Ἢ ἀγνοεῖτε, ἀδελφοί· γινώσκουσι γὰρ νόμον λαλῶ· ὅτι ὁ νόμος κυριεύει τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐφ’ ὅσον χρόνον ζῇ;
Disjunctive Introduction and Rhetorical Provocation: Ἢ ἀγνοεῖτε, ἀδελφοί;
- Ἢ: Disjunctive particle—”Or.”
- Used to introduce a rhetorical question that assumes a negative answer or challenges the audience’s knowledge.
- Functions as a transition from the previous argument in Romans 6.
- ἀγνοεῖτε: Present active indicative, 2nd person plural of ἀγνοέω, “do you not know?”
- Implies the information is assumed to be known, inviting reflection.
- ἀδελφοί: Vocative plural of ἀδελφός, “brothers” or “brethren.”
- A pastoral address that softens the challenge and builds relational connection.
Parenthetical Clarification: γινώσκουσι γὰρ νόμον λαλῶ
- γινώσκουσι: Present active indicative, 3rd person plural of γινώσκω, “they know.”
- γὰρ: Causal conjunction—”for.”
- νόμον: Accusative singular masculine of νόμος, “law.”
- Object of both γινώσκουσι and λαλῶ.
- λαλῶ: Present active indicative, 1st person singular of λαλέω, “I speak.”
- Implied: “I am speaking to those who know the law.”
- This aside clarifies that Paul’s rhetorical question is directed at those (Jews and perhaps well-instructed Gentiles) who understand Mosaic or legal principle.
Content of the Rhetorical Question: ὅτι ὁ νόμος κυριεύει τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐφ’ ὅσον χρόνον ζῇ;
- ὅτι: Introduces the content of the rhetorical question: “that…”
- ὁ νόμος: Nominative singular with article—”the law.”
- κυριεύει: Present active indicative, 3rd person singular of κυριεύω, “to have dominion over,” “to rule.”
- Verb of authority and subjection.
- τοῦ ἀνθρώπου: Genitive singular of ἄνθρωπος, “man.”
- Genitive of subjection—the one whom the law governs.
- ἐφ’ ὅσον χρόνον ζῇ:
- ἐφ’: Preposition ἐπί contracted before a vowel, used here with accusative idiomatically—”as long as.”
- ὅσον χρόνον: Accusative duration of time—”as long as time” or “for the time that…”
- ζῇ: Present active subjunctive, 3rd person singular of ζάω, “he lives.”
- Translation: “that the law rules over a man as long as he lives?”
- The structure presumes agreement; Paul expects the audience to affirm this premise.
Legal Function and Temporal Dominion in Pauline Logic
Paul opens this section with a strong rhetorical appeal to his readers’ understanding of legal principle. The disjunctive Ἢ ἀγνοεῖτε echoes a style used earlier (cf. Romans 6:3), challenging ignorance by assuming awareness. The main proposition is that law only holds jurisdiction over a person during their lifetime—a self-evident truth in legal and covenantal contexts.
The present tense verb κυριεύει signals continual dominion, but it is temporally limited by the clause ἐφ’ ὅσον χρόνον ζῇ. This concept becomes crucial for Paul’s argument about the believer’s relationship to the Law: death (with Christ) means release from its jurisdiction.
This verse, therefore, builds the theological foundation for the following analogy of marriage (vv. 2–3), in which Paul explains that death dissolves legal bonds, just as union with Christ’s death liberates the believer from the dominion of the Law. The precision of Paul’s Greek—especially his use of tense, aspect, and legal terms—supports a profound shift from law-based righteousness to life in the Spirit.
