| 21. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the coordinating conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} linking this warning to the preceding discourse, while tote {τότε | tó-te} marks a specific eschatological moment, shifting temporal focus to “then/at that time.” The clause introduced by ean tis {ἐάν τις | e-án tis} forms a third-class conditional construction, indicating a potential future situation: “if anyone should say.” The dative hymin {ὑμῖν | hy-mîn} specifies the disciples as the recipients of the deceptive claim. The subjunctive verb eipe {εἴπῃ | eípē} governs direct speech consisting of two parallel exclamations, each beginning with the imperative ide {Ἴδε | Í-de} “Look/See,” functioning as an attention-getting interjection. The first exclamation combines ide with the adverb hode {ὧδε | hô-de} “here” and the nominal phrase ho christos {ὁ χριστός | ho khris-tós} “the Christ,” presenting a localized identification claim. The second exclamation repeats ide with ekei {ἐκεῖ | e-keî} “there,” showing that such claims may arise from different locations. The apodosis consists of a prohibitory construction, me pisteuete {μὴ πιστεύετε | mē pis-teú-e-te}, using mē with the present subjunctive to express a general, ongoing prohibition: “do not ever believe.” In translation, the conditional structure is preserved with “if anyone says to you,” the direct speech is kept in quotation marks to retain immediacy, and the repeated imperatives are rendered with vivid “Look/See.” The prohibition is expressed as a clear command addressed to the second person plural, reflecting the corporate nature of the warning against deception. |