Core Glossary
Core Glossary: Matthew — Greek Destination Language
This glossary consolidates every load-bearing term identified in 07_semantic_analysis.md, spanning Matthew 1–28. Terms already established in the baseline Romans/Galatians translation_memory.json are marked [baseline reuse] and rendered exactly as recorded there; no alternative renderings are permitted for these. New terms specific to Matthew’s Gospel are marked [new] and are proposed here for addition to the shared translation memory, pending theologian review for all Critical/High entries per the escalation rules in 12_ai_translation_requirements.md.
Risk tiers follow the baseline’s definitions: Critical (theologian review, every occurrence), High (theologian review), Medium (native speaker review), Low (automated review).
Part 1 — New Matthew-Specific Terms
| # | Term (English key) | Greek Rendering | Transliteration | Risk | Doctrine | Chapter(s) | Risk Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | blessed | μακάριος / μακάριοι | makários / makárioi | Critical | Kingdom of Heaven / Beatitudes | 5:1-12 (core) | Modern Greek’s dominant sense is “the late/deceased” (ο μακαρίτης) or colloquial “blissfully oblivious”; must be reactivated as a solemn declaration of divine favor every occurrence |
| 2 | kingdom of heaven | βασιλεία των ουρανών | vasileía tōn ouranṑn | High | Kingdom of Heaven | throughout (32×) | Risk of collapsing to a purely future, post-mortem “heaven” destination (Modern Greek “ουρανός” = afterlife-place), losing the present/inaugurated dimension; must be explicitly tied to baseline βασιλεία του Θεού as the same referent |
| 3 | poor in spirit | πτωχοί τω πνεύματι | ptochoí tō pneúmati | High | Kingdom of Heaven | 5:3 (core) | Risk of a material-poverty-only or low-intelligence misreading; requires gloss anchoring to humble dependence on God |
| 4 | mourn / comforted | πενθούντες / παρακληθήσονται | penthoúntes / paraklithísontai | Medium | Kingdom of Heaven | 5:4 (core) | παρακληθήσονται shares root with baseline “exhort” (προτρέπω/παρακαλέω); guard against everyday conversational register of παρακαλώ |
| 5 | meek / inherit the earth | πραείς / κληρονομήσουσι την γην | praeís / klironomísousi tin gin | Medium | Kingdom of Heaven | 5:5 (core) | πραείς risks drifting to “weak/passive”; retain restrained-strength sense; κληρονομήσουσι shares root with baseline κληρονόμος |
| 6 | merciful / receive mercy | ελεήμονες / ελεηθήσονται | eleímones / eleithísontai | Medium | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | 5:7 (core) | Liturgical asset (“Κύριε ελέησον”) risks narrowing to ritual petition rather than Matthew’s ethical demand to extend mercy horizontally |
| 7 | pure in heart | καθαροί τη καρδία | katharoí tī kardía | High | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | 5:8 (core) | καθαρός risks a ritual-purity misreading; also risks narrowing to a technical hesychast attainment rather than a promise available to all disciples |
| 8 | peacemakers / sons of God | ειρηνοποιοί / υιοί Θεού | eirinopoioí / yioí Theoú | High | Kingdom of Heaven | 5:9 (core) | υιοί Θεού (plural, adoptive) must be kept lexically and doctrinally distinct from baseline’s singular, unique Υιός του Θεού |
| 9 | persecuted for righteousness | δεδιωγμένοι ένεκεν δικαιοσύνης | dediogménoi héneken dikaiosýnis | Medium | Discipleship and the Cost | 5:10-11 (core) | Depends on baseline δικαιοσύνη (Critical) and βασιλεία των ουρανών (High) |
| 10 | reward [in heaven] | μισθός | misthós | Medium | Discipleship / Kingdom | 5:12 (core), 6:1-18 | Modern Greek ordinary word for a salary/wage; risks a transactional, merit-earning misreading unless paired with grace teaching |
| 11 | disciple | μαθητής | mathitís | High | Discipleship and the Cost | throughout | Modern Greek’s ordinary, unmarked word for a schoolchild/pupil; risks flattening total-life apprenticeship to classroom enrollment |
| 12 | make disciples [Great Commission] | μαθητεύσατε | mathéfsate | Critical | The Great Commission | 28:19 | Verb-form of #11; must not be reduced to “enroll/teach a course” |
| 13 | Son of David | Υιός Δαβίδ | Yiós Davíd | Critical | Jesus as the Promised Messiah | 1:1; 9:27; 15:22; 20:30; 21:9,15; 22:42-45 | Risk of flattening a dynamic Messianic acclamation title to a bare genealogical fact; distinguish from, yet link to, baseline σπέρμα Δαβίδ |
| 14 | virgin | παρθένος | parthénos | Critical | Jesus as the Promised Messiah | 1:23; 25:1 (reused) | Lexically stable, but doctrinally load-bearing (virgin birth); must not soften toward “young woman” |
| 15 | Immanuel | Εμμανουήλ | Emmanouíl | Medium | Jesus as the Promised Messiah | 1:23; echoed 28:20 | Stable transliteration; high doctrinal weight (incarnation), bookends the Gospel |
| 16 | worship | προσκυνώ / προσεκύνησαν | proskynó / proseskýnisan | Critical | Jesus as the Promised Messiah / Deity of Christ | 2:2,11; 14:33; 28:9,17 | Same verb used for icon veneration in Orthodox practice; must be anchored to full λατρεία-level worship due to God alone in each Matthean occurrence |
| 17 | fulfilled [fulfillment formula] | πληρωθή / εκπληρωθή | plirothí / ekplirothí | High | Fulfillment of OT Prophecy | 1:22; 2:15,17,23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 27:9 | Near-homophone interference from the far more common πληρώνω (“to pay”); requires consistent, glossed rendering |
| 18 | King of the Jews | βασιλεύς των Ιουδαίων | vasilévs tōn Ioudaíōn | High | Jesus as the Promised Messiah | 2:2; 27:37 | Must retain tension between apparent political title and deeper messianic/divine kingship |
| 19 | Hosanna | Ωσαννά | Osanná | Medium | Jesus as the Promised Messiah | 21:9 | Retain transliteration; messianic acclamation from Psalm 118 |
| 20 | Son of Man | Υιός του ανθρώπου | Yiós tou anthrópou | Critical | Authority of Jesus’ Teaching / Judgment | 8:20; 9:6; 16:27-28; 24:30; 26:64; ~30× total | Surface reading is merely “a human being”; must be anchored to Daniel 7’s apocalyptic-authority background at each major turn |
| 21 | it is written | γέγραπται | gégraptai | Low | Authority of Jesus’ Teaching | 4:4,7,10 | Stable citation formula |
| 22 | sign of Jonah | σημείον Ιωνά | símeion Ioná | Medium | Fulfillment of Prophecy / Resurrection | 12:39-40 | Typological link to the Resurrection |
| 23 | stone the builders rejected | ο λίθος τον οποίο απεδοκίμασαν οι οικοδόμοι | o líthos ton opoío apedokímasan oi oikodómoi | Medium-High | Fulfillment of Prophecy / Judgment | 21:42-44 | Direct LXX citation (Psalm 118:22), a Greek-reader asset |
| 24 | authority | εξουσία | exousía | High | Authority of Jesus’ Teaching | 7:28-29; 9:6; 21:23-27; 28:18 | Stable word, but the doctrinal point (inherent vs. derived authority) must be actively drawn out |
| 25 | but I say to you | εγώ δε λέγω υμίν | egó de légo ymín | High | Authority of Jesus’ Teaching | 5:21-48 | Formula asserting authority alongside the Law’s own giver |
| 26 | righteousness exceeding [the Pharisees] | δικαιοσύνη περισσεύουσα | dikaiosýni perisséfousa | Critical | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | 5:20 | Must not be read as demanding more meticulous rule-keeping; qualitatively different, heart-level righteousness |
| 27 | perfect | τέλειος | téleios | High | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | 5:48 | Modern colloquial slang (“τέλειο!” = “awesome”); also risks conflation with Orthodox τελείωσις as a lifelong process rather than Matthew’s call to undivided love |
| 28 | the Law and the Prophets | ο νόμος και οι προφήται | o nómos kai oi profítai | High (reuse) | Fulfillment of Prophecy | 5:17; 7:12; 22:40 | reuse baseline νόμος + προφήτης |
| 29 | repentance | μετάνοια / μετανοώ | metánoia / metanoó | High | (supports several doctrines) | 3:2,8,11; 4:17; 11:20-21 | Also the technical name of the Orthodox Sacrament of Confession; risk of narrowing to the formal rite |
| 30 | kingdom of heaven [establishing occurrence] | βασιλεία των ουρανών | vasileía tōn ouranṑn | High (reuse #2) | Kingdom of Heaven | 3:2 | First occurrence, sets phrase before the Sermon |
| 31 | baptism | βάπτισμα / βαπτίζω | váptisma / vaptízō | Medium | Kingdom of Heaven / Great Commission | 3:1-17; 28:19 | Must distinguish John’s preparatory rite from the full Trinitarian sacrament of 28:19 |
| 32 | temptation | πειρασμός | peirasmós | High | Discipleship and the Cost | 4:1-11; 6:13; 26:41 | Consistency required across all occurrences, including the Lord’s Prayer |
| 33 | devil / Satan | διάβολος / Σατανάς | diávolos / Satanás | Medium-High | (Judgment; Temptation) | 4:1-11; 13:39 | Must remain a personal being, not an abstract evil principle |
| 34 | gospel of the kingdom | ευαγγέλιο της βασιλείας | evangélio tis vasileías | High (reuse) | Kingdom of Heaven / Great Commission | 4:23; 9:35; 24:14 | Compound of two High/Critical terms |
| 35 | mysteries of the kingdom | μυστήρια της βασιλείας | mystíria tis vasileías | CRITICAL | Kingdom of Heaven | 13:11 | Dominant Modern Greek sense is “the Sacraments” (τα Ιερά Μυστήρια) or a whodunit “mystery”; mandatory explanatory note every occurrence |
| 36 | leaven [positive sense] | ζύμη | zými | Medium (reuse, valence flag) | Kingdom of Heaven | 13:33 | Baseline (Galatians) treats leaven negatively; Matthew 13:33 is positive — flag the reversal explicitly |
| 37 | sower and seed | σπόρος / σπείρων | spóros / speírōn | Medium (reuse root) | Kingdom of Heaven | 13:1-23 | Distinct agricultural sense from the Abrahamic/Christological “seed” of Galatians 3 |
| 38 | authority to forgive sins | εξουσία να αφιέναι αμαρτίες | exousía na afíei amartíes | Critical | Authority of Jesus’ Teaching / Deity of Christ | 9:6 | Implicit deity-claim; must not be flattened to a priestly pronouncement |
| 39 | confess / deny | ομολογώ / αρνούμαι | omologó / arnoúmai | High | Discipleship and the Cost | 10:32-33; 26:69-75 | Same category of act as Romans 10:9’s Lordship confession (baseline) |
| 40 | not peace but a sword | ουκ ειρήνη αλλά μάχαιρα | ouk eiríni allá máchaira | Medium | Discipleship and the Cost | 10:34-36 | Must not be read as contradicting baseline ειρήνη (peace with God) |
| 41 | lose life to find it | απολέσει / ευρήσει την ψυχήν | apolései / evrísei tin psychín | High | Discipleship and the Cost | 10:39; 16:25 | ψυχή’s range (soul/life/self) requires context-sensitive handling |
| 42 | the one who is to come | ο ερχόμενος | o erchómenos | High | Jesus as the Promised Messiah | 11:3 | Fixed messianic-expectation title |
| 43 | my yoke is easy / rest | ζυγός / ανάπαυσις | zygós / anápafsis | Medium | Discipleship and the Cost | 11:28-30 | ανάπαυσις has possible (non-necessary) Hesychast resonance |
| 44 | blasphemy against the Spirit | βλασφημία κατά του Αγίου Πνεύματος | vlasfimía katá tou Agíou Pnévmatos | Critical | Judgment and the End of the Age | 12:31-32 | Must be carefully scoped to hardened rejection, not momentary doubt; theologian review required |
| 45 | Peter’s confession | Χριστός, Υιός του Θεού του ζώντος | Christós, Yiós tou Theoú tou zóntos | Critical (reuse) | Jesus as the Promised Messiah | 16:16 | Combines baseline Χριστός + Υιός του Θεού; theological center of the Gospel |
| 46 | rock / church wordplay | Πέτρος / πέτρα / εκκλησία | Pétros / pétra / ekklisía | Critical | The Church and Church Discipline | 16:18 | Transparent Greek wordplay (asset); denominational sensitivity on the referent of “rock” |
| 47 | keys of the kingdom | κλείδες της βασιλείας | klídes tis vasileías | High | The Church and Church Discipline | 16:19 | Same denominational-sensitivity caution as #46 |
| 48 | bind and loose | δένω / λύω | déno / lýo | High | The Church and Church Discipline | 16:19; 18:18 | Ordinary tie/untie verbs; rabbinic technical sense (permit/forbid; forgive/withhold) invisible without gloss |
| 49 | take up his cross / deny himself | σταυρός / απαρνούμαι εαυτόν | stavrós / aparnoúmai eaftón | Critical | Discipleship and the Cost | 16:24-26 | Must retain concrete, shameful, fatal connotation, not a generic-hardship metaphor |
| 50 | transfiguration | μεταμόρφωσις | metamórfosis | High | Jesus as the Promised Messiah / Deity of Christ | 17:1-8 | Major liturgical asset (Feast of Aug 6); distinguish Christ’s unique glory-unveiling from believers’ ongoing theosis-transformation |
| 51 | the Son of Man must suffer | δεί τον υιόν του ανθρώπου παθείν | deí ton yión tou anthrópou pathín | Medium | Judgment / Discipleship | 16:21; 17:12; 26:54 | δεῖ conveys divine narrative necessity, not mere inevitability |
| 52 | if your brother sins against you | εάν αμαρτήσει εις σε ο αδελφός σου | eán amartísei eis se o adelfós sou | High | The Church and Church Discipline | 18:15-17 | Central text of the church discipline doctrine |
| 53 | two or three witnesses / gathered | δύο ή τρεις μάρτυρες / συνηγμένοι | dýo í treis mártyres / synigménoi | Medium | The Church and Church Discipline | 18:16,20 | Draws on Deuteronomic legal procedure |
| 54 | treat as a Gentile and tax collector | ως ο εθνικός και ο τελώνης | os o ethnikós kai o telónis | High (reuse) | The Church and Church Discipline | 18:17 | Reuse baseline έθνη root; final stage of church discipline |
| 55 | seventy times seven | εβδομηκοντάκις επτά | evdomikontákis eptá | Medium | The Church and Church Discipline | 18:21-22 | Hyperbolic idiom for limitless forgiveness |
| 56 | eternal life | ζωή αιώνιος | zoí aiónios | Critical | Judgment and the End of the Age | 19:16-29; 25:46 | Not mere long duration; participatory life with God, received now by faith |
| 57 | ransom [for many] | λύτρον | lýtron | Critical | Judgment / Atonement | 20:28 | Substitutionary, many-for-one sacrificial sense; shares root with baseline “redeem” |
| 58 | a nation producing its fruits | έθνει ποιούντι τους καρπούς αυτής | éthnei poioúnti tous karpoús aftís | High (reuse) | Kingdom of Heaven | 21:43 | Reuse baseline έθνη + καρπός roots |
| 59 | the greatest commandment: love | αγάπη / αγαπώ | agápi / agapó | Medium | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | 22:37-39 | Greek’s native ἀγάπη/ἔρωτας/φιλία distinction is an asset; everyday αγαπώ used broadly, risking dilution |
| 60 | woe | ουαί | ouaí | Medium | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | 23:13-36 | Prophetic pronouncement of judgment |
| 61 | shutting the kingdom of heaven | κλείετε την βασιλείαν των ουρανών | kleíete tin vasileían tōn ouranṑn | High (reuse) | Kingdom of Heaven | 23:13 | Reuse #2; religious leaders obstructing others’ access |
| 62 | abomination of desolation | το βδέλυγμα της ερημώσεως | to vdélygma tis erimóseos | Critical | Judgment and the End of the Age | 24:15 | Fixed apocalyptic technical term (Daniel); theologian review required |
| 63 | great tribulation | μεγάλη θλίψις | megáli thlípsis | Medium-High | Judgment and the End of the Age | 24:21 | Ranges from ordinary hardship to intense eschatological distress |
| 64 | the coming (parousia) of the Son of Man | η παρουσία του υιού του ανθρώπου | i parousía tou yioú tou anthrópou | CRITICAL | Judgment and the End of the Age | 24:3,27,37,39 | Modern Greek’s dominant sense is ordinary “attendance”; anchor with the liturgical phrase “η ένδοξη Δευτέρα Παρουσία” |
| 65 | the end of the age | η συντέλεια του αιώνος | i syntéleia tou aiónos | High | Judgment and the End of the Age | 24:3 | Frames the whole Olivet Discourse |
| 66 | no one knows the day or hour | ουδείς γνωρίζει την ημέρα ή την ώρα | oudeís gnorízei tin iméra í tin óra | Medium | Judgment and the End of the Age | 24:36 | Guards against speculative date-setting |
| 67 | be watchful / ready | γρηγορείτε | grigoreíte | Medium | Judgment and the End of the Age | 24:42-44; 25:13 | Practical response to eschatological uncertainty |
| 68 | talents | τάλαντα | tálanta | Medium | Judgment and the End of the Age | 25:14-30 | Parallel secular-bleaching to English “talent” (natural gift) |
| 69 | the least of these my brothers | οι ελάχιστοι αδελφοί μου | oi eláchistoi adelfoí mou | High | Judgment and the End of the Age | 25:31-46 | Identifies Christ with the vulnerable; final judgment criterion |
| 70 | eternal punishment | κόλαση αιώνια | kólasi aiónia | Critical | Judgment and the End of the Age | 25:46 | Modern Greek κόλαση colloquially used hyperbolically for any misery; must retain full eschatological gravity |
| 71 | this is my body / blood of the covenant | τούτο είναι το σώμα μου / το αίμα μου της διαθήκης | toúto eínai to sóma mou / to aíma mou tis diathíkis | Critical | The Great Commission (Last Supper) | 26:26-28 | Verbatim Divine Liturgy wording; preserve both historical-narrative and sacramental dimensions; reuse baseline διαθήκη caution |
| 72 | Gethsemane / not my will but yours | Γεθσημανή / θέλημα | Gethsimaní / thélima | Medium | Discipleship and the Cost | 26:36-46 | θέλημα reused from ch.6, ch.12 |
| 73 | betrayed / handed over | παραδίδωμι | paradídomi | Medium | (Passion narrative) | 26:14-16,46-50 | Ranges from neutral “hand over” to treacherous “betray” |
| 74 | seated at the right hand [of Power] | καθήμενος εκ δεξιών | kathímenos ek dexión | Medium-High | Judgment and the End of the Age | 26:64 | Combines Psalm 110 enthronement imagery with baseline δύναμη Θεού |
| 75 | crucify | σταυρώνω | stavróno | Critical | Jesus as the Promised Messiah / Discipleship | 27:35 | Verb-form of #49; retain full historical/physical concreteness |
| 76 | Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani | Ηλί, Ηλί, λεμά σαβαχθανί | Ilí, Ilí, lemá savachthaní | Critical | Fulfillment of Prophecy | 27:46 | Retain transliteration exactly as Matthew preserved it, per baseline’s Αββά precedent |
| 77 | the veil of the temple was torn | το καταπέτασμα εσχίσθη | to katapétasma eschísthi | Medium | (Passion narrative) | 27:51 | Signals new direct access to God |
| 78 | he has risen | ανέστη / ηγέρθη | anésti / igérthi | Critical (reuse) | Fulfillment of Prophecy / Resurrection | 28:6 | Reuse baseline ανάσταση verb-family |
| 79 | baptismal Trinitarian formula | εις το όνομα του Πατρός και του Υιού και του Αγίου Πνεύματος | eis to ónoma tou Patrós kai tou Yioú kai tou Agíou Pnévmatos | High | The Great Commission | 28:19 | Doctrinally Critical but low-ambiguity; verbatim liturgical formula — major asset |
| 80 | teaching them to obey | διδάσκοντας να τηρούν | didáskontas na tiroún | Medium | The Great Commission | 28:20 | Connects to baseline obedience_of_faith |
| 81 | I am with you always | εγώ μεθ’ υμών ειμι πάσας τας ημέρας | egó meth’ ymón eimi pásas tas iméras | High | The Great Commission | 28:20 | Deliberate Immanuel (1:23) inclusio; should be actively taught |
Part 2 — Baseline Terms Reused Exactly (Cross-Reference)
The following terms occur repeatedly across Matthew and MUST use the exact rendering already recorded in the baseline translation_memory.json. No new entries are created for these; consult the baseline for full notes.
| Term | Greek Rendering | Baseline Risk | Key Matthew Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|
| gospel | ευαγγέλιο | High | 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; 26:13 |
| faith | πίστη | High | 8:10; 9:2,22,29; 14:31; 15:28; 17:20; 21:21 |
| righteousness | δικαιοσύνη | Critical | 3:15; 5:6,10,20; 6:33; 21:32 |
| salvation | σωτηρία | Critical | 1:21 (σώσει); 18:11; 19:25 |
| apostle | απόστολος | Low | 10:2 |
| called / calling | κλητός / κλήση | High/Critical | 22:14; 4:21 (κάλεσε) |
| holy / saints | άγιος / άγιοι | High | 4:5; 7:6; 27:52 |
| sanctification | αγιασμός | High | (implicit, ch.6:9 αγιασθήτω) |
| adoption | υιοθεσία | High | (implicit, 5:9; 5:45) |
| resurrection | ανάσταση | Critical | 22:23-33; 27:53; 28:6 |
| Lord | Κύριος | Critical | 7:21-23; 12:8; 22:44-45; throughout |
| Son of God | Υιός του Θεού | Critical | 3:17; 4:3,6; 14:33; 16:16; 17:5; 26:63; 27:40,43,54 |
| incarnation | ενανθρώπηση | High | 1:18-23 (implicit) |
| peace | ειρήνη | Medium | 5:9; 10:13,34 |
| thanksgiving | ευχαριστία | Low | 15:36; 26:27 |
| fellowship | κοινωνία | Low | (implicit, 26:26-29 table fellowship) |
| church | εκκλησία | Medium | 16:18; 18:17 |
| kingdom of God | βασιλεία του Θεού | Medium | 12:28; 19:24; 21:31,43 |
| law | νόμος | High | 5:17-18; 7:12; 22:36,40; 23:23 |
| sin | αμαρτία | High | 1:21; 3:6; 9:2-6; 18:15,21 |
| gentiles | έθνη | Medium | 4:15; 6:32; 10:5,18; 12:18,21; 20:19,25; 21:43; 24:9,14; 25:32; 28:19 |
| glory | δόξα | Medium | 16:27; 19:28; 24:30; 25:31 |
| power of God | δύναμη Θεού | Medium | 19:26; 22:29; 26:64 |
| messiah / Christ | Μεσσίας / Χριστός | Critical | 1:1,16-18; 2:4; 16:16,20; 22:42; 23:10; 24:5,23; 26:63,68; 27:17,22 |
| prophet / prophecy | προφήτης / προφητεία | Low | throughout (fulfillment formula) |
| covenant | διαθήκη | High | 26:28 |
| david | Δαβίδ | Low | 1:1,6,17,20; 9:27; 12:3,23; 15:22; 20:30-31; 21:9,15; 22:42-45 |
| israel | Ισραήλ | Low | 2:6,20-21; 8:10; 9:33; 10:6,23; 15:24,31; 19:28; 27:9,42 |
| jesus | Ιησούς | Critical | throughout |
| god | Θεός | Critical | throughout |
| holy spirit | Άγιο Πνεύμα | Critical | 1:18,20; 3:11,16; 4:1; 12:28,31-32; 28:19 |
| father | Πατέρας | Critical | 5:16,45,48; 6:9,26,32; 7:11,21; 10:32-33; 28:19 |
| seed of David | σπέρμα Δαβίδ | Medium | (background; cf. 1:1, distinguished from Υιός Δαβίδ, term #13) |
| traditions | παραδόσεις | Medium | 15:2-6 |
| hypocrisy / hypocrite | υποκρισία / υποκριτής | Low | 6:2,5,16; 7:5; 15:7; 22:18; 23:13-29; 24:51 |
| certainly not | μη γένοιτο | Low | (not directly quoted in Matthew; retained for consistency if paralleled in curriculum discussion) |
| leaven [negative sense, contrast] | ζύμη | Medium | 16:6,11-12 (contrast with 13:33’s positive sense, term #36) |
| servant / deacon distinction | διάκονος (generic sense caution) | Medium | 20:26; 23:11 |
Part 3 — Glossary Governance Notes
- Priority order for conflicts: Where a Matthew-specific term (Part 1) shares a root with a baseline term (Part 2) but is not identical (e.g. Υιός Δαβίδ vs. σπέρμα Δαβίδ; μυστήρια της βασιλείας vs. no baseline equivalent), treat as a new entry requiring its own risk assessment — do not silently fold it into the baseline entry’s rating.
- Critical-tier terms unique to Matthew requiring mandatory theologian review on every occurrence: blessed (μακάριος), Son of Man (Υιός του ανθρώπου), mysteries of the kingdom (μυστήρια της βασιλείας), the parousia (παρουσία), eternal punishment (κόλαση αιώνια), authority to forgive sins, ransom (λύτρον), take up his cross, crucify, Peter’s confession, rock/church wordplay, this is my body/blood, abomination of desolation, make disciples, Eli Eli lema sabachthani.
- Two forbidden-substitution patterns specific to Matthew (parallel to the baseline’s Galatians forbidden list): NEVER let παρουσία register as ordinary “attendance”; NEVER let μυστήρια (13:11) register as “the Sacraments” or a whodunit “mystery” without the mandatory disambiguating note.
- This glossary is designed to be merged into an updated
translation_memory.json(version increment required) prior to Phase 2 segment translation of the Matthew curriculum.
Critical Risk Terms
Righteousness
Approved rendering: δικαιοσύνη
Transliteration: dikaiosýni
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Rejected alternatives: δικαιοσύνη αποκλειστικά με τη σύγχρονη έννοια της νομικής ή κοινωνικής δικαιοσύνης
Original: δικαιοσύνη
Category: Righteousness
[Inherited from Romans package.] Modern Greek foregrounds the civic/legal ‘Υπουργείο Δικαιοσύνης’ sense. Matthew: holds together forensic standing and lived righteousness that must exceed the Pharisees’ external observance (3:15; 5:6,10,20; 6:33; 21:32) — see righteousness_exceeding below for the 5:20 compound’s own added risk.
Salvation
Approved rendering: σωτηρία
Transliteration: sotiría
Doctrine: Salvation
Original: σωτηρία
Category: Salvation
[Inherited from Romans package.] Zero translation gap; guard against full collapse into the Orthodox theosis framework. Matthew: named explicitly in Jesus’ own name-etymology, ‘he will save (σώσει) his people from their sins’ (1:21); also 18:11; 19:25.
Calling
Approved rendering: κλήση
Transliteration: klísi
Doctrine: Divine Calling
Rejected alternatives: κλήση με την καθημερινή έννοια μιας τηλεφωνικής κλήσης ή δικαστικής κλήσης/κλήσης τροχαίας
[Inherited from Romans package.] Modern Greek overwhelmingly means a phone call or traffic ticket. Matthew: underlies the call of the first disciples (‘follow me’, 4:19-21) and the effectual-call vocabulary at 22:14; reactivate the theological sense every occurrence.
Holy
Approved rendering: άγιος
Transliteration: ágios
Doctrine: Sanctification
[Inherited from Romans package.] Identical word to ‘saints’. Matthew: e.g. 4:5 (holy city), 7:6, 27:52 (the raised ‘holy ones’).
Saints
Approved rendering: άγιοι
Transliteration: ágioi
Doctrine: Sainthood
Rejected alternatives: Άγιοι αποκλειστικά ως αγιοποιημένα, τιμώμενα πρόσωπα με ονομαστική εορτή
[Inherited from Romans package.] Same name-day/canonization collision documented in the baseline. Matthew: at 27:52 the resurrected ‘holy ones’ appear corporately, not as a canonized elite — mandatory clarifying note required, per baseline precedent.
Lord
Approved rendering: Κύριος
Transliteration: Kýrios
Doctrine: 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.] Must never register with the flatness of the everyday honorific. Matthew: climactic at 22:44-45 (Psalm 110 wordplay), 12:8 (‘Lord of the Sabbath’), and 7:21-23’s warning against empty confession.
Son Of God
Approved rendering: Υιός του Θεού
Transliteration: Yiós tou Theoú
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: Υιός του Θεού με τη γενική έννοια που αποδίδεται σε κάθε πιστό
Original: υἱὸς θεοῦ
Category: Christology
[Inherited from Romans package.] Full phrase required; unique eternal Sonship. Matthew: 3:17; 4:3,6; 14:33; 16:16; 17:5; 26:63; 27:40,43,54 — never confuse with the plural, adoptive ‘υιοί Θεού’ of 5:9.
Messiah
Approved rendering: Μεσσίας
Transliteration: Messías
Doctrine: Messianic Promise
[Inherited from Romans package.] ‘Χριστός’ remains the NT’s own overwhelmingly preferred term and should be used except where the Hebrew-promise background is explicitly in view (e.g. 1:1, 2:4). Matthew: opens the Gospel (1:1,16-18); central at Peter’s confession (16:16,20) and the trial (26:63,68).
Jesus
Approved rendering: Ιησούς
Transliteration: Iisoús
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Original: Ἰησοῦς
Category: Christology
[Inherited from Romans package.] Standard NT and liturgical form throughout Matthew; the name is explained etymologically at 1:21 (‘he will save’).
God
Approved rendering: Θεός
Transliteration: Theós
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Original: θεός
Category: God
[Inherited from Romans package.] Standard and unambiguous throughout Matthew.
Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: Άγιο Πνεύμα
Transliteration: Ágio Pnévma
Doctrine: Sanctification
Original: πνεῦμα ἅγιον
Category: God
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: 1:18,20 (virgin conception), 3:11,16 (baptism), 4:1, 12:28,31-32 (blasphemy against the Spirit), 28:19 (baptismal formula).
Father
Approved rendering: Πατέρας
Transliteration: Patéras
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Original: πατήρ
Category: God
[Inherited from Romans package.] Pervasive across the Sermon on the Mount (5:16,45,48; 6:9,26,32; 7:11,21), the confession/denial teaching (10:32-33), and the baptismal formula (28:19).
Redeem
Approved rendering: λυτρώνω / απολύτρωση
Transliteration: exagorazō
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: εξαγοράζω με τη σύγχρονη έννοια της δωροδοκίας, εξαγοράζω ως εταιρική εξαγορά
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: shares its root directly with ransom (λύτρον, 20:28) — the clearest single atonement statement in Matthew. See ransom below.
Blessed
Approved rendering: μακάριος / μακάριοι
Transliteration: makários / makárioi
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: μακάριος με τη σύγχρονη έννοια του αποβιώσαντος (ο μακαρίτης, η μακαρίτισσα), μακάριος με την καθημερινή, μειωτική έννοια της αδιάφορης ευτυχίας (‘κάθεται μακάριος’), ευτυχισμένος/ευτυχισμένοι (flattens to mere psychological happiness)
Original: μακάριοι
Category: Kingdom
The single highest-risk lexical item in the whole Matthew curriculum. Dominant Modern Greek sense is ‘the late/deceased’; secondary colloquial sense is blissful obliviousness — both nearly opposite Jesus’ solemn declaration of divine favor. Mandatory translator note on first occurrence (5:3) reinforced across all nine Beatitude occurrences (5:3-11, CORE PASSAGE).
Make Disciples
Approved rendering: μαθητεύσατε
Transliteration: mathéfsate
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Rejected alternatives: μαθητεύσατε αποδιδόμενο ως ‘εγγράψτε’ (enroll), μαθητεύσατε αποδιδόμενο ως ‘εκπαιδεύστε’ (train/educate) αποκομμένο από τη ρίζα μαθητής
Original: μαθητεύσατε
Category: Great Commission
FORBIDDEN SUBSTITUTION: never reduce to ‘enroll students’ or ‘teach a course’. Verb-form of disciple (μαθητής) above; the Great Commission’s central imperative (28:19), the whole Gospel’s missional climax.
Son Of David
Approved rendering: Υιός Δαβίδ
Transliteration: Yiós Davíd
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Rejected alternatives: Υιός Δαβίδ ερμηνευμένο αποκλειστικά ως γενεαλογικό δεδομένο, χωρίς ομολογιακή βαρύτητα
Original: υἱὸς Δαυίδ
Category: Christology
A dynamic Messianic royal-acclamation title (1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30; 21:9,15; 22:42-45), not a bare genealogical fact. Must be distinguished from, yet linked to, the baseline’s genealogical σπέρμα Δαβίδ above.
Virgin
Approved rendering: παρθένος
Transliteration: parthénos
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Rejected alternatives: παρθένος αποδιδόμενο ως απλά ‘νέα γυναίκα’
Original: παρθένος
Category: Christology
Lexically stable but doctrinally load-bearing (the virgin conception, 1:23, quoting Isaiah 7:14 LXX). Never soften toward the merely generic ‘young woman’ sense.
Worship Of Christ
Approved rendering: προσκυνώ
Transliteration: proskynó
Doctrine: The Deity and Worship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: προσκυνώ κατ’ αναλογία με την προσκύνηση εικόνων (τιμητική προσκύνησις) αντί της πλήρους λατρείας
Original: προσκυνέω
Category: Christology
Same verb used for icon veneration in Orthodox practice. Must state explicitly, case by case, that Matthew’s uses toward Jesus (2:2,11; 14:33; 28:9,17) intend full λατρεία-level worship due to God alone, not analogy to icon veneration.
Son Of Man
Approved rendering: Υιός του ανθρώπου
Transliteration: Yiós tou anthrópou
Doctrine: Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Rejected alternatives: Υιός του ανθρώπου ερμηνευμένο ως απλή δήλωση κοινής ανθρωπότητας
Original: ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου
Category: Christology
Jesus’ favorite self-designation (~30×), drawing on Daniel 7:13-14’s apocalyptic-authority figure. Surface reading is merely ‘a human being’; must be anchored at first occurrence (8:20) and every major theological turn (9:6; 16:27-28; 24:30; 26:64).
Righteousness Exceeding
Approved rendering: δικαιοσύνη περισσεύουσα
Transliteration: dikaiosýni perisséfousa
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Rejected alternatives: δικαιοσύνη περισσεύουσα ως απαίτηση για πιο σχολαστική τήρηση των κανόνων
Original: περισσεύσῃ ἡ δικαιοσύνη ὑμῶν
Category: Righteousness
CORE-ADJACENT (5:20). Must not be read as demanding MORE meticulous rule-keeping (‘more Pharisaic than the Pharisees’) — the opposite of Jesus’ qualitatively different, heart-level righteousness.
Mysteries Of The Kingdom
Approved rendering: μυστήρια της βασιλείας
Transliteration: mystíria tis vasileías
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: μυστήρια της βασιλείας αποδιδόμενα ως ‘τα Ιερά Μυστήρια’ (τα Μυστήρια της Εκκλησίας), μυστήρια της βασιλείας ερμηνευμένα με την αστυνομική/αινιγματική έννοια του ‘μυστηρίου’
Original: τὰ μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας
Category: Kingdom
The single most severe sacramental-collision risk in the entire Matthew curriculum. 13:11. Modern Greek μυστήριο overwhelmingly means either a Sacrament or a whodunit ‘mystery’. Mandatory explanatory note every occurrence, no exceptions.
Authority To Forgive Sins
Approved rendering: εξουσία να αφιέναι αμαρτίες
Transliteration: exousía na afíei amartíes
Doctrine: Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Rejected alternatives: εξουσία να αφιέναι αμαρτίες περιοριζόμενη σε ιερατική/εξομολογητική πράξη
Original: ἐξουσίαν ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας
Category: Salvation
9:6. An implicit deity-claim (only God forgives sins, per the scribes’ own objection); must not be flattened into a merely priestly pronouncement, a live risk given Orthodox sacramental confession practice.
Blasphemy Against The Spirit
Approved rendering: βλασφημία κατά του Αγίου Πνεύματος
Transliteration: vlasfimía katá tou Agíou Pnévmatos
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: βλασφημία κατά του Πνεύματος εφαρμοζόμενη σε στιγμιαία αμφιβολία ή μεμονωμένη αμαρτωλή σκέψη
Original: βλασφημία κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος
Category: Sin
12:31-32. The one unforgivable sin: deliberate, hardened rejection of the Spirit’s testimony to Christ. Must be carefully scoped to avoid inducing false despair; theologian review required every occurrence.
Peters Confession
Approved rendering: Συ ει ο Χριστός, ο Υιός του Θεού του ζώντος
Transliteration: Sy ei ho Christos, ho huios tou Theou tou zóntos
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός, ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος
Category: Christology
16:16. Combines baseline Christos + Son of God exactly as recorded above; the theological center of the Gospel’s Christology — neither underlying term may be diluted in this combined confession.
Rock Church Wordplay
Approved rendering: Πέτρος / πέτρα / εκκλησία
Transliteration: Pétros / pétra / ekklisía
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Rejected alternatives: πέτρα ερμηνευμένη αποκλειστικά ως θεσμοθέτηση αδιάλειπτης, μεταβιβάσιμης παπικής πρωτοκαθεδρίας
Original: Πέτρος … πέτρα … ἐκκλησία
Category: Church
16:18. Transparent, native Greek wordplay — a genuine asset unavailable to most languages — but the referent of ‘rock’ is a center of centuries-old inter-tradition dispute (papal primacy claims Orthodoxy rejects). Present Matthew’s own point without adjudicating the wider dispute.
Take Up Cross Deny Self
Approved rendering: σταυρός / απαρνούμαι εαυτόν
Transliteration: stavrós / aparnoúmai eaftón
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Rejected alternatives: σταυρός ερμηνευμένος ως γενική μεταφορά για οποιαδήποτε δυσκολία της ζωής
Original: ἄρῃ τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ / ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτόν
Category: Discipleship
16:24-26. σταυρός is the Roman execution instrument; must retain concrete, shameful, fatal connotation, connecting forward to ch. 27’s crucifixion. Never soften into a vague ‘burden to bear’.
Eternal Life
Approved rendering: ζωή αιώνιος
Transliteration: zoí aiónios
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: ζωή αιώνιος αποδιδόμενη ως απλά ‘πολύ μεγάλη διάρκεια ζωής’
Original: ζωὴ αἰώνιος
Category: Eschatology
19:16-29; 25:46. Participatory, relational life with God, received now by faith, not merely unending duration; must not lose its clear beginning-point.
Ransom
Approved rendering: λύτρον
Transliteration: lýtron
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: λύτρον αποδιδόμενο με ασαφή έννοια ‘βοήθειας’ ή ‘υπηρεσίας’, χωρίς αντιπροσωπευτική/αντικαταστατική βαρύτητα
Original: λύτρον ἀντὶ πολλῶν
Category: Salvation
20:28, ‘λύτρον ἀντὶ πολλῶν’. The clearest single atonement statement in Matthew; shares the root of the baseline’s Critical redeem entry above. Must preserve the substitutionary, many-for-one sacrificial sense.
Abomination Of Desolation
Approved rendering: το βδέλυγμα της ερημώσεως
Transliteration: to vdélygma tis erimóseos
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: βδέλυγμα της ερημώσεως αποδιδόμενο με ελεύθερη παράφραση ή αγκιστρωμένο σε σύγχρονα γεγονότα
Original: τὸ βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως
Category: Eschatology
24:15. A fixed apocalyptic technical term (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11); must not be paraphrased loosely; theologian review required every occurrence, framed non-speculatively.
Parousia
Approved rendering: παρουσία
Transliteration: parousía
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: παρουσία αποδιδόμενη με τη σύγχρονη σχολική/διοικητική έννοια της ‘παρουσίας’ (attendance), παρουσία ερμηνευμένη ως αόρατη, ήδη ενεστώσα κατάσταση (κατά το πρότυπο αιρετικών ερμηνειών)
Original: ἡ παρουσία τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου
Category: Eschatology
24:3,27,37,39. THE single most severe secular-bleaching risk in the curriculum: dominant modern sense is ordinary classroom/administrative attendance-taking. Anchor every occurrence to the Church’s own established liturgical phrase ‘η ένδοξη Δευτέρα Παρουσία’.
Eternal Punishment
Approved rendering: κόλαση αιώνια
Transliteration: kólasi aiónia
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: κόλαση αποδιδόμενη με την καθημερινή, υπερβολική έννοια οποιασδήποτε δυσάρεστης κατάστασης (‘κόλαση’ η κίνηση στο δρόμο), κόλαση αιώνια ερμηνευμένη ως αφανισμός/παύση ύπαρξης (αναιρετική ανάγνωση)
Original: κόλασιν αἰώνιον
Category: Eschatology
25:46, the climactic symmetrical pairing with eternal_life. Modern κόλασις is colloquially bleached to hyperbolic misery; must be anchored to full eschatological weight every occurrence.
Body And Blood Of The Covenant
Approved rendering: τούτο είναι το σώμα μου / το αίμα μου της διαθήκης
Transliteration: toúto eínai to sóma mou / to aíma mou tis diathíkis
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Rejected alternatives: διαθήκη ερμηνευμένη ως κληρονομική διαθήκη (last will and testament) στο πλαίσιο του Μυστικού Δείπνου
Original: τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ σῶμά μου / τὸ αἷμά μου τῆς διαθήκης
Category: Great Commission
26:26-28. Words repeated verbatim at every Divine Liturgy — simultaneously the greatest liturgical asset and the greatest risk of collapsing Matthew’s narrative-historical institution account into exclusively sacramental theology. Reuses baseline covenant caution, especially live here (a literal death-context declaration).
Crucify
Approved rendering: σταυρώνω
Transliteration: stavróno
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Rejected alternatives: σταυρώνω αμβλυμένο σε γενική μεταφορική έννοια θανάτωσης
Original: ἐσταύρωσαν
Category: Salvation
27:35. Verb-form of take_up_cross_deny_self above; must retain full historical/physical concreteness. Distinct from the baseline’s crucified_with_christ perfect-tense theological application — this is the historical narrative aorist.
Eli Eli Lema Sabachthani
Approved rendering: Ηλί, Ηλί, λεμά σαβαχθανί
Transliteration: Ilí, Ilí, lemá savachthaní
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Rejected alternatives: Ηλί Ηλί λεμά σαβαχθανί μεταφρασμένο πλήρως στα ελληνικά στο κύριο κείμενο, αντί να διατηρηθεί η μεταγραφή
Original: Ἠλί ἠλί, λεμὰ σαβαχθανί
Category: Prophecy
27:46. ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Psalm 22:1). Retain the transliteration exactly as Matthew himself preserved it (untranslated even for his own Greek-speaking audience), per the baseline’s Αββά precedent, paired with a translation gloss.
He Has Risen
Approved rendering: ανέστη / ηγέρθη
Transliteration: anésti / igérthi
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: ἠγέρθη
Category: Eschatology
28:6. Reuses the baseline resurrection verb-family exactly; the climactic fulfillment of every prior resurrection prediction, and the universally known Easter greeting register (‘Χριστός Ανέστη!’).
High Risk Terms
Gospel
Approved rendering: ευαγγέλιο
Transliteration: evangélio
Doctrine: Gospel
Original: εὐαγγέλιον
Category: Kingdom
[Inherited from Romans package.] Identical to the NT’s own εὐαγγέλιον; guard against the modern secular sense of ‘any good news’. Matthew: appears as the compound ‘ευαγγέλιο της βασιλείας’ (4:23; 9:35; 24:14) and ‘το ευαγγέλιο τούτο’ (26:13) — see gospel_of_the_kingdom below for the compound’s own added risk.
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.] Personal trust in Christ specifically. Matthew: tied repeatedly to Jesus’ authority to heal/save (8:10; 9:2,22,29; 15:28); its diminished form ολιγοπιστία (‘little faith’, 6:30; 14:31; 16:8) must be read as strained faith, not faith’s absence.
Called
Approved rendering: κλητός
Transliteration: klitós
Doctrine: Divine Calling
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: paired with εκλεκτοί (‘chosen’) at 22:14, ‘many are called (κλητοί) but few are chosen (εκλεκτοί)’ — retain the calling/election distinction carefully.
Sanctification
Approved rendering: αγιασμός
Transliteration: agiasmós
Doctrine: Sanctification
Original: ἁγιασμός (root ἅγιος)
Category: Sanctification
[Inherited from Romans package.] Distinguish from the Epiphany water-blessing rite of the same name. Matthew: implicit in the Lord’s Prayer petition ‘αγιασθήτω το όνομά σου’ (6:9).
Resurrection
Approved rendering: ανάσταση
Transliteration: anástasi
Doctrine: Resurrection of Christ
Original: ἀνάστασις
Category: Eschatology
[Inherited from Romans package.] A major cultural/liturgical asset (Πάσχα). Matthew: defended by Jesus against the Sadducees (22:23-33) and enacted at 28:6 (‘ανέστη/ηγέρθη’); see he_has_risen below. Note the doctrine registry elevates the Matthew-specific application to Critical given the resurrection’s centrality to chs. 27-28.
Incarnation
Approved rendering: ενανθρώπηση
Transliteration: enanthrópisi
Doctrine: Incarnation
Original: ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο (theological name for the event; Matthew narrates it in 1:18-23)
Category: Christology
[Inherited from Romans package.] Do not let Orthodox theosis framing displace Matthew’s own kinsman/Immanuel emphasis. Matthew: narrated directly at 1:18-23 (virgin conception, Immanuel).
Law
Approved rendering: νόμος
Transliteration: nómos
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Prophecy
Original: νόμος
Category: Covenant
[Inherited from Romans package.] Central to 5:17-18 (‘I have not come to abolish the Law… but to fulfill it’), 7:12, 22:36-40, 23:23. Modern νόμος defaults to civil legislation.
Sin
Approved rendering: αμαρτία
Transliteration: amartía
Doctrine: Universal Human Accountability
Rejected alternatives: αμαρτία με την καθημερινή, εξασθενημένη έννοια του ‘κρίμα’
Original: ἁμαρτία
Category: Sin
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: central to 1:21, 9:2-6 (authority to forgive sins), 18:15,21 (church discipline).
Obedience Of Faith
Approved rendering: υπακοή πίστεως
Transliteration: ypakoí písteos
Doctrine: Obedience of Faith
Rejected alternatives: υπακοή στους θεσμούς της Εκκλησίας ανεξάρτητα από την πίστη
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: connects to 28:20’s ‘teaching them to obey (τηρείν)’ — ongoing, faith-flowing obedience-formation, not mere institutional compliance. See teaching_them_to_obey below.
Covenant
Approved rendering: διαθήκη
Transliteration: diathíki
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Rejected alternatives: διαθήκη με τη σύγχρονη κυρίαρχη έννοια της κληρονομικής διαθήκης (legal will)
Original: διαθήκη
Category: Covenant
[Inherited from Romans package.] Activated with unusual force at 26:28 (‘my blood of the covenant’) because the Last Supper is literally a death-context declaration, making the ‘last will’ misreading especially live at that exact verse. See body_and_blood_of_the_covenant below.
Election
Approved rendering: εκλογή
Transliteration: eklogí
Doctrine: Effectual Calling
Rejected alternatives: εκλογή με τη σύγχρονη κυρίαρχη πολιτική έννοια (πολιτικές εκλογές, ψηφοφορία)
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: background to ‘κλητοί… εκλεκτοί’ at 22:14, though Matthew’s own term there is εκλεκτοί (‘chosen’) rather than εκλογή directly — retain the doctrinal link.
Promise
Approved rendering: υπόσχεση (επαγγελία)
Transliteration: epangelia
Doctrine: Covenant
Rejected alternatives: επαγγελία συγχεόμενη με το σύγχρονο ‘επάγγελμα’ (profession)
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: background to the Davidic and Abrahamic promise fulfilled in Jesus (1:1,17; 21:9).
Marks Of Jesus
Approved rendering: τα σημάδια του Ιησού
Transliteration: stigmata tou Iēsou
Doctrine: Sanctification
Rejected alternatives: στίγματα με τη σύγχρονη έννοια του κοινωνικού στίγματος/ντροπής, στίγματα αποκλειστικά ως καθολικά στίγματα (stigmata) ενός αγίου
[Inherited from Romans package.] Cross-referenced for Matthew’s Passion narrative (chs. 26-27): the same στίγμα-avoidance principle applies wherever Jesus’ wounds/scars are discussed in supporting teaching material.
Crucified With Christ
Approved rendering: έχω συσταυρωθεί με τον Χριστό
Transliteration: synestaurōmai
Doctrine: Christology
[Inherited from Romans package.] Perfect-tense theological application (Galatians 2:20), distinct from Matthew’s own narrative aorist describing the historical crucifixion event itself (27:35, σταυρώνω) — keep the two carefully distinguished. See crucify below.
Kingdom Of Heaven
Approved rendering: βασιλεία των ουρανών
Transliteration: vasileía tōn ouranṑn
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: βασιλεία των ουρανών ως αποκλειστικά μεταθανάτιος προορισμός (‘θα πάει στον ουρανό’)
Original: βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν
Category: Kingdom
Matthew’s preferred phrase (~32×). Modern ‘ο ουρανός’ is popularly identified almost exclusively with the afterlife, risking collapse of the present, inaugurated dimension (cf. 12:28). Mandatory teaching note stating identity with kingdom_of_god above. CORE PASSAGE: 5:3,10.
Poor In Spirit
Approved rendering: πτωχοί τω πνεύματι
Transliteration: ptochoí tō pneúmati
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: πτωχοί τω πνεύματι ως αποκλειστικά υλική φτώχεια, πτωχοί τω πνεύματι ως χαμηλή νοημοσύνη ή αδυναμία χαρακτήρα
Original: πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι
Category: Kingdom
CORE PASSAGE, 5:3. No single Modern Greek word combines material-poverty vocabulary with dispositional humility before God; retain the compound with a mandatory explanatory gloss anchoring it to humble dependence on God.
Pure In Heart
Approved rendering: καθαροί τη καρδία
Transliteration: katharoí tī kardía
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Rejected alternatives: καθαρός αποκλειστικά με ρετουαλιστική/λευιτική έννοια, καθαρός τη καρδία αποκλειστικά ως τεχνικό ησυχαστικό επίτευγμα
Original: καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ
Category: Righteousness
CORE PASSAGE, 5:8. Modern καθαρός is the ordinary word for physical cleanliness and also carries Levitical ritual-purity connotations; also risks narrowing to a technical hesychast attainment rather than a promise available to every disciple.
Peacemakers Sons Of God
Approved rendering: ειρηνοποιοί / υιοί Θεού
Transliteration: eirinopoioí / yioí Theoú
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: υιοί Θεού συγχεόμενο με το μοναδικό, αιώνιο Υιός του Θεού που αναφέρεται στον Χριστό
Original: εἰρηνοποιοί / υἱοὶ Θεοῦ
Category: Kingdom
CORE PASSAGE, 5:9. The plural, adoptive υιοί Θεού must never be confused with the baseline’s singular, unique Υιός του Θεού applied to Christ alone; near-identical surface forms require an explicit distinguishing note wherever both appear near each other.
Disciple
Approved rendering: μαθητής
Transliteration: mathitís
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Rejected alternatives: μαθητής αποκλειστικά ως μαθητής σχολείου/φοιτητής
Original: μαθητής
Category: Discipleship
Modern Greek’s ordinary, unmarked word for a schoolchild/pupil (‘μαθητές γυμνασίου’); risks flattening total-life apprenticeship into classroom enrollment. Pair consistently with ακολουθέω (‘follow’) vocabulary throughout Matthew. CORE PASSAGE context: 5:1.
Fulfilled
Approved rendering: πληρωθή / εκπληρωθή
Transliteration: plirothí / ekplirothí
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Rejected alternatives: πληρωθή συγχεόμενο με το ομόηχο πληρώνω (‘να πληρώσω λογαριασμό’)
Original: πληρωθῇ (from πληρόω)
Category: Prophecy
The fulfillment-citation formula (1:22; 2:15,17,23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 27:9). Near-homophone interference from the far commoner πληρώνω (‘to pay a bill’); render consistently with the fulfillment-specific verb, glossed on first occurrence.
King Of The Jews
Approved rendering: βασιλεύς των Ιουδαίων
Transliteration: vasilévs tōn Ioudaíōn
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων
Category: Christology
Bookends Jesus’ life: the Magi’s question (2:2) and the mocking cross inscription (27:37). Must retain the tension between the apparent political title and the deeper messianic/divine kingship.
Stone The Builders Rejected
Approved rendering: ο λίθος τον οποίο απεδοκίμασαν οι οικοδόμοι
Transliteration: o líthos ton opoío apedokímasan oi oikodómoi
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Original: λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες
Category: Prophecy
Direct Septuagint citation of Psalm 118:22, applied by Jesus to his own rejection-yet-vindication (21:42-44) — a genuine Greek-reader asset; present the LXX wording alongside Matthew’s citation rather than paraphrasing either.
Authority
Approved rendering: εξουσία
Transliteration: exousía
Doctrine: Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Original: ἐξουσία
Category: Authority
Stable, common Modern Greek word (governmental ‘οι αρχές’), but the doctrinal point — Jesus’ authority is inherent and unmediated, unlike the scribes’ derived, citation-based authority — must be actively drawn out (7:28-29; 9:6; 21:23-27; 28:18).
But I Say To You
Approved rendering: εγώ δε λέγω υμίν
Transliteration: egó de légo ymín
Doctrine: Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Rejected alternatives: εγώ δε λέγω υμίν ερμηνευμένο ως απλό ρητορικό σχήμα
Original: ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν
Category: Authority
Jesus’ repeated formula in the antitheses (5:21-48), asserting authority alongside or beyond the Law’s own giver; must not be flattened to a mere rhetorical device.
Perfect
Approved rendering: τέλειος
Transliteration: téleios
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Rejected alternatives: τέλειος με τη σύγχρονη αργκό έννοια του ‘τέλειο!’ (awesome/cool), τέλειος συγχεόμενο αποκλειστικά με την ορθόδοξη τεχνική κατηγορία της τελειώσεως ως δια βίου διαδικασία
Original: τέλειος
Category: Righteousness
5:48. Double-direction drift: modern slang trivializes it, while Orthodox τελείωσις (lifelong ascetic maturation) risks displacing Matthew’s this-worldly call to undivided, God-like love. Gloss both directions.
The Law And The Prophets
Approved rendering: ο νόμος και οι προφήτες
Transliteration: o nómos kai oi profítes
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Original: ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται
Category: Prophecy
Reuses baseline νόμος + προφήτης exactly. Interpretive key for the antitheses (5:17; 7:12; 22:40): Jesus fulfills, not abolishes.
Repentance
Approved rendering: μετάνοια / μετανοώ
Transliteration: metánoia / metanoó
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: μετάνοια περιοριζόμενη αποκλειστικά στο επίσημο Μυστήριο της Εξομολόγησης
Original: μετάνοια / μετανοέω
Category: Sanctification
Also the technical name of the Orthodox Sacrament of Repentance and Confession (Ιερά Εξομολόγησις); risk of narrowing John’s and Jesus’ whole-life summons (3:2,8,11; 4:17; 11:20-21) to the formal rite alone.
Temptation
Approved rendering: πειρασμός
Transliteration: peirasmós
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: πειρασμός
Category: Discipleship
Must render identically across the wilderness narrative (4:1-11), the Lord’s Prayer (6:13), and Gethsemane (26:41) to preserve the intended verbal echo.
Devil Satan
Approved rendering: διάβολος / Σατανάς
Transliteration: diávolos / Satanás
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Rejected alternatives: διάβολος αποδιδόμενος ως απρόσωπη αρχή του κακού
Original: διάβολος / Σατανᾶς
Category: Sin
A personal, malevolent spiritual adversary (4:1-11; 13:39); must remain personal throughout, never an abstraction.
Gospel Of The Kingdom
Approved rendering: ευαγγέλιο της βασιλείας
Transliteration: evangélio tis vasileías
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Original: εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας
Category: Kingdom
A compound of two independently High-risk terms (gospel + kingdom_of_heaven); both risk profiles (secular ‘good news’ bleaching and afterlife-only kingdom narrowing) apply simultaneously (4:23; 9:35; 24:14; 26:13).
Confess Deny
Approved rendering: ομολογώ / αρνούμαι
Transliteration: omologó / arnoúmai
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: ὁμολογήσει / ἀρνήσηται
Category: Discipleship
Same verb family (ομολογέω) as Romans 10:9’s Lordship confession; Matthew’s teaching (10:32-33) and Peter’s tragic denial (26:69-75) belong to the same theological category.
Lose Life To Find It
Approved rendering: ψυχή (απολέσει/ευρήσει)
Transliteration: psychí (apolései/evrísei)
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Rejected alternatives: ψυχή αποδιδόμενη αποκλειστικά με τη βιολογική έννοια της ζωής, χάνοντας το παράδοξο της αυταπάρνησης
Original: ὁ εὑρὼν τὴν ψυχὴν… ἀπολέσει… ὁ ἀπολέσας… εὑρήσει
Category: Discipleship
10:39; 16:25. ψυχή’s range (soul/life/whole self) requires context-sensitive handling to avoid a merely biological ‘life’ reading that misses the self-denial paradox.
The One Who Is To Come
Approved rendering: ο ερχόμενος
Transliteration: o erchómenos
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: ὁ ἐρχόμενος
Category: Christology
A fixed messianic-expectation title (11:3; cf. Psalm 118:26); keep the fixed, technical sense rather than a generic ‘someone coming’.
Keys Of The Kingdom
Approved rendering: κλείδες της βασιλείας
Transliteration: klídes tis vasileías
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Original: αἱ κλεῖδες τῆς βασιλείας
Category: Church
16:19. Stewardship/authority image (cf. Isaiah 22:22); carries the same denominational-sensitivity caution as rock_church_wordplay above.
Bind And Loose
Approved rendering: δένω / λύω
Transliteration: déno / lýo
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Rejected alternatives: δένω/λύω αποδιδόμενα αποκλειστικά με την καθημερινή σημασία ‘δένω/λύνω κόμπο’
Original: δήσῃς / λύσῃς
Category: Church
16:19; 18:18. Ordinary tie/untie verbs; the technical rabbinic sense (authoritative permit/forbid rulings, later forgiveness/discipline) is entirely invisible without a mandatory gloss.
Transfiguration
Approved rendering: μεταμόρφωσις
Transliteration: metamórfosis
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Rejected alternatives: μεταμόρφωσις συγχεόμενη με τη συνεχή, συμμετοχική μεταμόρφωση των πιστών (θέωση)
Original: μετεμορφώθη
Category: Christology
17:1-8. Major liturgical asset (Feast of the Metamorphosis, Aug. 6); shares the μορφή root with Romans 12:2’s believer-transformation — must distinguish Christ’s unique, once-for-all glory-unveiling from believers’ ongoing sanctification.
Brother Sins Against You
Approved rendering: εάν αμαρτήσει εις σε ο αδελφός σου
Transliteration: eán amartísei eis se o adelfós sou
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Original: ἐὰν ἁμαρτήσῃ [εἰς σὲ] ὁ ἀδελφός σου
Category: Church
18:15-17. Opens the church discipline procedure — the central text for this doctrine. The procedural weight (private confrontation, then witnesses, then the church) must be preserved as restorative, not punitive.
Treat As Gentile And Tax Collector
Approved rendering: ως ο εθνικός και ο τελώνης
Transliteration: os o ethnikós kai o telónis
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Original: ἔστω σοι ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης
Category: Church
18:17. Reuses the baseline gentiles root (here ἐθνικός); the final stage of unrepentant discipline — covenant exclusion, not casual social distancing.
Nation Producing Fruits
Approved rendering: έθνει ποιούντι τους καρπούς αυτής
Transliteration: éthnei poioúnti tous karpoús aftís
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Original: ἔθνει ποιοῦντι τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς
Category: Kingdom
21:43. Reuses baseline έθνη + καρπός roots; reframes covenant membership around responsiveness to Jesus rather than ethnicity.
Shutting Kingdom Of Heaven
Approved rendering: κλείετε την βασιλείαν των ουρανών
Transliteration: kleíete tin vasileían tōn ouranṑn
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Original: κλείετε τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν
Category: Kingdom
23:13. Reuses the High-risk kingdom_of_heaven phrase; the point is active obstruction by leaders, not passive neglect.
Great Tribulation
Approved rendering: μεγάλη θλίψις
Transliteration: megáli thlípsis
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Original: θλῖψις μεγάλη
Category: Eschatology
24:21. θλίψις ranges from ordinary hardship to intense eschatological distress in Modern Greek; the full eschatological weight must be actively signaled.
End Of The Age
Approved rendering: συντέλεια του αιώνος
Transliteration: syntéleia tou aiónos
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Original: ἡ συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος
Category: Eschatology
24:3. Frames the whole Olivet Discourse; requires careful, non-speculative framing alongside ‘no one knows the day or hour’ (24:36).
Least Of These My Brothers
Approved rendering: οι ελάχιστοι αδελφοί μου
Transliteration: oi eláchistoi adelfoí mou
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: κριτήριο της τελικής κρίσης ερμηνευμένο ως σωτηρία διά έργων, ανεξάρτητα από τη χάρη
Original: τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων
Category: Eschatology
25:31-46. Christ’s identification with the vulnerable/marginalized as the criterion of final judgment; frame within the whole Gospel’s grace framework, not as works-salvation.
Seated At The Right Hand
Approved rendering: καθήμενος εκ δεξιών
Transliteration: kathímenos ek dexión
Doctrine: Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Original: καθήμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τῆς δυνάμεως
Category: Christology
26:64. Combines Psalm 110:1 enthronement imagery with baseline power_of_god; Jesus’ own testimony to his coming exaltation before the Sanhedrin.
Trinitarian Baptismal Formula
Approved rendering: εις το όνομα του Πατρός και του Υιού και του Αγίου Πνεύματος
Transliteration: eis to ónoma tou Patrós kai tou Yioú kai tou Agíou Pnévmatos
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Rejected alternatives: τύπος διατηρημένος λεκτικά αλλά συνοδευόμενος από ερμηνεία που αρνείται την Τριάδα (υποτακτική ανάγνωση)
Original: εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος
Category: Great Commission
28:19. Doctrinally Critical (the Trinity itself) but unusually low lexical-ambiguity risk: this exact formula is used verbatim at every Orthodox baptism — a major liturgical asset. Must match established liturgical wording exactly.
I Am With You Always
Approved rendering: εγώ μεθ’ υμών ειμι πάσας τας ημέρας
Transliteration: egó meth’ ymón eimi pásas tas iméras
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Original: ἐγὼ μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν εἰμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας
Category: Great Commission
28:20. Deliberately echoes Immanuel (1:23) above, bookending the entire Gospel; actively teach this inclusio, since a Greek reader has direct access to both bookend texts in identical vocabulary.
Medium Risk Terms
Adoption
Approved rendering: υιοθεσία
Transliteration: yiothesía
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Original: υἱοθεσία (implicit in υἱοὶ Θεοῦ)
Category: Salvation
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: implicit at 5:9,45 (‘sons of your Father’), never named directly; must be kept lexically distinct from Christ’s unique Sonship — see peacemakers_sons_of_god below.
Peace
Approved rendering: ειρήνη
Transliteration: eiríni
Doctrine: Peace with God
Rejected alternatives: ειρήνη με την ησυχαστική έννοια της εσωτερικής ή νοερής ησυχίας (μυστικιστική παράδοση)
Original: εἰρήνη
Category: Discipleship
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew 10:34-36 (‘not peace but a sword’) must not be read as contradicting relational peace with God — see not_peace_but_sword below.
Church
Approved rendering: εκκλησία
Transliteration: ekklisía
Doctrine: Church as God’s People
Rejected alternatives: Εκκλησία αποκλειστικά ως ο θεσμός/η ιεραρχική Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία, ή αποκλειστικά το κτίριο
Original: ἐκκλησία
Category: Church
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew’s only two occurrences (16:18; 18:17) are both foundational and high-stakes — see rock_church_wordplay and brother_sins_against_you below.
Kingdom Of God
Approved rendering: βασιλεία του Θεού
Transliteration: vasileía tou Theoú
Doctrine: Kingdom Mission
Original: βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: Kingdom
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew uses this phrase only occasionally (12:28; 19:24; 21:31,43) against ~32 occurrences of his preferred ‘βασιλεία των ουρανών’ — every occurrence must cross-reference kingdom_of_heaven below as the same referent, never two kingdoms.
Gentiles
Approved rendering: έθνη
Transliteration: éthni
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Rejected alternatives: εθνικοί με σύγχρονη εθνικιστική χροιά
Original: ἔθνη
Category: Kingdom
[Inherited from Romans package.] Load-bearing for the Great Commission (28:19) and 21:43, 24:14; Modern Greek ‘έθνος’ carries nationalist overtones absent from Matthew’s ethnic-religious sense.
Glory
Approved rendering: δόξα
Transliteration: dóxa
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: δόξα με τη σύγχρονη έννοια της φήμης ή επιτυχίας
Original: δόξα
Category: Christology
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: attached to the Son of Man’s coming (16:27; 19:28; 24:30; 25:31).
Power Of God
Approved rendering: δύναμη Θεού
Transliteration: dýnami Theoú
Doctrine: Power of God for Salvation
Original: δύναμις θεοῦ
Category: God
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: 19:26 (salvation is God’s work, not human achievement), 22:29, 26:64 (‘seated at the right hand of Power’).
Mission
Approved rendering: αποστολή
Transliteration: apostolí
Doctrine: Mission to the Nations
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: undergirds the Great Commission (28:18-20) and the sending of the Twelve (ch. 10); in a historically Orthodox-majority culture, active evangelism framing (‘ευαγγελισμός’) carries a real proselytism sensitivity toward the already-baptized — see 12_ai_translation_requirements.md Matthew Additions.
Seed Of David
Approved rendering: σπέρμα Δαβίδ
Transliteration: spérma Davíd
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Original: σπέρμα Δαυίδ
Category: Covenant
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: background to 1:1’s genealogy; must be kept distinct from the dynamic acclamation title ‘Υιός Δαβίδ’ — see son_of_david below.
Traditions
Approved rendering: παραδόσεις
Transliteration: paradoseis
Doctrine: Church
Original: παραδόσεις
Category: Church
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: applied at 15:1-9 to ‘the tradition of the elders’; scope Jesus’ critique to tradition-as-rival-to-revealed-command, not tradition as such — a maximally positive word in Greek culture.
Seed
Approved rendering: σπέρμα
Transliteration: sperma
Doctrine: Covenant
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: distinguish the Christological/Abrahamic ‘seed’ sense from the distinct agricultural teaching-image ‘σπόρος/σπείρων’ of the sower parable (13:1-23) — see sower_and_seed below; do not conflate.
Servant Of Sin
Approved rendering: υπηρέτης της αμαρτίας
Transliteration: hamartias diakonos
Doctrine: Sin
[Inherited from Romans package.] The caution that modern διάκονος is almost exclusively the ordained deacon applies directly to Matthew 20:26 and 23:11’s generic servant-leadership sayings — see servant_leadership below.
Leaven
Approved rendering: ζύμη
Transliteration: zymē
Doctrine: Sin
[Inherited from Romans package.] Negative sense (corrupting influence) preserved at Matthew 16:6,11-12 (Pharisees’/Sadducees’ teaching), consistent with the Galatians baseline sense. Contrast the positive valence Matthew introduces at 13:33 — see leaven_positive below; do not let the two senses bleed into each other.
Sow And Reap
Approved rendering: ό,τι σπείρει ο άνθρωπος, αυτό και θα θερίσει
Transliteration: speirō / therizō
Doctrine: Eschatology
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: root reused for the harvest/laborers imagery of 9:37-38 (‘the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few’) leading into the Twelve’s commissioning in ch. 10; guard against impersonal karma-like readings, per baseline note.
Mourn And Comforted
Approved rendering: πενθούντες / παρακληθήσονται
Transliteration: penthoúntes / paraklithísontai
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Original: πενθοῦντες / παρακληθήσονται
Category: Kingdom
CORE PASSAGE, 5:4. παρακληθήσονται shares its root with the baseline’s exhort entry (προτρέπω/παρακαλέω); guard the divine-passive sense (God himself comforts) against the everyday conversational register of παρακαλώ (‘please/you’re welcome’).
Meek Inherit Earth
Approved rendering: πραείς / κληρονομήσουσι την γην
Transliteration: praeís / klironomísousi tin gin
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: πραείς ως αδυναμία ή παθητικότητα
Original: πραεῖς / κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν
Category: Kingdom
CORE PASSAGE, 5:5. πραείς risks drifting to ‘weak/passive’; retain the biblical sense of restrained strength (cf. 11:29; Numbers 12:3 LXX of Moses). κληρονομήσουσι shares the κληρο- root with the stable baseline κληρονόμος (heir).
Merciful
Approved rendering: ελεήμονες / ελεηθήσονται
Transliteration: eleímones / eleithísontai
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: ἐλεήμονες / ἐλεηθήσονται
Category: Righteousness
CORE PASSAGE, 5:7. The έλεος root is a major liturgical asset (‘Κύριε, ελέησον’); guard against narrowing ελεήμονες to a ritual petition-formula rather than Matthew’s ethical demand that disciples themselves extend mercy horizontally.
Persecuted For Righteousness
Approved rendering: δεδιωγμένοι ένεκεν δικαιοσύνης
Transliteration: dediogménoi héneken dikaiosýnis
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης
Category: Discipleship
CORE PASSAGE, 5:10-11. Perfect participle signals a settled state, not a single event. Doctrinal weight rests on the Critical righteousness entry and the High kingdom_of_heaven inclusio.
Reward
Approved rendering: μισθός
Transliteration: misthós
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Rejected alternatives: μισθός αμιγώς ως συμβατική/εμπορική αμοιβή αποκομμένη από τη χάρη
Original: μισθός
Category: Discipleship
CORE PASSAGE, 5:12; also 6:1-18. Modern Greek’s ordinary word for a salary/wage risks a transactional, earnings-based misreading unless paired with grace teaching.
Immanuel
Approved rendering: Εμμανουήλ
Transliteration: Emmanouíl
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: Ἐμμανουήλ
Category: Christology
Retain transliteration, paired with the gloss ‘Θεός μεθ’ ημών’. Bookends the Gospel with 28:20’s ‘I am with you always’ — actively teach the inclusio.
Hosanna
Approved rendering: Ωσαννά
Transliteration: Osanná
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: Ὡσαννά
Category: Christology
Retain established transliteration; a shout of messianic acclamation from Psalm 118:25-26 (21:9).
Sign Of Jonah
Approved rendering: σημείον Ιωνά
Transliteration: símeion Ioná
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Original: σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ
Category: Prophecy
Typological link (12:39-40) pointing forward to Jesus’ three days in the tomb; ties Fulfillment of Prophecy to the Resurrection doctrine.
Baptism
Approved rendering: βάπτισμα / βαπτίζω
Transliteration: váptisma / vaptízō
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Original: βάπτισμα / βαπτίζω
Category: Sanctification
Must distinguish John’s preparatory rite of repentance (ch. 3) from the full Trinitarian sacrament instituted at 28:19 — an explicit two-stage teaching note is required, not assumed.
Leaven Positive
Approved rendering: ζύμη
Transliteration: zými
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Original: ζύμη (positive sense)
Category: Kingdom
13:33. VALENCE-REVERSAL FLAG: the baseline (Galatians) treats leaven as negative corrupting influence; Matthew reverses the valence to a positive image of the kingdom’s pervasive, hidden growth. Never let the negative Galatians connotation bleed into this verse.
Sower And Seed
Approved rendering: σπόρος / σπείρων
Transliteration: spóros / speírōn
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Original: ὁ σπείρων / σπόρος
Category: Kingdom
13:1-23. Shares the σπέρμα root with the baseline’s Abrahamic/Christological ‘seed’ but is a distinct agricultural teaching image in Matthew — do not conflate the two senses.
Not Peace But Sword
Approved rendering: ουκ ειρήνη αλλά μάχαιρα
Transliteration: ouk eiríni allá máchaira
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: οὐκ εἰρήνην ἀλλὰ μάχαιραν
Category: Discipleship
10:34-36. Must not be read as contradicting baseline peace (peace with God) — this-age relational division, not the absence of peace with God.
Yoke And Rest
Approved rendering: ζυγός / ανάπαυσις
Transliteration: zygós / anápafsis
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Rejected alternatives: ανάπαυσις αποδιδόμενη αποκλειστικά ως τεχνικό ησυχαστικό επίτευγμα
Original: ὁ ζυγός μου χρηστός / ἀνάπαυσις
Category: Discipleship
11:28-30. ζυγός draws on a live rabbinic Torah-observance metaphor (asset); ανάπαυσις has a possible, non-necessary Hesychast resonance — anchor to relational rest found in Christ himself.
Son Of Man Must Suffer
Approved rendering: δεί τον υιόν του ανθρώπου παθείν
Transliteration: deí ton yión tou anthrópou pathín
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παθεῖν
Category: Christology
16:21; 17:12; 26:54. δεῖ conveys divine narrative necessity (‘it is [divinely] necessary’), not mere fatalistic inevitability; this force should be drawn out explicitly.
Two Or Three Witnesses
Approved rendering: δύο ή τρεις μάρτυρες / συνηγμένοι
Transliteration: dýo í treis mártyres / synigménoi
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Original: δύο ἢ τρεῖς μάρτυρες / συνηγμένοι
Category: Church
18:16,20. Draws on Deuteronomic legal procedure (Deut 19:15), establishing due process.
Seventy Times Seven
Approved rendering: εβδομηκοντάκις επτά
Transliteration: evdomikontákis eptá
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Original: ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά
Category: Church
18:21-22. A hyperbolic idiom for limitless forgiveness, grounding church discipline’s ultimate goal in forgiveness, not punishment.
Greatest Commandment Love
Approved rendering: αγάπη / αγαπώ
Transliteration: agápi / agapó
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Rejected alternatives: αγαπώ αποδιδόμενο με την καθημερινή, ελαφρή έννοια του ‘μου αρέσει’
Original: ἀγαπήσεις … ἀγάπη
Category: Righteousness
22:37-39. Greek’s native ἀγάπη/ἔρωτας/φιλία distinction is a genuine asset unavailable to most target languages, but everyday αγαπώ (‘αγαπώ το ποδόσφαιρο’) risks diluting the command’s total, self-giving weight.
Woe
Approved rendering: ουαί
Transliteration: ouaí
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: οὐαί
Category: Righteousness
23:13-36. A prophetic pronouncement of coming judgment, delivered sevenfold against religious hypocrisy.
No One Knows Day Or Hour
Approved rendering: ουδείς γνωρίζει την ημέρα ή την ώρα
Transliteration: oudeís gnorízei tin iméra í tin óra
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Original: οὐδεὶς οἶδεν… εἰ μὴ ὁ πατὴρ μόνος
Category: Eschatology
24:36. A deliberate limitation on speculative date-setting; must be preserved as an explicit guard against date-setting/prediction schemes.
Be Watchful
Approved rendering: γρηγορείτε
Transliteration: grigoreíte
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Original: γρηγορεῖτε
Category: Eschatology
24:42-44; 25:13. The practical imperative response to eschatological uncertainty.
Talents
Approved rendering: τάλαντα
Transliteration: tálanta
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: τάλαντα αποδιδόμενα αποκλειστικά με τη σύγχρονη έννοια του φυσικού χαρίσματος, χάνοντας την αρχική νομισματική σημασία
Original: τάλαντα
Category: Eschatology
25:14-30. Parallel secular-bleaching to English ‘talent’ (natural gift). Teach the parable’s original monetary sense first; the natural-gift resonance may be used constructively afterward.
Gethsemane Not My Will
Approved rendering: Γεθσημανή / θέλημα
Transliteration: Gethsimaní / thélima
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω ἀλλ᾽ ὡς σύ
Category: Christology
26:36-46. θέλημα root reused from chs. 6, 12; Jesus’ submission to the Father’s will in anguish.
Betrayed Handed Over
Approved rendering: παραδίδωμι
Transliteration: paradídomi
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: παρεδίδου
Category: Christology
26:14-16,46-50. Ranges from neutral ‘hand over’ to treacherous ‘betray’; context must make the treacherous sense of Judas’s act unmistakable.
Veil Of The Temple Torn
Approved rendering: το καταπέτασμα εσχίσθη
Transliteration: to katapétasma eschísthi
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: τὸ καταπέτασμα ἐσχίσθη
Category: Salvation
27:51. καταπέτασμα is the temple’s inner veil separating the Holy of Holies; a dramatic sign signaling new, direct access to God.
Teaching Them To Obey
Approved rendering: διδάσκοντας να τηρούν
Transliteration: didáskontas na tiroún
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Original: διδάσκοντες αὐτοὺς τηρεῖν
Category: Great Commission
28:20. Connects to baseline obedience_of_faith; τηρέω conveys careful, ongoing keeping — discipleship as ongoing formation, not one-time enrollment.
Servant Leadership
Approved rendering: διάκονος
Transliteration: diákonos
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Rejected alternatives: διάκονος περιοριζόμενο στο σύγχρονο εκκλησιαστικό αξίωμα του διακόνου
Original: ὁ δὲ μείζων ὑμῶν ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος
Category: Church
20:26; 23:11. Same word later specialized as the ordained office of ‘deacon’; reuses the baseline servant_of_sin caution to keep the generic servant-sense clear here, redefining greatness as service.
Low Risk Terms
Apostle
Approved rendering: απόστολος
Transliteration: apóstolos
Doctrine: Apostleship
Original: ἀπόστολος
Category: Church
[Inherited from Romans package.] Stable and unambiguous. Matthew: the Twelve formally commissioned and named ‘the twelve apostles’ at 10:1-4.
Thanksgiving
Approved rendering: ευχαριστία
Transliteration: efcharistía
Doctrine: Thanksgiving
Rejected alternatives: Θεία Ευχαριστία αποκλειστικά (η Ευχαριστία ως Μυστήριο)
Original: εὐχαριστία / εὐχαριστέω
Category: Faith
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: 15:36 (ordinary gratitude) and, weightily, 26:27 (Last Supper) where the sacramental sense is directly and legitimately active.
Fellowship
Approved rendering: κοινωνία
Transliteration: koinonía
Doctrine: Christian Fellowship
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.] Matthew: implicit in Jesus’ table fellowship with tax collectors and sinners (9:10-13) and the Last Supper (26:26-29).
Prophet
Approved rendering: προφήτης
Transliteration: profítis
Doctrine: Inspiration of Scripture
[Inherited from Romans package.] Load-bearing throughout the fulfillment-citation formula; see fulfilled below.
Prophecy
Approved rendering: προφητεία
Transliteration: profiteía
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Prophecy
[Inherited from Romans package.] Stable throughout.
David
Approved rendering: Δαβίδ
Transliteration: Davíd
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Original: Δαυίδ
Category: Covenant
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: 1:1,6,17,20; 9:27; 12:3,23; 15:22; 20:30-31; 21:9,15; 22:42-45.
Israel
Approved rendering: Ισραήλ
Transliteration: Israíl
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Original: Ἰσραήλ
Category: Covenant
[Inherited from Romans package.] Matthew: 2:6,20-21; 8:10; 9:33; 10:6,23; 15:24,31; 19:28; 27:9,42 — keep distinct from the modern political state.
Hypocrisy
Approved rendering: υποκρισία
Transliteration: hypokrisis
Doctrine: Sin
Original: ὑπόκρισις / ὑποκριτής
Category: Righteousness
[Inherited from Romans package.] Zero-gap word. Matthew: repeated indictment (6:2,5,16; 7:5; 15:7; 22:18; 23:13-29; 24:51) — doctrinally High in the context of the sevenfold woes of ch. 23.
Certainly Not
Approved rendering: μη γένοιτο
Transliteration: mē genoito
Doctrine: Faith
Original: μὴ γένοιτο
Category: Faith
[Inherited from Romans package.] Retained for cross-curriculum glossary consistency though not directly quoted in Matthew.
It Is Written
Approved rendering: γέγραπται
Transliteration: gégraptai
Doctrine: Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Original: γέγραπται
Category: Authority
Stable citation formula; Jesus’ threefold response to temptation (4:4,7,10) models Scripture as final authority.
Referenced passages