| 44. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the pluperfect verb dedokei {δεδώκει | de-dṓ-kei} “he had given,” which marks an action completed prior to the arrival of Jesus and the arresting party, while the particle de {δὲ | dè} functions as a narrative connector, shifting focus to Judas. The articular participle ho paradidous {ὁ παραδιδοὺς | ho pa-ra-di-doùs} “the one betraying” identifies Judas by his ongoing role rather than by name, with auton {αὐτόν | au-tón} “him” indicating Jesus as the object of betrayal. The rare noun syssemon {σύσσημον | sús-sē-mon} “sign” denotes a mutually understood identifying signal, and autois {αὐτοῖς | au-toîs} “to them” shows that this sign was prearranged with the arresting group. The circumstantial participle legon {λέγων | lé-gōn} “saying” introduces the content of Judas’s instructions. Within the quotation, the relative clause hon an phileso {Ὃν ἂν φιλήσω | Hón án phi-lḗ-sō} combines the relative pronoun with the particle an and a subjunctive verb to express a contingent, open-ended condition: “whomever I should kiss.” The following clause autos estin {αὐτός ἐστιν | au-tós é-stin} uses autos in an intensive sense, “he himself is the one,” emphasizing the certainty of identification. Two imperatives, kratesate {κρατήσατε | kra-tḗ-sa-te} “seize” and apagete {ἀπάγετε | a-pá-ge-te} “lead away,” form a coordinated command sequence, while the adverb asphalos {ἀσφαλῶς | as-pha-lôs} “securely” modifies the manner of leading away, suggesting special caution. In translation, the Greek word order within the relative and main clauses is smoothed into standard English clause structure, while preserving the emphasis on Judas’s identifying kiss and the firmness of his directives. |