| 11. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the substantive article hoi {οἱ | hoí} marking the chief priests implicitly referenced in the narrative. The postpositive conjunction de {δὲ | dé} introduces a continuation of the plot sequence. The aorist participle akousantes {ἀκούσαντες | akoúsantes} functions adverbially to set the temporal framework for the main verb echárēsan {ἐχάρησαν | echárēsan}, which conveys a sudden rejoicing response. The conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} links this emotional reaction to their subsequent action epēngeílanto {ἐπηγγείλαντο | epēngeílanto}, whose middle voice underscores their personal commitment in promising money. The dative autō {αὐτῷ | autô} identifies the indirect recipient of the promise, and the infinitive doûnai {δοῦναι | doûnai} expresses the content of that promise with argúrion {ἀργύριον | argúrion} as its object. The imperfect ezḗtei {ἐζήτει | ezḗtei} continues the narrative with an ongoing search, introducing a subordinate indirect question with pôs {πῶς | pôs} “how” and autón {αὐτόν | autón} as its object. The adverb eukaírōs {εὐκαίρως | eukaírōs} modifies the aorist subjunctive paradoî {παραδοῖ | paradoî} “he might deliver,” forming a purpose clause that emphasizes the calculated, timely nature of the intended betrayal. In English, the aorist participle became “when/after they heard,” the imperfect as “was seeking/began looking,” and the subjunctive with eukaírōs as “hand Him over at an opportune moment” and “hand Him over at a good chance,” retaining both sequence and nuance of deliberation in the plot. |