| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the relative pronoun hostis {ὅστις | hóstis} introducing a generalizing clause, followed immediately by gar {γὰρ | gár} which links this proverbial statement as the rationale for a preceding saying. The first clause, hostis gar ekhei dothesetai auto kai perisseuthesetai {ὅστις γὰρ ἔχει δοθήσεται αὐτῷ καὶ περισσευθήσεται | hóstis gár é-khei do-thé-se-tai au-tō kaí pe-ris-seu-thé-se-tai}, presents a pattern: present possession with ekhei {ἔχει | é-khei} is followed by two future passive verbs, dothesetai {δοθήσεται | do-thé-se-tai} and perisseuthesetai {περισσευθήσεται | pe-ris-seu-thé-se-tai}. The passive voice implies an unstated agent who grants and multiplies what is possessed, while the dative auto {αὐτῷ | au-tō} marks the beneficiary. The coordinated futures create escalating emphasis: not only “will it be given,” but also “it will abound.” The second half of the verse mirrors the first with contrast: hostis de ouk ekhei {ὅστις δὲ οὐκ ἔχει | hóstis dé ouk é-khei} sets up an opposing condition using de {δὲ | dé} and the negation ouk {οὐκ | ouk}. The following phrase kai ho ekhei arthethesetai ap autou {καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ | kaí hó é-khei ar-thé-se-tai ap au-toû} repeats ekhei {ἔχει | é-khei} to underscore that even existing possession is at risk. The future passive arthethesetai {ἀρθήσεται | ar-thé-se-tai} with the preposition ap {ἀπʼ | ap} plus autou {αὐτοῦ | au-toû} expresses removal away from the person. The verse thus employs two parallel conditional-type structures, each with present possession contrasted with future outcome, to articulate a principle of increase and loss. In English, this is rendered with “whoever” clauses and future tense verbs, preserving the symmetrical structure and the emphatic contrast between abundance and deprivation. |