| 20. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the prohibitory particle me {μὴ | mē} governing the present active imperative katalye {κατάλυε | ka-tá-lye}, issuing a firm command not to undermine. The prepositional phrase heneken brōmatos {ἕνεκεν βρώματος | hé-ne-ken brô-ma-tos} indicates motive “for the sake of food.” The direct object is to ergon tou theou {τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ | tò ér-gon tou the-oû}, an articular noun phrase with genitive implying the work that belongs to and is produced by God. The contrastive construction panta men kathara {πάντα μὲν καθαρά | pán-ta mèn ka-tha-rá} asserts that “all things” are ritually clean, while the adversative particle alla {ἀλλὰ | al-lá} introduces the qualifier kakon tō anthrōpō tō dia proskommatos esthionti {κακὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ διὰ προσκόμματος ἐσθίοντι | ka-kón tō an-thrṓ-pō tō di-á pros-kóm-ma-tos es-thí-on-ti}, linking “evil” to its effect on a person who eats by causing a stumbling. The dual article tō before the participle esthionti marks it as attributive, emphasizing the one who eats in a harmful way. English translations must supply the implied verb “are,” clarify the contrast men…alla, and make explicit that the evil resides not in the food but in causing harm to another’s faith. |