Semantic Analysis
Semantic Analysis — Galatians (Full Book) — English → Assamese
Method and Scope
This analysis proceeds in two parts, per PRD Phase 1 Step 1:
- Core passage verse-by-verse (Galatians 2:15–21) — every load-bearing term treated with original Greek word, transliteration, literal meaning, semantic range, English variants, contextual theological meaning, and destination-language (Assamese) rendering risk.
- Chapter-by-chapter study of the whole book, Galatians 1–6, covering every chapter’s load-bearing theological vocabulary with the same fields. Terms already fixed in the baseline Romans
translation_memory.jsonare reused exactly and marked [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM]; only their Galatians-specific contextual notes are added here.
All Assamese renderings are formal-register Asamiya script, consistent with the Assamese Bible Society (ABS) tradition anchoring the baseline Romans package. Risk tiers (Critical/High/Medium/Low) follow the baseline doctrine_risk_registry.json definitions.
PART A — CORE PASSAGE VERSE-BY-VERSE: Galatians 2:15–21
Galatians 2:15
Greek: Ἡμεῖς φύσει Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἁμαρτωλοί·
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| φύσει physei ”by nature” | inherent condition, birth-status, natural constitution ”by nature,” “by birth,” “naturally” | Marks Paul and Peter’s inherited Jewish identity as a given, not an achievement — sets up the contrast that even natural covenant privilege does not justify. | স্বভাৱতঃ (sôbhabôtô) | Low |
| Ἰουδαῖοι Ioudaioi ”Jews” | ethnic-religious identity, covenant people ”Jews,” “Jewish people” | Ethnic and covenantal identity under the Mosaic law, contrasted with Gentiles. | যিহুদী (Jihudi) | Low |
| ἐξ ἐθνῶν ex ethnōn ”from the nations/Gentiles” | non-Jewish peoples ”Gentiles,” “from among the Gentiles” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: gentiles → অনযাতি] Establishes the Jew/Gentile distinction central to Galatians’ argument that both groups are justified the same way. | অনযাতি (onyojati) | Medium |
| ἁμαρτωλοί hamartōloi ”sinners” | those who miss the mark morally before God ”sinners” | Not ritual outsiders but morally guilty before a personal God — root ἁμαρτία is [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: sin → পাপ]. New noun form needed. | পাপী (papi) | Medium |
Note: Assamese পাপী must retain “morally guilty before God,” not soften to “one who has broken taboo/ritual purity” — consistent with baseline sin (পাপ) note.
Galatians 2:16
Greek: εἰδότες [δὲ] ὅτι οὐ δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἔργων νόμου ἐὰν μὴ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιστεύσαμεν, ἵνα δικαιωθῶμεν ἐκ πίστεως Χριστοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σάρξ.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| δικαιοῦται / δικαιωθῶμεν / δικαιωθήσεται dikaioutai / dikaiōthōmen / dikaiōthēsetai ”is justified / might be justified / will be justified” | forensic declaration of right standing ”justified,” “declared righteous,” “reckoned righteous” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: justification → ধাৰ্মিক বুলি গণ্য কৰা] The thesis statement of Galatians: right standing before God is a forensic declaration, never earned. Occurs 3x in this single verse — the doctrinal center of the whole letter. | ধাৰ্মিক বুলি গণ্য কৰা (dharmik buli gonyô kôra) | Critical |
| ἔργων νόμου ergōn nomou ”works of law” | deeds performed in observance/fulfillment of Torah ”works of the law,” “law-keeping,” “legal observance” | The specific target of Galatians’ polemic: Torah-observance (circumcision, food laws, calendar) attempted as a basis for right standing. Must not collapse into generic “good deeds,” nor into the Hindu karma-doctrine of accumulated merit across lives. | বিধানৰ কৰ্ম (bidhanor kormo) | Critical |
| νόμος nomos ”law” | the Mosaic Torah; occasionally “principle" "the Law,” “Torah” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: law → বিধান] Central to Galatians’ Law/Grace doctrine; never ধৰ্ম. | বিধান (bidhan) | High |
| πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ / πίστεως Χριστοῦ pisteōs Iēsou Christou ”faith of Jesus Christ” / “faith of Christ” | trust placed in Christ (subjective genitive debate: Christ’s own faithfulness vs. faith directed at Christ) “faith in Jesus Christ,” “faithfulness of Jesus Christ” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: faith → বিশ্বাস] The object of justifying trust is always the person of Christ, not generalized piety or bhakti devotion to any chosen deity. | বিশ্বাস (Khristot biswax / Khrishtor biswax) | High |
| ἐπιστεύσαμεν episteusamen ”we believed” | act of placing trust ”we believed,” “we trusted,” “we put our faith” | Verb form of বিশ্বাস — Paul and Peter’s own act of trusting Christ, contrasted with continuing to rely on law-works. | বিশ্বাস কৰিলোঁ (biswax kôriloñ) | High |
| πᾶσα σάρξ pasa sarx ”all flesh” | every human being; a Hebraism (kol basar) for universal humanity ”no one,” “no human being,” “all humanity” | Universal negative: no human being — Jew or Gentile — is justified by law-works. σάρξ here means “human being” generically, NOT the ethical “flesh” of Galatians 5. This dual sense must be flagged. | কোনো মানুহেই (kono manuhei) / সকলো মানুহে (universal negative construction) | High |
Translator Note (mandatory, first occurrence): σάρξ (flesh) carries at least two distinct senses in Galatians: (1) here in 2:16 and in 2:20 (“in the flesh,” ἐν σαρκί) it denotes ordinary physical/human existence; (2) in Galatians 5:16–24 it denotes the sin-inclined human nature opposed to the Spirit. Assamese must render these senses contextually — do not force a single word to carry both senses without a note. See Chapter 5 discussion below.
Galatians 2:17
Greek: εἰ δὲ ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος; μὴ γένοιτο.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ zētountes dikaiōthēnai en Christō ”seeking to be justified in Christ” | pursuing right standing through union with Christ ”seeking justification in Christ” | Justification’s locus is “in Christ,” not in law-performance — anticipates the “in Christ” identity doctrine developed further in Gal 2:20 and Romans 6. | খ্ৰীষ্টত ধাৰ্মিক বুলি গণ্য হ’বলে বিচরা | Critical |
| διάκονος diakonos ”servant, minister, agent” | one who serves/attends to another’s business ”servant,” “minister,” “agent,” “promoter” | Rhetorical question: does Christ become an agent/promoter of sin by justifying sinners apart from law? Paul’s emphatic answer is no. Distinguish from later ecclesiastical “deacon” office (not in view here). | সেৱক (xebôk) | Medium |
| μὴ γένοιτο mē genoito ”may it not be / let it not become so” | strong negation idiom, “God forbid,” “certainly not" "certainly not,” “by no means,” “God forbid” | Paul’s strongest idiomatic rejection formula, used repeatedly in Romans and Galatians for doctrinally dangerous implications. | কেতিয়াও নহয় (ketiyao nôhôy) | Low |
Galatians 2:18
Greek: εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν συνιστάνω.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| κατέλυσα katelysa ”I tore down, destroyed” | demolition of a structure; abolition of a system ”I destroyed,” “I tore down,” “I abolished” | Refers to Paul’s abandonment of law-as-justification once he trusted Christ. | ভাঙি পেলাইছিলোঁ (bhangi pelaisilon) | Medium |
| οἰκοδομῶ oikodomō ”I build” | construction; also used metaphorically for edification (cf. Romans “build up”) “I build,” “I rebuild” | Metaphor of rebuilding the law-system as a basis for standing before God — precisely what Peter’s hypocrisy (2:11-14) risked doing. | পুনৰ সাজিছোঁ (punôr xajison) | Medium |
| παραβάτην parabatēn ”transgressor, law-breaker” | one who steps across a boundary/law ”transgressor,” “law-breaker,” “offender” | Ironic point: returning to law after abandoning it as the ground of righteousness makes one a law-breaker, not law-keeper. | বিধান লঙ্ঘনকাৰী (bidhan lônghônkari) | Medium |
| συνιστάνω synistanō ”I prove, demonstrate, establish” | to show/commend oneself to be something ”I prove myself,” “I demonstrate myself to be” | Self-incriminating demonstration — Paul shows the logical self-contradiction of returning to law. | প্ৰমাণ কৰোঁ (prôman kôron) | Low |
Galatians 2:19
Greek: ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον, ἵνα θεῷ ζήσω. Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι·
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον dia nomou nomō apethanon ”through the law I died to the law” | the law itself (rightly understood, e.g. Deut 21:23 in Gal 3:13) drove Paul to recognize death to the law’s claim ”through the law I died to the law,” “the law itself put me to death regarding the law” | The law’s own verdict (condemnation, curse) is what ends its claim over the believer once united to Christ’s death. Sets up 3:13’s “curse of the law.” | বিধানৰ দ্বাৰাই বিধানৰ প্রতি মৃত হ’লোঁ | High |
| ζήσω (θεῷ ζήσω) zēsō (theō zēsō) “I might live” (to God) | new life oriented wholly to God ”I might live to God,” “I might live for God” | The purpose of dying to the law: a resurrection-shaped life lived unto God, not law-observance. | ঈশ্বৰৰ বাবে জীয়াই থাকিবলে | Medium |
| Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι Christō synestaurōmai ”I have been crucified with Christ” | co-crucifixion; union with Christ’s death ”I have been crucified with Christ,” “I am crucified together with Christ” | KEY DOCTRINE: Crucified with Christ. Union with Christ’s death breaks the old self’s bondage to sin and law; perfect-tense verb indicates a past event with continuing present effect. Requires a fixed compound rendering, parallel in weight to “resurrection” and “incarnation” in the baseline package. | খ্ৰীষ্টৰ সৈতে ক্ৰুচাৰোপিত হ’লোঁ (Khristor xoite krucharopitô hôlon) | Critical |
New Critical term established here — “crucified with Christ”: ক্ৰুচাৰোপিত (krucharopitô, “crucified”) builds on ক্ৰুচ (krus, “cross” — the established Assamese Christian loanword for the Roman execution instrument). This must never be softened to a generic “died with” (মৃত হ’লোঁ) which loses the specific historical, substitutionary, union-with-Christ sense.
Galatians 2:20
Greek: ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγώ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός· ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ζῶ οὐκέτι ἐγώ zō ouketi egō ”I no longer live” | the old, law-bound, sin-dominated self is no longer the operative identity ”I no longer live,” “it is no longer I who live” | Radical identity-transformation through union with Christ’s crucifixion (v.19). Not annihilation of the person but reorientation of the governing self. | মই আৰু জীৱিত নহয় | High |
| ζῇ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός zē en emoi Christos ”Christ lives in me” | indwelling presence of the risen Christ as the animating principle of the believer’s life ”Christ lives in me,” “Christ is living in me” | Central to the doctrine of Christian Identity in Christ; must not be flattened into a devotional “Christ dwells in my heart” sentiment detached from the crucifixion/resurrection logic of vv.19-20. | মোৰ অন্তৰত খ্ৰীষ্ট জীয়ে | High |
| ἐν σαρκί en sarki ”in the flesh” | ordinary physical/bodily existence (contrast with the ethical σάρξ of Gal 5) “in the body,” “in this mortal life,” “in the flesh” | Refers to Paul’s present bodily, historical existence — not the sin-nature sense. See translator note under 2:16 above; must be disambiguated in Assamese. | শৰীৰত (xôrirôt) — physical-bodily sense, NOT মাংস | High |
| ἐν πίστει…τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ en pistei tē tou huiou tou theou ”by faith, that of the Son of God” | trust specifically directed at the divine Son ”by faith in the Son of God” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: son_of_god → ঈশ্বৰৰ পুত্ৰ; faith → বিশ্বাস] The object of the believer’s ongoing life-faith is the eternal, unique Son, not a devotional ista-devata. | ঈশ্বৰৰ পুত্ৰৰ প্রতি বিশ্বাসত | Critical |
| τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με tou agapēsantos me ”the one who loved me” | self-giving covenantal love, demonstrated in action (the cross), not sentiment alone ”who loved me,” “who has loved me” | NEW HIGH-RISK TERM: love (ἀγάπη/ἀγαπάω). Christ’s self-sacrificial love is the ground of the believer’s new life. See Chapter 5/Fruit of the Spirit discussion for the full doctrinal note on this term’s cultural collision risk. | মোক প্ৰেম কৰা (mok prem kôra) | High |
| παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ paradontos heauton hyper emou ”having given himself up for me” | voluntary self-surrender to death on another’s behalf; substitutionary/vicarious self-giving ”who gave himself for me,” “who delivered himself up on my behalf” | Substitutionary atonement language — Christ’s voluntary self-offering, directly tied to the crucifixion of v.19-20 and the atonement doctrine flagged Critical throughout the Romans package. | নিজকে সমৰ্পণ কৰিলে (nijôke xômorpon kôrile) | Critical |
Galatians 2:21
Greek: οὐκ ἀθετῶ τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ· εἰ γὰρ διὰ νόμου δικαιοσύνη, ἄρα Χριστὸς δωρεὰν ἀπέθανεν.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀθετῶ athetō ”I set aside, nullify, reject” | to render void, treat as of no effect ”I do not nullify,” “I do not set aside,” “I do not reject” | Paul’s refusal to nullify grace by seeking law-based righteousness — the practical stakes of the whole argument. | মই অস্বীকাৰ নকৰোঁ (moi oswikar nôkôron) | Medium |
| χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ charin tou theou ”the grace of God” | God’s unmerited favor ”the grace of God” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: grace → অনুগ্ৰহ] Directly contrasted with law-righteousness in this verse — the Law/Grace doctrine’s climactic statement in ch.2. | ঈশ্বৰৰ অনুগ্ৰহ (Iswôror ônugrôh) | Critical |
| διὰ νόμου δικαιοσύνη dia nomou dikaiosynē ”righteousness through law” | the hypothetical (and rejected) possibility of law-based righteousness ”righteousness through the law,” “righteousness by the law” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: righteousness → ধাৰ্মিকতা; law → বিধান] The rejected alternative to grace-through-faith; the entire letter is built on refuting this. | বিধানৰ দ্বাৰা ধাৰ্মিকতা | Critical |
| δωρεὰν dōrean ”freely, for nothing, in vain” | without cause, purposelessly, or “as a free gift” (double sense in Greek) “for nothing,” “in vain,” “needlessly,” “freely” | Paul’s rhetorical climax: if law could produce righteousness, Christ’s death would be pointless — the strongest possible statement of the necessity of the cross. | নিষ্প্রয়োজনে (nixprôyojône) — “needlessly/in vain” | Critical |
| ἀπέθανεν apethanen ”he died” | historical, actual death ”he died” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM doctrine: resurrection presupposes real death; cf. incarnation/resurrection entries] Christ’s real, historical death — foundational to every doctrine in this passage. | মৃত হ’ল (mritô hôlô) | High |
PART B — CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDY OF THE WHOLE BOOK
Chapter 1 (Galatians 1:1–24)
Introduces Paul’s apostolic self-defense, the “no other gospel” warning, his conversion, and his independence from the Jerusalem apostles’ training.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀπόστολος (apostolos) — “one sent” | authorized, commissioned messenger ”apostle” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: apostle → প্ৰেৰিত] Gal 1:1 stresses this apostleship is “not from man” — directly relevant to the doctrine of Paul’s Apostleship; must not read as a generic guru or Satradhikar-successor role. | প্ৰেৰিত (prerito) | Medium |
| εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion) — “good news” | authoritative proclamation of salvation ”gospel” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: gospel → সুসমাচাৰ] Central to the doctrine “The True Gospel versus False Gospels” — Gal 1:6-9 is the sharpest NT warning against gospel-distortion. | সুসমাচাৰ (xusomacar) | High |
| ἕτερον εὐαγγέλιον (heteron euangelion) heteron euangelion ”a different/other gospel” | a rival, non-authentic message being passed off as the gospel ”a different gospel,” “another gospel,” “a distorted gospel” | NEW TERM. Names the false-teaching crisis of Galatians directly. Must be rendered so the contrast with the true সুসমাচাৰ is unmistakable — not merely “another version” but a message that is not actually good news. | অন্য সুসমাচাৰ (ônyô xusomacar) — with mandatory clarifying gloss “যিটো সঁচা সুসমাচাৰ নহয়” (“which is not the true gospel”) | High |
| μεταστρέψαι (metastrepsai) — “to turn/pervert” | to twist or distort something from its true form ”to distort,” “to pervert,” “to twist” | Describes what false teachers do to the gospel; must convey active corruption, not a benign variant teaching. | বিকৃত কৰা (bikrito kôra) | Medium |
| ἀνάθεμα (anathema) — “cursed, accursed, set apart for destruction” | a formal curse of judicial condemnation ”let him be cursed,” “let him be accursed,” “anathema” | NEW HIGH-RISK TERM. Paul’s double pronouncement (1:8-9) of God’s judicial condemnation on anyone preaching a false gospel. Must be distinguished from a sage’s or deity’s mystical shaap (curse) common in Puranic narrative and Assamese folk belief — this is God’s forensic judgment, not an incantatory curse-power. | অভিশপ্ত হয় (obhishoptô hôy) | High |
| ἀποκάλυψις (apokalypsis) — “unveiling, disclosure” | direct divine disclosure of truth, not human transmission ”revelation” | NEW HIGH-RISK TERM. Paul received the gospel “through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:12), not from human teaching — grounds his apostolic authority. Deliberately avoid প্ৰকাশ (already rejected in the baseline incarnation entry for its avatar-manifestation overtones); use প্ৰত্যাদেশ instead. | প্ৰত্যাদেশ (prôtyadex) | High |
| Ἰουδαϊσμός (Ioudaismos) — “Judaism” | the religious system/way of life of observant Jews ”Judaism” | Paul’s former life “in Judaism” — a proper descriptive term, not itself derogatory. | যিহুদী ধৰ্ম (Jihudi dhôrmô) | Low |
| ζηλωτής / ζῆλος (zēlōtēs / zēlos) — “zealot / zeal” | intense, often religiously-motivated fervor ”zealous,” “zealot,” “zeal” | Paul’s pre-conversion zeal for ancestral traditions, including persecuting the church — sets up the contrast with grace received apart from zeal/merit. | উদ্যোগী / আসক্তি (udyogi / axôkti) | Low |
| διώκω / διωγμός (diōkō / diōgmos) — “to persecute / persecution” | hostile pursuit aimed at harm ”persecute,” “persecution” | Paul’s former persecution of the church, later his own suffering for the gospel (cf. ch. 4, 6). | তাড়না কৰা / তাড়না (tarna kôra / tarna) | Low |
| ἀφορίσας (aphorisas) [ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός] — “having set apart” [from the womb] | divine election/designation prior to any human action ”set apart,” “separated” | Echoes prophetic call-language (Jer 1:5, Isa 49:1); reinforces Divine Calling doctrine already established in the Romans package. | পৃথক কৰা (prithôk kôra) — cf. [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: called → মতা] | Medium |
Chapter 2, remainder (Galatians 2:1–14) — outside the core passage
Covers the Jerusalem council meeting, Titus’s uncircumcision, “false brothers,” and Peter’s hypocrisy at Antioch — the narrative build-up to the core passage’s doctrinal statement.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀλήθεια τοῦ εὐαγγελίου (alētheia tou euangeliou) — “truth of the gospel” | the gospel’s unadulterated, authentic content ”the truth of the gospel” | The standard by which Peter’s compromise is judged (2:5, 2:14) — directly tied to the True Gospel doctrine. | সুসমাচাৰৰ সত্যতা (xusomacaror xôtyôta) | High |
| περιτομή (peritomē) — “circumcision” | the Abrahamic covenant sign (Gen 17); by metonymy, “the circumcision party/Jewish believers" "circumcision,” “the circumcised” | NEW CRITICAL-RISK TERM. The flashpoint of the entire letter (doctrine: Circumcision and the New Creation). See full discussion under Chapter 5 below; used narratively here regarding Titus (2:3) and “false brothers” (2:4) who demanded it. | চুন্নৎ (sunnôt) | Critical |
| ψευδάδελφοι (pseudadelphoi) — “false brothers” | professing believers advocating a false gospel requirement ”false brothers,” “false believers” | Compound term naming the internal threat to the churches, not outside persecutors — important for the True Gospel/False Gospel doctrine. | ভুৱা ভাই (bhuwa bhai) | Medium |
| ὑπόκρισις (hypokrisis) — “hypocrisy, play-acting” | inconsistency between profession and practice ”hypocrisy,” “pretense” | Peter’s withdrawal from Gentile table-fellowship under pressure (2:13) — directly triggers Paul’s core-passage rebuke. | কপটতা (kôpôtôta) | Medium |
| ἀναγκάζω (anankazō) — “to compel, force” | applying pressure to require an action ”compel,” “force” | Peter’s conduct effectively compelled (2:14) Gentiles to Judaize — the practical outworking of a false gospel requirement. | বলপূৰ্বক কৰাওঁ (bôlôpurbôk kôraon) | Low |
| ὀρθοποδέω (orthopodeō) — “to walk a straight/correct path” | consistent conduct in line with truth ”walk uprightly,” “act consistently,” “be straightforward” | Paul’s charge against Peter’s inconsistency (2:14) — behavioral integrity with gospel truth. | সৰল পথে চলা (sôrôl pôthe côla) | Low |
Chapter 3 (Galatians 3:1–29)
Contains Paul’s Abraham argument, the curse of the law, redemption, the promise/seed argument, the law’s temporary purpose, and baptismal unity (“neither Jew nor Greek”).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐβασκάνατε (ebaskanate) — “bewitched, cast an evil eye upon” | figurative accusation of being deceived as if by sorcery/enchantment ”bewitched,” “put under a spell,” “deceived” | NEW MEDIUM/HIGH-RISK TERM. Rhetorical, not literal — Paul’s astonishment at the Galatians’ abandonment of grace. Real risk of resonance with Assamese folk beliefs about the evil eye (কু-দৃষ্টি) and witchcraft accusation, a live and sensitive social issue in rural Assam. Must render as clearly figurative deception-language, not endorse a literal sorcery framework. | কোনে তোমালোকক মোহিত কৰিলে (kone tomalokôk mohitô kôrile — “who has deluded/enchanted you”) | Medium |
| ἀκοὴ πίστεως (akoē pisteōs) — “hearing of faith” | receiving/responding to the gospel message with trust ”hearing with faith,” “believing what you heard” | Contrasted with “works of the law” as the means of receiving the Spirit (3:2, 5) — reinforces Law and Grace doctrine. | বিশ্বাসেৰে শুনা বাৰ্তা | High |
| Ἀβραάμ (Abraam) — “Abraham” | the covenant patriarch ”Abraham” | Proper name; established Assamese Bible Society form per baseline instructions document. | অব্ৰাহাম (Abraham) | Low |
| ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην (elogisthē autō eis dikaiosynēn) — “it was credited/counted to him as righteousness” | forensic crediting of righteousness on the basis of faith ”it was credited to him as righteousness,” “it was reckoned to him as righteousness” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: imputed_righteousness → আৰোপিত ধাৰ্মিকতা] Gal 3:6 quotes Gen 15:6, identical to Romans 4:3 — rendering must be verbatim consistent across both curricula. | আৰোপিত ধাৰ্মিকতা (aropitô dharmikôta) | Critical |
| κατάρα τοῦ νόμου (katara tou nomou) — “curse of the law” | the law’s judicial sentence of condemnation on lawbreakers ”the curse of the law” | NEW HIGH-RISK TERM, closely related to ἀνάθεμα in ch.1. Central to Law’s Purpose doctrine: the law pronounces a curse none can escape by law-keeping. Must be distinguished from the sage’s/deity’s mystical shaap of Puranic tradition — this is God’s own righteous judicial verdict recorded in Scripture (quoting Deut 27:26), not an occult curse-transfer. | বিধানৰ অভিশাপ (bidhanôr obhishap) | High |
| ἐξαγοράζω (exagorazō) — “to buy out, redeem” | to purchase back/release by paying a price ”redeem,” “ransom,” “buy back” | NEW CRITICAL-RISK TERM. Christ “redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (3:13) — substitutionary, price-paid deliverance. A single-word “মুক্তি” MUST NOT be used (forbidden per baseline, since it denotes moksha-liberation from the rebirth cycle); a compound phrase is required, parallel to how “justification” required a compound in the baseline. | মূল্য দি উদ্ধাৰ কৰা (mulyô di uddhar kôra) | Critical |
| εὐλογία τοῦ Ἀβραάμ (eulogia tou Abraam) — “the blessing of Abraham” | the Abrahamic covenant promise extended to the nations ”the blessing of Abraham” | The purpose-clause of Christ’s redemptive work (3:14) — connects directly to the Abrahamic Covenant and Promise doctrine. | অব্ৰাহামৰ আশীৰ্বাদ (Abrahamôr axirbad) | Medium |
| ἐπαγγελία (epangelia) — “promise” | a binding pledge, especially God’s covenant pledge ”promise” | NEW HIGH-RISK TERM. Doctrine: Abrahamic Covenant and Promise. Distinguished from [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: covenant → নিয়ম] — promise (ἐπαγγελία) is the specific pledged content of the covenant (offspring, blessing, inheritance), not the covenant-bond itself. | প্ৰতিজ্ঞা (prôtigya) | High |
| σπέρμα (sperma) — “seed, offspring” | descendant(s); Paul exploits the collective/singular ambiguity of the Greek ”seed,” “offspring,” “descendant” | NEW HIGH-RISK TERM. Gal 3:16’s argument hinges entirely on σπέρμα being grammatically singular, fulfilled in one person, Christ — not the collective nation of Israel. [Related to ROMANS TM: seed_of_david → দায়ূদৰ বংশৰ], which uses বংশ (bôngxo) for lineage/descent; same word must carry the singular-referent nuance here, requiring an explanatory note at first use. | বংশ (bôngxô) | High |
| μεσίτης (mesitēs) — “mediator” | one who stands between two parties to establish/administer an agreement ”mediator,” “intermediary” | Refers to Moses as mediator of the law (3:19-20), distinct from Christ’s unique mediatorship (not stated here but presupposed elsewhere in the NT). Some resonance risk with the Satradhikar/guru’s role as spiritual intermediary in Ekasarana Dharma; note required. | মধ্যস্থ (môddhôxthô) — cf. [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: intercession → মধ্যস্থতা] | Medium |
| παιδαγωγός (paidagōgos) — “guardian, tutor, child-overseer” (Greco-Roman household role, typically a slave who supervised/escorted a child, NOT a teacher) | temporary custodial supervision ”guardian,” “tutor,” “custodian,” “disciplinarian” | NEW MEDIUM-RISK TERM. Doctrine: The Law’s Purpose. The law functioned as a temporary supervisory guardian until Christ came (3:24-25) — a time-limited custodial role, not a permanent teacher-disciple (guru-shishya) relationship. Note required to prevent conflation with the guru role. | অভিভাৱক (ôbhibhabôk) | Medium |
| βαπτίζω / ἐβαπτίσθητε (baptizō / ebaptisthēte) — “to baptize / you were baptized” | the initiatory rite of Christian identification with Christ ”baptize(d)“ | Gal 3:27 — “baptized into Christ” grounds the “neither Jew nor Greek” unity statement. Distinguish from ritual purificatory bathing (snan) in Hindu practice. | বাপ্তাইজিত হ’ল (baptaizitô hôlô) | Medium |
| οὐκ ἔνι Ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ Ἕλλην… (ouk eni Ioudaios oude Hellēn) — “there is neither Jew nor Greek…“ | radical equalizing statement of unity in Christ across ethnic, social, and gender categories ”neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM doctrine: unity_of_jews_and_gentiles] Extends the Romans doctrine to also include slave/free and male/female categories — must retain full, unsoftened universality; particularly forceful given Assam’s caste- and ethnicity-stratified social context. | যিহুদী নাই, গ্ৰীক নাই… (Jihudi nai, Grik nai…) | High |
| κληρονόμος (klēronomos) — “heir” | one who receives an inheritance ”heir” | Gal 3:29 — “you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise,” ties directly into the Adoption and Sonship doctrine developed in ch.4. | উত্তৰাধিকাৰী (uttôradhikari) | Medium |
Chapter 4 (Galatians 4:1–31)
Contains the heir/minor analogy, the sending of the Son, adoption, “Abba, Father,” the “elemental spirits” warning, and the Hagar/Sarah allegory.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου (to plērōma tou chronou) — “the fullness of time” | the divinely appointed, complete moment ”the fullness of time,” “the set time,” “the right time” | Marks God’s sovereign timing for the incarnation event (4:4) — connects directly to Providence doctrine already established in the Romans package. | কালৰ পূৰ্ণতা (kalôr purnôta) | Medium |
| ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ (exapesteilen ho theos ton huion autou) — “God sent forth his Son” | God’s initiating act of sending the eternal Son into human history ”God sent his Son,” “God sent forth his Son” | Directly parallels John 1:14/Romans’s incarnation language. [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: son_of_god → ঈশ্বৰৰ পুত্ৰ; incarnation → দেহধাৰণ] — this “sending” is the same singular, unique event named দেহধাৰণ; the mandatory translator note distinguishing this from avatar-descent applies here at full force, since Galatians 4:4-5 is a primary NT incarnation text outside the Gospels. | ঈশ্বৰে নিজৰ পুত্ৰক পাঠাই দিলে | Critical |
| γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον (genomenon ek gynaikos, genomenon hypo nomon) — “born of a woman, born under the law” | full, real human birth and full subjection to Torah ”born of a woman, born under the law” | Affirms real, historical humanity of the Son and his voluntary submission to the Mosaic law — reinforces Humanity of Christ doctrine (established in Romans package) with additional specificity. | নাৰীৰ পৰা জন্ম হৈ, বিধানৰ অধীনত জন্ম হৈ | High |
| υἱοθεσία (huiothesia) — “adoption as son” | full legal placement as son with complete inheritance rights ”adoption” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: adoption → পোহাপুত্ৰ স্বৰূপে গ্ৰহণ] Gal 4:5 states adoption as the purpose of the Son’s redemptive mission — the doctrine “Adoption and Sonship” is even more central to Galatians than to Romans. | পোহাপুত্ৰ স্বৰূপে গ্ৰহণ | High |
| Ἀββά ὁ πατήρ (Abba ho patēr) — “Abba, Father” | intimate filial address to God ”Abba, Father” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: abba → আব্বা; father → পিতা] Gal 4:6 — identical phrase to Romans 8:15; must render identically across both curricula per consistency rules. | আব্বা, পিতা | High |
| δοῦλος (doulos) — “slave, bondservant” | one owned by and totally subject to a master ”slave,” “servant,” “bondservant” | NEW MEDIUM-RISK TERM. “You are no longer a slave but a son” (4:7) — status contrast central to Adoption doctrine. Note required: this “slave” status under the law is not the same as, and is contrasted with, the devotional self-designation “das” (e.g., “Ramdas”) used by Vaishnavite/Ekasarana bhaktas as a mark of devotional humility; Paul’s point is the abolition of slave-status, not its embrace as a spiritual virtue. | দাস (das) | Medium |
| στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου (stoicheia tou kosmou) — “elemental things/powers of the world” | basic cosmic principles, elemental spiritual powers, or rudimentary religious systems (Jewish ceremonial law and/or pagan elemental worship) enslaving pre-Christian humanity ”elemental spirits,” “elemental principles,” “basic principles of the world” | NEW HIGH-RISK TERM. Gal 4:3, 4:9 — describes the bondage from which Christ’s coming delivers believers. Significant collision risk with Assamese Hindu cosmology’s পঞ্চভূত (five elements) and astrological elemental/planetary (graha) powers venerated in ritual observance; mandatory translator note distinguishing Paul’s “elemental powers” (a state of pre-Christian religious bondage now abolished in Christ) from any ongoing veneration-worthy cosmic order. | জগতৰ মৌলিক আত্মিক শক্তি (jagôtôr moulik atmik xôkti) | High |
| ἡμέρας… μῆνας… καιρούς… ἐνιαυτούς (hēmeras…mēnas…kairous…eniautous) — “days…months…seasons…years” | ritual/calendrical observance ”days, months, seasons, and years” | Gal 4:10 — Paul’s alarm at the Galatians returning to calendrical religious observance. Cultural collision risk with the Hindu ritual calendar (tithi, ekadashi fasting days, festival cycles including Bihu); render plainly without importing local festival names. | দিন, মাস, কাল, বছৰ পালন কৰা | Medium |
| ἀλληγορούμενα (allēgoroumena) — “being spoken allegorically” | figurative/typological interpretation of a historical narrative ”spoken allegorically,” “taken figuratively” | Introduces the Hagar/Sarah typology (4:21-31) — Paul reads Genesis narrative as illustrating law/promise, slavery/freedom. | ৰূপক অৰ্থত কৌৱা (rupôk ôrthôt kôwa) | Low |
| ἡ ἄνω Ἰερουσαλήμ (hē anō Ierousalēm) — “the Jerusalem above” | the heavenly, eschatological Jerusalem, mother of believers ”the Jerusalem above,” “the heavenly Jerusalem” | Contrasted with the earthly Jerusalem under law-bondage (4:25-26) — eschatological, not geographic-political, referent; sensitivity note similar to baseline’s kingdom_of_god entry regarding contested regional/political sovereignty associations. | ওপৰৰ যিৰূশালেম | Medium |
| τέκνα ἐπαγγελίας (tekna epangelias) — “children of promise” | those who belong to God’s people by promise/faith, not physical descent alone (cf. Isaac) “children of promise” | Ties directly back to the Abrahamic Covenant and Promise doctrine; parallels Romans 9’s Isaac/Ishmael argument. | প্ৰতিজ্ঞাৰ সন্তান (prôtigyar sôntan) | Medium |
| ἔκβαλε τὴν παιδίσκην (ekbale tēn paidiskēn) — “cast out the slave woman” | decisive exclusion, quoting Genesis 21:10 ”cast out the slave woman” | Applied typologically to rejecting law-based bondage in favor of promise/grace; narrative-level term, low independent doctrinal weight beyond its Genesis quotation. | দাসীজনীক বাহিৰ কৰি দিয়া | Low |
Chapter 5 (Galatians 5:1–26)
The doctrinal center for Freedom in Christ, Circumcision and the New Creation (initial statement, developed further in ch.6), Faith Working through Love, and Flesh versus Spirit / Fruit of the Spirit.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐλευθερία (eleutheria) — “freedom, liberty” | release from bondage/subjection into a state of freedom ”freedom,” “liberty” | NEW HIGH-RISK TERM. Doctrine: Freedom in Christ. “For freedom Christ has set us free” (5:1) is the doctrinal thesis of chapter 5. Two collision risks: (1) স্বাধীনতা is the standard Assamese word for political/national independence (e.g., ভাৰতৰ স্বাধীনতা দিৱস), risking a nationalist/political reading in a state with contested regional-sovereignty history (cf. baseline kingdom_of_god note); (2) risk of conflation with moksha-liberation from the rebirth-cycle. Mandatory note: this freedom is freedom from the law’s condemning power and from sin’s dominion, secured in Christ — neither a political nor a cyclical-liberation concept. | স্বাধীনতা (sadhinôta) | High |
| ζυγὸς δουλείας (zygos douleias) — “yoke of slavery” | a burden of servitude, here specifically the law re-imposed as a means of righteousness ”yoke of slavery,” “yoke of bondage” | Directly opposes ἐλευθερία; the Galatians risk voluntarily returning to bondage by accepting circumcision as necessary. | দাসত্বৰ যুঁৱলি (dasôtwôr zunwôli) | Medium |
| περιτομή (peritomē) [ch. 5 usage] — “circumcision” | see Ch.2 entry; here Paul states circumcision “counts for nothing” (5:6) and warns against “cutting off” advocates (5:12) “circumcision” | [Established above, Critical] Reasserted here as doctrinally neutral in itself (5:6) yet dangerous if imposed as a justification-requirement — precise nuance must be preserved: not that circumcision is sinful, but that it is powerless to justify and, if required, nullifies grace (5:2-4). | চুন্নৎ (sunnôt) | Critical |
| πίστις διʼ ἀγάπης ἐνεργουμένη (pistis di’ agapēs energoumenē) — “faith working through/by means of love” | faith that actively produces love-shaped action ”faith working through love,” “faith expressing itself through love” | KEY DOCTRINE: Faith Working through Love. Gal 5:6’s positive counterpart to “circumcision counts for nothing” — faith is not inert but inherently love-productive. Requires careful compound rendering preserving both [REUSED: faith → বিশ্বাস] and the new love-term below. | প্ৰেমৰে কাৰ্যকৰী বিশ্বাস (premôre karyôkôri biswax) | High |
| ἀγάπη / ἀγαπάω (agapē / agapaō) — “love” (noun/verb) | self-giving, covenantal, willed love — distinct from erotic love (erōs) or mere affection (philia) “love” | NEW HIGH-RISK TERM, first flagged at Gal 2:20 above, now doctrinally central (Faith Working through Love; Fruit of the Spirit). Major collision risk: Assamese Vaishnavite/Ekasarana devotional tradition (rooted in Sankardev’s kirtan and the wider Assamese Vaishnava poetic tradition) centers on prem-bhakti — an emotionally intense, often romantically-figured devotional love for a chosen deity (paradigmatically Radha-Krishna prema). Biblical agapē is God’s self-giving, covenantal, action-oriented love demonstrated supremely at the cross (2:20), and the believer’s resulting other-directed love — not devotional longing/ecstasy (viraha-bhakti) toward a chosen deity. Mandatory translator note at first occurrence in every document. | প্ৰেম (prem) | High |
| ζύμη (zymē) — “leaven, yeast” | a small agent that permeates and transforms the whole ”leaven,” “yeast” | Gal 5:9 — “a little leaven leavens the whole lump,” warning that a small doctrinal compromise (accepting circumcision) corrupts the whole community. Natural cultural fit; standard Assamese baking term. | খমীৰ (khômir) | Low |
| ἀποκόψονται (apokopsontai) — “they will cut/castrate themselves” | self-mutilation (possibly ironic reference to pagan self-castration practices, e.g. Cybele-priests) “emasculate themselves,” “cut themselves off,” “mutilate themselves” | Gal 5:12 — Paul’s sharp (possibly sarcastic) wish regarding the agitators; a low-frequency, sensitive term requiring careful, non-graphic pastoral phrasing in translation. | নিজকে বিকৃত কৰক (nijôke bikrito kôrôk) | Medium |
| σάρξ (sarx) [ethical sense, ch.5] — “flesh” | the sin-inclined disposition of unredeemed human nature, opposed to the Spirit ”the flesh,” “sinful nature,” “sinful desires” | DISTINCT FROM the physical-body sense flagged at Gal 2:16, 2:20. Here σάρξ names the doctrine Flesh versus Spirit’s negative pole: the self-serving, sin-producing impulse in every human being, warred against by the indwelling Spirit (5:16-17). Assamese rendering must be visibly distinguished from the neutral physical-body sense (শৰীৰ). | মাংস (mangso) — ethical/theological sense only | High |
| πνεῦμα (pneuma) [Holy Spirit, ch.5] — “spirit” | here referring to the Holy Spirit indwelling and empowering believers ”the Spirit” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: holy_spirit → পবিত্ৰ আত্মা] The positive pole of the Flesh/Spirit contrast; must retain full personal-divine-Person sense, not read as a generic “spiritual” impulse or as the impersonal universal Self (paramatma) rejected in the baseline holy_spirit entry. | পবিত্ৰ আত্মা (pobitrô atma) | Critical |
| τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκός (ta erga tēs sarkos) — “the works of the flesh” | the itemized vice-list (5:19-21): sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, etc. ”the works of the flesh,” “the acts of the sinful nature” | Contrasted structurally with the Fruit of the Spirit list. Two items carry special collision risk in Assamese context, noted individually below. | মাংসৰ কৰ্ম (mangsôr kôrmo) | High |
| εἰδωλολατρία (eidōlolatria) — “idolatry” | worship offered to images/idols instead of the true God ”idolatry” | NEW CRITICAL-RISK TERM within the vice-list. Direct doctrinal collision: standard Assamese term for image-worship (মূৰ্তিপূজা) names precisely the devotional practice central to mainstream Assamese Hindu worship, including Vaishnavite/Ekasarana veneration forms. Scripture’s condemnation must be preserved without softening (per baseline’s mandate not to minimize doctrinal statements), while pastoral framing in accompanying teaching materials should focus on the positive contrast (worship of the one true God) rather than confrontational address to practitioners. | মূৰ্তিপূজা (murtipuja) | Critical |
| φαρμακεία (pharmakeia) — “sorcery, use of drugs/potions for magical purposes” | occult practice, magical manipulation ”sorcery,” “witchcraft” | NEW HIGH-RISK TERM within the vice-list. Given Assam’s documented history of witch-hunting violence tied to sorcery-accusation (“bez,” “daini” accusations), this term requires care: Scripture condemns the practice of occult manipulation itself, not persons who are socially accused of witchcraft — translators/teachers must avoid language that could be weaponized in existing local witch-accusation contexts. | মায়াবিদ্যা / জাদুবিদ্যা (mayabidya / jadubidya) | High |
| ὁ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματος (ho karpos tou pneumatos) — “the fruit of the Spirit” | the singular, unified organic product of the Spirit’s work (note: singular “fruit,” not “fruits”) “the fruit of the Spirit” | KEY DOCTRINE: Fruit of the Spirit. The nine qualities (5:22-23) are one integrated “fruit,” not a checklist of separable achievements — contrasts with a merit-based virtue-accumulation framework. | আত্মাৰ ফল (atmar phôl) | High |
| χαρά, εἰρήνη, μακροθυμία, χρηστότης, ἀγαθωσύνη, πίστις, πραΰτης, ἐγκράτεια (the remaining eight fruit-terms) — joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control | qualities of Spirit-produced character ”joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” | εἰρήνη is [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: peace → শান্তি]; πίστις here denotes “faithfulness/reliability” of character rather than saving faith, requiring a distinct nuance-note from [REUSED: faith → বিশ্বাস]. The other seven are new terms requiring fixed Assamese renderings for glossary consistency. | আনন্দ (anônd), শান্তি (xanti), সহনশীলতা (xôhônxilôta), মধুৰতা/দয়া (môdhuruôta/dôya), মংগলতা (môngôlôta), বিশ্বাসযোগ্যতা (biswaxôjogyôta), নম্ৰতা (nômrôta), আত্মসংযম (atmôxônyôm) | Medium |
| ἐσταύρωσαν (estaurōsan) [τὴν σάρκα…ἐσταύρωσαν] — “they crucified [the flesh]“ | decisive, past-tense putting-to-death of the sin-nature’s dominion ”have crucified the flesh,” “have crucified the sinful nature” | Gal 5:24 — applies the same crucifixion-with-Christ language of 2:19-20 to ongoing sanctification; term reuses the ক্ৰুচ/ক্ৰুচাৰোপণ vocabulary established in the core passage. | ক্রুচত দিলে/ক্ৰুচাৰোপণ কৰিলে (krucôt dile / krucharopôn kôrile) | High |
| περιπατέω / στοιχέω (peripateō / stoicheō) — “to walk / to walk in line with, keep in step with” | ongoing conduct/manner of life ”walk by/in the Spirit,” “keep in step with the Spirit” | The behavioral outworking of Flesh vs Spirit doctrine (5:16, 5:25) — not a one-time event but continuous lived pattern. | আত্মাৰে অনুসাৰে চলা (atmare ônuxare côla) | Medium |
Chapter 6 (Galatians 6:1–18)
Bearing burdens, sowing/reaping, new creation, and boasting only in the cross — the letter’s closing exhortations and summary.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Assamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| βαστάζετε ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη (bastazete allēlōn ta barē) — “bear one another’s burdens” | shared carrying of one another’s difficulties/moral failures ”bear one another’s burdens,” “carry each other’s loads” | KEY DOCTRINE: Bearing One Another’s Burdens. Gal 6:2 — communal responsibility flowing from Spirit-led restoration (6:1), fulfilling “the law of Christ.” | এজনে আনজনৰ ভাৰ বহন কৰা (ejône anjônôr bhar bôhon kôra) | Medium |
| καταρτίζετε ἐν πνεύματι πραΰτητος (katartizete en pneumati prautētos) — “restore [him] in a spirit of gentleness” | gentle, non-condemning correction of a fallen believer ”restore gently,” “correct with gentleness” | Gal 6:1 — the manner burden-bearing/restoration must take; distinguishes gospel correction from shame-based social discipline. | সৌম্যভাৱে শুধৰাই দিয়া (soumyô bhabe xudhôrai diya) | Medium |
| ὁ νόμος τοῦ Χριστοῦ (ho nomos tou Christou) — “the law of Christ” | the pattern of love and self-giving exemplified and commanded by Christ, fulfilling the whole Mosaic law’s intent (cf. 5:14) “the law of Christ” | Deliberately reuses [REUSED: law → বিধান] in a transformed sense — not Torah-observance but Christ’s own self-giving-love ethic; note required to prevent confusion with ἔργα νόμου (works of the [Mosaic] law), the very thing Galatians rejects as a basis for justification. | খ্ৰীষ্টৰ বিধান (Khristor bidhan) | High |
| σπείρῃ / θερίσει (speirē / therisei) — “sows / will reap” | agricultural metaphor for moral cause-and-consequence ”sow / reap” | Gal 6:7-8 — “whatever one sows, that will he also reap,” contrasting sowing to the flesh (σάρξ, ethical sense) versus sowing to the Spirit. Metaphor maps naturally onto Assamese agrarian life; low translation-mechanics risk, but doctrinal care needed not to imply karma-merit accumulation (cf. ἔργα νόμου / κόρмô collision already flagged) — this is consequence within a single life under grace, not cross-life karmic retribution. | সিঁচা / দাটি লোৱা (sinsa / dati lowa) | Medium |
| μὴ ἐκκακῶμεν ποιοῦντες τὸ καλόν (mē ekkakōmen poiountes to kalon) — “let us not grow weary doing good” | perseverance in good works flowing from the Spirit (not from law-merit) “let us not grow weary in doing good” | Good works here are the fruit of grace-received life, not the ground of justification — must be read alongside, not against, the doctrine of Justification by Faith. | মংগল কাৰ্য কৰোতে ভাগৰি নপৰো | Medium |
| οἱ οἰκεῖοι τῆς πίστεως (hoi oikeioi tēs pisteōs) — “those of the household of faith” | fellow believers, as an extended family unit ”the household of faith,” “those who belong to the family of faith” | Reinforces Church as God’s People doctrine (established in Romans package) with explicit family-metaphor language, harmonizing with the Adoption/Sonship doctrine of chs. 3-4. | বিশ্বাসৰ পৰিয়াল (biswaxôr pôriyal) | Low |
| καινὴ κτίσις (kainē ktisis) — “new creation” | a wholly new order of existence inaugurated in Christ, replacing the old circumcision/uncircumcision distinction as the marker of covenant status ”new creation” | KEY DOCTRINE: Circumcision and the New Creation. Gal 6:15 — the letter’s climactic answer to the circumcision controversy: “neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but a new creation.” Significant collision risk: Assamese Hindu cosmology holds a cyclical creation-preservation-dissolution (সৃষ্টি-স্থিতি-প্ৰলয়) pattern under Brahma’s recurring cosmic ages (yugas/kalpas); mandatory translator note distinguishing the NT’s linear, once-for-all inaugurated eschatological new creation in Christ from any cyclical cosmic re-creation concept. | নতুন সৃষ্টি (nôtun srishti) | High |
| καυχᾶσθαι ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ (kauchasthai en tō staurō) — “to boast in the cross” | to find one’s sole ground of honor/identity in Christ’s crucifixion ”boast in the cross” | Gal 6:14 — Paul’s summary posture, directly recalling the core passage’s “crucified with Christ” (2:19-20) and answering the honor/shame dynamics active throughout the letter (avoiding boasting in circumcision/flesh). | ক্ৰুচত গৌৰৱ কৰা (krucôt gourôb kôra) | High |
| τὰ στίγματα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ (ta stigmata tou Iēsou) — “the marks of Jesus” | physical scars from persecution suffered in Christ’s service, likened to a slave’s or soldier’s brand-marks ”the marks of Jesus,” “the scars of Jesus” | Gal 6:17 — Paul’s literal persecution-scars as authenticating marks of genuine apostolic suffering; must be distinguished from ritual body-marking (e.g., Vaishnavite tilaka or sect-marks) which signal religious affiliation rather than suffered persecution. | যীচুৰ চিহ্ন (Yisur cihn) | Medium |
| ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν (hē charis… meta tou pneumatos hymōn) — “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” | closing benediction ”grace be with your spirit” | [REUSED FROM ROMANS TM: grace → অনুগ্ৰহ; lord → প্ৰভু; jesus → যীচু] Standard Pauline closing benediction; consistency with Romans closings required. | আমাৰ প্ৰভু যীচু খ্ৰীষ্টৰ অনুগ্ৰহ তোমালোকৰ আত্মাৰ লগত থাকক | Low |
Summary of New Critical/High-Risk Terms Introduced by Galatians (not present in the Romans baseline)
| New Term | Assamese | Risk | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| works of the law (ἔργα νόμου) / works (ἔργον) | বিধানৰ কৰ্ম / কৰ্ম | Critical | কৰ্ম is the central Hindu karma-doctrine word; must always be anchored with বিধানৰ (of the law) to prevent collapse into cross-life karmic merit theology |
| crucified with Christ (συνεσταύρωμαι) | খ্ৰীষ্টৰ সৈতে ক্ৰুচাৰোপিত হ’লোঁ | Critical | Foundational union-with-Christ doctrine; must not soften to generic “died with” |
| redeem (ἐξαγοράζω) | মূল্য দি উদ্ধাৰ কৰা | Critical | মুক্তি forbidden (moksha/rebirth-cycle association); requires compound phrase like justification |
| idolatry (εἰδωλολατρία) | মূৰ্তিপূজা | Critical | Names mainstream Assamese Hindu devotional image-worship directly; doctrinal condemnation must not be softened per baseline mandate, yet requires careful pastoral framing |
| love (ἀγάπη) | প্ৰেম | High | Collides with Vaishnavite/Ekasarana prem-bhakti devotional-romantic love tradition |
| freedom (ἐλευθερία) | স্বাধীনতা | High | Collides with (a) political/national-independence usage, (b) moksha-liberation associations |
| flesh — ethical sense (σάρξ, ch.5) | মাংস | High | Must be visibly distinguished from the neutral physical-body sense (শৰীৰ) used at Gal 2:16, 20 |
| seed/offspring (σπέρμα) | বংশ | High | Paul’s argument depends on a singular-referent nuance not obvious from the collective noun |
| elemental spirits (στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου) | জগতৰ মৌলিক আত্মিক শক্তি | High | Collides with Hindu পঞ্চভূত (five-element) cosmology and astrological elemental worship |
| curse of the law / accursed (κατάρα / ἀνάθεμα) | বিধানৰ অভিশাপ / অভিশপ্ত | High | Collides with Puranic sage/deity mystical-curse (shaap) tradition |
| revelation (ἀποκάλυψις) | প্ৰত্যাদেশ | High | Must deliberately avoid প্ৰকাশ, already rejected in baseline for avatar-manifestation overtones |
| circumcision (περιτομή) | চুন্নৎ | Critical | Central controversy of the letter; term also carries Islamic-practice associations in Assamese usage requiring a disambiguating note |
| new creation (καινὴ κτίσις) | নতুন সৃষ্টি | High | Collides with cyclical Hindu cosmological creation-dissolution (yuga/kalpa) framework |
| sorcery (φαρμακεία) | মায়াবিদ্যা / জাদুবিদ্যা | High | Collides with active witch-accusation social sensitivity in Assam |
| promise (ἐπαγγελία) | প্ৰতিজ্ঞা | High | Distinct from নিয়ম (covenant); central to Abrahamic Covenant doctrine |
(Medium and Low risk new terms are catalogued in full in 08_core_glossary.md.)