeated negation is preserved. |