γὰρ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 γὰρ

   gar

   for
2. sentence🔊 θεοῦ γὰρ διάκονός ἐστιν σοὶ εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν ἐὰν δὲ τὸ κακὸν ποιῇς φοβοῦ οὐ γὰρ εἰκῇ τὴν μάχαιραν φορεῖ θεοῦ γὰρ διάκονός ἐστιν ἔκδικος εἰς ὀργὴν τῷ τὸ κακὸν πράσσοντι

   the-OU gar di-a-ko-NOS es-TIN SOI eis to a-ga-THON e-AN de to ka-KON poi-ÊS pho-BOU ou gar ei-KÊ tên MA-khai-ran pho-REI the-OU gar di-a-ko-NOS es-TIN EK-di-kos eis or-GÊN tôi to ka-KON PRAS-son-ti

   of God for servant is to you into the good if but the evil you do be afraid not for in vain the sword he bears of God for servant is avenger into wrath to the the evil doing

Exegesis

The verse begins with the genitive theou {θεοῦ | the-oû} ‘of God’ as a genitive of source, establishing divine authorization, followed by the conjunction gar {γὰρ | gàr} ‘for’ and the nominative subject diakonos {διάκονος | di-á-ko-nos} ‘servant.’

The explanatory clause ou gar eikē tēn machairan phorei {οὐ γὰρ εἰκῇ τὴν μάχαιραν φορεῖ | ou gàr ei-kē tḕn má-chai-ran pho-reî} clarifies that the governing authority legitimately wields the sword, not idly.

The statement then repeats the agent as theou gar diakonos estin {θεοῦ γὰρ διάκονος ἐστιν | the-oû gàr di-á-ko-nos é-stin}, apposing ekdikos {ἔκδικος | ék-di-kos} ‘avenger’ with eis orgēn {εἰς ὀργὴν | eis or-gḕn} ‘for wrath’ directed towards tōi to kakon prassonti {τῷ τὸ κακὸν πράσσοντι | tôi tò ka-kón pràs-son-ti}, emphasizing the ruler’s dual role to protect good and punish evil.