Ἀνὴρ δέ τις ἐν Καισαρείᾳ ὀνόματι Κορνήλιος, ἑκατοντάρχης ἐκ σπείρης τῆς καλουμένης Ἰταλικῆς,
(Acts 10:1)
Now a certain man in Caesarea, named Cornelius, a centurion from the cohort called the Italian,
Declension Analysis Table
| Greek Word | Morphology | Case & Syntactic Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀνήρ | Noun, nominative masculine singular | Subject | Main subject introducing the character |
| Καισαρείᾳ | Proper noun, dative feminine singular | Locative dative | Indicates location — “in Caesarea” |
| ὀνόματι | Noun, dative neuter singular | Dative of respect | Specifies “by name” |
| Κορνήλιος | Proper noun, nominative masculine singular | Apposition to ἀνήρ | Identifies the man by name |
| ἑκατοντάρχης | Noun, nominative masculine singular | Apposition to Κορνήλιος | Indicates his military role as a centurion |
| σπείρης | Noun, genitive feminine singular | Genitive of whole | Specifies the military unit he belongs to |
| Ἰταλικῆς | Adjective, genitive feminine singular | Attributive to σπείρης | Describes the cohort as Italian |
Nominatives Establishing the Main Character
The nominatives Ἀνήρ, Κορνήλιος, and ἑκατοντάρχης layer identity: a man, named Cornelius, holding the office of centurion.
Datives Adding Context and Detail
The datives Καισαρείᾳ and ὀνόματι enrich the introduction by situating him geographically and specifying his personal name.
Genitives Defining Belonging
The genitive σπείρης with its adjective Ἰταλικῆς defines Cornelius’ military affiliation, anchoring him in the Roman military system.
Grammar as Narrative Framing
Luke’s syntax moves from general to specific, using declensions to frame Cornelius within place, name, and rank — a strategic introduction that signals his importance in the coming narrative.
