Matthew 14 — Clausal Layout (Greek)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionaldashed = 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.)

Herod's fear and the death of the Baptist 14:1–12

vv. 1–2 — the report reaches the court: Herod's guilty verdict

Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἤκουσεν Ἡρῴδης ὁ τετραάρχης τὴν ἀκοὴν Ἰησοῦ,independent — the loose Matthean time-link opens the episode; τετραάρχης — the correct, lesser title (contrast 'king,' v. 9)

καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦ·independent — the speech-frame — παῖδες here court attendants, not children

Οὗτός ἐστιν Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστής·content — the guilty identification — the executed man returned

αὐτὸς ἠγέρθη ἀπὸ τῶν νεκρῶν,content — ἠγέρθη — resurrection language in Herod's superstitious mouth

καὶ διὰ τοῦτο αἱ δυνάμεις ἐνεργοῦσιν ἐν αὐτῷ.content — the inference — a risen prophet would explain the δυνάμεις

vv. 3–5 — the retrospect opens: why John lay in prison

Ὁ γὰρ Ἡρῴδης κρατήσας τὸν Ἰωάννηνparticipial — explanatory γάρ launches the flashback, narrated at mainline depth (cf. Mark 6:17); leans on ἔδησεν

ἔδησεν αὐτὸνindependent — the arrest recalled — the retrospect's aorists are pluperfect in force

καὶ ἐν φυλακῇ ἀπέθετο διὰ Ἡρῳδιάδα τὴν γυναῖκα Φιλίππου τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ·independent — Machaerus, per Josephus — the cause named: the unlawful marriage

ἔλεγεν γὰρ ὁ Ἰωάννης αὐτῷ·cause — second γάρ — iterative imperfect: the repeated rebuke that earned the cell

Οὐκ ἔξεστίν σοι ἔχειν αὐτήν.content — Torah to the tetrarch's face (Lev 18:16; 20:21) — the prophet's fatal candor

καὶ θέλων αὐτὸν ἀποκτεῖναιparticipial — concessive participle — leans on ἐφοβήθη; in Matthew the murderous will is Herod's own (in Mark, Herodias')

ἐφοβήθη τὸν ὄχλον,independent — fear of the people checks the wish — the same bind as 21:26

ὅτι ὡς προφήτην αὐτὸν εἶχον.cause — εἶχον with predicate ὡς — the popular verdict that shielded John

vv. 6–11 — the birthday banquet: the dance, the oath, the platter

γενεσίοις δὲ γενομένοις τοῦ Ἡρῴδουparticipial — dative absolute of time — the occasion arrives; leans on ὠρχήσατο

ὠρχήσατο ἡ θυγάτηρ τῆς Ἡρῳδιάδος ἐν τῷ μέσῳindependent — Salome, by Josephus' account — Herodias' daughter performs before the company

καὶ ἤρεσεν τῷ Ἡρῴδῃ,independent — ἤρεσεν — the pleasure that springs the trap

ὅθεν μεθ' ὅρκου ὡμολόγησεν αὐτῇ δοῦναιindependent — ὅθεν draws the consequence — the rash, oath-bound pledge

ὃ ἐὰν αἰτήσηται.relative — indefinite relative (ὃ ἐάν + subjunctive) — the blank check

ἡ δὲ προβιβασθεῖσα ὑπὸ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτῆς·participial — προβιβασθεῖσα — the girl put forward as Herodias' instrument; leans on φησίν

Δός μοι, φησίν, ὧδε ἐπὶ πίνακι τὴν κεφαλὴν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ.independent — parenthetic historic present φησίν inside the demand — ὧδε, now, at table; the platter a banquet dish

καὶ λυπηθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺςparticipial — concessive participle (λυπηθείς read; the editions divide against ἐλυπήθη ... δέ); 'king' — the courtesy title Matthew allows the tetrarch; leans on ἐκέλευσεν

διὰ τοὺς ὅρκους καὶ τοὺς συνανακειμένους ἐκέλευσεν δοθῆναι,independent — honor before guests outweighs grief — the double διά names the pressure

καὶ πέμψαςparticipial — the executioner dispatched; leans on ἀπεκεφάλισεν

ἀπεκεφάλισεν τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ.independent — causative aorist — the deed done off-stage, in one clause

καὶ ἠνέχθη ἡ κεφαλὴ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πίνακιindependent — passive — the head handled as a course at the feast

καὶ ἐδόθη τῷ κορασίῳ,independent — ἐδόθη answers Δός — the demand met verbatim

καὶ ἤνεγκεν τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῆς.independent — platter, girl, mother — the revenge completed hand to hand

v. 12 — burial, and the news carried to Jesus

καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦparticipial — John's own disciples — the last service; leans on ἦραν

ἦραν τὸ πτῶμαindependent — πτῶμα printed ('corpse'; some witnesses soften to σῶμα)

καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτόν,independent — the burial — the quiet counter-scene to the courtiers' banquet

καὶ ἐλθόντεςparticipial — leans on ἀπήγγειλαν — the hinge to v. 13

ἀπήγγειλαν τῷ Ἰησοῦ.independent — the report that triggers the withdrawal — John's story handed over to Jesus'

The feeding of the five thousand 14:13–21

vv. 13–14 — withdrawal, pursuit, compassion

Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦςparticipial — the news of v. 12 — the forerunner's death shadows the ministry; leans on ἀνεχώρησεν

ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν ἐν πλοίῳ εἰς ἔρημον τόπον κατ' ἰδίαν·independent — ἀνεχώρησεν — Matthew's verb of strategic retreat; ἔρημος τόπος readies the wilderness banquet

καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ ὄχλοιparticipial — the matching participle — his hearing answered by theirs; leans on ἠκολούθησαν

ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ πεζῇ ἀπὸ τῶν πόλεων.independent — πεζῇ — around the shore; the solitude is over before it begins

καὶ ἐξελθὼνparticipial — coming ashore; leans on εἶδεν

εἶδεν πολὺν ὄχλον,independent — the sight that moves him

καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπ' αὐτοῖςindependent — ἐσπλαγχνίσθη — visceral mercy overrides the sought solitude

καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν τοὺς ἀρρώστους αὐτῶν.independent — healing first — the meal follows

vv. 15–18 — the dialogue: 'send them away' / 'you give them to eat'

ὀψίας δὲ γενομένηςparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the first of the chapter's two evenings (cf. v. 23)

προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶindependent — προσέρχομαι — Matthew's characteristic verb of approach

λέγοντες·participial — the speech-frame

Ἔρημός ἐστιν ὁ τόποςcontent — the disciples state the facts — the wilderness cannot feed

καὶ ἡ ὥρα ἤδη παρῆλθεν·content — the second fact — daylight gone

ἀπόλυσον τοὺς ὄχλους,content — the proposal — send the problem away

ἵνα ἀπελθόντες εἰς τὰς κώμας ἀγοράσωσιν ἑαυτοῖς βρώματα.purpose — the sensible plan — each buys his own; about to be overturned

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the counter-word

Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν ἀπελθεῖν·content — the plan refused

δότε αὐτοῖς ὑμεῖς φαγεῖν.content — emphatic ὑμεῖς — the charge thrown on the disciples

οἱ δὲ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ·independent — historic present — the objection

Οὐκ ἔχομεν ὧδε εἰ μὴ πέντε ἄρτους καὶ δύο ἰχθύας.content — the inventory of poverty — εἰ μή, 'except'; the miracle's raw material

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν·independent — the reply

Φέρετέ μοι ὧδε αὐτούς.content — the pivot from lack to abundance — the little handed over to Jesus

vv. 19–21 — took, blessed, broke, gave: all were filled

καὶ κελεύσας τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνακλιθῆναι ἐπὶ τοῦ χόρτου,participial — the meal ordered like a banquet; leans on εὐλόγησεν

λαβὼν τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους καὶ τοὺς δύο ἰχθύας,participial — the first eucharistic action — λαβών (cf. 26:26)

ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸνparticipial — third preposed participle — the gesture of blessing toward the Father

εὐλόγησενindependent — the second action — the berakah over bread, in one bare verb

καὶ κλάσαςparticipial — the third action — preposed on ἔδωκεν

ἔδωκεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς τοὺς ἄρτους,independent — the fourth action — the disciples made distributors

οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις.independent — elliptical — 'gave' understood; the chain of giving runs on

καὶ ἔφαγον πάντεςindependent — πάντες — no one passed over

καὶ ἐχορτάσθησαν,independent — ἐχορτάσθησαν — satisfied to the full (cf. 5:6)

καὶ ἦραν τὸ περισσεῦον τῶν κλασμάτων δώδεκα κοφίνους πλήρεις.independent — the surplus outmeasures the supply — twelve, a basket per apostle

οἱ δὲ ἐσθίοντες ἦσαν ἄνδρες ὡσεὶ πεντακισχίλιοι χωρὶς γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων.independent — the tally — Matthew alone adds χωρὶς γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων, enlarging the wonder

Walking on the sea — and Peter's attempt 14:22–33

vv. 22–24 — the forced crossing: prayer on the mountain, torment on the sea

Καὶ εὐθέως ἠνάγκασεν τοὺς μαθητὰς ἐμβῆναι εἰς τὸ πλοῖον καὶ προάγειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πέραν,independent — ἠνάγκασεν — he compels, perhaps against the crowd's messianic surge (cf. Jn 6:15)

ἕως οὗ ἀπολύσῃ τοὺς ὄχλους.conditional — temporal ἕως οὗ (typed cnd; no temporal key) — backward-leaning, so anchored

καὶ ἀπολύσας τοὺς ὄχλουςparticipial — the dismissal accomplished; leans on ἀνέβη

ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος κατ' ἰδίαν προσεύξασθαι.independent — the sought solitude of v. 13 at last — the purpose infinitive kept in line

ὀψίας δὲ γενομένηςparticipial — genitive absolute — the chapter's second ὀψία, now full night; leans on ἦν

μόνος ἦν ἐκεῖ.independent — μόνος — the scene split: he on the mountain, they on the sea

τὸ δὲ πλοῖον ἤδη μέσον τῆς θαλάσσης ἦν βασανιζόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν κυμάτων,independent — periphrastic imperfect — βασανιζόμενον, 'tortured'; μέσον τῆς θαλάσσης read against the expansion 'many stadia from the land'

ἦν γὰρ ἐναντίος ὁ ἄνεμος.cause — narrator's γάρ — the head-wind that holds them mid-sea

vv. 25–27 — the epiphany: 'take heart, ἐγώ εἰμι'

τετάρτῃ δὲ φυλακῇ τῆς νυκτὸς ἦλθεν πρὸς αὐτοὺςindependent — 3–6 a.m., the darkest watch — the help delayed till the last

περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν.participial — manner participle — the theophanic tread on the waves (Job 9:8; Ps 77:19)

οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης περιπατοῦνταparticipial — the vision misread; leans on ἐταράχθησαν

ἐταράχθησανindependent — ἐταράχθησαν — thrown into turmoil

λέγοντες ὅτιparticipial — speech-participle with recitative ὅτι

Φάντασμά ἐστιν,content — φάντασμα — the epiphany taken for an apparition

καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου ἔκραξαν.independent — the scream — fear finds its voice

εὐθὺς δὲ ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς αὐτοῖς λέγων·independent — εὐθύς — the answer is instant

Θαρσεῖτε,content — the first word against the fear

ἐγώ εἰμι·content — ἐγώ εἰμι — self-identification with the ring of the divine name (Exod 3:14; Isa 43:10), left to sound

μὴ φοβεῖσθε.content — μή + present imperative — 'stop fearing'

vv. 28–31 — Peter on the waters: the walk, the wind, the grip

ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος εἶπεν·independent — Matthew alone adds the Peter episode — the spokesman tests the word

Κύριε, εἰ σὺ εἶ,conditional — first-class protasis inside speech — 'if it is you (and it is)'; leans forward on κέλευσον, one deeper

κέλευσόν με ἐλθεῖν πρὸς σὲ ἐπὶ τὰ ὕδατα.content — the apodosis-request — faith asks a share in the miracle, at his word only

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν·independent — the reply

Ἐλθέ.content — one word bears his weight

καὶ καταβὰς ἀπὸ τοῦ πλοίου ὁ Πέτροςparticipial — the step over the side; leans on περιεπάτησεν

περιεπάτησεν ἐπὶ τὰ ὕδαταindependent — for a moment the disciple does what the Lord does

καὶ ἦλθεν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν.independent — ἦλθεν πρός — the walk holds while the gaze holds

βλέπων δὲ τὸν ἄνεμον ἰσχυρὸνparticipial — the gaze shifts from Jesus to the storm (ἰσχυρόν read by the majority, omitted by a few); leans on ἐφοβήθη

ἐφοβήθη,independent — the fear of v. 26 returns — now in the one who walked

καὶ ἀρξάμενος καταποντίζεσθαιparticipial — καταποντίζεσθαι — going down into the sea; leans on ἔκραξεν

ἔκραξενindependent — the same verb as the disciples' scream (v. 26)

λέγων·participial — the speech-frame

Κύριε, σῶσόν με.content — the shortest prayer in the Gospel — σῶσον with its full gospel resonance

εὐθέως δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖραparticipial — εὐθέως again — the rescue as instant as the reassurance; leans on ἐπελάβετο

ἐπελάβετο αὐτοῦindependent — the grip before the rebuke

καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ·independent — historic present — the word delivered mid-rescue

Ὀλιγόπιστε, εἰς τί ἐδίστασας;content — ὀλιγόπιστε — Matthew's diagnosis: small faith, not none; ἐδίστασας, 'be of two minds' (only here and 28:17)

vv. 32–33 — the calm and the confession

καὶ ἀναβάντων αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ πλοῖονparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on ἐκόπασεν

ἐκόπασεν ὁ ἄνεμος.independent — ἐκόπασεν — the storm drops at his presence, unbidden (cf. 8:26)

οἱ δὲ ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷindependent — προσεκύνησαν — the homage owed to God, rendered in the boat

λέγοντες·participial — the speech-frame of the confession

Ἀληθῶς θεοῦ υἱὸς εἶ.content — the disciples' first full confession in Matthew — fronted θεοῦ; where Mark ends in hardened hearts (Mk 6:52), Matthew ends in worship

Healings at Gennesaret 14:34–36

Καὶ διαπεράσαντεςparticipial — the crossing completed; leans on ἦλθον

ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν εἰς Γεννησαρέτ.independent — the fertile plain on the lake's northwest shore

καὶ ἐπιγνόντες αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνουparticipial — ἐπιγνόντες — full recognition; leans on ἀπέστειλαν

ἀπέστειλαν εἰς ὅλην τὴν περίχωρον ἐκείνην,independent — word goes out — the whole countryside mobilized

καὶ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας,independent — πάντας — the region's sick carried in

καὶ παρεκάλουν αὐτὸνindependent — iterative imperfect — the continual entreaty

ἵνα μόνον ἅψωνται τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ·content — ἵνα of the entreaty's content — μόνον, bare contact with the tassel (Num 15:38–39; cf. 9:20–21)

καὶ ὅσοι ἥψαντο διεσώθησαν.independent — headless ὅσοι-relative as subject — the intensive διά of διεσώθησαν: healed through and through; the chapter closes in open-ended mercy

Analysis. Matthew 14 is narrative in three great panels with a healing coda, and the layout reads accordingly: coordinate purple main clauses run down the left margin, one event per line, while Matthew's habitual preposed aorist participles (Ἀκούσας, ἐξελθών, ἀπολύσας, καταβάς, ἐκτείνας) and genitive absolutes (ὀψίας γενομένης twice, ἀναβάντων αὐτῶν) lean forward, anchorless, on the verbs below them. All speech hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying: Herod's guilty verdict under εἶπεν, the girl's demand fused with its parenthetic φησίν, the feeding dialogue's exchange of imperatives (ἀπόλυσον / δότε ὑμεῖς / Φέρετε), and the sea-walking scene's dense dialogue — Θαρσεῖτε, ἐγώ εἰμι under λέγων, Peter's Κύριε, εἰ σὺ εἶ protasis leaning one deeper on κέλευσον, the one-word Ἐλθέ, the drowning man's Κύριε, σῶσόν με, and the boat's confession Ἀληθῶς θεοῦ υἱὸς εἶ. The Baptist retrospect (vv. 3–12) is a γάρ-grounded flashback narrated at mainline depth, exactly as at Mark 6:17 — its aorists pluperfect in force. Cruxes the layout inherits rather than hides: at v. 9 the concessive participle λυπηθείς is read (the editions divide against ἐλυπήθη ... δέ); at v. 24 μέσον τῆς θαλάσσης is read against the later expansion 'many stadia from the land'; ἐγώ εἰμι (v. 27) is glossed 'it is I' while the tag names its divine-name resonance (Exod 3:14; Isa 43); and βασιλεύς (v. 9) beside the precise τετραάρχης (v. 1) is flagged as courtesy against precision.