Mark 9 : 50

All three predicate goodness of salt, but Greek καλὸν is a bare predicate adjective with no copula, while Latin supplies the explicit copula est (Bonum est) and Syriac employs the enclitic pronoun ܗܝ as a copula-like predicator. The constructions are semantically equivalent but differ in their handling of the nominal sentence.

Greek marks the subject with the article τὸ ἅλας; Syriac places the enclitic ܗܝ before ܡܠܚܐ, functioning as the copula already noted; Latin sal stands articleless per Latin's lack of a definite article. The divergence is purely morphosyntactic.

The adversative particle (Greek δέ, Syriac ܕܝܢ) is postpositive in both languages, whereas Latin renders the conditional connector as quod si with quod preceding si, a Vulgate stylistic expansion of the simple ἐάν δέ.

Greek uses the predicate adjective ἄναλον with the verb γένηται ('become unsalty'), and Latin mirrors this with insulsum fuerit; the Peshitta condenses both into the single verb ܬܦܟܗ (from th-p-k, 'to become insipid/lose savour'), expressing the whole notion verbally rather than with adjective plus copula.

Greek ἀρτύσετε ('will you season') and Latin condietis share the culinary sense of seasoning, but the Peshitta uses ܬܬܡܠܚ, an Ethpaal of the root m-l-ḥ ('to be salted'), so that Syriac repeats the salt-root cognately rather than employing a generic seasoning verb. The absence of an explicit object pronoun (Greek αὐτό, Latin illud) in the Syriac is also notable.

Greek ἔχετε and Latin Habete both render the imperative 'have/keep', whereas the Peshitta uses ܬܗܘܐ ('let there be', from h-w-a), reframing the command as an existential exhortation ('let salt be in you') rather than a verb of possession.

Greek καὶ εἰρηνεύετε ('and be at peace', verbal imperative) is matched by Latin et pacem habete, which reconstrues peace as a noun governed by habete ('have peace'). The Peshitta uses the prepositional noun phrase ܘܒܫܝܢܐ ('and in peace/tranquillity') governed by the imperative ܗܘܘ ('be'), yet another distinct construction for the same exhortation.