independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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Stumbling-blocks and forgiveness 17:1–4
vv. 1–2 — the woe on the one through whom stumbling comes
1
Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ·independent — speech-frame — δέ turns loosely from ch. 16 to the disciples
Ἀνένδεκτόν ἐστιν τοῦ τὰ σκάνδαλα μὴ ἐλθεῖν,content — impersonal ἐστιν + articular infinitive as subject — ἀνένδεκτος, NT hapax; stumbling is inevitable
πλὴν οὐαὶcontent — verbless woe — πλήν pivots from inevitability to responsibility
διʼ οὗ ἔρχεται·relative — the agent named only by the relative — gnomic present ἔρχεται, the standing peril
2
λυσιτελεῖ αὐτῷcontent — impersonal λυσιτελεῖ (NT hapax) — the grim comparison begins
εἰ λίθος μυλικὸς περίκειται περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦconditional — backward εἰ (anchored) — the 'preferable' fate stated as the case compared
καὶ ἔρριπται εἰς τὴν θάλασσανconditional — coordinate protasis — perfect ἔρριπται, the settled state of being thrown
ἢ ἵνα σκανδαλίσῃ τῶν μικρῶν τούτων ἕνα.content — the rejected alternative after ἤ — epexegetic ἵνα; σκανδαλίσῃ picks up τὰ σκάνδαλα of v. 1
vv. 3–4 — rebuke, repentance, and sevenfold forgiveness
3
προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς.content — asyndetic jolt — the woe turned into self-vigilance
ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ ὁ ἀδελφός σουconditional — forward-leaning protasis on ἐπιτίμησον
ἐπιτίμησον αὐτῷ,content — aorist imperative — decisive admonition before mercy
καὶ ἐὰν μετανοήσῃconditional — forward-leaning protasis on ἄφες
ἄφες αὐτῷ·content — ἀφίημι — the first of the chapter's fourfold 'forgive'
4
καὶ ἐὰν ἑπτάκις τῆς ἡμέρας ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς σὲconditional — forward-leaning — the limit case; genitive of time τῆς ἡμέρας
καὶ ἑπτάκις ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς σὲconditional — coordinate protasis — ἐπιστρέφω, the turning of repentance
λέγων·participial — speech-participle of manner
Μετανοῶ,content — the one-word confession — the declared change of mind
ἀφήσεις αὐτῷ.content — imperatival future ἀφήσεις — obligation, not prediction; mercy without ceiling
Mustard-seed faith and the unworthy servants 17:5–10
vv. 5–6 — increase our faith: the mustard seed and the mulberry
5
Καὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι τῷ κυρίῳ·independent — οἱ ἀπόστολοι address τῷ κυρίῳ — Luke's reverent titles frame the request
Πρόσθες ἡμῖν πίστιν.content — προστίθημι, 'add to' — the plea answers the demanding ethic of vv. 1–4
6
εἶπεν δὲ ὁ κύριος·independent — the reply-frame — ὁ κύριος again
Εἰ ἔχετε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως,conditional — forward-leaning on ἐλέγετε — mixed condition: present protasis with ἄν-apodoses, implying the faith is lacking
ἐλέγετε ἂν τῇ συκαμίνῳ ταύτῃ·content — imperfect + ἄν — συκάμινος, the deep-rooted black mulberry (NT hapax)
Ἐκριζώθητι καὶ φυτεύθητι ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ·content — two aorist passive imperatives — the impossible command
καὶ ὑπήκουσεν ἂν ὑμῖν.content — aorist + ἄν — the issue is the presence of faith, not its quantity
vv. 7–10 — the unworthy servants: duty earns no thanks
7
Τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶνindependent — the Τίς-ἐξ-ὑμῶν parable-question — expected answer: no one; suspended, its verb riding in the relative below
δοῦλον ἔχων ἀροτριῶντα ἢ ποιμαίνοντα,participial — the supposed case — ownership and the slave's double field-work
ὃς εἰσελθόντι ἐκ τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ·relative — the relative carries the question's finite verb; εἰσελθόντι agrees with αὐτῷ
Εὐθέως παρελθὼν ἀνάπεσε,content — the unthinkable invitation — the master waiting on his returning slave
8
ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ·independent — ἀλλʼ οὐχί expects 'yes' — the master's actual word
Ἑτοίμασον τί δειπνήσω,content — deliberative subjunctive inside the command — 'what I am to dine on'
καὶ περιζωσάμενος διακόνει μοιcontent — περιζώννυμι — robe tucked up for table-service; present διακόνει, ongoing waiting
ἕως φάγω καὶ πίω,conditional — backward ἕως-temporal (typed cnd; no temporal key)
καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα φάγεσαι καὶ πίεσαι σύ;content — emphatic final σύ — the slave's turn comes last; the order of priority is the parable's point
9
μὴ ἔχει χάριν τῷ δούλῳindependent — μή expects 'no' — ἔχειν χάριν τινί, to owe gratitude
ὅτι ἐποίησεν τὰ διαταχθέντα;cause — the ground of the (denied) thanks; the best text omits the following οὐ δοκῶ ('I think not')
10
οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς,phrase modifier — fronted application, forward-leaning on λέγετε — the parable turned on the disciples
ὅταν ποιήσητε πάντα τὰ διαταχθέντα ὑμῖν,conditional — forward ὅταν (typed cnd; no temporal key) — πάντα: even total obedience earns no claim
λέγετε ὅτιindependent — present imperative + recitative ὅτι — the habitual confession commanded
Δοῦλοι ἀχρεῖοί ἐσμεν,content — ἀχρεῖος — not useless but claimless: deserving no χάρις (v. 9)
ὃ ὠφείλομεν ποιῆσαι πεποιήκαμεν.content — perfect πεποιήκαμεν against imperfect ὠφείλομεν — duty done, merit disclaimed
The ten lepers and the thankful Samaritan 17:11–19
vv. 11–14 — ten cleansed as they go
11
Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμindependent — Lukan travel-notice — καὶ ἐγένετο + ἐν τῷ + infinitive, the Septuagintal formula
καὶ αὐτὸς διήρχετο διὰ μέσον Σαμαρείας καὶ Γαλιλαίας.content — Septuagintal καί introducing the content of ἐγένετο — the borderland stages a Samaritan's part
12
καὶ εἰσερχομένου αὐτοῦ εἴς τινα κώμηνparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on ἀπήντησαν
ἀπήντησαν δέκα λεπροὶ ἄνδρες,independent — the encounter — ten, so that nine may go missing
οἳ ἔστησαν πόρρωθεν,relative — πόρρωθεν — the Levitical separation of the unclean (Lev 13:45–46)
13
καὶ αὐτοὶ ἦραν φωνὴνindependent — αἴρω φωνήν — the shout across the required distance
λέγοντες·participial — speech-participle of manner
Ἰησοῦ ἐπιστάτα, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς.content — ἐπιστάτα — Luke's distinctive title of address; the bare plea for mercy
14
καὶ ἰδὼνparticipial — preposed circumstantial — forward-leaning on εἶπεν
εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the answering word — no touch, no pronouncement of cure
Πορευθέντες ἐπιδείξατε ἑαυτοὺς τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν.content — the Lev 14 certification commanded before any visible cure — obedience must precede
καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ὑπάγειν αὐτοὺςindependent — the formula again — the healing placed en route
ἐκαθαρίσθησαν.content — asyndetic content of ἐγένετο — καθαρίζω, the cultic word for leprosy
vv. 15–19 — the Samaritan returns: your faith has saved you
15
εἷς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν, ἰδὼνparticipial — the fronted εἷς against the nine — subject rides with the preposed participle, forward-leaning on ὑπέστρεψεν
ὅτι ἰάθη,content — ἰάομαι, not καθαρίζω — the deeper word appears with the grateful one
ὑπέστρεψεν μετὰ φωνῆς μεγάληςindependent — ὑποστρέφω — the decisive return; the loud voice now praise, not plea (v. 13)
δοξάζων τὸν θεόν,participial — manner — the return is itself doxology
16
καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦindependent — prostration at Jesus' feet — glory to God enacted before Jesus
εὐχαριστῶν αὐτῷ·participial — εὐχαριστέω — the thanksgiving the other nine never render
καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν Σαμαρίτης.independent — the sting held to the end — the returning worshiper is the despised outsider
17
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦςparticipial — pleonastic Semitic participle — forward-leaning on εἶπεν
εἶπεν·independent — the double question follows
Οὐχὶ οἱ δέκα ἐκαθαρίσθησαν;content — οὐχί expects 'yes' — all ten received the cleansing
οἱ δὲ ἐννέα ποῦ;content — verbless — the missing majority thrown into relief
18
οὐχ εὑρέθησαν ὑποστρέψαντες δοῦναι δόξαν τῷ θεῷ εἰ μὴ ὁ ἀλλογενὴς οὗτος;content — ἀλλογενής — the very word of the temple's Gentile-exclusion inscription; asyndeton sharpens the rebuke
19
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ·independent — the personal word to the one
Ἀναστὰς πορεύου·content — imperatival participle + present imperative — the dismissal in peace
ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε.content — perfect σέσωκεν — beyond the cleansing the nine received: σῴζω, wholeness/salvation, granted to the Samaritan's faith
The kingdom of God among you 17:20–21
20
Ἐπερωτηθεὶς δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν Φαρισαίωνparticipial — preposed passive participle — forward-leaning on ἀπεκρίθη
πότε ἔρχεται ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦcontent — indirect question — the Pharisees' 'when'
ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς καὶ εἶπεν·independent — double speech-frame — the answer redirects the question from 'when' to 'how'
Οὐκ ἔρχεται ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ μετὰ παρατηρήσεως,content — παρατήρησις (NT hapax) — the sign-tracking watch denied
21
οὐδὲ ἐροῦσιν·content — the impossibility of pointing it out
Ἰδοὺ ὧδε ἤ· Ἐκεῖ·content — verbless pointings — the kingdom cannot be localized
ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν.cause — γάρ grounds the whole denial — the chapter's chief crux: ἐντὸς ὑμῶν, 'within you' or (more probably, addressed to Pharisees) 'among / in the midst of you' — already present in Jesus, not a spectacle to chart
The days of the Son of Man 17:22–37
vv. 22–25 — the longing, the false pointings, the lightning — but the passion first
22
Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητάς·independent — the discourse frame — the turn from Pharisees to disciples; everything to v. 35 hangs on this Εἶπεν
Ἐλεύσονται ἡμέραιcontent — the discourse opens on the plural 'days' — delay foreseen
ὅτε ἐπιθυμήσετε μίαν τῶν ἡμερῶν τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἰδεῖν καὶ οὐκ ὄψεσθε.conditional — backward ὅτε on ἡμέραι (typed cnd; no temporal key) — the flat καί: longing unmet in the delay
23
καὶ ἐροῦσιν ὑμῖν·content — the coming false reports
Ἰδοὺ ἐκεῖ· Ἰδοὺ ὧδε·content — verbless pointings — v. 21 echoed; witnesses vary the ἐκεῖ/ὧδε order
μὴ ἀπέλθητε μηδὲ διώξητε.content — two prohibitive aorist subjunctives — the coming will need no guide
24
ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ ἀστραπὴ ἀστράπτουσα ἐκ τῆς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰς τὴν ὑπʼ οὐρανὸν λάμπει,comparative — forward-leaning ὥσπερ-half on οὕτως ἔσται — γάρ grounds v. 23: instantaneous and sky-wide, unmistakable
οὕτως ἔσται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ αὐτοῦ.content — the apodosis — ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ αὐτοῦ bracketed/omitted in some editions
25
πρῶτον δὲ δεῖ αὐτὸν πολλὰ παθεῖν καὶ ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης.content — the divine δεῖ — the cross before the lightning-day; the eschatology anchored in the passion
vv. 26–30 — as in the days of Noah and of Lot
26
καὶ καθὼς ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Νῶε,comparative — forward-leaning καθώς-half on οὕτως ἔσται — the first typology
οὕτως ἔσται καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου·content — the apodosis — Noah's days made the pattern of the Son of Man's
27
ἤσθιον, ἔπινον, ἐγάμουν, ἐγαμίζοντο,content — four asyndetic imperfects — life as usual in Noah's days, expanding v. 26
ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας εἰσῆλθεν Νῶε εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν,conditional — backward ἄχρι-ἧς-ἡμέρας temporal (typed cnd) — the routine's abrupt terminus
καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ κατακλυσμὸςcontent — aorist cuts across the imperfects — the sudden onset
καὶ ἀπώλεσεν πάντας.content — total judgment — the refrain v. 29 will repeat verbatim
28
ὁμοίως καθὼς ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Λώτ·comparative — second forward-leaning καθώς-half, reaching over vv. 28b–29 to its apodosis κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ ἔσται (v. 30)
ἤσθιον, ἔπινον, ἠγόραζον, ἐπώλουν, ἐφύτευον, ᾠκοδόμουν·content — six asyndetic imperfects expanding Lot's days — commerce and construction added to the Noah list
29
ᾗ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ ἐξῆλθεν Λὼτ ἀπὸ Σοδόμων,conditional — fronted ᾗ-ἡμέρᾳ temporal (typed cnd) — forward-leaning on ἔβρεξεν; δέ pivots from routine to ruin
ἔβρεξεν πῦρ καὶ θεῖον ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦcontent — Gen 19:24 — still inside the Lot-days picture
καὶ ἀπώλεσεν πάντας.content — the flood's verdict verbatim (v. 27) — two typologies, one ending
30
κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ ἔσταιcontent — the delayed apodosis of v. 28 — the double typology lands
ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀποκαλύπτεται.conditional — backward ᾗ-ἡμέρᾳ (typed cnd) — futuristic present ἀποκαλύπτεται: the unveiling stated as fact
vv. 31–33 — that day: no turning back — remember Lot's wife
31
ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὃς ἔσται ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ,relative — fronted relative (casus pendens), forward-leaning on μὴ καταβάτω — the possessions named before the prohibition
μὴ καταβάτωcontent — third-person aorist imperative — instant detachment demanded
ἆραι αὐτά,purpose — infinitive of purpose — the forbidden errand for the σκεύη
καὶ ὁ ἐν ἀγρῷ ὁμοίως μὴ ἐπιστρεψάτω εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω.content — εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω — Gen 19:17 ('do not look behind you') echoed; flight without regard to property
32
μνημονεύετε τῆς γυναικὸς Λώτ.content — the tersest verse — Gen 19:26: the backward look embodied and monumentalized in salt
33
ὃς ἐὰν ζητήσῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ περιποιήσασθαιrelative — indefinite relative as protasis — forward-leaning on ἀπολέσει; editions divide over ζητήσῃ περιποιήσασθαι
ἀπολέσει αὐτήν,content — the grasping forfeits — the paradox grounding v. 32
ὃς δʼ ἂν ἀπολέσῃrelative — the matching indefinite relative — forward-leaning on ζῳογονήσει
ζῳογονήσει αὐτήν.content — ζῳογονέω, 'preserve alive' — the letting-go preserves; some editions read σῷσαι in the first half
vv. 34–35, 37 — one taken, one left (v. 36 omitted); the vultures
34
λέγω ὑμῖν,content — solemn formula inside the discourse — the separation sayings follow
ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ ἔσονται δύο ἐπὶ κλίνης μιᾶς,content — the night scene — judgment cuts through the closest companionship
ὁ εἷς παραλημφθήσεταιcontent — παραλαμβάνω — taken, whether to rescue or to judgment left unsaid
καὶ ὁ ἕτερος ἀφεθήσεται·content — ἀφίημι — the dividing line invisible until it falls
35
ἔσονται δύο ἀλήθουσαι ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό,content — the day scene beside the night scene — the same division through daily labor
ἡ μία παραλημφθήσεταιcontent — the pair repeated feminine
ἡ δὲ ἑτέρα ἀφεθήσεται.content — after this line the critical text OMITS v. 36 ('two will be in the field; one taken, one left') — a harmonizing interpolation from Matt 24:40, absent from P75 ℵ B A L W; the numbering jumps 35 → 37
37
καὶ ἀποκριθέντες λέγουσιν αὐτῷ·independent — historic present — the narrative frame returns (the intervening v. 36 is omitted by the critical text)
Ποῦ, κύριε;content — verbless — the disciples still ask for a location
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the closing aphorism's frame
Ὅπου τὸ σῶμα,relative — verbless ὅπου-clause — forward-leaning on ἐπισυναχθήσονται
ἐκεῖ καὶ οἱ ἀετοὶ ἐπισυναχθήσονται.content — ἀετοί — eagles or carrion-vultures: no map given; judgment converges on its object as surely as the birds on a corpse
Analysis. Luke 17 alternates narrative frames with hanging speech, and the layout shows the alternation plainly: purple frames flush left (Εἶπεν δέ, καὶ εἶπαν, ἀπεκρίθη, and the Lukan καὶ ἐγένετο travel-formula twice in the leper story), with everything spoken hanging blue beneath its verb of saying. Four smaller exchanges — the stumbling-block woe and the sevenfold forgiveness with its forward-leaning ἐάν-protases; the mustard-seed conditional whose mixed εἰ/ἄν grammar concedes the faith is lacking; the Τίς-ἐξ-ὑμῶν parable-question suspended over its own relative clause; the ten-lepers narrative where genitive absolutes and preposed participles lean forward on their aorists — lead through the kingdom-exchange to the discourse of vv. 22–37, which hangs entire on the one Εἶπεν of v. 22: a constant-depth catena against which the discourse's own grammar indents. The ὥσπερ/καθώς comparison-halves lean forward anchor-less on their οὕτως/κατὰ-τὰ-αὐτά apodoses (lightning, Noah, Lot — Lot's καθώς reaching over the six piled imperfects and the fire from heaven to land at v. 30), the fronted temporals and indefinite relatives (ᾗ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ, ὃς ἐὰν ζητήσῃ, the casus-pendens housetop clause of v. 31) lean the same way, and the twin taken/left pairs sit as a matched catena under λέγω ὑμῖν. Cruxes taken openly: ἐντὸς ὑμῶν (v. 21) is glossed 'within / among,' the tag preferring 'among / in the midst of' before Pharisees; ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ αὐτοῦ (v. 24) is noted as bracketed or omitted in some editions; v. 9's οὐ δοκῶ and v. 33's rival verbs are flagged where they fall; and v. 36 ('two in the field; one taken, one left') is OMITTED with the critical text as a harmonizing interpolation from Matt 24:40 — the verse numbering runs 35 → 37, and the tags on either side of the gap say so.