| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the subject–verb–indirect object sequence ho de Pilatos elegen autois {ὁ δὲ Πιλᾶτος ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς | ho dè Pi-lâ-tos é-le-gen au-toîs}, where the postpositive de marks a contrast with the preceding narrative and the imperfect elegen portrays Pilate’s question as repeated or ongoing. The direct quotation opens with the interrogative Ti gar {Τί γὰρ | Tí gàr}, combining the interrogative pronoun with an explanatory conjunction to frame a judicial challenge: Pilate demands a specific charge. The verb–object pair epoiēsen kakon {ἐποίησεν κακὸν | e-poí-e-sen ka-kón} forms the core of the question, with the demonstrative houtos {οὗτος | hoû-tos} in predicate position for emphasis, “What evil did this one do?” A new clause begins with the nominative article functioning substantivally, hoi de {οἱ δὲ | hoi dè}, referring to the crowd in contrast to Pilate. The adverb perissōs {περισσῶς | pe-ris-sôs} modifies ekrazan {ἔκραζαν | é-kra-zan}, another imperfect that depicts continuous, intensifying shouting. The imperative Staurōson {Σταύρωσον | Stau-rô-son} stands alone as a stark, forceful command at the end of the sentence, followed by the object auton {αὐτόν | au-tón}, heightening the dramatic demand for execution. In English, the imperfects are rendered with “was saying” and “kept shouting” to reflect ongoing action, while the separate interrogative “Why? What evil…?” preserves the rhetorical weight of Pilate’s protest and the adverbial perissōs is conveyed with phrases like “all the more” and “even louder” to mirror the intensification. |