9 Conjunctions, Clines and Levels of Discourse the conjoining of words to word groups to clauses to clause complexes to paragraphs to discourses. Some conjunctions join elements of discourse in relatively restricted environments. For example, the conjunction γάρ only functions at the clause complex level or above, that is, this conjunc- tion is only used to join clauses, clause complexes or paragraphs, and therefore only functions at higher levels and with larger linguistic units. Thus γάρ is used to join John 3:16ff. to John 3:1-15, the conjoining of paragraphs, while it is used to join clauses in Matthew 1:20, where the angel tells Mary not to fear, “for” the thing begotten in her is of the holy spirit. By contrast, the conjunction ἀλλά functions at the lower and middle levels. This conjunction joins words or word groups in Matthew 9:13: “he did not come to call the just but sinners”20; clauses in Mark 4:17: “they do not have roots in themselves but they are for a time”; and clause complexes in 1 Thessalonians 5:15: “watch lest someone return evil for evil but always pursue the good both to others and to all”21. By contrast, a relatively small number of conjunctions function at a wide range of levels. The conjunction καί functions at all levels. This conjunction may join together individual words up to conjoining paragraphs. This con- junction may be used to join word groups as in Romans 1:5: “grace and apostleship”; clauses as in Romans 1:13, where Paul tells the Romans he does not want them to be ignorant that he intended to come many times “and” was hindered until the present time; clause complexes as in Mark 1:9, where the conjunction joins the clause complex to the preceding; and paragraphs, as illustrated by the fact that, for example, in the Westcott and Hort edition of Mark 80% of paragraph units are initiated with καί (a fact reflected in the Sinaiticus manuscript of Mark’s Gospel as well)22. An initial analysis indicates that there are a limited number of conjunc- This example presents some difficulties because of negation. We take it here for exem- 20 plary purposes in the sense of either “he came to call not righteous but sinners”, an example of word negation, or “he came not to call righteous but [to call] sinners”, an example of word group (embedded clauses rank-shifted to word group) negation. Rick Brannon (www.supakoo.com/rick/ricoblog/commentView, guid,589c6ba3-5e38- 21 4322-a62c-8246-71c4b2f.aspx) suggests that ἀλλά may indicate some kind of paragraph or sub-paragraph conjunction in 1 Thessalonians 5. We believe that ἀλλά joins clauses within a complex of clauses (we are not differentiating a unit between the clause complex and paragraph), in the same way that γάρ functions in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. It is interesting to note that within this paragraph there are three units: vv. 14-15, in which Predicator–Com- plement order is found; vv. 15-18, in which Adjunct–Predicator order is found; and vv. 18-21 and possibly following, in which Complement–Predicator order is found. For further consideration of this information, see S.E. Porter, The Criteria for Authen- 22 ticity in Historical-Jesus Research: Previous Discussion and New Proposals (JSNTSup 191; Sheffield 2000) 224; Idem, “Pericope Markers and the Paragraph: Textual and Linguistic Considerations, “in R. de Hoop, M.C.A. Korpel, and S.E Porter (eds.), The Impact of Unit Delimitation on Exegesis (Pericope 7; Assen, 2008).