Mark 3 : 30

Greek expresses the imperfect with a single synthetic verb form (ἔλεγον, V-IAI-3P); the Peshitta renders the durative past periphrastically with the participle ܕܐܡܪܝܢ plus the auxiliary ܗܘܘ, a standard Syriac construction for continuous/iterative past action. The Vulgate matches the Greek with the synthetic imperfect dicebant.

The Clementine Vulgate inserts an explicit colon to mark the onset of direct discourse; the Greek conveys this with the raised dot after ἔλεγον·, while the Peshitta carries no equivalent orthographic marker. Punctuation only, no semantic effect.

Greek and Latin use a transitive verb of possession (ἔχει / habet, 'he has [it]'), with the spirit as direct object. The Peshitta instead employs the existential particle ܐܝܬ with the prepositional phrase ܒܗ ('there is [an unclean spirit] in him'), an idiomatic Semitic locative construction expressing possession/indwelling rather than transitive having.