| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the interjection ouai {οὐαί | ou-aí} announcing prophetic woe, followed by the coordinating conjunction de {δέ | dé} which contrasts this pronouncement with preceding context. The dative hymin {ὑμῖν | hy-mîn} marks the personal address, then three vocatives—grammateis {γραμματεῖς | gram-ma-teîs}, pharisaioi {φαρισαῖοι | pha-ri-saî-oi}, hypokritai {ὑποκριταί | hy-po-kri-taí}—identify both the social group and their moral character. The subordinating conjunction hoti {ὅτι | hó-ti} introduces the causal clause where the present active indicative katesthiete {κατεσθίετε | ka-tes-thí-e-te} “devours” its object tas oikias tōn cherōn {τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν | tàs oi-kí-as tôn chē-rôn}, emphasizing ongoing exploitation via a genitive of possession. The conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} links a second charge marked by the dative of manner prophasei {προφάσει | pro-phá-sei}, modifying the participle proseuchomenoi {προσευχόμενοι | pro-seu-kho-mé-noi} “praying,” with the adjective makra {μακρά | ma-krá} indicating ostentatious duration. The causal transition dia touto {διὰ τοῦτο | di-á toû-to} “because of this” leads to the future middle indicative lempsesthe {λήψεσθε | lḗmp-se-sthe}, signifying personal reception of the outcome, and the comparative substantive perissoteron krima {περισσότερον κρίμα | pe-ris-só-te-ron krí-ma} underscores the intensification of divine judgment awaiting them. |