| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The sentence begins with the conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} linking this clause to the preceding narrative, and the verb plana {πλανᾷ | planâ} ‘deceives’ introduces the main action of the agent (the second beast). The accusative participial phrase tous katoikountas epi tēs gēs {τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς | toús katoikoûntas epí tês gēs} ‘those who dwell on the earth’ functions as the direct object of deception. The prepositional phrase dia ta semeia {διὰ τὰ σημεῖα | diá tá sēmeîa} ‘through the signs’ and its relative clause ha edothē autō poiesai enōpion tou thēriou {ἃ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θηρίου | ha edóthē autô poiêsai enṓpion tou thēríou} ‘which it was given to perform before the beast’ emphasize the bestowed authority and the context in which these miraculous acts occur. The participle legōn {λέγων | légōn} ‘saying’ introduces an indirect command, with the dative tois katoikousin epi tēs gēs {τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς | toîs katoikoûsin epí tēs gēs} ‘to those who dwell on the earth’ marking the intended audience. The infinitive poiesai {ποιῆσαι | poiêsai} ‘to make’ serves as the object of the command, modified by the noun eikōna {εἰκόνα | eikóna} ‘image,’ and the relative clause hos echei tēn plēgēn tēs machairēs kai ezēsen {ὃς ἔχει τὴν πληγὴν τῆς μαχαίρης καὶ ἔζησεν | hos échei tēn plēgḕn tês makh-aírēs kaí ézēsen} ‘who has the wound of the sword and lived’ characterizes the beast by connecting its present state with a past event. Aorist and passive constructions are rendered to preserve their nuance of permission and completed action on the part of the beast. |