| 18. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the subject phrase hoi gar toioutoi {οἱ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι | hoí gár toiûtoi} connecting back to the preceding context and identifying the problematic group as demonstrated by toioutoi. The dative phrase tō kyríō hēmōn Christō {τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Χριστῷ | tôi kyríō hēmôn Christō} marks the intended object of service, with kyrios and Christos forming a compound title under the possessive hēmōn “our.” The verb ou douleúousin {οὐ δουλεύουσιν | ou douleúousin} negates ongoing service, which is contrasted by alla {ἀλλὰ | allà} with the dative tē heautōn koilíā {τῇ ἑαυτῶν κοιλίᾳ | tê heautôn koilíā}, a metaphor for self-indulgent desires. The instrumental dia tēs chrestologías kai eulogías {διὰ τῆς χρηστολογίας καὶ εὐλογίας | diá tês chrēstologías kai eulogías} conveys means, rendered as “through smooth talk” and “with flattery,” and the verb exapatôsi {ἐξαπατῶσι | exapatôsi} resumes the action “they deceive” with tas kardías tôn akákōn {τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀκάκων | tàs kardías tôn akákōn} as the object, highlighting how the innocent are misled at the level of the inner self. |