| 16. Linguistic 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 object of this construction is the accusative me leitourgon {με λειτουργὸν | me lei-tour-gón}, “me as a minister,” where leitourgon carries cultic and priestly overtones of official service. The genitive phrase Christou Iesou {Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ | Khris-toû Ie-soû} specifies whose minister Paul is, marking his service as belonging to Christ Jesus. The second prepositional phrase eis ta ethne {εἰς τὰ ἔθνη | eîs tà Éth-nē} indicates the direction and sphere of this ministry, namely “to the nations” or “to the Gentiles.”
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.
The conjunction hina {ἵνα | hí-na} introduces a purpose or result clause: hina genetai {ἵνα γένηται | hí-na GÉ-nē-tai} “so that might become.” The subject of this clause is he prosphora ton ethnon {ἡ προσφορὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν | hē pros-pho-RÁ tôn eth-NÔn}, “the offering of the Gentiles,” with prosphora being a technical sacrificial term. The predicate adjective euprosdektos {εὐπρόσδεκτος | eu-PROS-dek-tos}, “acceptable,” describes the desired state of that offering. The participle hegiasmene {ἡγιασμένη | hē-gia-sme-Nḗ} is a perfect passive nominative feminine singular agreeing with prosphora and forming a participial phrase hegiasmene en pneumati hagio {ἡγιασμένη ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ | hē-gia-sme-Nḗ en PNEU-ma-ti ha-GÍ-ō}, which explains the manner or basis of that acceptability: the offering is “having been sanctified in the Holy Spirit.” The perfect passive aspect underscores a completed, divinely effected consecration with ongoing results.
In translation, the articular infinitive construction is rendered as a smooth purpose clause (“In order that I might be” / “My calling is to be”). The priestly participle hierourgounta is expressed with explicit priestly language (“serving as a priest,” “in a priestly way”) to retain the cultic metaphor. The hina clause is translated as a purpose clause, making clear that the Gentiles themselves, conceived as an “offering,” become acceptable because they have been sanctified by the agency of the Holy Spirit. |