27 Λέγω Melding in the Septuagint and New Testament verbs account for 576 (97.5%) of the 591 occurrences of λέγω melding. The eight remaining verbs that participate in λέγω melding account for only fifteen occurrences (2.5%) and always appear as the first of two or as the first and second of three linked verbs: αἰτέω; δηλόω; διασαφέω; διαστέλλομαι; ἐπαγγέλλω; κελεύω; προστάσσω; and συντάσσω. Out- side of the context of λέγω melding, however, these verbs express only indirect discourse and permit the lexical realization of their third com- plement only as verb phrases that can accommodate indirect discourse: ἵνα clauses (V+ἵνα); ὅτι clauses (V+ ὅτι); (co)relative clauses (V+ ὅ); in- terrogative clauses (V+ τί); ὡς manner clauses (V+ ὡς); ὥστε clauses (V+ ὥστε); infinitive phrases with subject accusatives (V+i), or complementary infinitive phrases (V-i).15 In their fifteen occurrences in λέγω melding, however, these eight verbs are followed by a concluding verb of direct discourse whose third complement is lexically realized as a clause with a finite verb (V+finite) that accommodates a quote: αἰτέω (Mark 6:25); δηλόω (Josh 4:7); διασαφέω (2 Macc 7:6); διαστέλλομαι (Mark 8:15); ἐπαγγέλλω (Heb 6:13; 12:26); κελεύω (1 Esdr 9:53); προστάσσω (Exod 36:6; Deut 27:1); and συντάσσω (Gen 26:11; Exod 1:22; 5:6; 31:13; Josh 4:4; Jer 39:13). This indicates that λέγω melding permits an extension of the typical usage of verbs of indirect discourse to accommodate a third complement quote of direct discourse. 4. Implications of λέγω Melding for Translation This discussion resolves the verbs that participate in λέγω melding into three groups and considers guidelines for translation according to the semantic requirements of each group. Among the 591 occurrences of λέγω melding, 576 link two or three verbs that accommodate the expression of direct discourse; and both or Matt 22:35; Mark 5:9; 7:5; 8:23, 29; 9:16, 21, 28, 33; 10:17; 12:28; 13:3; 14:61; 15:2; Luke 8:30; 18:40; John 18:7); ἐρωτάω (Gen 43:27; Judg 4:20; 13:6; Ezra 5:9; Tob 6:7; 7:3; 1 Macc 10:72; Isa 41:28; Jer 6:16; 18:13; 31:19; Mark 8:5; Luke 14:18, 19; 19:31; John 1:19, 21, 25; 5:12; 16:5; Phil 4:3); κηρύσσω (Prov 1:21; Hos 5:8; Zeph 3:14; Dan 3:4; Matt 3:1; 4:17; Rev 5:2); λέγω (Gen 15:2; Exod 2:13; Tob 3:10; Amos 1:6; Dan 2:27; and many others); ὁρκίζω (Num 5:19, 21; Neh 13:25); παραγγέλλω (1 Sam 10:17; Dan 3:4); and παρακαλέω (Esth 5:1e; 1 Macc 13:3; Isa 13:2; 35:4; Matt 8:5; Acts 9:38; 16:9; 1 Cor 4:16; 1 Thess 5:14; 1 Pet 5:1). The eight verbs elsewhere permit only the following lexical realizations of verb phrase 15 third complements: αἰτέω (V+ἵνα; V+i; V-i); δηλόω (V+ὅτι; V+ ὅ); διασαφέω (V+ ἵνα; V+ ὅ; V+τί; V+ ὡς); διαστέλλομαι (V+ ἵνα); ἐπαγγέλλω (V-i); κελεύω (V-i); προστάσσω (V+i; V-i); and συντάσσω (V+ ὥστε; V+i; V-i). These verbs also permit the lexical realization of their third complement as noun phrases (N) and prepositional phrases (P).