| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse employs a correlative contrast with men {μὲν | mèn} and de {δὲ | dè}, which together signal an implicit “on the one hand … but on the other” structure. The initial clause begins with the relative pronoun hos {ὃς | hòs} functioning substantivally as “one person,” followed by the finite verb pisteuei {πιστεύει | pistéuei}, which governs the complementary infinitive phagein {φαγεῖν | phageîn}; this construction expresses a settled conviction about permitted action (“believes to eat”). The object panta {πάντα | pánta} is neuter plural and indefinite, emphasizing the unrestricted range of foods. The second clause resumes with ho {ὁ | ho} plus the participle asthenon {ἀσθενῶν | asthenôn}, literally “the one being weak,” forming a participial noun phrase that serves as the subject of esthiei {ἐσθίει | esthíei} “eats,” with lachana {λάχανα | láchana} “vegetables” as its object. English cannot naturally preserve both the relative and participial substantival structure, so the syntax is unpacked as “One person … but the one who is weak” in the formal rendering, while the dynamic version generalizes the participants (“Some people … those who are weak”) to reflect the generic, representative force of the Greek. Word order is adjusted from the marked initial relative clause in Greek to a more idiomatic subject–verb–object sequence in English, while maintaining the key contrast between freedom to eat all foods and restriction to vegetables. |