Paul Danove 28 all three verbs permit the same lexical realization for their third com- plement. Among these, 499 occurrences are associated with eight verbs of direct discourse that also permit the same lexical realization of the second complement and meld in such a manner that both or all three verbs together appear with only one first, second, and third complement lexically realized: ἀναγγέλλω; ἀπαγγέλλω; ἀποκρίνομαι; διαλογίζομαι; ἐντέλλομαι; κηρύσσω; λέγω; and παραγγέλλω. English style, in contrast to Greek style, avoids multiple verbs of communication that govern the same object complement and, in general, prohibits the repetition of the same verb with the same complement (as in two consecutive forms of λέγω). Thus, English style recommends a simplification of two or three such linked verbs in translation. Since the linked Greek verbs function as a single predicator and each of these linked verbs has at least one English translation with the same syntactic, semantic, and lexical requirements as the translations of the other linked verbs, stylistic considerations recom- mend that these 499 occurrences of linked Greek verbs be translated by a single English verb that governs all of the lexically realized complements of the linked Greek verbs. The linked Greek verbs then would be transla- ted according to three hierarchical rules: (1) φημί never is translated and λέγω is translated only when both of two linked verbs are forms of λέγω; (2) the finite verb is translated unless it is λέγω or φημί in which case the first participle is translated as a finite verb; and (3) when the finite verb of the clause is not a verb of communication (and so doesn’t participate in λέγω melding) and the linked verbs of communication are partici- ples, the first participle is translated.16 The following examples illustrate translations according to these rules, with the untranslated Greek words underlined:17 Although these rules respect the semantic requirements of the participating verbs, 16 this discussion recognizes that literary, rhetorical, or other considerations may recommend the translation of more than one linked verb in particular contexts. The inclusion of the three occurrences of φημί in the first two rules reflects its identical function to λέγω in these contexts. The remaining six verbs follow the same rules of translation: e.g., καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν 17 Ιωναθαν τῷ ∆αυιδ λέγων Σαουλ ζητεῖ θανατῶσαί σε (and Jonathan told David, “Saul is seeking to kill you”, 1 Sam 19:2); καὶ διελογίζοντο πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς λέγοντες, Ἐὰν εἴπωμεν... (and they were discussing among themselves, “If we say...”, Mark 11:31); καὶ τοῖς προφήταις ἐντέλλεσθε λέγοντες Οὐ μὴ προφητεύσητε (and you were commanding the prophets, “Do not prophesy!”, Amos 2:12); πορευόμενοι δὲ κηρύσσετε λέγοντες ὅτι Ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν (but going forth proclaim, “The reign of [the] heaven[s] has come near”, Matt 10:7); οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες [ὅτι] Ἰωάννην τὸν βαπτιστήν (but they said to him, “[He is] John the Baptist”, Mark 8:28); and Τούτους τοὺς δώδεκα ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς παραγγείλας αὐτοῖς λέγων, Εἰς ὁδὸν ἐθνῶν μὴ ἀπέλθητε... (Jesus sent these twelve com- manding them, “Do not go forth onto a road of Gentiles...”, Matt 10:5).