Luke 5 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The catch of fish and the call of Simon 5:1–11

vv. 1–3 — the crowd presses, and Simon's boat becomes a pulpit

Now it happened, while the crowd was pressing upon him and hearing the word of God,phrase modifier — Septuagintal ἐγένετο-frame with ἐν τῷ + twin infinitives — leans forward on ἦν ἑστώς

that he himself was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret,independent — the apodosis — periphrastic ἦν ἑστώς; λίμνη, Luke's precise term for the Sea of Galilee

and he saw two boats standing by the lake;independent — the idle props of the sign — two boats at rest

but the fishermen, having gotten out of them, were washing their nets.independent — descriptive imperfect — the chore after a fruitless night

And getting into one of the boats,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἠρώτησεν

which was Simon's,relative — the owner named — the first link between the Teacher and the fisherman

he asked him to put out a little from the land;independent — the request — Simon's boat commandeered as a floating pulpit

and sitting down,participial — preposed participle — the teacher's seated posture; leans on ἐδίδασκεν

he taught the crowds from the boat.independent — durative imperfect — the extended instruction over the water

vv. 4–7 — 'at your word': the command and the catch

And when he had finished speaking,conditional — temporal ὡς (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leans forward on εἶπεν

he said to Simon:independent — the speech-frame — the command addressed to the helmsman alone

'Put out into the deep,content — singular imperative — to Simon at the helm

and let down your nets for a catch.'content — plural imperative — the whole crew; ἄγρα, the intended haul

And Simon answered and said:independent — pleonastic ἀποκριθείς — the Septuagintal reply-formula

'Master, having toiled through the whole night,participial — concessive participle leaning forward on ἐλάβομεν — ἐπιστάτα, Luke's distinctive address for Jesus (in place of 'Rabbi')

we took nothing;content — the empty result — veteran experience set against the command

but at your word I will let down the nets.'content — ἐπὶ τῷ ῥήματί σου — obedience grounded on the bare word, against experience

And when they had done this,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on συνέκλεισαν

they enclosed a great multitude of fish;independent — the obedience vindicated at once — the net shuts on a trapped mass

and their nets were beginning to tear.independent — inceptive imperfect — the haul against the gear

And they signaled to their partners in the other boatindependent — κατανεύω — they beckon, too busy or too awed to shout

to come and help them;purpose — genitive articular infinitive of purpose — the second crew summoned

and they came,independent — the partners join

and filled both the boats,independent — the superabundance — both vessels loaded

so that they were beginning to sink.purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key); inceptive present βυθίζεσθαι

vv. 8–11 — the sinner's recoil, the reassurance, and leaving everything

But when Simon Peter saw it,participial — preposed circumstantial — the full apostolic name marks the turning point; leans on προσέπεσεν

he fell down at Jesus' knees,independent — the theophanic reflex — prostration before the holy

saying:participial — speech-participle — the frame for the sinner's plea

'Depart from me,content — the plea for distance from the holy (cf. Isa 6:5)

for I am a sinful man, O Lord.'cause — ἁμαρτωλός — the chapter's keyword enters (vv. 30, 32); κύριε lifted toward 'Lord' by the awe

For amazement had seized him and all who were with him, at the catch of fishcause — narrator's γάρ-aside — θάμβος, the numinous dread gripping the whole crew

which they had taken,relative — relative attracted to its antecedent's genitive (ὧν)

and so also James and John, sons of Zebedee,phrase modifier — verbless extension of the object — the amazement reaches the Zebedees too

who were partners with Simon.relative — κοινωνοί — the business partnership (cf. μέτοχοι, v. 7)

And Jesus said to Simon:independent — the sign reframed as vocation — the word still to Simon alone

'Do not be afraid;content — μὴ φοβοῦ — the reassurance answering the theophanic dread

from now on you will be catching men alive.'content — periphrastic future with ζωγρῶν, 'taking alive' — the hope-laden word against the fisherman's killing trade; ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν, the Lukan turn

And when they had brought the boats to land,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἠκολούθησαν

leaving everything,participial — ἀφέντες πάντα — the record catch itself abandoned; the second preposed participle

they followed him.independent — the discipleship verb — one word answers the call

The cleansing of the leper 5:12–16

vv. 12–14 — the plea, the touch, and the charge

And it happened, while he was in one of the towns,phrase modifier — the ἐγένετο-frame again — leans forward across the ἰδού onto the scene

that behold, a man full of leprosy!independent — verbless ἰδού-presentation — πλήρης λέπρας, the physician's note of an advanced case

And seeing Jesus,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐδεήθη

falling on his face,participial — full prostration — the second preposed participle

he begged him,independent — δέομαι — the entreaty of the excluded

saying:participial — speech-participle — the frame for the model prayer

'Lord, if you are willing,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — the cure rested on Jesus' will, not his power

you can make me clean.'content — the apodosis-confession — καθαρίσαι, the cultic word

And stretching out his hand,participial — preposed participle — the reach across the purity line; leans on ἥψατο

he touched him,independent — the touch that would defile here heals

saying:participial — the word given with the touch

'I am willing; be clean.'content — the plea answered word for word — Θέλω to ἐὰν θέλῃς, καθαρίσθητι to καθαρίσαι

And immediately the leprosy left him.independent — εὐθέως — the disease departs like an agent, at once

And he charged himindependent — παραγγέλλω — the stern charge follows the cure

to tell no one,content — indirect command — the messianic-secret motif

but 'Go, show yourself to the priest,content — the shift into direct discourse mid-sentence — the Torah honored (Lev 13–14)

and make an offering for your cleansing,content — the prescribed sacrifice of the cleansed

as Moses commanded,comparative — Lev 14:2–32 — the two birds, the lambs, the log of oil

for a testimony to them.'phrase modifier — εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς — for, or against, them; left open

vv. 15–16 — spreading fame, withdrawing prayer

But the report about him spread all the more,independent — μᾶλλον — the charge to silence backfires

and great crowds were gatheringindependent — iterative imperfect — the stream of the afflicted

to hear and to be healed of their infirmities;purpose — twin purpose infinitives — word and cure sought together

But he himself would withdraw to the deserted places and pray.independent — periphrastic imperfects of habit — Luke's praying Jesus, set against the swelling crowds

The paralytic through the tiles — authority to forgive sins 5:17–26

vv. 17–19 — the watchers assembled and the descent through the tiles

And it happened on one of the days,phrase modifier — the ἐγένετο-frame — leans forward on the periphrastics below

that he himself was teaching,independent — periphrastic imperfect — the scene's backdrop

and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting by,independent — the seated examiners — νομοδιδάσκαλος, Luke's rare term for the scribes

who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem;relative — pluperfect periphrastic — the whole land's delegation of watchers

and the power of the Lord was present for him to heal.independent — δύναμις κυρίου — the best text's αὐτόν ('for him to heal') kept where many witnesses read αὐτούς ('to heal them')

And behold, men carrying on a bed a manindependent — verbless ἰδού-presentation — the need arrives borne by friends

who was paralyzed,relative — παραλελυμένος — Luke's clinical perfect for the settled condition (vs. Mark's παραλυτικός)

and they were seeking to bring him in and to set him before him.independent — conative imperfect — the attempt the crowd defeats

And not findingparticipial — preposed causal participle — leans on καθῆκαν

by what way they might bring him in because of the crowd,content — deliberative subjunctive in indirect question — ποίας with implied ὁδοῦ, 'by what route'

going up on the roof,participial — the second preposed participle — the outside stair to the flat roof

they let him down through the tiles, with the little bed, into the midst before Jesus.independent — διὰ τῶν κεράμων — Luke's Hellenistic tiled roof where Mark digs through packed earth; straight to Jesus' feet

vv. 20–24 — forgiveness, the charge of blasphemy, and the suspended ἵνα-clause

And seeing their faith,participial — preposed circumstantial — the faith is visible in the tiles; leans on εἶπεν

he said:independent — the speech-frame

'Man, your sins are forgiven you.'content — divine passive — the Doric-Koine perfect ἀφέωνται (vs. variant ἀφίενται), a settled remission; pardon before cure

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason,independent — ingressive ἤρξαντο — the controversy opens

saying:participial — the reasoning voiced (Luke) where Mark keeps it in the heart

'Who is thiscontent — contemptuous οὗτος — 'this fellow'

who speaks blasphemies?relative — the capital charge — usurping the divine prerogative

Who can forgive sins but God alone?'content — sound monotheism, wrong christology — the premise the sign will answer

But Jesus, perceiving their reasonings,participial — preposed circumstantial — the heart-reading is itself a sign; leans on εἶπεν

answered and said to them:independent — pleonastic ἀποκριθείς — the counter-question begins

'Why are you reasoning in your hearts?content — their inward debate quoted back to them

Which is easier —content — the rabbinic dilemma — unverifiable pardon against testable command

to say,content — first epexegetic infinitive — the easy, invisible word

'Your sins are forgiven you,'content — v. 20 quoted verbatim inside the question

or to say,content — the second alternative

'Rise and walk'?content — the hard, testable word — anyone can verify it

'But that you may knowpurpose — the suspended purpose clause — no governing verb ever comes; still Jesus' speech, hung under εἶπεν (v. 22), exactly as at Mark 2:10

that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins' —content — the Son-of-Man claim — ἐξουσία, the controversy's keyword; Dan 7:13 behind the title

he said to the paralyzed man —independent — the narrator's resumption at the dash — the healing itself completes the broken sentence

'I say to you,content — emphatic fronted σοί — the harder word of v. 23 now performed

rise, and taking up your bed, go to your house.'content — the three-fold command — up, bed in hand, home

vv. 25–26 — the rising and the chorus of awe

And immediately, rising up before them,participial — παραχρῆμα — Luke's word for miracle-speed; leans on ἀπῆλθεν

taking upparticipial — the second preposed participle — the proof in his arms

what he had been lying on,relative — the bed of his helplessness now carried

he went off to his house,independent — the command of v. 24 performed clause by clause

glorifying God.participial — the healed man's doxology — the first voice of the chorus

And amazement seized them all,independent — ἔκστασις — the crowd beside itself

and they were glorifying God,independent — iterative imperfect — the doxology spreads from the healed man to all

and they were filled with fear,independent — φόβος — the numinous awe

saying:participial — speech-participle with recitative ὅτι

'We have seen incredible things today.'content — παράδοξα — a NT hapax (whence 'paradox'); σήμερον, Luke's 'today' of fulfilment

The call of Levi and the sinners' table 5:27–32

vv. 27–29 — the call, the renunciation, and the great feast

And after these things he went outindependent — the transitional formula — out from the healing scene

and saw a tax collector named Leviindependent — ἐθεάσατο — the attentive look that initiates each call; Levi = Matthew (Matt 9:9)

sitting at the tax booth,participial — caught mid-trade, as the fishermen at their nets

and he said to him:independent — the speech-frame

'Follow me.'content — the two-word call — the same summons given at the shore

And leaving everything,participial — καταλιπὼν πάντα — echoing ἀφέντες πάντα (v. 11); the lucrative post abandoned

rising,participial — ἀναστάς — the break from the booth; leans on ἠκολούθει

he followed him.independent — inceptive imperfect — the new, ongoing discipleship

And Levi made him a great feast in his house;independent — δοχή, a Lukan banquet-word (5:29; 14:13) — the new disciple's first act is hospitality

and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and othersindependent — Levi's former colleagues gathered — the very 'sinners' Jesus came to call

who were reclining with them.relative — periphrastic — shared table is shared fellowship: the offense itself

vv. 30–32 — the grumbling and the physician's mission

And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples,independent — γογγύζω — the LXX wilderness murmur-word; pressed on the disciples, not the master

saying:participial — the frame for the complaint

'Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?'content — table-fellowship as defilement — Luke adds the drinking, feeding v. 33

And Jesus answered and said to them:independent — the reply-formula — the master answers for his disciples

'Those who are well have no need of a physician,content — the physician proverb — ὑγιαίνω, the doctor's own word (Luke), for Mark's ἰσχύοντες

but those who are sick.content — elliptical antithesis — the verb supplied from the proverb

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'content — the mission-saying — perfect ἐλήλυθα framing the whole mission; εἰς μετάνοιαν, Luke's distinctive addition

The question about fasting — bridegroom, patch, and wineskins 5:33–39

vv. 33–35 — the fasting question and the bridegroom

And they said to him:independent — the third objection, at the same table

'The disciples of John fast often and make prayers,content — the pious contrast — fasting and δεήσεις together, Luke's pairing

likewise also those of the Pharisees,content — elliptical — the verbs supplied; two pious camps on one side

but yours eat and drink.'content — emphatic σοί — the charge: the feasting of v. 30 returns

And Jesus said to them:independent — the reply-frame

'Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?content — μή expects 'no' — 'sons of the bridechamber,' the Semitism; the embedded ἐν ᾧ temporal kept in line

But days will come;content — the prophetic-sounding formula — the turn toward the passion

and when the bridegroom is taken away from them,conditional — temporal ὅταν (typed cnd; no temporal key) — ἀπαρθῇ, the ominous passive (cf. Isa 53:8 LXX); leans forward on νηστεύσουσιν

then they will fast in those days.content — τότε answering ὅταν — mourning will fit the bridegroom's absence

vv. 36–39 — patch, wineskins, and the taste for the old

And he also told them a parable:independent — imperfect Ἔλεγεν with recitative ὅτι — the paired images introduced as παραβολή, only Luke

'No one tears a patch from a new garment and puts it on an old garment;content — Luke's sharper version — the patch is torn (σχίσας) from a new garment, not merely unshrunk cloth

otherwise —conditional — elliptical εἰ δὲ μήγε ('but if not') — leans forward on σχίσει

he will both tear the new,content — the double damage begins — the new ruined for the old's sake

and the patch from the new will not match the old.content — οὐ συμφωνήσει — the clash of new with old: they cannot be pieced together

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins;content — the companion οὐδείς-parable — fermenting νέος wine, brittle old skins

otherwise —conditional — the second elliptical εἰ δὲ μήγε — leans forward on ῥήξει

the new wine will burst the wineskins,content — predictive future — fermentation pressure against stiff leather

and it will be spilled,content — the wine lost

and the wineskins will be destroyed;content — the double loss complete — wine and vessel perish together

but new wine must be put into new wineskins.content — βλητέον — a rare verbal adjective of necessity, NT hapax; the Byzantine addition 'and both are preserved' not read here

And no one after drinking old wine wants new;content — Luke's extra aphorism — omitted by D and part of the Old Latin, read by 𝔓⁴ ℵ B and printed here

for he says:cause — the gnomic drinker's γάρ

'The old is good.'content — χρηστός read where the harder χρηστότερος ('better') competes — the settled taste for the old, the resistance the parables diagnose

Analysis. Luke 5 rewrites Mark's opening Galilean cycle in Luke's own syntax, and the layout shows the difference at a glance: where Mark drummed flush-left καί-clauses, Luke opens his scenes with Septuagintal ἐγένετο-frames whose ἐν τῷ + infinitive temporal phrases lean forward, anchor-less, on the main verb below (vv. 1, 12, 17), and loads his sentences with preposed aorist participles that do the same (ἐμβὰς δέ and καθίσας δέ around the floating pulpit, ἰδὼν δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος before the collapse at the knees, μὴ εὑρόντες and ἀναβάντες before the descent through the tiles, καταλιπὼν πάντα before Levi follows). Speech hangs blue (cnt) under its verb of saying: the ἐπιστάτα-exchange under εἶπεν twice over, with Simon's night-toil participle leaning forward on οὐδὲν ἐλάβομεν and his obedience resting ἐπὶ τῷ ῥήματί σου; the leper-dialogue's protasis inside quoted speech (Κύριε, ἐὰν θέλῃς leaning on δύνασαι), answered word for word by Θέλω, καθαρίσθητι; the grumblers' questions under λέγοντες and Jesus' physician-proverb and mission-saying chained under εἶπεν. Verse 24 keeps the suspended pivot Luke inherits from Mark 2:10: ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε never reaches its governing verb — the layout hangs it (marked broken) inside the quoted speech under εἶπεν (v. 22) and lets the narrator's resumption εἶπεν τῷ παραλελυμένῳ sit flush-left, the healing completing the thought. The closing parables indent as in Mark: the twin elliptical εἰ δὲ μήγε protases lean one step above their apodoses, βλητέον carries the necessity in a single verbal adjective, and Luke's extra aphorism closes the chapter with its γάρ hanging beneath θέλει. Cruxes named, not solved: at v. 17 the best text's αὐτόν ('the power of the Lord was present for him to heal') stands where many witnesses read αὐτούς; at vv. 20 and 23 the Doric-Koine perfect ἀφέωνται declares a settled remission against the variant ἀφίενται; and v. 39, omitted by Codex Bezae and part of the Old Latin but read by 𝔓⁴ ℵ B and printed here, gives χρηστός where the harder χρηστότερος ('better') competes — the settled taste for the old that the whole chapter diagnoses.