| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The aorist middle imperative aspasasthe {ἀσπάσασθε | aspásasthe} functions as the main verb, directing the Roman church in a second person plural command. It takes a series of coordinated accusative objects: Asynkriton {Ἀσύγκριτον | Asýnkriton}, Phlegonta {Φλέγοντα | Phlégonta}, Hermen {Ἑρμῆν | Hermēn}, Patroban {Πατροβᾶν | Patrobān}, and Herman {Ἑρμᾶν | Hermān}. The conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} links these to the additional accusative noun phrase tous … adelphous {τοὺς … ἀδελφούς | toùs … adelphoús}. Within this phrase the article tous precedes the prepositional phrase syn autois {σὺν αὐτοῖς | sùn autoîs}, a typical Greek pattern for attributive modification. The preposition syn marks close association, and autois refers back to the individuals named. In English the embedded prepositional phrase is rendered as a relative clause to preserve its modifying function and ensure fluent word order. |