| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the attention particle idou {Ἰδοὺ | Idoú} introducing direct speech with urgency. The main verb erchomai {ἔρχομαι | ér-kho-mai} is in the present tense with a future sense of imminent arrival. The comparative particle hos {ὡς | hōs} links to kleptes {κλέπτης | klép-tēs}, forming a simile “like a thief” to emphasize the unexpected nature of the coming. The articular participles gregoron {γρηγορῶν | grē-go-Rōn} and teron {τηρῶν | tē-Rōn} describe the blessed person’s ongoing vigilance and preservation, with the single article ho {ὁ | ho} governing both participles. The nouns ta himatia autou {τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ | tá hi-Má-ti-a au-Toû} provide imagery of garments symbolizing moral readiness. The purpose clause introduced by hina {ἵνα | hí-na} plus the negative particle me {μὴ | mē} with subjunctives peripate {περιπατῇ | pe-ri-pa-Tē} and bleposin {βλέπωσιν | blé-po-sin} expresses preventive intent: to avoid walking naked and experiencing shame being exposed. The coordination by kai {καὶ | kaí} in the hina clause ties the internal condition (nakedness) to the external consequence (public shame). The translation renders the participles as active dispositions and maintains the hina clause with “so that” and modal auxiliaries to capture the subjunctive nuance. |