KJV: And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
YLT: and he said, 'Why, how am I able, if some one may not guide me?' he called Philip also, having come up, to sit with him.
Darby: And he said, How should I then be able unless some one guide me? And he begged Philip to come up and sit with him.
ASV: And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him.
Ὁ | - |
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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εἶπεν | he said |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: λέγω Sense: to speak, say. |
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Πῶς | How |
Parse: Adverb Root: πῶς Sense: how, in what way. |
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ἂν | - |
Parse: Particle Root: ἄν Sense: has no exact English equivalent, see definitions under AV. |
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δυναίμην | could I be able |
Parse: Verb, Present Optative Middle or Passive, 1st Person Singular Root: δύναμαι Sense: to be able, have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom. |
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τις | someone |
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: τὶς Sense: a certain, a certain one. |
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ὁδηγήσει | will guide |
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: ὁδηγέω Sense: to be a guide, lead on one’s way, to guide. |
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με | me |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular Root: ἐγώ Sense: I, me, my. |
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παρεκάλεσέν | He invited |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: παρακαλέω Sense: to call to one’s side, call for, summon. |
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τὸν | - |
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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Φίλιππον | Philip |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: Φίλιππος Sense: an apostle of Christ. |
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ἀναβάντα | having come up |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: ἀναβαίνω Sense: ascend. |
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καθίσαι | to sit |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active Root: καθίζω Sense: to make to sit down. |
Greek Commentary for Acts 8:31
This is a mixed condition, the conclusion coming first belongs to the fourth class (undetermined with less likelihood of being determined) with αν an and the optative, but the condition (εαν ean instead of the usual ει ei and the future indicative) is of the first class (determined or fulfilled. Robertson, Grammar, p. 1022), a common enough phenomenon in the Koiné. The eunuch felt the need of some one to guide (οδηγεω hodēge from οδηγος hodēgos guide, and that from οδος hodos way, and εγεομαι hegeomai to lead). [source]
Lit., for how should I be able? the for connecting the question with an implied negative: “No; for how could I understand except,” etc. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 8:31
A condition of the first class, determined as fulfilled. The use of εαν ean rather than ει ei cuts no figure in the case (See note on Acts 8:31; note on 1 Thessalonians 3:8; and the note on 1 John 5:15). The kind of condition is determined by the mode which is here indicative. The future tense by its very nature does approximate the aorist subjunctive, but after all it is the indicative. [source]
Condition of first class with εαν ean (usually ει ei) and the perfect active indicative, assumed as true. See 1 Thessalonians 3:8; Acts 8:31 for the indicative with εαν ean as in the papyri. “An amplification of the second limitation” (D. Smith). [source]