| 46. Linguistic Exegesis The clause begins with the substantival article hoi {οἱ | hoí} functioning as the implicit subject, followed by the postpositive conjunction de {δὲ | dè}, which here continues the narrative sequence and is best rendered as an adversative or transitional “and/then.” The aorist verb epebalan {ἐπέβαλαν | epé-ba-lan} takes as its direct object the articular noun phrase tas kheiras {τὰς χεῖρας | tàs kheî-ras} and the indirect object autō {αὐτῷ | autôi}, forming the idiom “to lay hands on someone,” which carries a hostile or arresting sense in narrative contexts. The coordinating conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} links this first violent gesture with the climactic action expressed by ekratēsan {ἐκράτησαν | e-krá-tē-san}, another aorist indicative that portrays a decisive act of seizing. The final object auton {αὐτόν | autón} resumes the prior indirect object autō, maintaining focus on the same person and creating a compact progression: approach (laying hands) followed by full apprehension (seizing). In translation, this sequence is preserved by using two distinct but related verbs (“laid their hands on” / “seized” in the formal, “grabbed hold of” / “arrested” in the dynamic), thereby reflecting the narrative escalation encoded in the Greek aspect and coordination. |