An Exploration of Conditional Clause Exegesis 389 clause”, giving as an example a sentence in which the apodosis is so obviously untrue that the sentence functions as a strong denial (or negative assertion) of the protasis. This pattern would work for the type of conditional identified by Nutting as “ground and inference” (137), but “cause and effect” conditionals, as found in Gal 1,8, can function as a different type of assertion. A “ground and inference” condition makes an assertion about the propositional content of the protasis by linking it to the apodosis in a particular way. When a “cause and effect” condition is used to make an assertion, however, the whole causal sequence of protasis and apodosis is what is affirmed. The conditional clause in v. 9 functions differently from that in v. 8. It is expressed such that it could be more than hypothetical, referring to specific individuals. It is interesting to consider this clause in the light of the felicity conditions suggested by Searle for a warning (138), as shown in Table 5. Paul refers to a situation which may have been actually happening; he is no longer just talking hypothetically. He asserts that the consequences of apostate preaching, for those engaging in it, are of the utmost seriousness, so this statement indirectly constitutes a warning to such individuals. However Paul is not here addressing those individuals, but those to whom they are preaching. Stating the seriousness of the consequences for those who preach a contrary gospel communicates strongly the idea that following such individuals cannot be in the best interests of the Galatian believers, so this also functions as a warning for them. The sequence of illocutionary acts in Gal 1,6-9 might thus be approximately represented as shown in Fig. 2. v. 6 I rebuke you for turning from the one who called you, to a different gospel v. 7 I argue that this different gospel can only be a CLARIFICATION troubling distortion of the real thing v. 8 by asserting that for anybody (myself included), preaching a different gospel leads to the most severe consequences v. 9 I warn you that the consequences for those doing this are severe (= I warn you that following them will certainly not benefit you) (137) NUTTING, “Modes”, 288. (138) SEARLE, Speech Acts, 67.