| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with kai {καὶ | kaí}, linking this prediction to the surrounding context. The main finite verb is proskynesousin {προσκυνήσουσιν | pro-sky-nḗ-sou-sin} “they will worship,” with the object auton {αὐτόν | au-tón} “him,” whose referent is supplied by the broader discourse (the beast). The subject is expressed by the articular participial phrase pantes hoi katoikountes epi tēs gēs {πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς | pán-tes hoí ka-toi-koûn-tes e-pì tês gês}, literally “all the ones dwelling upon the earth,” where katoikountes functions substantivally and the prepositional phrase epi tēs gēs specifies their sphere. The relative pronoun hou {οὗ | hoû} introduces a restrictive genitive relative clause, “of whom the name of him has not been written,” clarifying that not every earth-dweller is meant, but specifically those whose onoma {ὄνομα | ó-no-ma} “name” is absent from the heavenly record. The verb gegraptai {γέγραπται | gé-grap-tai} is perfect passive, emphasizing a past, completed inscription (or non-inscription) with ongoing results. The prepositional phrase en tō bibliō tēs zōēs {ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῆς ζωῆς | en tôi bi-blí-ō tês zō-ês} identifies the location of this inscription as “in the book of life,” with a genitive of content or characterization. This is further qualified by the genitive chain tou arniou tou esphagmenou {τοῦ ἀρνίου τοῦ ἐσφαγμένου | toû ar-ní-ou toû es-pha-gmé-nou}, in which the perfect passive participle esphagmenou “having been slain” functions attributively to describe the Lamb and foregrounds His once-for-all sacrificial death with abiding significance. The final prepositional phrase apo katabolēs kosmou {ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου | a-pò ka-ta-bo-lês kó-smou} is most naturally taken with esphagmenou due to proximity and the shared genitive structure, yielding “slain from the foundation of the world,” a temporal phrase that situates the Lamb’s redemptive work within God’s eternal plan. In translation, the substantival participle construction is rendered as “all who dwell / everyone living,” and the genitive chains are preserved with “book of life of the Lamb” and “from the foundation of the world,” maintaining the theological focus on the Lamb’s sacrificial identity and the eternality of the divine purpose. |