τὸ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 τὸ

   to

   the
2. sentence🔊 εἰς τὸ εἶναί με λειτουργὸν Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη ἱερουργοῦντα τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ ἵνα γένηται ἡ προσφορὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐπρόσδεκτος ἡγιασμένη ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ

   eis to EI-nai me lei-touR-GON khree-STOO ee-ay-SOO eis ta E-thnê hi-e-rouR-GOUN-ta to eu-an-GE-li-on tou the-OU HI-na GE-nê-tai hê pros-pho-RA tôn e-THNÔN eu-PROS-dek-tos hê-gi-as-ME-nê en PNEU-ma-ti ha-GI-oi

   for the to be me minister of Christ Jesus to the nations serving as priest the gospel of the God so that might become the offering of the nations acceptable sanctified in Spirit holy

Exegesis

The verse begins with the prepositional phrase eis to einai {εἰς τὸ εἶναί | eîs tò eî-nai}, an articular infinitive construction expressing purpose or intended result, literally “into the to be,” which functions idiomatically as “in order that I might be.”

The participial phrase hierourgounta to euangelion tou Theou {ἱερουργοῦντα τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ | hi-e-rou-GOUN-ta tò eu-an-GÉ-li-on tou the-oû} is in the accusative masculine singular, syntactically agreeing with me and further defining Paul’s role: he is “performing priestly service with the gospel of God.” The verb hierourgounta, drawn from temple-sacrifice language, links the proclamation of the euangelion as an act of sacred, priestly ministry. The genitive tou Theou attaches to euangelion, identifying God as the source and owner of this good news.

Root and etymology

leitos🔊 λεῖτοςlambda–epsilon–iota–tau–omicron–sigma

“belonging to the people, public”

• 🔊 λειτουργίαlei-tour-gí-aservice, ministryHebrews 8:6
• 🔊 λειτουργέωlei-tour-GE-ōto minister, perform serviceActs 13:2