Core Glossary
Core Glossary — 1 Peter (English → Greek)
This glossary consolidates every load-bearing theological term identified in 07_semantic_analysis.md, spanning 1 Peter 1–5. Terms already recorded in the baseline Romans/Galatians translation_memory.json are marked [BASELINE — reuse exactly] and are not re-derived; only 1‑Peter‑specific contextual notes are added. Newly analyzed terms are marked [NEW] and are proposed for addition to the Language Package’s translation memory and term/doctrine risk registries in Phase 1 Step 2 and beyond.
Risk tiers follow the baseline framework: Critical (human theologian review, every occurrence) / High (human theologian review) / Medium (native speaker review) / Low (automated review).
A. Baseline Terms Reused Exactly (with 1 Peter-specific notes)
| Term (EN) | Greek Rendering | Transliteration | Risk | Key 1 Peter Passages | 1 Peter-Specific Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| God | Θεός | Theós | Critical | 1:2-3, 5, 21; 2:4-5; 4:2, 6, 10-11, 17, 19; 5:2, 5, 10, 12 | No change from baseline. |
| Lord | Κύριος | Kýrios | Critical | 1:3, 25; 2:3, 13; 3:12, 15 | Note 5:3’s κατακυριεύω wordplay (domineering “lording”) — elders must never functionally usurp Christ’s own unique Κυριότητα. |
| Father | Πατέρας | Patéras | Critical | 1:2-3, 17 | 1:3 specifies the Father of Jesus Christ — the intra-Trinitarian sense, prior to and distinct from believers’ adoptive relationship. |
| Jesus Christ | Ιησούς Χριστός | Iisoús Christós | Critical | throughout | No change from baseline. |
| Grace | χάρη | chári | Critical | 1:2, 10, 13; 2:19-20; 3:7; 4:10; 5:5, 10, 12 | 5:10, 12’s “God of all grace” / “true grace of God” are climactic summary uses — anchor firmly against the secular charm/pardon senses per baseline. |
| Faith | πίστη | písti | High | 1:5, 7-9, 21; 5:9 | 1:8-9’s “believing without seeing” and 5:9’s “firm in your faith” (resisting the devil) both require the personal-trust sense, not generic belief. |
| Salvation | σωτηρία | sotiría | Critical | 1:5, 9-10; 2:2 (implicit) | 1:5’s future-eschatological (“ready to be revealed”) and 1:9’s present-participial (“obtaining”) uses must both be honored without contradiction; guard against theosis-only collapse per baseline. |
| Holy | άγιος | ágios | Critical | 1:15-16; 2:5, 9; 3:5 | 1:15-16 quotes Leviticus (“Be holy, for I am holy”) directly — an OT holiness-code citation the Greek reader can access in the LXX’s own wording. |
| Sanctification | αγιασμός | agiasmós | High | 1:2 | The Spirit’s sanctifying work grounding the believer’s identity from 1:2 onward; distinguish from the Epiphany water-blessing ritual sense per baseline. |
| Glory | δόξα | dóxa | Medium | 1:7-8, 11, 21, 24; 4:11, 13-14; 5:1, 4, 10 | Exceptionally frequent in 1 Peter (10+ occurrences); guard the secular “fame/acclaim” drift at every occurrence, especially 5:4’s “crown of glory.” |
| Resurrection | ανάσταση | anástasi | Critical | 1:3, 21; 3:21 | 3:21 ties resurrection directly to baptism’s saving efficacy — a uniquely dense doctrinal knot requiring theologian review. |
| Revelation | αποκάλυψη | apokálypsi | Medium | 1:5, 7, 13; 4:13 | Consistently future/eschatological (Christ’s appearing) in 1 Peter, distinct from the epistolary “revelation” sense elsewhere; guard against the journalistic-exposé drift per baseline. |
| Gentiles | έθνη | éthni | Medium | 2:12; 4:3 | 2:12’s “among the Gentiles” describes the church’s social context of living visibly before a watching pagan society. |
| Freedom | ελευθερία | eleftheria | Critical | 2:16 | Explicitly paired in the same verse with its own libertine-misreading guard (“not using freedom as a cover for evil”) — the text supplies its own fence. |
| Fellowship / participation | κοινωνία | koinonía | Medium | 4:13 | Combines with new term παθήματα (below) — guard against the “Holy Communion” sacramental-default reading; here it is participatory identification with Christ’s sufferings, not the Eucharist. |
| Spiritual gifts | πνευματικά χαρίσματα | pnevmatiká charísmata | Medium | 4:10 | Singular χάρισμα per individual (“each has received a gift”); same secular natural-talent drift risk as baseline. |
| Redeem / ransom | λυτρώνω / απολύτρωση | lytróno / apolýtrosi | Critical | 1:18-19 | Explicitly contrasted with perishable silver/gold and grounded in Christ’s precious blood — reinforces rather than complicates the baseline’s forbidden-substitution guard against εξαγοράζω. |
| Seed | σπέρμα | spérma | Medium | (contrast term; see σπόρος άφθαρτος below) | 1 Peter’s own “seed” language (1:23) uses the related but distinct σπορά/σπόρος, referring to the generative word of God, not a promised genealogical offspring as in Galatians 3:16 — flag the distinction for curriculum consistency. |
B. New Terms Introduced by 1 Peter
| Term (EN) | Greek Rendering | Transliteration | Risk | Doctrine | Key Passages | Grounded Risk Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born again / regenerated | αναγέννηση (verb: αναγεννώ) | anagénnisi / anagennó | Critical | Living Hope of the Resurrection | 1:3, 23 | Modern Greek “αναγέννηση” is the standard word for the European Renaissance and for national/cultural revival (“εθνική αναγέννηση,” “αναγέννηση της οικονομίας”). Unglossed, “God caused us to be born again” risks being heard as civilizational/cultural renewal rather than the individual, Spirit-and-word-wrought new birth 1 Peter intends. Mandatory note at every occurrence. |
| Living hope | ζωντανή ελπίδα | zontaní elpída | Medium | Living Hope of the Resurrection | 1:3 | ελπίδα is stable and zero-gap, but everyday Modern Greek use (“ελπίζω να…”) is casual, wishful, and non-committal — the opposite of Peter’s confident, resurrection-anchored certainty. Gloss at first occurrence. |
| Hope (general) | ελπίδα | elpída | Medium | Living Hope of the Resurrection | 1:3, 13, 21; 3:15 | Same casual-optimism drift risk as above wherever it recurs without the “living” qualifier, e.g. 3:15’s “the hope that is in you.” |
| Inheritance | κληρονομιά | klironomiá | Low-Medium | Living Hope of the Resurrection | 1:4 | Fully alive in ordinary Modern Greek inheritance law (same root as baseline κληρονόμος); ensure the referent (imperishable, heavenly) is not collapsed into an ordinary bequest. |
| Tested genuineness / trial by fire | δοκίμιο / δοκιμή | dokímio / dokimí | High | Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake | 1:7 | Modern Greek δοκιμή/δοκίμιο overwhelmingly means an ordinary test, exam, product trial, or draft — none carrying the metallurgical refining-fire, purity-proving sense. Must anchor to the gold-and-fire image present in the same verse. |
| Fiery trial | πύρωση | pýrosi | Medium | Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake | 4:12 | Parallel drift risk to δοκίμιο; guard against a merely “difficult situation” reading that loses the purifying, purposive-testing sense. |
| Various trials | ποικίλοι πειρασμοί | pikíli pirasmí | Medium | Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake | 1:6 | πειρασμός covers both “external trial” and “temptation to sin” without lexical differentiation; Modern Greek readers (via the Lord’s Prayer) default to the temptation sense. Requires a contextual note distinguishing external hardship from sin-enticement. |
| Elect / chosen | εκλεκτός / εκλεκτοί | eklektós / eklektoí | High | Church as Royal Priesthood; Divine Calling (cf. baseline Effectual Calling doctrine) | 1:1; 2:4, 6, 9 | Distinct lexeme from baseline’s εκλογή (election). Modern Greek εκλεκτός commonly means “select/premium/fine” (εκλεκτό κρασί, “select wine”; εκλεκτοί καλεσμένοι, “distinguished guests”) — a quality-connotation secular drift, distinct from but related to εκλογή’s political-ballot drift. Requires its own anchoring note. |
| Diaspora / sojourners / resident aliens | διασπορά / πάροικοι / παρεπίδημοι | diasporá / pároikoi / parepídimoi | High | Church’s identity amid Suffering and Submission doctrines | 1:1; 2:11 | Modern Greek “Διασπορά” is a major, real-world ethnic-national category (the worldwide Greek Diaspora). Unglossed, 1 Peter’s spiritual-exile theme risks being absorbed into this dominant ethnic-emigration frame rather than the NT’s sense of heavenly citizenship amid earthly non-belonging. |
| Foreknowledge | πρόγνωση | prógnosi | High | Divine Calling / Election (cf. baseline) | 1:2, 20 | Distinct lexeme from baseline εκλογή; touches the Orthodox synergism-versus-monergism discussion regarding foreknowledge and election — state Peter’s own mercy-grounded point without adjudicating the wider debate. |
| Imperishable seed | σπόρος άφθαρτος | spóros áfthartos | Medium | Living Hope of the Resurrection | 1:23 | Distinct referent from baseline’s σπέρμα (Christ/Abraham’s promised offspring, Galatians 3:16): here the “seed” is God’s generative living word producing new believers. Flag the distinction in cross-reference material. |
| Lamb without blemish | αμνός άμωμος | amnós ámomos | Medium | Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering | 1:19 | Requires reader to supply Passover/Isaiah 53 background; recommend a cross-reference note to Exodus 12 and Isaiah 53. |
| Bore our sins in his body on the tree | βάσταξε τις αμαρτίες μας στο σώμα του επάνω στο ξύλο | vástaxe tis amartíes mas sto síma tou epáno sto xýlo | Critical | Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering | 2:24 | The doctrinal center of the curriculum’s substitutionary-suffering unit; preserve the penalty-bearing (not merely sympathetic) sense, and render ξύλον so it is recognized as the cross, consistent with the baseline’s Galatians 3:13 “curse” entry. |
| By his wounds you have been healed | με το πλήγωμά του θεραπευτήκατε | me to plígomá tou therapeftíkate | High | Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering | 2:24 | Guard against a purely physical-healing/prosperity reading; the aorist points to the once-for-all cross-event’s comprehensive (primarily spiritual) restoration, per Isaiah 53’s own context. |
| Shepherd and Overseer of your souls | ποιμένας και επίσκοπος των ψυχών σας | poiménas kai epískopos ton psychón sas | Critical | Church as Royal Priesthood; Elders and Humility | 2:25 | Modern Greek “Επίσκοπος” specifically denotes the office of Bishop, the highest Orthodox clergy rank. Applying it to Christ is theologically apt but requires a note distinguishing Christ’s unique headship from the derivative human pastoral office of the same name, cross-referenced with 5:1-2. |
| Royal priesthood, holy nation | βασίλειο ιεράτευμα, άγιο έθνος | vasíleio ierátevma, ágio éthnos | Critical | Church as a Holy and Royal Priesthood | 2:5, 9 | Direct collision with the Orthodox Church’s living, sacramentally ordained priesthood (ιερωσύνη). Requires a mandatory note (parallel in function to the baseline’s “saints” note) clarifying every believer’s priestly access and vocation without arguing against, or being absorbed by, the ordained clerical office. |
| Submission / subject yourselves | υποταγή / υποτάσσομαι | ypotagí / ypotássomai | High | Submission to Authority and Christlike Endurance | 2:13, 18; 3:1, 5, 22; 5:5 | Danger of over-application (justifying abuse/tyranny) and of reception colored by 20th-century Greek experience of authoritarian rule; requires framing distinguishing Christlike endurance under injustice from endorsement of injustice. |
| Christ suffered [for sins], once for all | ο Χριστός έπαθε άπαξ (για τις αμαρτίες) | o Christós épathe hápax (gia tis amartíes) | Critical | Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering | 3:18 | ἅπαξ’s unrepeatable-event force must be preserved; the epistle’s second great substitutionary text alongside 2:24. |
| Suffer / suffering | πάσχω / πάθημα | páscho / páthima | Critical | Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake; Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering | 1:6 (cognate); 2:19-23; 3:14-18; 4:1, 12-19; 5:1, 9-10 | Shares its root with πάθος (the sinful “passions” of Orthodox ascetic/monastic theology, e.g. the Philokalia), risking a reader’s default association with sin-to-be-mortified rather than righteous suffering-to-be-endured — precisely inverting Peter’s moral evaluation. The single most pervasive and highest-priority term in the epistle for this Language Package. |
| Fellowship of Christ’s sufferings | κοινωνία (συμμετοχή) στα παθήματα του Χριστού | koinonía (symmetochí) sta pathímata tou Christoú | High | Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake | 4:13 | Compounds baseline κοινωνία’s Holy-Communion sacramental-default risk with the πάθημα risk above; requires its own clarifying note. |
| Put to death in the flesh, made alive in the spirit | σαρκί θανατωθείς, πνεύματι ζωοποιηθείς | sarkí thanatothís, pnévmati zoopoiithís | Critical | Christ’s Proclamation to the Spirits; Living Hope of the Resurrection | 3:18 | Guard against a Platonic body/soul dualism reading; most plausibly describes two dimensions of Christ’s one death-and-resurrection event, not a body/soul separation. |
| Went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison | πήγε και κήρυξε στα πνεύματα στη φυλακή | píye ke kírixe sta pnévmata sti filakí | Critical | Christ’s Proclamation to the Spirits | 3:19-20 | Intersects powerfully with Orthodox Holy Saturday liturgical tradition and Anastasis iconography (asset), but risks importing extra-canonical material (e.g. the Gospel of Nicodemus tradition) onto this narrower, Noah-specific text. Human theologian review mandatory every occurrence. |
| Gospel preached to the dead | στους νεκρούς κηρύχθηκε το ευαγγέλιο | stous nekroús kírychthike to evangélio | High | Christ’s Proclamation to the Spirits | 4:6 | Companion/parallel text to 3:19; same careful, non-dogmatic-beyond-the-text handling required. |
| Baptism now saves you | το βάπτισμα … σώζει | to váptisma … sózei | Critical | Christ’s Proclamation to the Spirits (context); Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering (resurrection-grounding) | 3:21 | Unusually well-aligned with Orthodox baptismal sacramental theology (asset); requires translating with equal weight both Peter’s positive causal claim and his immediate qualifying clause (“not as removal of dirt… but as an appeal to God for a good conscience”). |
| Good conscience | αγαθή συνείδηση | agathí synídisi | Low | Christ’s Proclamation to the Spirits | 3:16, 21 | Stable, standard philosophical-theological term. |
| Gospel preached, Christian (identity term) | Χριστιανός | Christianós | Low | Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake | 4:16 | Fully stable, universal Modern Greek word for “Christian” — an asset; one of the NT’s earliest attestations of the term, worth noting pastorally. |
| Hospitality | φιλοξενία | filoxenía | Low | Holiness in Conduct | 4:9 | A maximally positive, deeply embedded Greek cultural value (ancient ξενία, ongoing hospitality customs) — an asset comparable to the baseline’s treatment of παράδοση. Ensure the NT’s specific referent (housing traveling/persecuted believers) is not narrowed to mere etiquette. |
| Love covers a multitude of sins | η αγάπη καλύπτει πλήθος αμαρτιών | i agápi kalýptei plíthos amartión | Medium | Holiness in Conduct | 4:8 | Guard against reading as a rival atonement mechanism to Christ’s own substitutionary suffering; describes relational forbearance, not a soteriological claim. |
| Faithful Creator | πιστός Κτίστης | pistós Ktístis | Low | Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake | 4:19 | Stable, rare NT title for God (only here); grounds trust in God’s sovereign creative power. |
| Elders / fellow elder | πρεσβύτεροι / συμπρεσβύτερος | presvýteroi / sympresvýteros | High | Elders and Humility | 5:1 | Modern Greek “πρεσβύτερος” is the specific ordination-rank term for “priest” in Orthodox clergy structure. Requires a note clarifying Peter addresses local pastoral leadership by character and function, not primarily sacramental rank. |
| Shepherd the flock, exercising oversight | ποιμάνετε το ποίμνιο, επισκοπώντας | poimánete to poímnio, episkopóntas | Critical | Elders and Humility; Church as Royal Priesthood | 5:2 | Verbal cognate of Επίσκοπος (Bishop); risks either over-elevating local elders to full episcopal authority or suppressing Peter’s own oversight-vocabulary. Resolve via retention plus note plus cross-reference to 5:4’s ἀρχιποιμήν. |
| Not domineering, but examples | μη ασκώντας εξουσία σαν κυρίαρχοι, αλλά πρότυπα | mi askóntas exousía san kyríarchoi, allá prótypa | Medium | Elders and Humility | 5:3 | κατακυριεύω’s wordplay on κύριος (Lord) worth preserving in notes: elders must never usurp Christ’s unique Lordship. |
| Chief Shepherd | αρχιποιμένας | archipoiménas | Low-Medium | Elders and Humility | 5:4 | A valuable disambiguating asset for the ἐπίσκοπος/πρεσβύτερος risks: clarifies Christ’s supremacy over accountable under-shepherds. Deploy actively in teaching material. |
| Crown of glory | στέφανος δόξης | stéfanos dóxis | Low-Medium | Elders and Humility | 5:4 | στέφανος (victor’s/festal wreath) is stable and positively resonant; risk carried entirely by δόξα per baseline. |
| Clothe yourselves with humility | ζωστείτε την ταπεινοφροσύνη | zosteíte tin tapeinofrosýni | Medium | Elders and Humility | 5:5 | Ταπείνωση/ταπεινοφροσύνη is a major, positive Orthodox ascetic-spiritual virtue (asset); ensure Peter’s relational, communal application is preserved, not absorbed only into an individualized ascetic-practice register. |
| God opposes the proud | ο Θεός αντιτάσσεται στους υπερήφανους | o Theós antitássetai stous yperíphanous | Low | Elders and Humility | 5:5 | Modern Greek ὑπερήφανος can carry a milder, sometimes positive “proud of” sense (e.g. “proud of you”) distinct from the negative arrogant/haughty sense intended; brief note recommended. |
| Adversary the devil, roaring lion | ο αντίδικός σας διάβολος, λέοντας που βρυχάται | o antídikós sas diávolos, léontas pou vrycháte | Low | Elders and Humility (context); Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake | 5:8 | Stable, vivid imagery; ἀντίδικος’s legal-courtroom nuance reinforces the seriousness of the spiritual opposition described. |
C. Cross-Reference Notes for Phase 2 Consistency
- ἐπίσκοπος family (2:25 applied to Christ; 5:2’s verb ἐπισκοπέω applied to elders) must be translated and annotated consistently across both occurrences, always cross-referenced to 5:4’s ἀρχιποιμήν as the text’s own built-in disambiguation of the Christ/elder relationship.
- πάσχω/πάθημα family must never be rendered or glossed in a way that imports the ascetic-theology sense of πάθος (sinful passions); every occurrence requires the same contextual anchor regardless of which chapter it falls in.
- εκλεκτός (1:1; 2:4, 6, 9) must be kept terminologically distinct from baseline εκλογή in any teaching material that discusses both Romans 9-11 and 1 Peter’s election language, since the two words carry different secular-drift risks (political-ballot vs. premium-quality).
- σπέρμα (baseline, Galatians 3:16, Christ as Abraham’s seed) and σπόρος άφθαρτος (1 Peter 1:23, the living word as regenerating seed) must not be conflated in cross-reference material connecting Galatians and 1 Peter.
- κοινωνία (baseline Medium) recurs at 4:13 combined with παθήματα; treat as a compound High-risk case requiring both baseline’s sacramental-narrowing guard and the πάσχω-family guard simultaneously.
- βασίλειο ιεράτευμα (2:9) and πρεσβύτεροι/ἐπίσκοπος (5:1-2) are doctrinally linked (both address the church’s priestly/pastoral identity) and should be cross-referenced in any teaching unit on “The Church as a Holy and Royal Priesthood” so the universal-priesthood and ordained-eldership discussions inform, rather than contradict, one another.
Load this glossary alongside 07_semantic_analysis.md, the baseline translation_memory.json, bible_term_registry.json, and doctrine_risk_registry.json for all Phase 2 work on 1 Peter. New terms listed in Section B are proposed for formal addition to the Language Package’s translation memory and risk registries.
Critical Risk Terms
God
Approved rendering: Θεός
Transliteration: Theós
Doctrine: God
Original: θεός
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. No new drift risk in 1 Peter; functions identically to Romans/Galatians usage throughout (1:2-3, 5, 21; 2:4-5; 4:2, 6, 10-11, 17, 19; 5:2, 5, 10, 12).
Lord
Approved rendering: Κύριος
Transliteration: Kýrios
Doctrine: Deity and Lordship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: Κύριος με την καθημερινή έννοια της ευγενικής προσφώνησης ‘κύριε’ (αντίστοιχο του ‘Mr.’)
Original: κύριος
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 3:15 (‘sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts’) is the letter’s key public-apologetic use, requiring the same Septuagint/YHWH anchoring the baseline requires at Romans 10:9. Note also 5:3’s κατακυριεύοντες, an intensive compound on this same root describing illegitimate elder domineering — preserve this wordplay in translator notes even where not fully reproducible in the rendering.
Father
Approved rendering: Πατέρας
Transliteration: Patéras
Doctrine: God
Original: πατήρ
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 1:3 names God specifically as Father ‘of our Lord Jesus Christ’ — the eternal, intra-Trinitarian sense — distinct from 1:17’s fatherly relationship toward believers who call on him as impartial judge. Keep the two senses distinguishable in surrounding teaching prose.
Jesus Christ
Approved rendering: Ιησούς Χριστός
Transliteration: Iisoús Christós
Doctrine: Deity and Lordship of Christ
Original: Ἰησοῦς Χριστός
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. Standard NT and liturgical form, unchanged throughout 1 Peter.
Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: Άγιο Πνεύμα
Transliteration: Ágio Pnévma
Doctrine: Sanctification by the Spirit
Original: πνεῦμα ἅγιον
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 1:2, 1:11-12, 4:14 are unambiguous Trinitarian references. IMPORTANT: 3:18’s disputed dative πνεύματι (‘made alive in/by the spirit’) is NOT a straightforward Holy Spirit reference in mainstream exegesis and must NOT be automatically rendered or glossed as the Holy Spirit — reserve this baseline term strictly for 1:2, 1:12, 4:14.
Grace
Approved rendering: χάρη
Transliteration: chári
Doctrine: Grace
Rejected alternatives: χάρη με την καθημερινή έννοια της γοητείας ή ομορφιάς, χάρη ως νομική/προεδρική χάρη (απονομή χάριτος)
Original: χάρις
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 5:12’s climactic ‘this is the true grace of God’ functions as Peter’s own summary-claim for the letter’s reliability; anchor firmly against secular charm/pardon senses at every occurrence (1:2, 10, 13; 2:19-20; 3:7; 4:10; 5:5, 10, 12).
Salvation
Approved rendering: σωτηρία
Transliteration: sotiría
Doctrine: Salvation
Original: σωτηρία
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 1:5’s future ‘ready to be revealed’ and 1:9’s present-participle ‘obtaining’ must both be honored without contradiction; guard against collapsing wholly into the Orthodox theosis framework per baseline.
Holy
Approved rendering: άγιος
Transliteration: ágios
Doctrine: Sanctification
Original: ἅγιος
Category: Sanctification
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 1:15-16 directly quotes Leviticus (‘Be holy, for I am holy’) — a genuine LXX-accessible asset. Applied corporately to the whole church as ‘holy nation’ at 2:9; see royal_priesthood entry for the compounded risk there.
Resurrection
Approved rendering: ανάσταση
Transliteration: anástasi
Doctrine: The Living Hope of the Resurrection
Original: ἀνάστασις
Category: Eschatology
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 1:3, 1:21 ground living hope in the resurrection; 3:21 uniquely ties resurrection directly to baptism’s saving efficacy, a dense doctrinal knot requiring theologian review.
Freedom
Approved rendering: ελευθερία
Transliteration: eleftheria
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: ελευθερία αποκλειστικά με την εθνικοπολιτική έννοια της εθνικής ανεξαρτησίας, ελευθερία ως ασυδοσία/άνομη ζωή
Original: ἐλευθερία
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Galatians package. 1 Peter 2:16 supplies its own libertine-misreading guard within the same verse (‘not using freedom as a cover for evil’), but the term’s maximal national-cultural load still requires the baseline’s dual fencing against a political-liberation misreading.
Redeem
Approved rendering: λυτρώνω / απολύτρωση
Transliteration: lytróno / apolýtrosi
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering
Rejected alternatives: εξαγοράζω με τη σύγχρονη έννοια της δωροδοκίας (‘εξαγόρασε τη σιωπή του’), εξαγοράζω ως εταιρική εξαγορά (corporate buyout)
Original: ἐλυτρώθητε
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Galatians package. 1 Peter 1:18-19 explicitly contrasts ransom with perishable silver/gold and grounds it in Christ’s precious blood, reinforcing the forbidden-substitution guard against εξαγοράζω’s bribery/buyout drift.
Born Again
Approved rendering: αναγέννηση / αναγεννώ
Transliteration: anagénnisi / anagennó
Doctrine: The Living Hope of the Resurrection
Rejected alternatives: αναγέννηση με τη σύγχρονη έννοια της ιστορικής περιόδου της Αναγέννησης, ή της εθνικής/οικονομικής αναγέννησης (‘εθνική αναγέννηση,’ ‘αναγέννηση της οικονομίας’)
Original: ἀναγεννάω / ἀναγεγεννημένοι
Category: Salvation
FORBIDDEN DRIFT. Modern Greek ‘αναγέννηση’ is the standard word for the European Renaissance and for national/economic revival. Unglossed, ‘God caused us to be born again’ (1:3) risks being heard as civilizational renewal rather than the individual, Spirit-and-word-wrought new birth 1 Peter intends. Mandatory translator note anchoring the term to new spiritual birth, paired with 1:23’s imperishable seed, required at every occurrence (1:3, 1:23).
Bore Our Sins
Approved rendering: αυτός βάσταξε τις αμαρτίες μας στο σώμα του επάνω στο ξύλο
Transliteration: aftós vástaxe tis amartíes mas sto síma tou epáno sto xýlo
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering
Rejected alternatives: ξύλο αποδιδόμενο ως γενικό ‘ξύλο’ χωρίς αναγνωρίσιμη αναφορά στον σταυρό (η θέση των Μαρτύρων του Ιεχωβά περί ‘πάσσαλου’), ερμηνεία της βάστασης ως απλή συμπάθεια/ταύτιση με τους πάσχοντες αντί για αντικαταστατική τιμωρία
Original: τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν αὐτὸς ἀνήνεγκεν ἐν τῷ σώματι αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον
Category: Christology
The doctrinal center of the curriculum’s substitutionary-suffering unit (2:24), echoing Isaiah 53. Preserve the penalty-bearing sense; render ξύλον so it is clearly recognized as the cross, consistent with the baseline’s established Galatians 3:13 ‘curse’ entry. Flag for explicit theologian review given known cult-argumentation targeting this exact word (see 05_translation_landscape.md Section D).
Shepherd Overseer Of Souls
Approved rendering: ποιμένας και επίσκοπος των ψυχών σας
Transliteration: poiménas kai epískopos ton psychón sas
Doctrine: The Church as a Holy and Royal Priesthood
Rejected alternatives: επίσκοπος αποδιδόμενο αποκλειστικά ως ο σύγχρονος θεσμικός βαθμός του Επισκόπου, χωρίς διάκριση από τον Χριστό ως μοναδικό Ποιμένα-Επίσκοπο
Original: ποιμένα καὶ ἐπίσκοπον τῶν ψυχῶν
Category: Christology
Modern Greek ‘Επίσκοπος’ is the specific, formal title of a Bishop, the highest Orthodox clergy rank. Applying it to Christ (2:25) is theologically apt but requires a note distinguishing Christ’s unique headship from the derivative human pastoral office. Cross-reference mandatorily with 5:1-4’s ἀρχιποιμήν.
Royal Priesthood
Approved rendering: βασίλειο ιεράτευμα, άγιο έθνος
Transliteration: vasíleio ierátevma, ágio éthnos
Doctrine: The Church as a Holy and Royal Priesthood
Rejected alternatives: ιεράτευμα ερμηνευμένο ή διδασκόμενο ως καταργώντας το χειροτονημένο ιερατείο της Εκκλησίας, ιεράτευμα απορροφημένο πλήρως από το χειροτονημένο ιερατείο, χάνοντας την οικουμενική αναφορά σε κάθε πιστό
Original: βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, ἔθνος ἅγιον
Category: Church
Direct collision with the Orthodox Church’s living, sacramentally ordained priesthood (ιερωσύνη). Requires a mandatory explanatory note (parallel in function to the baseline’s ‘saints’ note) at every occurrence (2:5, 9), clarifying every believer’s priestly access and vocation without arguing against, or being absorbed by, the ordained clerical office.
Christ Suffered Once
Approved rendering: ο Χριστός έπαθε άπαξ (για τις αμαρτίες)
Transliteration: o Christós épathe hápax (gia tis amartíes)
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering
Rejected alternatives: άπαξ αποδιδόμενο με τρόπο που υπονοεί επανάληψη ή συνέχιση του γεγονότος
Original: Χριστὸς ἅπαξ περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν ἔπαθεν
Category: Christology
ἅπαξ (‘once for all,’ a genuinely unrepeatable event, 3:18) must be preserved against any reading implying repetition, alongside — but not blurred with — Orthodox eucharistic theology’s own distinction between Christ’s one historical sacrifice and its sacramental re-presentation.
Suffering
Approved rendering: πάσχω / πάθημα
Transliteration: páscho / páthima
Doctrine: Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
Rejected alternatives: πάσχω/πάθημα συγχεόμενο με το πάθος (τα αμαρτωλά, προς μετάνοια πάθη της ασκητικής παράδοσης, π.χ. η Φιλοκαλία)
Original: πάσχω / πάθημα
Category: Suffering
1 Peter’s single most pervasive theme-word (some sixteen occurrences: 1:6 cognate; 2:19-23; 3:14-18; 4:1, 12-19; 5:1, 9-10). Shares its root with πάθος, the Orthodox ascetic term for sinful passions to be mortified — a reader may default to reading this vocabulary as sin-language rather than endurance-language, inverting Peter’s own moral evaluation. Every occurrence requires the same standing contextual anchor without exception; the single highest-maintenance translation rule in this Language Package.
Put To Death In Flesh Made Alive In Spirit
Approved rendering: σαρκί θανατωθείς, πνεύματι ζωοποιηθείς
Transliteration: sarkí thanatothís, pnévmati zoopoiithís
Doctrine: Christ’s Proclamation to the Spirits
Rejected alternatives: ερμηνεία δυϊστική σώματος/ψυχής (‘το σώμα του πέθανε αλλά η ψυχή του επέζησε’)
Original: θανατωθεὶς σαρκί, ζωοποιηθεὶς πνεύματι
Category: Christology
Guard against a Platonic body/soul dualism reading (3:18): this describes two dimensions of one death-and-resurrection event, most plausibly Christ’s own bodily resurrection by/in the Spirit, not a body/soul separation. Requires theologian-level framing given the exegetical difficulty present in the source text itself.
Spirits In Prison
Approved rendering: πήγε και κήρυξε στα πνεύματα στη φυλακή
Transliteration: píye ke kírixe sta pnévmata sti filakí
Doctrine: Christ’s Proclamation to the Spirits
Rejected alternatives: εισαγωγή απόκρυφου υλικού (π.χ. το Ευαγγέλιο του Νικοδήμου) ως αν να ήταν το ίδιο το βιβλικό κείμενο, χωρίς σαφή διάκριση, απόρριψη ή αγνόηση της Ορθόδοξης παράδοσης της Καθόδου στον Άδη ως άσχετης με το χωρίο
Original: τοῖς ἐν φυλακῇ πνεύμασιν … ἐκήρυξεν
Category: Eschatology
Intersects powerfully with the Orthodox Anastasis/Holy Saturday tradition (asset), but risks importing extra-canonical material onto this narrower, Noah-specific text (3:19-20). Present the range of responsible interpretive options without flattening to the popular tradition or dismissing its legitimate theological core. Human theologian review mandatory on every occurrence.
Baptism Saves
Approved rendering: το βάπτισμα … σώζει
Transliteration: to váptisma … sózei
Doctrine: Baptism and Its Saving Significance
Rejected alternatives: απόδοση που υποβαθμίζει ή αφαιρεί την αιτιακή δήλωση ‘σώζει’ για να αποφευχθεί ο υποτιθέμενος σακραμενταλισμός, απόδοση που συντομεύει ή αγνοεί τη διασάφηση ‘όχι αφαίρεση ακαθαρσίας από το σώμα, αλλά επίκληση προς τον Θεό για αγαθή συνείδηση’
Original: βάπτισμα … σῴζει
Category: Salvation
Unusually well-aligned with Orthodox baptismal sacramental theology (asset, 3:21). Requires precisely calibrated bidirectional care: translate both Peter’s positive causal claim and his immediate qualifying clause with equal syntactic and doctrinal weight.
Shepherd Exercising Oversight
Approved rendering: ποιμάνετε το ποίμνιο, επισκοπώντας
Transliteration: poimánete to poímnio, episkopóntas
Doctrine: Elders and Humility
Rejected alternatives: επισκοπώντας αποδιδόμενο ή υπονοούμενο ως πλήρης επισκοπική/διοικητική εξουσία επί ολόκληρης επισκοπής, καταστολή/παράλειψη του ρήματος για αποφυγή της σύγκρουσης με τον όρο ‘Επίσκοπος,’ χάνοντας τη σύνδεση με το 2:25 και το 5:4
Original: ποιμάνατε … ἐπισκοποῦντες
Category: Church
The verb επισκοπώντας is the verbal cognate of Επίσκοπος (Bishop). Applied to ordinary elders (5:2), it must be retained with a note distinguishing this functional pastoral-oversight sense from the later formal episcopal office, leaning on 5:4’s ἀρχιποιμήν as the text’s own built-in disambiguation.
High Risk Terms
Faith
Approved rendering: πίστη
Transliteration: písti
Doctrine: Faith
Rejected alternatives: πίστη με τη γενική έννοια της αφοσίωσης σε οποιαδήποτε ιδέα ή πρόσωπο
Original: πίστις
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 1:8’s ‘believing without seeing’ and 5:9’s ‘firm in your faith’ resisting the devil both require the personal-trust sense, not generic optimism or self-belief.
Sanctification
Approved rendering: αγιασμός
Transliteration: agiasmós
Doctrine: Sanctification by the Spirit
Original: ἁγιασμός
Category: Sanctification
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 1:2 names the Spirit’s sanctifying work as grounding believers’ elect identity from the letter’s very opening verse, prior to any description of conduct; distinguish from the Epiphany water-blessing rite per baseline.
Tested Genuineness
Approved rendering: δοκίμιο (η γνησιότητα) της πίστεώς σας
Transliteration: dokímio
Doctrine: Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
Rejected alternatives: δοκιμή/δοκίμιο με τη σύγχρονη έννοια μιας απλής εξέτασης, δοκιμαστικής χρήσης προϊόντος, ή λογοτεχνικού προσχεδίου
Original: δοκίμιον
Category: Suffering
Modern Greek δοκίμιο/δοκιμή overwhelmingly means an ordinary test, exam, product trial, or draft — none carrying the metallurgical refining-fire, purity-proving sense Peter’s metaphor (1:7) requires. Expand within the verse itself to include the gold-and-fire imagery explicitly rather than a bare single-word rendering.
Elect
Approved rendering: εκλεκτός / εκλεκτοί
Transliteration: eklektós / eklektoí
Doctrine: Divine Election and Foreknowledge
Rejected alternatives: εκλεκτός με τη σύγχρονη έννοια του ‘επίλεκτου/εκλεκτής ποιότητας’ (εκλεκτό κρασί, εκλεκτοί καλεσμένοι)
Original: ἐκλεκτός
Category: Salvation
Distinct lexeme from baseline’s εκλογή (election). Modern Greek εκλεκτός commonly means ‘select/premium/fine,’ a quality-connotation drift distinct from but parallel to εκλογή’s political-ballot drift. Requires its own anchoring gloss distinguishing sovereign divine choice from mere quality or social distinction; applies to believers (1:1), Christ himself as the chosen cornerstone (2:4, 6), and the church corporately (2:9).
Diaspora Sojourners
Approved rendering: διασπορά / πάροικοι / παρεπίδημοι
Transliteration: diasporá / pároikoi / parepídimoi
Doctrine: Christian Identity as Exiles and Sojourners
Rejected alternatives: Διασπορά αποκλειστικά με τη σύγχρονη εθνικο-κοινωνιολογική έννοια της ελληνικής μετανάστευσης στο εξωτερικό
Original: παρεπίδημοι διασποράς / πάροικοι
Category: Church
Modern Greek ‘Διασπορά’ is a major, real-world ethnic-national category (the several-million-strong worldwide Greek Diaspora). Unglossed, 1 Peter’s spiritual-exile theme (1:1; 2:11) risks being absorbed into this dominant ethnic-emigration frame rather than the NT’s own sense of heavenly citizenship amid earthly, spiritual non-belonging regardless of physical location. Mandatory note at both occurrences.
Foreknowledge
Approved rendering: πρόγνωση
Transliteration: prógnosi
Doctrine: Divine Election and Foreknowledge
Original: πρόγνωσις
Category: Salvation
Distinct lexeme from baseline εκλογή. Grounds both believers’ election (1:2) and Christ’s own eternal redemptive role (1:20). Greek Orthodox theology has historically favored a synergistic reading (foreknowledge of freely-chosen human response) more than a strictly monergistic decree; state Peter’s own mercy-grounded point (election is not merit-based) without adjudicating the wider synergism debate.
Healed By His Wounds
Approved rendering: με το πλήγωμά του θεραπευτήκατε
Transliteration: me to plígomá tou therapeftíkate
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering
Rejected alternatives: ανάγνωση αποκλειστικά ως εγγύηση συνεχιζόμενης σωματικής θεραπείας (ερμηνεία τύπου ‘ευαγγελίου της ευημερίας’)
Original: τῷ μώλωπι αὐτοῦ ἰάθητε
Category: Christology
Quotes Isaiah 53:5 LXX (2:24). Guard against a purely physical-healing/prosperity reading; the aorist ἰάθητε points to the once-for-all cross-event’s comprehensive, primarily spiritual restoration.
Submission
Approved rendering: υποταγή / υποτάσσομαι
Transliteration: ypotagí / ypotássomai
Doctrine: Submission to Authority and Christlike Endurance
Rejected alternatives: υποταγή ερμηνευμένη ή διδασκόμενη ως δικαιολόγηση κακοποίησης ή τυραννίας
Original: ὑποτάσσω
Category: Authority
Applied successively to civil authorities (2:13-17), servants to masters (2:18-25), wives to husbands (3:1-6), and generally (5:5). Real danger of over-application; framing must distinguish Christlike endurance under injustice from endorsement of injustice, given Greek 20th-century historical memory of authoritarian rule (‘η χούντα’).
Fellowship Of Sufferings
Approved rendering: κοινωνία (συμμετοχή) στα παθήματα του Χριστού
Transliteration: koinonía (symmetochí) sta pathímata tou Christoú
Doctrine: Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
Rejected alternatives: κοινωνία ερμηνευμένη αποκλειστικά ως λήψη της Θείας Κοινωνίας (Ευχαριστίας)
Original: κοινωνεῖτε τοῖς τοῦ Χριστοῦ παθήμασιν
Category: Suffering
Compounds baseline κοινωνία’s Holy-Communion sacramental-default risk with the πάθημα risk above (4:13). The compound phrase must not be read as referring to receiving the Eucharist; requires its own clarifying note.
Gospel Preached To The Dead
Approved rendering: στους νεκρούς κηρύχθηκε το ευαγγέλιο
Transliteration: stous nekroús kírychthike to evangélio
Doctrine: Christ’s Proclamation to the Spirits
Original: νεκροῖς εὐηγγελίσθη
Category: Eschatology
Companion/parallel text to 3:19-20 (4:6), distinct in referent-debate; requires the same careful, non-dogmatic-beyond-the-text handling and cross-reference to that entry.
Elders
Approved rendering: πρεσβύτεροι / συμπρεσβύτερος
Transliteration: presvýteroi / sympresvýteros
Doctrine: Elders and Humility
Rejected alternatives: πρεσβύτερος αποδιδόμενο αποκλειστικά ως ο σύγχρονος χειροτονημένος βαθμός του ιερέα, χωρίς τη χαρακτηρολογική/λειτουργική έμφαση του Πέτρου
Original: πρεσβύτεροι / συμπρεσβύτερος
Category: Church
In contemporary Greek Orthodox usage, ‘πρεσβύτερος’ is the formal ordination-rank term for a priest. Left unglossed, 5:1’s exhortations risk being read exclusively through this office, losing Peter’s own character-and-conduct-based framing. Peter’s self-designation as ‘fellow-elder’ should be foregrounded as a resource framing eldership as humble service.
Medium Risk Terms
Glory
Approved rendering: δόξα
Transliteration: dóxa
Doctrine: Deity and Lordship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: δόξα με τη σύγχρονη έννοια της φήμης ή επιτυχίας (π.χ. αθλητική δόξα)
Original: δόξα
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. Exceptionally frequent in 1 Peter (10+ occurrences: 1:7-8, 11, 21, 24; 4:11, 13-14; 5:1, 4, 10); guard the secular fame/acclaim drift at every occurrence, especially 5:4’s ‘crown of glory.‘
Revelation
Approved rendering: αποκάλυψη
Transliteration: apokálypsi
Doctrine: The End of All Things and Eschatological Urgency
Original: ἀποκάλυψις
Category: Eschatology
Inherited from Romans package. Consistently future/eschatological (Christ’s appearing) throughout 1 Peter (1:5, 7, 13; 4:13); guard against the journalistic-exposé drift per baseline.
Gentiles
Approved rendering: έθνη
Transliteration: éthni
Doctrine: Christian Identity as Exiles and Sojourners
Rejected alternatives: εθνικοί με σύγχρονη εθνικιστική χροιά
Original: ἔθνη
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 2:12’s ‘among the Gentiles’ describes the church’s social context of living visibly before a watching, potentially hostile pagan society (also 4:3).
Fellowship
Approved rendering: κοινωνία
Transliteration: koinonía
Doctrine: Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
Rejected alternatives: κοινωνία αποκλειστικά ως λήψη της Θείας Κοινωνίας (Ευχαριστίας), κοινωνία με τη σύγχρονη έννοια της κοινωνίας/κοινωνικού συνόλου
Original: κοινωνία
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 4:13 combines this term with παθήματα (sufferings) — treat as an elevated-risk compound guarding against the ‘Holy Communion’ sacramental default; this verse describes suffering-participation, not the Eucharist.
Spiritual Gifts
Approved rendering: πνευματικά χαρίσματα
Transliteration: pnevmatiká charísmata
Doctrine: Love and Mutual Service in the Church
Original: χάρισμα
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 4:10 uses the singular χάρισμα (‘each has received a gift’) for mutual service; same secular natural-talent drift risk as baseline Romans 12 usage.
Seed
Approved rendering: σπέρμα
Transliteration: spérma
Doctrine: New Birth through the Living and Abiding Word of God
Original: σπέρμα
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Galatians package. Used here only as a contrast reference point: 1 Peter 1:23 uses the related but distinct σπορά/σπόρος (‘imperishable seed’) for God’s generative living word producing new believers, NOT this baseline term’s referent (Christ as Abraham’s promised offspring, Galatians 3:16). Keep the two conceptually and terminologically distinct in cross-reference material.
Sin
Approved rendering: αμαρτία
Transliteration: amartía
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering
Rejected alternatives: αμαρτία με την καθημερινή, εξασθενημένη έννοια του ‘κρίμα’ (π.χ. ‘τι αμαρτία να πεταχτεί το φαγητό’)
Original: ἁμαρτία
Category: Sin
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter frequently pairs αμαρτία with the πάσχω/πάθημα word-family (2:24; 3:18; 4:1); ensure the substitutionary-suffering-for-sin sense stays distinct from the weakened colloquial idiom flagged in the baseline.
Power Of God
Approved rendering: δύναμη Θεού
Transliteration: dýnami Theoú
Doctrine: The Living Hope of the Resurrection
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Peter 1:5 describes believers as ‘guarded by the power of God through faith’ — the sustaining, protective force preserving them until salvation’s future revealing. Note the distinct plural δυνάμεων at 3:22 (a category of spiritual powers/authorities subjected to Christ), which must not be confused with this singular divine-attribute usage.
Living Hope
Approved rendering: ζωντανή ελπίδα
Transliteration: zontaní elpída
Doctrine: The Living Hope of the Resurrection
Rejected alternatives: ελπίδα χωρίς τον προσδιορισμό ‘ζωντανή,’ αφημένη στην καθημερινή, χαλαρή έννοια του ‘ελπίζω να…’
Original: ἐλπίδα ζῶσαν
Category: Eschatology
Always pair ζωντανή with ελπίδα as a fixed compound at every occurrence (1:3) rather than using ελπίδα alone. ελπίδα is stable and zero-gap, but everyday Modern Greek use is casual and non-committal — near-opposite of Peter’s confident, resurrection-anchored certainty. Gloss at first occurrence.
Hope
Approved rendering: ελπίδα
Transliteration: elpída
Doctrine: Faith
Original: ἐλπίς
Category: Faith
Same casual-optimism drift risk as living_hope applies wherever ελπίδα appears without the ‘ζωντανή’ qualifier — especially 1:13, 1:21, and 3:15’s ‘the hope that is in you,’ which requires the same anchored, confident sense given its apologetic function toward outsiders.
Inheritance
Approved rendering: κληρονομιά
Transliteration: klironomiá
Doctrine: The Living Hope of the Resurrection
Rejected alternatives: κληρονομιά αποκλειστικά με την έννοια μιας συνηθισμένης υλικής/χρηματικής κληρονομιάς ή διαθήκης
Original: κληρονομία
Category: Eschatology
Fully alive in ordinary Modern Greek inheritance law (same root as baseline κληρονόμος). Ensure the referent (1:4’s imperishable, undefiled, unfading heavenly inheritance) is not collapsed into an ordinary earthly bequest — always retain at least one of the verse’s own qualifiers (άφθαρτη, αμόλυντη, αμάραντη) alongside the noun.
Fiery Trial
Approved rendering: πύρωση
Transliteration: pýrosi
Doctrine: Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
Rejected alternatives: πύρωση αναγόμενη σε απλή δύσκολη κατάσταση, χωρίς την εικόνα της καθαρτικής/δοκιμαστικής φωτιάς
Original: πύρωσις
Category: Suffering
Parallel drift risk to tested_genuineness (1:7): guard against a mundane ‘difficult situation’ reading that loses the refining-fire, purposive-testing sense at 4:12.
Various Trials
Approved rendering: ποικίλοι πειρασμοί
Transliteration: pikíli pirasmí
Doctrine: Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
Rejected alternatives: πειρασμοί αποκλειστικά με την έννοια του πειρασμού σε αμαρτία, όπως στην Κυριακή Προσευχή (‘μη μας εισφέρεις εις πειρασμόν’), αγνοώντας την εξωτερική δοκιμασία
Original: ποικίλοι πειρασμοί
Category: Suffering
πειρασμός covers both external trial/hardship and internal temptation to sin without lexical differentiation. Requires a contextual note clarifying these are external hardships that test/refine, not enticements to sin, at every occurrence (1:6; 4:12).
Imperishable Seed
Approved rendering: σπόρος άφθαρτος
Transliteration: spóros áfthartos
Doctrine: New Birth through the Living and Abiding Word of God
Rejected alternatives: σύγχυση με το σπέρμα (Γαλάτας 3:16, ο Χριστός ως το σπέρμα του Αβραάμ) — διαφορετική αναφορά, δεν πρέπει να συγχέεται
Original: σπορά ἄφθαρτος
Category: Salvation
Distinct referent from baseline’s σπέρμα: here (1:23) the ‘seed’ is God’s generative living word producing new believers, not a genealogical descendant. Flag this distinction explicitly in any cross-reference material connecting Galatians and 1 Peter.
Lamb Without Blemish
Approved rendering: αμνός άμωμος και άσπιλος
Transliteration: amnós ámomos kai áspilos
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering
Original: ἀμνὸς ἄμωμος καὶ ἄσπιλος
Category: Christology
Christ as the unblemished, spotless sacrificial lamb whose precious blood ransomed believers (1:19), drawing on Passover and Isaiah 53 typology. Requires the reader to supply this background; a cross-reference note to Exodus 12 and Isaiah 53 is recommended so the image is not read as merely poetic.
Love Covers Sins
Approved rendering: η αγάπη καλύπτει πλήθος αμαρτιών
Transliteration: i agápi kalýptei plíthos amartión
Doctrine: Holiness in Conduct
Rejected alternatives: ερμηνεία ως εναλλακτικός μηχανισμός εξιλέωσης, ανταγωνιστικός προς την αντικαταστατική πάθηση του Χριστού
Original: ἀγάπη καλύπτει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν
Category: Ethics
Echoes Proverbs 10:12 (4:8). Guard against reading as a rival atonement mechanism competing with Christ’s own substitutionary suffering (2:24; 3:18); describes relational forbearance within the community, not a soteriological claim.
Not Domineering
Approved rendering: μη ασκώντας εξουσία σαν κυρίαρχοι, αλλά γίνοντας πρότυπα
Transliteration: mi askóntas exousía san kyríarchoi, allá gínontas prótypa
Doctrine: Elders and Humility
Original: μὴ κατακυριεύοντες … τύποι γινόμενοι
Category: Church
κατακυριεύω (5:3) is an intensive compound of κύριος; the wordplay is worth preserving in translator notes: elders must never functionally usurp the Κυριότητα belonging to Christ alone (cf. Critical Lordship-of-Christ entry).
Chief Shepherd
Approved rendering: αρχιποιμένας
Transliteration: archipoiménas
Doctrine: Elders and Humility
Original: ἀρχιποίμην
Category: Christology
A unique NT compound (5:4, only here). A valuable disambiguating asset for the ἐπίσκοπος/πρεσβύτερος risks elsewhere: clarifies the hierarchy Peter intends (Christ alone supreme; elders accountable under-shepherds). Deploy actively in teaching material for this clarifying function.
Crown Of Glory
Approved rendering: στέφανος δόξης
Transliteration: stéfanos dóxis
Doctrine: Elders and Humility
Original: στέφανος τῆς δόξης
Category: Eschatology
στέφανος (a victor’s/festal wreath, 5:4) is stable and positively resonant with the Greek athletic-festal tradition; residual risk carried entirely by δόξα — guard against the secular fame/acclaim drift per baseline.
Clothe With Humility
Approved rendering: ζωστείτε την ταπεινοφροσύνη
Transliteration: zosteíte tin tapeinofrosýni
Doctrine: Elders and Humility
Rejected alternatives: ταπεινοφροσύνη απορροφημένη αποκλειστικά σε ατομικιστική ασκητική πρακτική, χάνοντας τη σχεσιακή/κοινοτική εφαρμογή του Πέτρου
Original: ταπεινοφροσύνην ἐγκομβώσασθε
Category: Ethics
The letter’s climactic ethical exhortation (5:5). Ταπείνωση/ταπεινοφροσύνη is a major, positive Orthodox ascetic virtue-term (asset); ensure Peter’s relational, communal application (especially between generations and leaders/led) is preserved, not absorbed only into an individualized register.
Obedience
Approved rendering: υπακοή
Transliteration: ypakoí
Doctrine: Sanctification by the Spirit
Original: ὑπακοή
Category: Faith
Distinct usage from the baseline’s Romans/Galatians phrase ‘obedience of faith’ (ὑπακοή πίστεως); 1 Peter’s occurrences (1:2, 14, 22 — obedience unto Christ, obedience to the truth in purifying the soul) should be kept terminologically consistent with, but not mechanically identical to, that baseline compound phrase.
Living Stone Cornerstone
Approved rendering: λίθος ζωντανός / ακρογωνιαίος λίθος
Transliteration: líthos zontanós / akrogoniaíos líthos
Doctrine: The Church as a Holy and Royal Priesthood
Original: λίθος ζῶν / λίθος ἀκρογωνιαῖος
Category: Church
Christ as the foundation of the new spiritual temple, rejected by men but chosen and precious to God, with believers built upon him (2:4-8), drawing on Psalm 118:22 and Isaiah 28:16. εκλεκτός recurs here applied to Christ himself; cross-reference with the elect entry to keep the divine-choice sense consistent.
Pure Spiritual Milk
Approved rendering: λογικό, ανόθευτο γάλα
Transliteration: logikó, anóthevto gála
Doctrine: New Birth through the Living and Abiding Word of God
Rejected alternatives: λογικόν αποδιδόμενο αποκλειστικά ως ‘λογικό/ορθολογικό,’ χάνοντας το λογοπαίγνιο με τον λόγο (τον λόγο του Θεού, 1:23)
Original: τὸ λογικὸν ἄδολον γάλα
Category: Sanctification
Scripture as nourishing, unadulterated spiritual food for growth (2:2), with a wordplay linking λογικόν to λόγος immediately established at 1:23-25. λογικός in Modern Greek defaults to ‘rational/logical’; the wordplay needs an explanatory note.
Low Risk Terms
Apostle
Approved rendering: απόστολος
Transliteration: apóstolos
Doctrine: Apostleship
Original: ἀπόστολος
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. Peter’s own self-designation of delegated apostolic authority (1:1); unambiguous and stable.
Good Conscience
Approved rendering: αγαθή συνείδηση
Transliteration: agathí synídisi
Doctrine: Baptism and Its Saving Significance
Original: συνείδησις ἀγαθή
Category: Ethics
Stable term, in continuous philosophical and theological use (3:16, 21); no significant drift risk.
Christian
Approved rendering: Χριστιανός
Transliteration: Christianós
Doctrine: Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
Original: Χριστιανός
Category: Church
Fully stable, the ordinary and universal Modern Greek word for ‘Christian’ (4:16) — an asset, no drift risk. One of the NT’s earliest attestations of this term; emphasize that bearing reproach for this name is honorable, not the word’s translation itself.
Hospitality
Approved rendering: φιλοξενία
Transliteration: filoxenía
Doctrine: Love and Mutual Service in the Church
Rejected alternatives: φιλοξενία υποβαθμισμένη σε απλή κοινωνική εθιμοτυπία, χάνοντας την αναφορά στη στέγαση διωκόμενων/ταξιδιωτών πιστών
Original: φιλόξενος / φιλοξενία
Category: Ethics
A doctrinal and cultural asset (4:9): φιλοξενία remains a maximally positive, deeply embedded Greek cultural value (ancient ξενία), comparable to the baseline’s treatment of παράδοση. Ensure the NT’s specific referent is not narrowed to mere etiquette.
Faithful Creator
Approved rendering: πιστός Κτίστης
Transliteration: pistós Ktístis
Doctrine: Assurance and God’s Faithfulness in Suffering
Original: πιστὸς κτίστης
Category: God
The NT’s only use of this title (4:19); stable and rare. Grounds trust for suffering believers in God’s sovereign creative power; should not be diluted into generic providence-talk.
God Opposes Proud
Approved rendering: ο Θεός αντιτάσσεται στους υπερήφανους
Transliteration: o Theós antitássetai stous yperífanous
Doctrine: Elders and Humility
Original: ὁ Θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται
Category: Ethics
Quotes Proverbs 3:34 LXX (5:5). Modern Greek ὑπερήφανος can carry a milder, sometimes positive ‘proud (of an achievement)’ connotation (e.g. ‘είμαι υπερήφανος για σένα’) distinct from the negative sense intended; brief note recommended.
Adversary Devil
Approved rendering: ο αντίδικός σας διάβολος, λέοντας που βρυχάται
Transliteration: o antídikós sas diávolos, léontas pou vrycháte
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare against the Devil
Original: ὁ ἀντίδικος … διάβολος … λέων ὠρυόμενος
Category: Suffering
Stable, vivid imagery (5:8). ἀντίδικος’s legal-courtroom nuance (a lawsuit opponent) reinforces rather than dilutes the seriousness of the opposition described.
Sprinkling Of Blood
Approved rendering: ραντισμός του αίματος του Ιησού Χριστού
Transliteration: rantismós tou aímatos tou Iisoú Christoú
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering
Original: ῥαντισμὸς αἵματος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ
Category: Christology
Christ’s blood ratifying the new covenant as Moses’ sprinkled blood ratified the old (Exodus 24:8), named at the letter’s opening (1:2). Stable, vivid covenantal-sacrificial term.
Referenced passages