Semantic Analysis — 2 Corinthians (English → Greek)

Methodology and Scope

This analysis covers 2 Corinthians in its entirety, chapter 1 through chapter 13, in the original Koine Greek. The core passage, 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, receives full verse-by-verse treatment: every load-bearing term is analyzed for its original Greek word, transliteration, literal meaning, semantic range, English translation variants, contextual theological meaning, and its specific risk profile for rendering into destination-language Greek — the language that is, uniquely in this pipeline, a direct continuous descendant of the very language Paul wrote in.

Governing rule inherited from the baseline Language Package: where a term already appears in translation_memory.json (seeded from Romans and Galatians), the recorded Greek rendering is reused exactly, without exception. This document flags every such reuse explicitly. New terms introduced by 2 Corinthians are analyzed fresh and risk-tiered using the same Critical/High/Medium/Low framework, driven — as with the baseline — primarily by two forces unique to this language pair: (1) patristic/liturgical accretion, where Greek Orthodox theology and worship (developed natively in this same language) layer additional meaning onto NT vocabulary, and (2) secular bleaching, where everyday Modern Greek usage has worn a theologically loaded word down toward a mundane or even contrary sense.

2 Corinthians contributes a distinctive new risk pattern to this second category: at least one term (αυθαίρετος, “voluntary,” 8:3) has drifted in Modern Greek not merely toward triviality but toward a near-opposite meaning (illegality), functioning exactly like the baseline’s “forbidden substitution” traps (δωρεάν, φαρμακεία, παιδαγωγός). This is flagged with the same severity as those entries.

---

PART 1 — Core Passage Verse-by-Verse: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

5:11

Greek: Εἰδότες οὖν τὸν φόβον τοῦ Κυρίου ἀνθρώπους πείθομεν, θεῷ δὲ πεφανερώμεθα· ἐλπίζω δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς συνειδήσεσιν ὑμῶν πεφανερῶσθαι. English (sense): “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others; but what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.”

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
fear (of the Lord) φόβος phóbos fear, dread, terror	reverential awe ↔ literal terror ”fear,” “reverence,” “awe”	Not servile terror but the sober, reverential awareness of accountability before the exalted Christ that governs Paul’s ministry motives.	φόβος (Κυρίου) — standard, stable word. Medium risk generally (reverence vs. terror ambiguity is a universal translation issue, not uniquely Greek), but paired with Κύριος, which reuses the baseline Critical term (Κύριος risks the flattened “Mister/Sir” secular sense) — the phrase must be anchored to the exalted, judging Lord of 5:10’s βῆμα, not a generic religious sentiment.
Lord Κύριος Kýrios lord, master, sovereign	polite title “Mister/Sir” ↔ the divine Name (LXX rendering of YHWH) “Lord”	The same exalted Κύριος before whose βῆμα (judgment seat) Paul has just spoken (5:10); grounds ministerial integrity in accountability to Christ’s lordship.	Reused exactly from baseline: Κύριος (Critical). Must not register with the flatness of “Mister.”
persuade πείθω peíthō to persuade, win over, convince	persuade (positive) ↔ manipulate/flatter (negative, contextually rebutted) “persuade,” “commend,” “win over”	Paul is not manipulating people (contra the charge of self-commendation, v.12) but candidly presenting truth, aware God already sees his heart.	πείθω — stable, standard verb. Low risk.
manifest/known φανερόω phaneróō to make visible, disclose, lay bare	disclosure to God ↔ public exposure ”known,” “plain,” “manifest,” “disclosed”	Paul’s motives are fully transparent before God — an idea of total, unhidden exposure before divine sight, distinct from mere human reputation.	φανερώνομαι/πεφανερώμεθα — stable verb, shares a root-family with αποκάλυψη (baseline Medium: risk of journalistic-disclosure bleaching). Here the sense is “laid bare before God’s sight,” not a news exposé. Medium risk: ensure the rendering conveys total transparency before God, not scandal-disclosure register.
conscience συνείδησις syneídēsis conscience, moral awareness	conscience (moral faculty) ↔ mere opinion/feeling ”conscience,” “consciousness”	Paul appeals to the Corinthians’ own moral discernment as a secondary witness to his integrity, under God’s primary witness.	συνείδηση — stable, standard modern word (also used non-theologically for “consciousness/awareness”). Low-Medium risk: context must keep the moral-accountability sense, not the merely psychological “awareness” sense dominant in modern clinical/philosophical usage.

5:12

Greek: οὐ πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς συνιστάνομεν ὑμῖν ἀλλὰ ἀφορμὴν διδόντες ὑμῖν καυχήματος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα ἔχητε πρὸς τοὺς ἐν προσώπῳ καυχωμένους καὶ μὴ ἐν καρδίᾳ.

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
commend συνιστάνω / συνίστημι synistánō to commend, present favorably, establish credentials	self-commendation (rejected) ↔ legitimate endorsement ”commend,” “recommend”	Paul disclaims the self-promoting “letters of commendation” culture his rivals use (cf. 3:1) — his credibility rests on God’s verdict, not curated self-presentation.	συνιστώ — stable, standard verb (still used for “recommending” someone/something, e.g. a job reference). Low risk.
boast/ground for boasting καύχημα / καυχάομαι kaúchēma / kaucháomai boast, ground of pride, matter for boasting	positive boasting in Christ ↔ negative self-glorying ”boasting,” “pride,” “ground for pride”	Paul gives the Corinthians material to legitimately boast about him — as a defense against opponents who boast “in appearance.”	Related to baseline boast_in_the_cross (καυχώμαι στον σταυρό, Low, an alive/positive church-register term). 2 Corinthians extends καυχάομαι into an ironic, extended argument (chs. 10-12) about “foolish” boasting in weakness — see Part 2, chs. 10-12. Low-Medium risk here; must track which boasting is commended (in the Lord/in weakness) versus which is condemned (in appearance/flesh).
face/appearance πρόσωπον prósōpon face, countenance, outward appearance	literal face ↔ external show/status ”face,” “appearance,” “outward show”	Contrasts outward, status-based boasting with the heart’s true state — a recurring 2 Corinthians theme (cf. 5:16’s κατὰ σάρκα).	πρόσωπον — stable, standard word (also “person,” grammatically, and “face” literally). Low risk.
heart καρδία kardía heart	seat of will, thought, and inner conviction ”heart”	The locus of true, God-known integrity, contrasted with mere outward appearance.	καρδία — stable, standard word. Low risk.

5:13

Greek: εἴτε γὰρ ἐξέστημεν, θεῷ· εἴτε σωφρονοῦμεν, ὑμῖν.

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
beside ourselves ἐξίστημι exístēmi to be out of one’s mind, astonished, beside oneself	ecstatic/overwhelmed state ↔ madness ”beside ourselves,” “out of our mind,” “ecstatic”	Likely refers to Paul’s extraordinary spiritual experiences (cf. ch.12) being directed to God’s account, not for human display.	εξίσταμαι — rare/literary in modern use but transparent (root “ex-stasis” = ekstasis, “standing outside oneself,” well-known loanword “έκσταση”). Low-Medium risk: needs a natural paraphrase since the verb form itself is not colloquial.
of sound mind σωφρονέω sōphronéō to be sensible, self-controlled, of sound mind	sober self-control ↔ excessive caution ”of sound mind,” “sober-minded,” “sensible”	Paul’s ordinary, reasoned ministry among the Corinthians is likewise for their benefit, not self-display.	σωφρονώ — stable, standard word (σωφροσύνη, “prudence/temperance,” is a classical virtue-term still well understood). Low risk.

5:14

Greek: ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ συνέχει ἡμᾶς, κρίναντας τοῦτο, ὅτι εἷς ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἄρα οἱ πάντες ἀπέθανον·

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
love ἀγάπη agápē love	self-giving divine/covenantal love ↔ generic affection ”love”	Christ’s own self-giving love is the compelling motive-force of Paul’s ministry, not duty or fear alone.	αγάπη — zero-gap NT word; foundational and stable across Modern Greek register (also the everyday word for “love” generally). Low risk in isolation, but always check that the divine/self-giving sense is not flattened to romantic/familial affection when Χριστού is present.
controls/compels συνέχω synéchō to hold together, constrain, compel, control	tight grip/compulsion ↔ mere general influence ”controls,” “compels,” “constrains,” “impels”	Christ’s love does not merely inform Paul’s ministry but grips and directs it entirely — an image of being held fast.	συνέχω/συνέχει — stable verb (modern “συνεχίζω” = to continue is a different but related word; συνέχω itself somewhat literary). Low-Medium risk: ensure translation conveys forceful compulsion, not passive background motivation.
judged/concluded κρίνω krínō to judge, decide, conclude	legal judgment ↔ reasoned conclusion ”concluded,” “judged,” “reasoned”	Paul reasons from the theological fact of Christ’s representative death to a settled conviction governing his whole ministry.	κρίνω — stable, standard word (also the ordinary modern word for judicial “judging”). Low risk.
died ἀποθνήσκω apothnḗskō to die	literal death ↔ representative/vicarious death ”died”	The heart of the doctrine: “one died for all, therefore all died” — Christ’s death is representative, not merely exemplary; those united to him are reckoned as having died with him (cf. baseline crucified_with_christ, Galatians 2:20).	αποθνήσκω/απέθανεν — stable, standard word. Doctrinally High significance (substitutionary/representative death) though lexically Low risk; the theological weight rests on syntax and argument, not on a hidden lexical trap.

5:15

Greek: καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν ἵνα οἱ ζῶντες μηκέτι ἑαυτοῖς ζῶσιν ἀλλὰ τῷ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι.

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
live ζάω záō to live	biological life ↔ life-orientation/purpose ”live,” “living”	The purpose of Christ’s substitutionary death: a reoriented life no longer self-directed but Christ-directed.	ζω/ζῶσιν — stable, standard word. Low risk.
raised ἐγείρω egeírō to raise up, rouse	literal raising from death ↔ general “getting up" "raised,” “was raised”	Refers to Christ’s bodily resurrection, the ground of the new life believers are to live “for him.”	Shares theological field with baseline resurrection (ανάσταση, Critical) though ἐγείρω itself is the verb “to raise,” while ἀνάστασις is the noun. Critical: must retain a term unmistakably conveying literal, bodily, historical raising from death — never a term suggesting rebirth into a cycle or merely spiritual revival.

5:16

Greek: Ὥστε ἡμεῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν οὐδένα οἴδαμεν κατὰ σάρκα· εἰ καὶ ἐγνώκαμεν κατὰ σάρκα Χριστόν, ἀλλὰ νῦν οὐκέτι γινώσκομεν.

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
according to the flesh κατὰ σάρκα katà sárka according to flesh	worldly/external evaluation ↔ literal physical description ”according to the flesh,” “from a worldly point of view,” “by human standards”	A new mode of knowing people and even Christ has replaced merely external, worldly evaluation — the fruit of being “in Christ” (v.17).	Reused exactly from baseline: σάρκα (Critical). The specific risk here is conceptual: Greek philosophical heritage reads σάρκα as body-versus-soul; here Paul means an entire pre-conversion, worldly frame of evaluation, not physicality itself — an explanatory note is required exactly as the baseline mandates for flesh/Spirit contexts.
know γινώσκω ginṽskō to know, come to know	intellectual knowledge ↔ experiential/relational knowledge ”know,” “knew,” “understand”	Paul once evaluated Christ himself by worldly categories (perhaps messianic-political expectation); this is now definitively past.	γινώσκω/γνωρίζω — stable, standard word. Low risk.

5:17

Greek: ὥστε εἴ τις ἐν Χριστῷ, καινὴ κτίσις· τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν, ἰδοὺ γέγονεν καινά.

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
in Christ ἐν Χριστῷ en Christṥ in Christ	union/incorporation formula ↔ mere association ”in Christ”	Paul’s central identity-category: a person’s location “in Christ” — not mere sentiment about Christ — determines their entire status.	Χριστός is a zero-gap NT word; ἐν Χριστῷ is a fixed Pauline formula. High doctrinal weight; low unique lexical risk in Greek.
new creation καινὴ κτίσις kainḕ ktísis new creation / new act of creating	radical qualitative newness (καινός) ↔ mere chronological recency (νέος); “creation” as divine creative act ↔ “construction/building" "new creation,” “new creature”	The single most important term in this verse and arguably the passage: a person in Christ is not improved but recreated — this is the same doctrine and the same phrase already seeded in the baseline from Galatians 6:15, and 2 Corinthians 5:17 is in fact its more prominent New Testament locus.	Reused exactly from baseline: καινή δημιουργία (καινή κτίση) — High risk. Baseline note applies verbatim: Modern κτίζω/κτίση gravitates toward building/construction (“a new construction” misreading), and καινός needs its “new-in-kind” (not merely “recent”) gloss. Anchor with καινή δημιουργία; retain καινή κτίση liturgically. This verse should be treated as the primary anchor-text for that entry going forward, alongside Galatians 6:15.
old things τὰ ἀρχαῖα tà archaía the old/ancient things	the old order generally ↔ specifically the old covenant order (cf. ch.3) “the old,” “what is old,” “the former things”	The old, pre-Christ frame of existence (and by extension, the old covenant order Paul has just contrasted in ch.3) has decisively ended.	αρχαία — stable, standard word (also “ancient/classical,” e.g. “αρχαία Ελλάδα,” Ancient Greece). Medium risk: guard against an unintended cultural resonance with Greek national-heritage “antiquity” pride; the sense here is strictly “what belongs to the old spiritual order,” not cultural or historical antiquity.
passed away παρέρχομαι parérchomai to pass by, pass away, come to an end	finality/termination ↔ mere transience ”passed away,” “have passed,” “gone”	Marks decisive, not gradual or partial, termination of the old order.	παρέρχομαι — stable, literary-register verb (also in the Lord’s Prayer-adjacent usage “the heavens will pass away”). Low risk.
have become γίνομαι gínomai to become, come to be	past-with-continuing-result (perfect tense γέγονεν) ↔ one-time event ”have become,” “are become,” “are now”	The perfect tense marks a completed change with a continuing, settled result — the newness is not provisional.	γέγονεν — stable verb form; the aspectual nuance (settled, ongoing result) should be preserved in translation register even though Modern Greek verb morphology differs — Low-Medium risk of losing this durative nuance in a simple past rendering.

5:18

Greek: τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ καταλλάξαντος ἡμᾶς ἑαυτῷ διὰ Χριστοῦ καὶ δόντος ἡμῖν τὴν διακονίαν τῆς καταλλαγῆς,

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
reconciled καταλλάσσω katallássō to reconcile, exchange enmity for peace	restoring a broken personal/covenantal relationship ↔ diplomatic/political peace settlement between parties ”reconciled,” “restored to favor”	God himself, not humanity, initiates and accomplishes the restoration of the broken God-human relationship, entirely through Christ. This is the doctrinal center of the passage.	NEW CRITICAL TERM — not in baseline. Modern Greek καταλλάσσω/καταλλαγή is used chiefly in political, legal, and diplomatic registers — “εθνική καταλλαγή” (national reconciliation), post-conflict transitional-justice contexts, peace negotiations between states or factions. Risk: the term’s dominant modern resonance is a negotiated settlement between two roughly equal parties, whereas Paul’s doctrine is a unilateral, God-initiated, cross-accomplished restoration in which the offended party (God) acts to reconcile the offender (humanity) — not a negotiation but a rescue. Every occurrence requires anchoring against the horizontal-diplomatic default reading.
ministry διακονία diakonía service, ministry, active service on behalf of another	general service/errand-running ↔ the specific office of ordained deacon (διάκονος) “ministry,” “service”	Paul and his co-workers are entrusted with the specific task of proclaiming and mediating this reconciliation — an active, Spirit-empowered service, not a passive report.	NEW HIGH-RISK TERM. διακονία remains alive in Modern Greek for “service” generally, but its close cognate διάκονος is now almost exclusively the ordained deacon (cf. baseline’s servant_of_sin note on the same root). Risk: “the ministry of reconciliation” can be heard as referring to a formal ecclesiastical office/rite rather than Paul’s own point — every gospel-proclaiming believer’s Christ-given task of announcing reconciliation. This term recurs as a keyword across chs. 3-6 (see Part 2) and anchors the doctrine “Suffering and Comfort in Ministry.”
reconciliation καταλλαγή katallagḕ reconciliation, restoration of favor	see καταλλάσσω above (noun form) “reconciliation”	The content/message entrusted to Paul’s ministry.	Same Critical risk profile as καταλλάσσω above; the noun and verb must be rendered from the same word-family consistently throughout the passage and the whole curriculum.

5:19

Greek: ὡς ὅτι θεὸς ἦν ἐν Χριστῷ κόσμον καταλλάσσων ἑαυτῷ, μὴ λογιζόμενος αὐτοῖς τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, καὶ θέμενος ἐν ἡμῖν τὸν λόγον τῆς καταλλαγῆς.

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
world κόσμος kósmos world, ordered universe, humanity	the created order ↔ humanity in its fallenness ↔ secular/worldly value-system ”world”	The scope of God’s reconciling work is the whole world of humanity — universal in scope, not a narrow sect.	κόσμος — zero-gap, stable NT word; also the ordinary modern word for “world” and “cosmos.” Low risk lexically; Medium doctrinal significance (universal scope, ties to baseline universal_scope_of_gospel pattern from Romans).
not counting/reckoning μὴ λογιζόμενος mḕ logizómenos not reckoning, not crediting, not counting against	forensic/accounting metaphor ↔ casual “not minding" "not counting,” “not holding against,” “not imputing”	The negative counterpart to imputed righteousness: God does not credit humanity’s trespasses against them — the flip side of the double-imputation stated explicitly in v.21.	Reused exactly from baseline: λογίζομαι/λογίστηκε — Critical. This is Paul’s own accounting verb from Romans 4 and Galatians 3:6 (citing Genesis 15:6 LXX), directly readable here in the same Greek. Anchor the forensic, non-imputation sense against any drift toward a merely relational “God isn’t upset” reading — this is a specific legal/accounting transaction, not a mood.
trespasses παράπτωμα paráptōma a false step, trespass, transgression	moral offense ↔ minor slip/lapse (weaker modern-idiom risk) “trespasses,” “sins,” “transgressions”	Specific offenses against God that are not being counted against reconciled humanity.	παράπτωμα — stable, standard biblical-register word, closely related to αμαρτία (baseline sin, Medium). Low-Medium risk.
word/message λόγος lógos word, message, account, reasoned discourse	spoken word ↔ Logos-Christology (John 1:1, not directly in view here) ↔ generic “message" "message,” “word,” “account”	The specific content Paul is entrusted to proclaim: “the message of reconciliation” — parallel and near-synonymous with “the ministry of reconciliation” (v.18).	λόγος — zero-gap, foundational NT word. Low risk here (used in its ordinary “message/account” sense, not the Johannine Logos-Christology sense); care only needed not to import unrelated Logos-theology associations into this particular occurrence.

5:20

Greek: ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ οὖν πρεσβεύομεν ὡς τοῦ θεοῦ παρακαλοῦντος διʼ ἡμῶν· δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ, καταλλάγητε τῷ θεῷ.

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
we are ambassadors πρεσβεύω presbeúō to act as an elder/ambassador, to represent officially	formal diplomatic representation ↔ generic “spokesperson" "we are ambassadors,” “we represent”	Paul’s ministry carries the formal weight of an authorized representative speaking on Christ’s behalf and with his authority — not a personal opinion but an official appeal.	NEW TERM, Medium-High risk (asset with caution). Modern Greek πρεσβευτής is the everyday word for a state’s diplomatic ambassador (πρεσβεία = embassy) — an unusually direct and felicitous match to Paul’s own image, a genuine advantage of this language pair. The risk is the reverse of most baseline entries: the modern civic-diplomatic register is correct but must not be allowed to feel merely procedural or protocol-bound; Paul’s ambassadorial appeal carries the urgency of “we beg you” (δεόμεθα) in the same breath, a passionate plea, not a formal communiqué.
appealing/exhorting παρακαλέω parakaléō to call to one’s side; to appeal, exhort, comfort, encourage, urge	urgent appeal/entreaty ↔ friendly exhortation ↔ comfort/consolation (see ch.1 below) ↔ everyday “please” (modern secular sense) “appealing,” “entreating,” “urging,” “imploring”	Here the sense is an urgent, pleading appeal — God himself, through Paul, is urging reconciliation. This is the same verb whose noun form (παράκλησις) dominates ch.1 with the sense “comfort,” and whose baseline-registered translation for the “exhort” sense is προτρέπω.	The baseline registers exhort → προτρέπω for the general urging sense. This verse’s sense — an urgent, God-backed plea — sits closer to δέομαι (“we beg”) in the same sentence than to mere encouragement; consider a stronger rendering (e.g., παρακαλεί/ικετεύει) that preserves urgency, since a flattened προτρέπω-style “encourages” would understate God’s own pleading voice through Paul. High risk given the doctrinal weight of this specific appeal (the passage’s climactic imperative).
we beg/plead δέομαι déomai to beg, plead, implore, be in need	urgent request ↔ ordinary “asking" "we beg,” “we implore,” “we plead”	Intensifies the appeal of v.20a; underscores that reconciliation is offered with pleading urgency, not casual invitation.	δέομαι — stable, somewhat literary/formal register verb (still used, e.g. “σε δέομαι” is elevated/poetic). Low-Medium risk; ensure the register conveys earnest pleading, not routine request.
be reconciled καταλλάγητε katallágēte be reconciled (imperative, passive)	see καταλλάσσω above ”be reconciled”	The passage’s climactic command: reconciliation is God’s finished, offered work; the human response required is to receive it, not to achieve or negotiate it (grammatically passive — something done to the hearer, received rather than produced).	Same Critical risk profile as καταλλάσσω/καταλλαγή (v.18-19) — the passive voice must be preserved in translation to avoid implying the hearer must generate the reconciliation themselves.

5:21

Greek: τὸν μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν, ἵνα ἡμεῖς γενώμεθα δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ.

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
did not know/have no sin τὸν μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν tòn mḕ gnónta hamartían the one not having known sin	sinlessness (moral/experiential) “who knew no sin,” “who was without sin,” “who had not sinned”	Affirms Christ’s sinlessness as the necessary precondition for the substitutionary exchange that follows — only a sinless substitute can bear others’ sin without simply adding to the world’s guilt.	γινώσκω reused from v.16 context; ἁμαρτία reused exactly from baseline (Medium in general, but Critical in this specific Christological application).
sin ἁμαρτία hamartía sin, missing the mark, moral transgression	moral offense against a personal God ↔ weakened colloquial “what a shame/pity” idiom ”sin”	Twice in this verse: Christ’s sinlessness, and Christ being “made sin” for us — the sharpest imputation statement in the New Testament.	Reused exactly from baseline: αμαρτία (Medium generally). Elevated to Critical in this verse specifically: this is not a generic reference to sin but the specific doctrine of Christ bearing the legal/covenantal weight of humanity’s sin in a substitutionary exchange — a far heavier theological freight than the baseline’s general Medium rating anticipates. Flag this occurrence for theologian review regardless of the term’s general risk tier.
made ποιέω poiéō to make, do	to make/cause to become ↔ literal manufacture ”made,” “he made him to be”	The verb of the exchange: God caused the sinless Christ to be sin (in the sense of bearing sin’s judicial consequence) for humanity’s sake — a scandalous, deliberately shocking formulation Paul does not soften.	ποιέω — stable, ordinary verb. Low lexical risk, but the theological weight of the whole clause is Critical; do not paraphrase away the exchange-formula’s stark, almost paradoxical force (Christ “made sin,” not merely “made a sin-offering” or “punished for sin” in a diluted sense).
that we might become ἵνα … γενώμεθα hína … genṑmetha so that we might become	purpose/result clause; “become” as a change of forensic status ↔ “become” as gradual moral transformation ”so that we might become,” “in order that we might be made”	The positive half of the double exchange: believers are credited with God’s own righteousness “in him” — a declared status received by union with Christ, not an achievement.	γίνομαι — stable verb (same root as 5:17’s γέγονεν). Ties directly to baseline imputed_righteousness (λογιζόμενη δικαιοσύνη, Critical): this verse is Paul’s own summary formula for that doctrine and should be read and taught in direct connection with Romans 4/Galatians 3:6. Must not collapse into a purely transformational (theosis-only) reading that omits the forensic exchange; equally must not be taught in a way that denies real transformation follows from this status (5:17’s new creation is the same person).
righteousness of God δικαιοσύνη θεο�ῦ dikaiosýnē theoú righteousness of God	forensic right-standing granted by God ↔ God’s own moral/covenantal faithfulness ↔ modern civic/legal “justice" "righteousness of God,” “God’s righteousness”	Believers do not merely receive forgiveness but are credited with God’s own righteous standing, “in him” (i.e., by virtue of union with Christ, not by personal achievement).	Reused exactly from baseline: δικαιοσύνη (Critical). As the baseline mandates for Romans, this must be actively distinguished from the dominant modern civic/legal sense (τo Υπουργείο Δικαιοσύνης, the Ministry of Justice) that a contemporary Greek reader will default to; here it is not a legal system but a personal, credited status “in Christ.”

---

PART 2 — Chapter-by-Chapter Study of the Whole Book

Chapter 1 — Comfort in Affliction; Sincerity; the Spirit as Seal and Guarantee

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
comfort/consolation παράκλησις paráklēsis a calling-to-one’s-side; comfort, encouragement, consolation, appeal	consolation/comfort (dominant NT sense here) ↔ exhortation/encouragement ↔ everyday “request/plea” (dominant Modern Greek sense) “comfort,” “consolation,” “encouragement”	Ten uses of the παρακαλέω/παράκλησις word-group in 1:3-7 alone: God is “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,” who comforts Paul in affliction so that Paul can comfort others. This is a new keyword not covered by the baseline.	NEW CRITICAL TERM. Modern Greek παράκληση has been worn down to its everyday sense of a “request” or “plea” (cf. baseline’s κλήση/calling pattern exactly). Yet unlike κλήση, this word also carries a strong positive counter-asset: Παράκλητος is the standard Greek title for the Holy Spirit as Comforter/Advocate (John 14-16) and a major term in Orthodox Pentecost hymnography (“Βασιλεύ Ουράνιε, Παράκλητε…”). The task is to reactivate the comfort/consolation sense against the modern “request” default in every occurrence, while the Παράκλητος association can be leveraged as a genuine liturgical asset once flagged.
affliction/tribulation θλίψις thlípsis pressure, affliction, tribulation	external hardship/persecution/calamity ↔ narrowed modern sense of emotional sadness/grief ”affliction,” “tribulation,” “suffering,” “trouble”	The external hardships (including but not limited to persecution) that occasion God’s comfort and Paul’s ministry of comfort to others.	New term (Medium-High). Modern Greek θλίψη has narrowed toward personal sadness/grief (“έχω θλίψη,” “I’m sad”) rather than the fuller NT sense of external hardship, persecution, or calamity. Requires context to keep the broader, circumstantial sense rather than a merely emotional one.
suffering(s) (of Christ) πάθημα páthēma suffering, that which is suffered	Christ’s own sufferings ↔ believers’ sufferings that overflow from union with him ”sufferings”	Paul’s afflictions are directly tied to Christ’s own sufferings (“as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us”) — union with Christ extends even to sharing his sufferings.	πάθημα/παθήματα — stable, standard biblical-register word (also the root of “Πάθη” — Christ’s Passion, a major Holy Week theme). Low-Medium risk; strong liturgical resonance is an asset here (Holy Week’s “Άγια Πάθη”).
seal σφραγίς / σφραγίζω sphragís / sphragízō seal, mark of ownership/authentication	ownership/authentication mark ↔ modern colloquial “dental filling” (σφράγισμα) “sealed,” “seal”	God has marked believers as his own possession through the Spirit — an authenticating, ownership-establishing act.	New term, Low-Medium risk. σφραγίζω/σφραγίδα remain alive for “sealing/stamping” (official documents, etc.), but the most common everyday association in Modern Greek is dental (“σφράγισμα” = filling). Context virtually always disambiguates; flag only for completeness.
guarantee/down payment ἀρραβών arrabṑn down payment, first installment, pledge/guarantee	commercial down payment/pledge ↔ modern Greek “engagement” (marriage betrothal, αρραβώνας) “guarantee,” “down payment,” “pledge,” “deposit”	The Holy Spirit is given as the first installment guaranteeing believers’ future, full inheritance.	New term — genuine positive asset, Low risk. Modern Greek αρραβώνας is the ordinary word for a marriage engagement/betrothal — a vivid and doctrinally apt living metaphor: the Spirit is the “engagement pledge” guaranteeing the future consummated union with Christ. This should be flagged for translators as an asset to be actively used, not merely a risk to be managed.
sincerity ἁπλότης / εἰλικρίνεια haplótēs / eilikríneia simplicity, singleness, purity/genuineness	integrity/transparency ↔ naivety (ἁπλότης secondary sense) “sincerity,” “simplicity,” “godly sincerity”	Paul’s conduct toward the Corinthians has been marked by transparent integrity, not worldly cunning — foundational to the book’s “Sincerity and Apostolic Authority” doctrine, developed further in chs. 2 and 4.	New term, Medium risk. Both words are stable in Modern Greek; ἁπλότης can carry a secondary “simple-mindedness/naivety” connotation that must be avoided here — the sense is moral transparency, not simplicity of intellect.

Chapter 2 — The Sorrowful Letter; the Fragrance of Christ; Peddling the Word

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
comfort παράκλησις / παρακαλέω — —	— —	Reuse of ch.1’s keyword (2:7 — comforting the repentant offender).	See ch.1 entry above (Critical).
triumphal procession θριαμβεύω thriambeúō to lead in a triumphal procession	Roman military-triumph imagery; being led as either victor’s companion or captive ”leads us in triumphal procession”	God leads Paul (and by extension all believers) as participants in Christ’s triumph, spreading the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like the fragrance accompanying a Roman triumph parade.	New term, Low risk. θρίαμβος/θριαμβεύω remain transparent and recognizable (the word “triumph” is a direct loan into English via Greek/Latin, and the Greek term is intelligible to modern readers); no significant drift.
fragrance/aroma ὀσμή osmḕ odor, scent, fragrance	pleasing aroma (sacrificial/triumphal) ↔ neutral “smell" "fragrance,” “aroma,” “smell”	The knowledge of Christ, diffused through Paul’s ministry, is likened to a fragrance — pleasing to God, though received by hearers either as life-giving or as judgment.	ὀσμή — stable, standard word. Low risk.
peddle/sell for profit καπηλεύω kapēleúō to be a huckster, retail dishonestly, peddle for profit	dishonest religious profiteering (Paul’s rejected charge) “peddlers of God’s word,” “hucksters”	Paul explicitly denies being a mercenary “peddler” of God’s message, unlike the “many” who commercialize ministry — directly serves the “Sincerity and Apostolic Authority” doctrine.	New term, Low-Medium risk and a live asset: Modern Greek καπηλεύομαι is still used, especially in political rhetoric, for cynically exploiting an issue or cause for self-serving gain (“καπηλεύεται το θέμα”) — an almost perfectly preserved modern equivalent for Paul’s charge against mercenary preachers. Flag as an asset to be actively used.
sincerity εἰλικρίνεια eilikríneia genuineness, purity, sincerity	see ch.1 ”sincerity”	Reiterates the sincerity theme: Paul speaks “as commissioned by God, in the sight of God, in Christ” — not from human motives.	See ch.1 entry (Medium).

Chapter 3 — Letters of Commendation; the New Covenant; the Veil and Glory

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
letters of commendation ἐπιστολαί συστατικαί epistolaì systatikaí commendatory letters	formal reference letters ↔ modern “recommendation letters" "letters of commendation,” “letters of recommendation”	Paul needs no external written credentials; the Corinthians themselves, transformed, are his living “letter.”	New term, Low risk; ἐπιστολή/συστατική are both alive and transparent in Modern Greek.
tablet πλάξ pláx flat stone/tablet	the Mosaic stone tablets ↔ the human heart as a “tablet" "tablets”	Contrasts the old covenant (written on stone) with the new (written by the Spirit on human hearts) — direct Exodus/Jeremiah background, readable by a Greek reader in the Septuagint’s own wording.	πλάκα/πλάκες — stable word (also ordinary modern word for a paving slab/flat stone). Low-Medium risk; the metaphor is transparent but requires the Exodus/Jeremiah background to land theologically.
new covenant καινὴ διαθήκη kainḕ diathḕkē new covenant	relational covenant bond ↔ modern legal “last will and testament” ↔ the fixed title of the New Testament corpus itself ”new covenant”	Paul identifies his own ministry as service of “a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit” — the doctrinal center of “The New Covenant versus the Old.”	Reused exactly from baseline: διαθήκη (High). Additional Greek-specific note: this exact phrase, Καινή Διαθήκη, is also the fixed title of the entire New Testament in Greek Bibles. Risk: at 3:6, hearers may default to “the book” rather than “the covenant relationship” Paul is actually naming (and which gave the book its title) — the note must clarify Paul means the living relational reality, not the literary collection.
letter γράμμα grámma letter (of the alphabet), written document	the Mosaic written code ↔ modern “a letter/document,” or the English idiom “letter vs. spirit of the law" "letter,” “the letter”	The old covenant’s written code, which “kills” apart from the Spirit — contrasted with the Spirit’s life-giving work under the new covenant.	New term, High risk. γράμμα is stable in Modern Greek for “a written letter/document,” but the English idiom “letter vs. spirit of the law” (meaning literalism vs. intent) risks flattening Paul’s actual point, which is an epoch/covenant contrast (the Mosaic code’s condemning function apart from the Spirit vs. the Spirit’s life-giving new-covenant ministry), not a hermeneutical method contrast.
Spirit πνεῦμα pneúma breath, wind, spirit	the Holy Spirit ↔ human spirit ↔ “spirit” of a document/law (see above) “Spirit”	The life-giving agent of the new covenant, contrasted with the killing “letter.”	Reused exactly from baseline: Άγιο Πνεύμα (Critical) when referring to the Holy Spirit specifically (as throughout ch.3).
glory δόξα dóxa glory, radiance, honor	God’s radiant presence/honor ↔ worldly fame/acclaim ”glory”	The chapter’s central image: Moses’ fading glory (requiring a veil) versus the greater, unfading glory of the new covenant, into which believers are being transformed.	Reused exactly from baseline: δόξα (Medium). Heavily used in this chapter (7 occurrences); reinforce the divine-radiance sense against the secular “fame” sense throughout.
veil κάλυμμα kálymma veil, covering	literal veil (Moses’) ↔ metaphorical veil over hearts/minds ”veil”	Moses veiled his face because of the glory’s fading brightness; unbelieving hearts remain similarly “veiled” from perceiving the new covenant’s greater glory.	New term, Medium risk. Stable, mostly literal-metaphorical; shares a root-family with αποκάλυψη (baseline Medium: risk of journalistic-disclosure bleaching) — worth noting the etymological connection when teaching “veil” and “revelation” together.
unveiled face ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ anakekalymménō prosṽpō with unveiled/uncovered face	open, direct beholding ↔ literal absence of a face-covering ”unveiled face,” “with open face”	Believers, unlike Moses’ veiled audience, behold the Lord’s glory directly and openly — the basis for the transformation that follows.	Transparent compound, Low risk.
transformed μεταμορφόω metamorphóō to change form, transfigure	gradual Spirit-wrought Christlikeness ↔ the technical theological/liturgical term for Christ’s Transfiguration ”transformed,” “are being transformed”	Believers, beholding Christ’s glory as in a mirror, are progressively being transformed into his likeness, “from glory to glory,” by the Spirit.	NEW CRITICAL TERM. Identical root to Η Μεταμόρφωσις, the major Orthodox feast of the Transfiguration of Christ (celebrated August 6), and central to theosis/uncreated-light theology (Gregory Palamas). This is a doctrinally rich and largely aligned asset — but requires care: Paul’s “from glory to glory” (3:18) is Spirit-wrought, gospel-mediated, and ongoing in this age, through faith (“as in a mirror,” κατοπτριζόμενοι); it must not be detached from this gospel-beholding frame and taught as a purely mystical or technical contemplative method (e.g., hesychastic practice) to the exclusion of ordinary Spirit-empowered growth in Christlikeness through the proclaimed word.
freedom ἐλευθερία eleuthería freedom, liberty	Spirit-given liberty (from the veiled, condemning old-covenant ministry) ↔ national-political liberation (dominant Modern Greek association) ↔ libertine license ”freedom,” “liberty"	"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (3:17) — freedom from the veiled, glory-fading ministry of the old covenant into direct, unveiled access to God.	Reused exactly from baseline: ελευθερία (Critical). As in Galatians, this is the Greek national word (motto “Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος,” the national anthem); fence against the default national-political liberation reading in favor of Paul’s Spirit-given, covenantal freedom.
boldness παρρησία parrhēsía freedom/boldness of speech, candor	confident access before God ↔ modern civic “freedom of expression/speech" "boldness,” “confidence”	Because of the surpassing hope of the new covenant, Paul’s ministry is marked by open, confident boldness, unlike Moses’ veiled ministry.	New term, Medium risk. παρρησία remains alive and recognizable but carries a strong modern civic-political resonance (“freedom of speech” as a constitutional/human-rights value); ensure the sense is confident access/candor before God and in gospel proclamation, not a civil-liberties claim.

Chapter 4 — Treasure in Jars of Clay; the Inner and Outer Man

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
treasure / jars of clay θησαυρός / ὀστράκινα σκεύη thēsaurós / ostrákina skeúē treasure / earthenware vessels	the surpassing gospel-glory contained in fragile, common vessels ”treasure in jars of clay,” “earthen vessels”	The surpassing power of the gospel message is deliberately housed in weak, unimpressive human vessels, so that the power is recognized as God’s, not the messenger’s — an early statement of the “Power in Weakness” doctrine.	New term, Low risk; both words are stable, vivid, and transparent in Modern Greek.
afflicted…not crushed (paradox list) θλιβόμενοι, ἀπορούμενοι, διωκόμενοι, καταβαλλόμενοι — pressed, at a loss, pursued, struck down	a catalogue of hardships paired with corresponding divine preservations ”afflicted…not crushed; perplexed…not driven to despair; persecuted…not forsaken; struck down…not destroyed”	A vivid list demonstrating that apostolic suffering never overwhelms because God’s sustaining power always exceeds it — reinforces “Suffering and Comfort in Ministry.”	θλίψις-family term reused from ch.1 (Medium-High); the remaining terms are stable, standard vocabulary. Low additional risk; the rhetorical paradox structure itself, not any single word, carries the doctrinal weight.
death / life (of Jesus) manifest νέκρωσις / ζωή (τοῦ Ἰησοῦ) nékrōsis / zōḕ deadness / life	Christ’s death and resurrection life, made visible through apostolic suffering and endurance ”the death of Jesus,” “the life of Jesus”	Apostolic suffering paradoxically displays both Christ’s death and his risen life at once — union with Christ extends to the pattern of his dying and rising.	New term, Medium risk; νέκρωσις is less common in everyday speech (mostly medical/technical, “necrosis”) — may need a slightly more natural paraphrase (“the dying,” “the death”) while ζωή is fully stable and common.
outer man / inner man ὁ ἔξω ἄνθρωπος / ὁ ἔσω ἄνθρωπος ho éxō ánthrōpos / ho ésō ánthrōpos the outer person / the inner person	the decaying mortal body ↔ the inwardly renewed person by the Spirit; risk of collapsing into Platonic body-soul dualism ”outer self,” “inner self,” “outward man,” “inward man”	The physical body wastes away while the inner person is daily renewed — a hope that must be held together with the resurrection-body doctrine of 5:1-10, not read as devaluing the body itself.	New term, High risk. Parallel to the baseline’s flesh/Spirit caution: Greek philosophical heritage (Platonic dualism, deeply embedded in popular piety) can read this as body-bad/soul-good, but Paul’s own resurrection-body hope (ch.5) guards against devaluing the body as such — the “outer” that decays is the mortal, not-yet-resurrected body, not the body per se. Explanatory notes are structurally necessary.
eternal weight of glory αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης aiṽnion báros dóxēs eternal weight of glory	present light affliction ↔ future, incomparably weighty, eternal glory ”eternal weight of glory,” “eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison”	Present sufferings, however severe, are “light” and “momentary” compared to the eschatological glory they produce.	δόξα reused (Medium, per baseline). βάρος is stable and vivid (still common, “weight,” including figuratively “burden”); low additional risk.
things seen / things unseen τὰ βλεπόμενα / τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα tà blepómena / tà mḕ blepómena the things seen / the things not seen	present, visible circumstances ↔ future, invisible, eternal realities ”what is seen,” “what is unseen”	Grounds endurance in fixing attention on unseen eternal realities rather than present visible affliction.	Transparent, stable vocabulary. Low risk.

Chapter 5 — Additional Terms Outside the Core Passage (5:1-10)

(Verses 11-21 receive full treatment in Part 1 above. The following terms occur in 5:1-10, within the same chapter but outside the designated core passage boundary.)

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
tent σκῆνος skḕnos tent, tabernacle	the present mortal body, likened to a temporary dwelling ”tent,” “earthly tent,” “earthly home”	The present body is a temporary dwelling; its “destruction” gives way to a permanent heavenly dwelling — must be read alongside the bodily-resurrection hope, not as Platonic escape from a despised body.	New term, Medium risk; σκηνή/σκήνωμα remain recognizable (also liturgically, “η Σκηνή του Μαρτυρίου,” the Tabernacle). Guard against a dualistic reading that treats the body itself as a mere disposable container rather than awaiting resurrection transformation.
house not made with hands οἰκία ἀχειροποίητος oikía acheiropoíētos a house not made by hands	the future resurrection body, God-given rather than humanly constructed ”a building from God, a house not made with hands,” “an eternal house in heaven”	The believer’s future embodied existence is God’s own gift, not a human achievement — continuous with, not opposed to, resurrection doctrine (baseline Critical).	Transparent compound, Low-Medium risk.
groan στενάζω stenázō to groan, sigh	longing/burdened anticipation for the resurrection body ”we groan,” “groaning”	Present bodily limitation and mortality produce a genuine, Spirit-prompted longing for the future resurrection body — not despair, but hope-filled yearning.	Stable, vivid word. Low risk.
naked γυμνός gymnós naked, unclothed	the intermediate state of being “unclothed” (bodiless) between death and resurrection — a state Paul does not desire for its own sake ”naked,” “unclothed”	Paul does not long for disembodiment as such but for the fuller clothing of the resurrection body — again guards against dualistic body-devaluation.	Stable word (also the ordinary modern word for “naked/bare”). Low risk.
guarantee ἀρραβών — —	— —	Reuse of the ch.1 term — the Spirit given as the pledge/down payment of the future resurrection inheritance.	See ch.1 entry (Low, positive asset).
courage/confidence θαρρέω tharréō to be courageous, confident	settled confidence regarding the future ↔ mere optimism ”we are of good courage,” “we are confident”	Grounds present confidence, even facing death, in the certainty of the resurrection hope just described.	Stable, standard word. Low risk.
faith / sight πίστις / εἶδος pístis / eídos faith / visible form, appearance	trust in the unseen ↔ direct visual perception ”by faith, not by sight”	The famous formula: present Christian existence is characterized by trusting God’s promise rather than by direct visual/experiential confirmation.	πίστις reused exactly from baseline (High). εἶδος is stable, standard word.
well-pleasing εὐαρεστέω euarestéō to be well-pleasing, to please well	the aim of Christian living, whether “at home” (in the body) or “away” (with the Lord) “to please him,” “to be well pleasing to him”	Whatever the believer’s bodily state, the constant aim remains pleasing the Lord — anticipates the accountability theme of v.10.	Stable, standard biblical-register word. Low risk.
judgment seat of Christ βῆμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ bḕma toú Christoú the tribunal/platform of Christ	judicial tribunal (Roman provincial court imagery) ↔ modern “podium/rostrum” (political speaking platform) “judgment seat of Christ,” “tribunal of Christ”	Every believer will give an account before Christ’s judgment tribunal for the deeds done “in the body” — grounds the whole passage’s motivating “fear of the Lord” (v.11).	New term, High risk. Modern βήμα primarily means a podium/speaker’s rostrum (e.g., “το βήμα της Βουλής,” the parliamentary rostrum) — risking a merely ceremonial, non-judicial reading. Counterbalancing asset: Orthodox hymnography’s recurring phrase “το φοβερόν βήμα” (“the fearful judgment seat,” used in funeral and Great Lent hymns) strongly reinforces the judicial gravity and should be actively drawn on.

Chapter 6 — Marks of True Ministry; the Temple of the Living God

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
acceptable time / day of salvation καιρὸς δεκτός / ἡμέρα σωτηρίας kairòs dektós / hēméra sōtērías favorable time / day of salvation	quoted directly from Isaiah 49:8 LXX — the present gospel-age as the decisive moment of God’s favor ”acceptable time,” “day of salvation”	Paul urges the Corinthians not to receive God’s grace “in vain,” locating the present moment as the decisive time of divine favor and salvation — readable by a Greek audience directly in the Septuagint’s own wording, a genuine cross-referencing asset.	σωτηρία reused exactly from baseline (Critical). καιρός is stable, standard word (also common secularly, “the right time/season”).
hardship catalogue ὑπομονή, θλίψις, ἀνάγκη, στενοχωρία, etc. — endurance, affliction, necessity/distress, narrow confinement/distress	an extended list of paired hardships and virtues (6:4-10) demonstrating apostolic authenticity ”endurance, afflictions, hardships, calamities…”	A rhetorical demonstration that genuine ministry is authenticated by endurance through suffering, not by triumphalist success — reinforces “Genuine versus False Apostleship.”	θλίψις reused from ch.1 (Medium-High); the remaining terms are largely stable vocabulary with Low individual risk; the cumulative rhetorical force is the main teaching point.
unequally yoked ἑτεροζυγέω heterozygéō to be yoked with a different/unequal partner	agricultural yoke imagery applied to mismatched partnership (originally in view: idolatrous compromise, not marriage specifically, though later interpretive traditions have extended it) “do not be unequally yoked,” “do not be mismatched”	A warning against compromising partnership between believers and practices/allegiances incompatible with exclusive devotion to God.	New term, Medium risk. Transparent agricultural compound, though literal ox-yoking is a less immediate cultural experience for most urban Modern Greek readers than for Paul’s audience; the metaphor still functions but benefits from brief explanation. Doctrinal care: avoid over-extending into a blanket separatism the text does not itself specify.
temple of the living God ναὸς Θεοῦ ζῶντος naòs theoú zṽntos temple/shrine of the living God	the corporate people of God as God’s dwelling-place ↔ modern Greek’s literal, everyday sense of “the church building" "temple of the living God,” “God’s temple”	The gathered community of believers, corporately, is God’s dwelling-place — a striking claim of divine presence among his people, echoing OT temple theology.	New term, High risk, specific to Greek: ναός is the standard Modern Greek word for the physical church building one attends (“ο ναός,” “πηγαίνω στον ναό”). This creates a strong risk that Paul’s corporate, people-are-the-temple claim collapses into a statement about a physical building — the reverse problem from most languages, where “temple” reads as exotic OT imagery; here it reads as entirely too familiar and concrete. Requires explicit clarification that the “temple” here is the gathered people, not the structure they worship in.

Chapter 7 — Godly Grief and Repentance

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
grief/sorrow λύπη lýpē grief, sorrow, pain	godly grief leading to repentance ↔ worldly grief leading to death ”grief,” “sorrow”	Two kinds of sorrow are contrasted by their outcome, not their intensity: one produces life-giving repentance, the other death.	New term, Medium risk. Stable, standard word for sadness/grief; low secular-drift risk, but the doctrinal distinction (by fruit, not feeling) requires careful teaching regardless of the word chosen.
repentance μετάνοια metánoia a change of mind, turning around	a genuine, Spirit-produced reorientation of the whole person toward God ↔ the formal sacramental rite of confession (εξομολόγηση) in Orthodox practice ”repentance”	Godly grief “produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret” — the goal and fruit of genuine sorrow over sin.	NEW HIGH-RISK TERM, doctrinally rich asset. Μετάνοια is a central, deeply embedded Orthodox spiritual category — continual repentance as a way of life, and the informal/traditional name associated with the confession of sins. This is substantially an asset (the doctrine and the culturally received concept are well aligned), but risk lies at two edges: (1) narrowing μετάνοια only to the formal sacramental rite (εξομολόγηση) to the exclusion of Paul’s broader heart-orientation point in this passage, and (2) under-weighting it as mere emotional “feeling sorry,” missing the term’s literal sense of a genuine change of mind/direction.
produce/work out κατεργάζομαι katergázomai to work out, produce, bring about, achieve	thorough or complete production of a result ”produces,” “brings about,” “works”	Emphasizes that godly grief is not the end but the means to a further, definite outcome (repentance, and ultimately salvation).	Stable, standard word. Low risk.

Chapter 8 — The Grace of Giving; the Macedonian Example

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
grace / gift χάρις cháris grace, favor, gift	unmerited divine favor ↔ the concrete “gracious gift/collection” itself ↔ modern personal charm/legal pardon ”grace,” “the grace of God,” “gift,” “generous gift”	Paul uses χάρις both for the divine enabling that produces generosity and for the concrete monetary collection itself (8:1, 6-7, 19) — the whole chapter’s doctrine of “Generosity and Grace in Giving” rests on holding both senses together: giving flows from and remains an expression of grace, not mere obligation.	Reused exactly from baseline: χάρη (Critical). New nuance to flag: this chapter’s expanded semantic range (χάρις as both “God’s enabling favor” and “the gift itself”) must not collapse into a merely transactional “generous deed” sense devoid of the underlying divine-enablement doctrine that grounds it.
fellowship/partnership κοινωνία koinōnía shared participation, partnership, communion	partnership in ministry/giving (this chapter’s sense) ↔ general “society” ↔ “Holy Communion” (dominant modern senses) “fellowship,” “sharing,” “partnership”	The Macedonians “begged” for the privilege of partnership (κοινωνία) in the relief offering for the Jerusalem saints — giving as shared participation in gospel ministry, not charity from a distance.	Reused exactly from baseline: κοινωνία (Medium). This chapter’s specific “partnership in ministry/giving” sense must be actively disambiguated from both the “society” and “Holy Communion” senses that dominate everyday Modern Greek usage.
voluntary/of one’s own accord αὐθαίρετος authaíretos self-chosen, of one’s own initiative	spontaneous, unforced generosity (Paul’s sense) ↔ unauthorized/illegal (dominant Modern Greek legal-administrative sense, esp. “αυθαίρετα κτίσματα,” illegally built structures) “of their own accord,” “spontaneous,” “voluntary,” “unprompted”	The Macedonians gave beyond what was asked, entirely on their own initiative — a model of grace-motivated, uncoerced generosity.	CRITICAL — FORBIDDEN-SUBSTITUTION-CLASS RISK, unique and grounded. In contemporary Greek civic and legal life, αυθαίρετος overwhelmingly means “unauthorized” or “illegal” — most commonly in the phrase “αυθαίρετα κτίσματα” (illegally built structures), a massive and constantly-discussed socio-legal issue in Greece and Cyprus. An unglossed rendering risks the near-opposite of Paul’s meaning: instead of commendable, Spirit-prompted spontaneity, the term suggests illegitimate, unauthorized action. Render with an unambiguous alternative (e.g., “με τη δική τους θέληση,” “αυτοβούλως,” “αυτόβουλα”) and avoid αυθαίρετος itself without an explicit clarifying note.
eagerness/readiness προθυμία prothymía eagerness, readiness, willingness	enthusiastic willingness ”readiness,” “eagerness,” “willingness”	The Corinthians’ initial eager intention to give should now be matched by the actual completion of the gift.	Stable, standard word. Low risk.
equality ἰσότης isótēs equality, fairness	mutual, grace-motivated sharing between churches of differing means ↔ modern political/economic “equality” (redistributive justice) “equality,” “fair balance”	The aim of the collection is not enforced leveling but a grace-motivated mutual sufficiency among churches — “that there may be equality,” modeled on Christ’s own self-emptying (8:9).	New term, Medium risk. Modern Greek ισότης/ισότητα carries strong contemporary political-economic connotations (equality as a social/legal value); care must be taken that the doctrine is taught as voluntary, grace-motivated mutual care between churches, not moralized into a mandated redistributive program.
simplicity/sincerity ἁπλότης — —	— —	Reuse of ch.1’s term in this chapter’s giving-context (8:2, sometimes rendered “generosity” in some manuscripts/translations, reflecting overlap with the giving vocabulary).	See ch.1 entry (Medium); note the semantic overlap in some contexts between “sincerity” and “generosity” for this word, requiring attention to context.

Chapter 9 — Sowing, Reaping, and the Cheerful Giver

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
sow / reap σπείρω / θερίζω speírō / therízō to sow / to reap	agricultural metaphor for proportionate, God-rewarded generosity ”sows…reaps,” “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly”	Generosity is proportionate: sparing giving yields a sparing harvest, bountiful giving a bountiful one — not a mechanical formula but a principle of God’s gracious dealing with generous givers.	Reused exactly from baseline: ό,τι σπείρει ο άνθρωπος, αυτό και θα θερίσει (Medium). As in the baseline’s Galatians note, this proverb is alive in Modern Greek in near-identical wording — a genuine asset; retain the baseline’s caution that this is personal divine reward, not impersonal karma-like retribution.
cheerful ἱλαρός hilarós cheerful, joyful, glad	joyful willingness (opposite of reluctance or compulsion) “cheerful,” “with a cheerful heart"	"God loves a cheerful giver” — generosity should flow from joy, not pressure or reluctant obligation.	New term, Low risk, positive asset: ιλαρός is preserved in Modern Greek chiefly through “Φως Ιλαρόν” (“O Gladsome/Joyous Light”), the ancient Orthodox vespers hymn — a beautiful and recognizable liturgical resonance reinforcing the joyful tone Paul intends.
thanksgiving εὐχαριστία eucharistía gratitude, thanksgiving	grateful acknowledgment of God’s goodness (this chapter’s sense: gratitude produced by the material gift) ↔ the sacrament of Holy Communion (dominant modern sense) “thanksgiving,” “thanks”	The Corinthians’ generosity, received by the Jerusalem church, will overflow in thanksgiving to God — the material gift’s ultimate aim is God’s glory through gratitude.	Reused exactly from baseline: ευχαριστία (Medium). As in Romans, distinguish Paul’s general sense of gratitude from the specific sacramental Eucharist reference; here the material-gift-produces-gratitude context should make disambiguation relatively natural.
gift/free gift δωρεά dōreá a gift, free gift, donation	a gift given freely ↔ (grammatically distinct from) δωρεάν, the adverb “for free/gratuitously,” flagged in the baseline as a FORBIDDEN rendering for “in vain” (Galatians 2:21) “gift,” “indescribable gift”	Paul closes the giving section by pointing past the human collection to “God’s indescribable gift” (most immediately, Christ himself, or the surpassing grace evident in it).	New term, Medium risk — primarily a clarity/consistency note, not a doctrinal danger: δωρεά (noun) remains fully alive and positive in Modern Greek (δωρεά αίματος, “blood donation”; δωρεά οργάνων, “organ donation”). Translators must not confuse this noun with the adverb δωρεάν, which the baseline forbids as a rendering for “in vain” in Galatians 2:21 — the two words are related but distinct, and this entry’s positive “gift” sense is fully legitimate here.
indescribable ἀνεκδιήγητος anekdiḕgētos indescribable, inexpressible	beyond adequate verbal description ”indescribable,” “inexpressible”	Caps the chapter by pointing to the surpassing, ultimately inexpressible nature of God’s grace, of which the Corinthians’ own generosity is one expression.	Rare/literary word, Low-Medium risk (opacity rather than false meaning; may need light paraphrase, “that cannot be put into words”).

Chapter 10 — Spiritual Warfare and the Ground for Boasting

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
weapons ὅπλα hópla weapons, arms	literal military weapons ↔ figurative spiritual “weapons" "weapons”	Paul’s ministry weapons are explicitly “not of the flesh” but divinely powerful for demolishing strongholds of opposing thought — begins the extended defense of apostolic authority (chs. 10-13).	New term, Medium risk. Vivid, standard modern word for weapons (also literal military usage); the metaphor is transparent, but a note should clarify this is spiritual, not literal, combat, especially given Greek culture’s own vivid historical-military memory.
warfare στρατεία strateía military campaign, warfare	figurative spiritual campaign ”warfare,” “we wage war”	Frames Paul’s ministry, and especially his argument against opponents, as a spiritual campaign against false reasoning, not personal rivalry.	Stable, standard word (related to στρατός, army). Low-Medium risk.
strongholds ὀχυρώματα ochyrṽmata fortresses, strongholds	fortified arguments/ideologies opposing the knowledge of God ”strongholds”	The “strongholds” are proud arguments and reasonings raised against God, to be demolished by gospel truth.	Stable word. Low risk.
according to the flesh κατὰ σάρκα — —	— —	Reuse of the baseline flesh term; here applied to Paul’s rejected mode of waging spiritual conflict (“though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh”).	Reused exactly from baseline: σάρκα (Critical).
boasting καύχησις / καυχάομαι — —	— —	Begins the extended, deliberately ironic “boasting” argument continued through chs.11-12: Paul will “boast” only within limits God has assigned, and ultimately only “in the Lord.”	See baseline boast_in_the_cross (Low) and note in ch.12 below on the extended ironic sense unique to this section.

Chapter 11 — False Apostles and the Serpent’s Deception

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
folly/foolishness ἀφροσύνη aphrosýnē senselessness, foolishness	Paul’s deliberately ironic self-description as he is forced to “boast” like his opponents ”foolishness,” “folly”	Introduces Paul’s reluctant, ironic “fool’s speech” (11:1-12:13), undertaken only because the Corinthians have been deceived by rival teachers.	Stable, standard word. Low risk, provided the ironic/reluctant tone is preserved in surrounding narrative framing.
pure virgin (betrothed) παρθένος parthénos virgin, unmarried young woman	the church’s exclusive, pure devotion to Christ, likened to a betrothed virgin awaiting her husband ”pure virgin,” “betrothed to one husband”	Paul’s jealous concern is that the Corinthians remain exclusively devoted to Christ, untainted by the “different gospel” (cf. baseline different_gospel entry) of false teachers, as Eve was deceived by the serpent.	Stable, standard word (also, notably, part of the standard title for Mary, Παρθένος Μαρία — worth a light note that this application to the whole church’s devotion to Christ is distinct from that Marian title). Low-Medium risk.
deceived (as Eve) ἐξαπατάω (of the serpent/Eve) exapatáō to deceive thoroughly	craftiness leading astray from single-minded devotion ”deceived,” “led astray”	Draws directly on the Genesis narrative (readable in the LXX’s own Greek) to warn against subtle doctrinal seduction.	Stable, standard word. Low risk.
super-apostles οἱ ὑπερλίαν ἀπόστολοι hoi hyperlían apóstoloi the super-exceedingly apostles	Paul’s own ironic coinage for his self-important rivals ”super-apostles,” “these super-apostles”	A sarcastic label for opponents who consider themselves supremely superior — must be rendered with its irony intact, not as an actual honorific title.	New term, Medium risk. Transparent ironic compound in Greek (ὑπερλίαν is intelligible as “super-exceedingly”); the main risk is losing Paul’s sarcasm if rendered flatly, as though it were a genuine title of high esteem rather than mockery.
false apostles ψευδαπόστολοι pseudapóstoloi false apostles	rival teachers who present themselves as legitimate apostles but are not ”false apostles”	Directly names the doctrine of “Genuine versus False Apostleship”: Paul’s opponents are not simply mistaken but actively counterfeit.	New term, High risk (doctrinal significance, though transparent compound like baseline’s ψευδάδελφοι, Low lexical risk). Given the significance of discerning authentic apostolic/ministerial authority — a live pastoral question in any hierarchically structured church culture — flag for careful, non-generic teaching.
deceitful workmen ἐργάται δόλιοι ergátai dólioi deceitful/crafty workers	workers who deliberately mislead through calculated deceit ”deceitful workmen”	Reinforces that the false apostles’ deception is deliberate craftiness, not innocent error.	Stable vocabulary, Low-Medium risk; δόλος-family words recur in ch.4’s “not tampering/handling deceitfully” (δολοῦντες) — worth cross-referencing.
disguise/transform (self) μετασχηματίζω metaschēmatízō to change one’s outward form/appearance	Satan’s (and his servants’) deceptive self-transformation into a righteous appearance ”disguises himself”	Satan disguises himself “as an angel of light,” and his servants likewise disguise themselves “as servants of righteousness” — a deliberately false transformation, in ironic contrast to the genuine, Spirit-wrought transformation of 3:18 (μεταμορφόω, a related but distinct verb).	New term, Medium risk. Worth flagging the deliberate contrast between this word (false, self-produced disguise) and 3:18’s μεταμορφόω (genuine, Spirit-wrought transformation) — the two should not be confused or rendered identically, since Paul is drawing a sharp theological antithesis between counterfeit and genuine spiritual transformation.
angel of light ἄγγελος φωτός ángelos phōtós angel of light	Satan’s characteristic disguise as a figure of holiness/illumination ”angel of light”	Warns that spiritual deception often appears attractive and holy, not obviously evil — grounds discernment of “false apostles.”	Stable, standard phrase. Low-Medium risk (άγγελος is also the ordinary word for “angel” generally and a common personal name — context should disambiguate easily).
hardship catalogue (11:23-27) κόπος, μόχθος, θάνατος, κτλ. kópos, móchthos, thánatos labor, toil, death, etc.	Paul’s extensive personal catalogue of sufferings, offered ironically as “credentials" "labors,” “hardships,” “danger of death”	Authenticates Paul’s apostleship through suffering rather than triumphalist success, directly serving “Genuine versus False Apostleship” and “Power in Weakness.”	Stable, standard vocabulary throughout; individually Low risk, cumulatively High doctrinal significance.

Chapter 12 — Visions, the Thorn in the Flesh, and Grace Sufficient for Weakness

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
caught up/snatched ἁρπάζω harpázō to seize, snatch away	forcible removal/rapture into a vision ”caught up,” “was taken up”	Describes Paul’s extraordinary, involuntary visionary experience — offered reluctantly, and immediately counterbalanced by the thorn in the flesh, to prevent boasting.	Stable, standard word (also ordinary “to snatch/grab”). Low risk.
third heaven / paradise τρίτος οὐρανός / παράδεισος trítos ouranós / parádeisos third heaven / paradise	the highest heaven, God’s own dwelling (Jewish cosmological schema) ↔ Modern Greek’s frequent tourism-marketing sense of “an idyllic, beautiful place/island paradise" "third heaven,” “paradise”	The height and privacy of Paul’s vision, revealed reluctantly and without self-promotion, underscores that true apostolic authority does not rest on such experiences.	New term, High risk: παράδεισος is used constantly and casually in contemporary Greek tourism marketing and everyday speech for any idyllic or beautiful place (“νησί-παράδεισος,” “island paradise”). This risks flattening Paul’s visionary, eschatological “paradise” into scenic description — a grounded, specifically Greek secular-bleaching risk given how dominant this usage is in Greek media and tourism.
thorn in the flesh σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί skólops tē sarkí a stake/thorn in the flesh	a persistent, humbling physical or circumstantial affliction, of debated exact nature ”thorn in the flesh,” “a thorn in my flesh”	Given specifically to prevent Paul’s pride after such extraordinary revelations — introduces the chapter’s central doctrine, “Power in Weakness.”	New term, Medium risk. σκόλοψ itself is rare/archaic in everyday Modern Greek (an opacity issue rather than a false-meaning trap, similar to the baseline’s guardian/παιδαγωγός pattern); render with a clarifying phrase such as “ένα αγκάθι στη σάρκα/στο σώμα” (“a thorn in the flesh/body”) to ensure comprehension. σάρξ itself reused exactly from baseline (Critical).
messenger of Satan ἄγγελος Σατανᾶ ángelos Satanâ messenger/angel of Satan	the agency behind the thorn, permitted by God for a disciplinary purpose ”a messenger of Satan”	Even this affliction operates under God’s sovereign permission and purpose (to keep Paul humble), not outside his control.	Stable, standard phrase. Low-Medium risk.
my grace is sufficient ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου arkeí soi hē cháris mou my grace suffices for you	God’s answer to Paul’s repeated prayer for the thorn’s removal — the chapter’s, and arguably the book’s, doctrinal high point for “Power in Weakness" "my grace is sufficient for you,” “my grace is enough for you”	God’s grace, not the thorn’s removal, is declared sufficient — and sufficient specifically because it operates through, not despite, human weakness.	Reused exactly from baseline: χάρη (Critical). This is among the most theologically weight-bearing single verses in the entire epistle; flag for maximum-priority theologian review, anchoring against both secular senses of χάρη (charm, legal pardon) noted throughout the baseline.
power / made perfect δύναμις / τελειοῦμαι dýnamis / teleioûmai power / to be perfected, brought to completion	divine power reaching its intended fullness specifically through, not in spite of, human weakness ”power is made perfect in weakness,” “my power is perfected in weakness”	The chapter’s thesis statement: God’s power is displayed most clearly, not despite, but precisely through human weakness — the theological center of the “Power in Weakness” doctrine.	δύναμη reused exactly from baseline (power_of_god, Medium). τελειοῦμαι is stable, standard word (also common in “τελειώνω,” to finish/complete); Low-Medium risk.
weakness ἀσθένεια asthéneia weakness, illness, frailty	general human frailty/limitation ↔ specifically Paul’s thorn ↔ modern medical “illness” (still a live, common sense, e.g., “επίδομα ασθενείας,” sickness benefit) “weakness,” “weaknesses,” “infirmities”	Paul boasts in, and is content with, his weaknesses precisely because they are the very condition for Christ’s power resting on him.	New term, Medium risk. Stable, standard word retaining strong “illness/frailty” associations in Modern Greek (a genuine asset for conveying genuine human limitation), though care is needed that the doctrinal point (power through weakness, not merely endurance despite it) is not lost.
signs of a true apostle τὰ σημεῖα τοῦ ἀποστόλου tà sēmeîa toû apostólou the signs of the apostle	miraculous confirmations authenticating genuine apostleship ”signs of a true apostle,” “signs and wonders and mighty works”	Paul reluctantly points to the miraculous confirmations of his ministry among the Corinthians as evidence of genuine apostolic authority, directly serving “Genuine versus False Apostleship.”	απόστολος reused exactly from baseline (Low). σημεῖον is stable, standard word (also “sign/signal” generally). Low-Medium risk.

Chapter 13 — Final Warnings, Self-Examination, and the Trinitarian Benediction

Terms	Variants	Contextual theological meaning	Greek rendering & risk
examine/test yourselves ἑαυτοὺς δοκιμάζετε / πειράζετε heautoùs dokimázete / peirázete test/examine yourselves; try yourselves	rigorous spiritual self-examination ↔ everyday “trying/tasting/testing” (δοκιμάζω’s dominant modern colloquial sense) “examine yourselves,” “test yourselves”	Paul’s closing challenge: the Corinthians should verify the genuineness of their own faith, just as they have been demanding proof of Paul’s apostolic authenticity.	New term, Medium risk. δοκιμάζω remains extremely common in casual modern usage (“δοκιμάζω φαγητό,” to taste food; “δοκίμασέ το,” try it) — risk of the solemn self-examination Paul intends being rendered with an unintentionally casual, “just give it a try” register. Pair with the weightier πειράζετε for appropriate gravity.
disqualified/failing the test ἀδόκιμος adókimos failing the test, disapproved, counterfeit (metal-testing imagery)	spiritual counterfeitness/failure ↔ modern “unfit/disapproved" "disqualified,” “failing the test”	The negative outcome Paul hopes the Corinthians will not discover about themselves — continues the coin/metal-testing (δοκιμή) imagery.	Related to δοκιμάζω above; Medium risk, same register caution applies.
restoration/completion καταρτίζω / κατάρτισις katartízō / katártisis to complete, equip, mend, restore to proper condition	restoration to full spiritual soundness/unity ”be restored,” “aim for restoration,” “be complete”	Paul’s final exhortation and prayer for the church’s full spiritual repair and unity.	Stable word (also modern “καταρτίζω/κατάρτιση” for vocational/professional training — an interesting secondary sense worth noting but not confusing with this context). Low-Medium risk.
holy kiss φίλημα ἅγιον phílēma hágion holy kiss	a customary, affection-marked greeting among believers, qualified as “holy” (i.e., marked by Christian love, not worldly familiarity) “holy kiss,” “kiss of peace”	A closing exhortation to warm, Spirit-marked mutual affection within the church community.	New term, Low risk (asset). Kissing as an ordinary greeting gesture remains culturally normal in Greece, and the phrase itself is recognizable from Orthodox liturgical/monastic greeting customs (“ασπασμός”); the qualifier “holy” is the interpretive key — the point is not the literal gesture but love marked by holiness.
the grace…, the love…, the fellowship… ἡ χάρις…, ἡ ἀγάπη…, ἡ κοινωνία… (τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος) hē cháris, hē agápē, hē koinōnía the grace, the love, the fellowship/communion	the book’s closing Trinitarian benediction, naming the grace of Christ, the love of God (the Father), and the fellowship/communion of the Holy Spirit together ”The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all”	The letter’s climactic blessing, invoking all three persons of the Trinity in their distinct, characteristic gifts to the church.	HIGH RISK — major liturgical asset requiring exact, consistent rendering. This verse (13:14/13:13) is the opening blessing of the Orthodox Divine Liturgy itself (“Η χάρις του Κυρίου ημών Ιησού Χριστού, και η αγάπη του Θεού και Πατρός, και η κοινωνία του Αγίου Πνεύματος, είη μετά πάντων υμών”), spoken at the start of the Anaphora and instantly recognizable to virtually every Greek Orthodox believer. χάρη reused exactly (Critical), κοινωνία reused exactly (Medium, here in its positive Trinitarian-fellowship sense), αγάπη stable. Render this verse to match the already-known liturgical wording exactly — deviation here would be jarring and theologically confusing given its unparalleled cross-document consistency requirement, comparable to the baseline’s treatment of Romans 8:28 and 10:9-10.

---

End of semantic analysis. See 08_core_glossary.md for the consolidated, risk-tiered glossary of every term identified above, drawn from all thirteen chapters.