| 15. Linguistic Exegesis edothē {ἐδόθη | edóthē} ‘it was given’ opens with an impersonal passive that implies a higher agent granting authority to the beast, referred to by autō {αὐτῷ | autṓ} ‘to it’. The infinitive dounai {δοῦναι | doûnai} ‘to give’ governs the object pneuma {πνεῦμα | pneû-ma} ‘breath’ and the dative phrase tē eikoni tou thēriou {τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ θηρίου | tē̂ eikóni tou thē-rí-ou} ‘to the image of the beast’, describing the animation of the cult image. The first hina {ἵνα | hína} ‘so that’ introduces a purpose clause with lalēsē {λαλήσῃ | lalḗsē} ‘may speak’, followed by the delayed subject hē eikōn tou thēriou {ἡ εἰκών τοῦ θηρίου | hē eikṓn tou thē-rí-ou}, emphasizing that the image itself is granted speech. The coordinated kai poiēsē {καὶ ποιήσῃ | kaí poiḗsē} ‘and may cause’ plus the second hina {ἵνα | hína} ‘so that’ clause shifts to the coercive effect on worshipers. The indefinite relative clause hosoi ean mē proskynēsōsin {ὅσοι ἐὰν μὴ προσκυνήσωσιν | hós-oi eán mḗ pro-sky-nḗ-sō-sin} ‘as many as might not worship’ leaves the number unspecified, and the final apoktanthōsin {ἀποκτανθῶσιν | a-pok-tanthṓ-sin} ‘may be killed’ presents the lethal outcome as an intended result."," |