Semantic Analysis

Semantic Analysis — The Gospel of John (English → Konkani)

Scope and Method

This document analyzes the Gospel of John in the original Koine Greek across all 21 chapters, for the purpose of preparing Konkani (Devanagari script) translation requirements. Where a term already exists in the Romans baseline translation_memory.json (e.g. sin, law, grace, faith, holy_spirit, son_of_god, resurrection, lord, messiah, israel, jesus, god, father, glory, church, kingdom_of_god, sanctification, salvation), that established rendering is reused exactly and is only re-cited here where John’s usage introduces a new nuance requiring a translator note. Terms new to this curriculum (introduced by John’s distinctive vocabulary — Logos, monogenēs, “I am,” Paraclete, sēmeion, etc.) are analyzed in full and proposed for addition to translation memory in Phase 1 Step 2.

Because John’s Gospel is saturated with realized/dualistic vocabulary (light/darkness, above/below, flesh/Spirit, believe/disbelieve, life/death) that collides more directly than Romans does with Goan Vedantic monism, avatar theology, and guru-disciple religious structures, several NEW Critical-risk items are flagged below that did not appear in the Romans registry (e.g. Word/Logos, Son of Man, the Hour, I and the Father are one, before the world was).

PART 1 — Core Passage: John 3:1–21 (Verse-by-Verse)

John 3:1

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
Pharisees	Φαρισαῖος	Pharisaios	”separated ones”	A Jewish religious-legal party emphasizing Torah observance and oral tradition	Pharisee(s)	Nicodemus’s party marks him as a serious, learned religious authority, not a casual inquirer	फरीसी (Farīsī), transliteration — Low/Medium: a proper religious-group name; no Hindu-tradition collision, but must not be rendered generically as “priest” or “sadhu,” which would misidentify the group
ruler of the Jews	ἄρχων τῶν Ἰουδαίων	archōn tōn Ioudaiōn	ruler/official of the Judeans	member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council	ruler, leader, member of the council	Establishes Nicodemus’s high social-religious status, heightening the irony that even Israel’s teacher does not understand the new birth (v.10)	अधिकारी (adhikārī, official/ruler) — Medium: must not be rendered with a term implying priestly caste status, which could import Goan Brahminical hierarchy connotations
Jews	Ἰουδαῖος	Ioudaios	Judean/Jew	Ethnic-religious identity; in John often narrows to “Jewish religious authorities” in polemical contexts	Jew(s), Judean(s), Jewish leaders	Sensitive term across John’s Gospel — sometimes the whole people, sometimes specifically hostile leaders	यहुदी (Yahūdī) — High: reviewers must track whether a given occurrence means “the Jewish people” broadly or “the Jewish authorities” narrowly, to avoid any translation that reads as blanket ethnic hostility

John 3:2

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
Rabbi	ῥαββί	rhabbi	”my great one/my teacher”	Honorific address to a respected religious teacher	Rabbi, Teacher, Master	Nicodemus’s polite but inadequate opening address — he does not yet grasp who Jesus truly is	रब्बी (rabbī), transliteration retained — Medium: must not be rendered गुरू, which (per the Romans baseline’s apostle note) carries strong Goan guru-disciple devotional-authority associations; रब्बी is kept as a proper title, distinct in kind from a guru
teacher	διδάσκαλος	didaskalos	one who instructs	Formal religious instructor	teacher, master	Nicodemus rightly recognizes Jesus as a teacher but not yet as the divine Son	शिक्षक (śikṣak) — Medium: same guru-avoidance concern as above
signs	σημεῖα	sēmeia	signs, tokens	Miraculous acts that reveal identity/glory, not mere wonder-display	signs, miracles, miraculous signs	John’s distinctive term for Jesus’s miracles as revelatory pointers to his divine identity (cf. 2:11; 20:30-31)	चिन्ह (cinha) — Medium: must be distinguished from चमत्कार-style guru/godman wonder-working performed for reputation; John’s signs reveal glory and invite belief, they are not displays of personal spiritual attainment

John 3:3

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
Truly, truly	Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν	amēn amēn	”amen amen”	John’s distinctive solemn double-affirmation formula introducing weighty sayings (25×)	Truly truly, verily verily, I tell you the truth	Marks the following statement as an authoritative, non-negotiable divine pronouncement	आमेन, आमेन (transliteration, per baseline transliteration standards) — Low: established transliterated form
born again / born from above	γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν	gennēthē anōthen	”be born from-above / be born again”	ἄνωθεν has a genuine double sense in Greek: (1) “again/anew,” (2) “from above”	born again, born anew, born from above	THE pivot term of the passage. Nicodemus hears only “again” (v.4); Jesus’s fuller meaning includes divine origin (“from above,” reinforced by v.31, “he who comes from above”). Both senses are theologically active	परतून जल्मप (paratun jalmap, “born again”) primary, with वयल्यान जल्मप (vayalyān jalmap, “born from above”) as the complementary sense — Critical: Konkani, like most languages, has no single word carrying both senses simultaneously. TRANSLATOR NOTE required at first occurrence explaining the double meaning is lost and must be recovered via footnote or paired phrasing, not silently resolved to only one sense
kingdom of God	βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ	basileia tou theou	reign/rule of God	God’s sovereign reign	kingdom of God, God’s reign	Only two occurrences in John’s whole Gospel (3:3, 3:5) — the new birth is the entry requirement for this reign	देवाचें राज्य — REUSED FROM ROMANS TM exactly, no change

John 3:4

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
be born	γεννηθῆναι	gennēthēnai	to be born	Physical birth (Nicodemus’s literal misunderstanding)	be born	Nicodemus’s literalism sets up the flesh/Spirit contrast of v.6	जल्मप (jalmap) — Low, ordinary verb; risk is entirely in the reader tracking Nicodemus’s misunderstanding as intentional narrative irony, not doctrinal content per se
a second time	δεύτερον	deuteron	second, a second time	Numeric repetition	again, a second time	Confirms Nicodemus reads ἄνωθεν as “again” only, missing “from above”	दुसरो पावटी (dusro pāvṭī) — Low

John 3:5

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
born of water and the Spirit	γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος	gennēthē ex hydatos kai pneumatos	born from water and spirit	Debated referent: possibly baptism, possibly natural birth + spiritual birth, possibly an allusion to Ezekiel 36:25-27 (cleansing water + Spirit renewal)	born of water and the Spirit	Entry into God’s kingdom requires a Spirit-wrought new birth, not human effort or ritual alone	उदक आनी आत्म्या पासून जल्मप (udak āni ātmyā pāsun jalmap) — Critical: this phrase must not be reduced to teaching that ritual water (e.g., temple tank bathing, river bathing in Mandovi-area pilgrimage practice) itself regenerates; the Spirit’s work is primary. TRANSLATOR NOTE: preserve ambiguity rather than resolving to a single interpretive tradition; flag for human theologian review given denominational sensitivity around baptismal theology
Spirit	πνεῦμα	pneuma	wind/breath/spirit	Here: the Holy Spirit (contextually determined, see v.8 for the pun)	Spirit, the Spirit	The Spirit, not human religious effort, causes the new birth	पवित्र आत्मा — REUSED FROM ROMANS TM (holy_spirit) where the referent is the Holy Spirit specifically; bare आत्मा used when the wordplay with “wind” is in view (v.8)

John 3:6

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
flesh	σάρξ	sarx	flesh, physical body	Human nature/origin as merely biological, in contrast to Spirit-given nature	flesh, human nature, physical body	What is born of ordinary human generation remains merely human; only the Spirit produces what is spiritually alive	देह (deha) — High: must not be confused with देहधारण (incarnation, already in Romans TM) in a way that implies Christ’s taking of flesh is the same category as ordinary human sarx-birth; note the shared root देह is acceptable but the theological referents differ sharply
Spirit (parallel to flesh)	πνεῦμα	pneuma	spirit	What is born of the Spirit shares the Spirit’s nature — spiritually alive	spirit	The new nature given in regeneration is genuinely spiritual, not a mere moral improvement of the old nature	आत्मो (ātmo) — High: distinguish from Vedantic ātman (individual self / universal Self); here it denotes Spirit-given new life-nature, not a pre-existent eternal soul awaiting liberation

John 3:7

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
born again/from above	γεννηθῆναι ἄνωθεν	gennēthēnai anōthen	(see v.3)	(see v.3)	born again	Restates v.3’s necessity as a plural command (“you all”) — universal requirement	(see v.3) — same Critical-risk handling applies

John 3:8

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
wind/Spirit pun	τὸ πνεῦμα … πνεῖ	to pneuma … pnei	”the wind/Spirit blows”	πνεῦμα is a single Greek word for both “wind” and “Spirit”; the verse trades on this identity	the wind, the Spirit	The mysterious, sovereign, uncontrollable movement of the wind illustrates the Spirit’s sovereign, uncontrollable work in the new birth	वारें (vāre, wind) / आत्मो (ātmo, Spirit) — Medium, translation-loss flag: Konkani (like most target languages) has no single word spanning both senses. TRANSLATOR NOTE required: the wordplay is lost in Konkani and should be recovered via a footnote explaining that the Greek uses one word for both “wind” and “Spirit”

John 3:9–10

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
teacher of Israel	ὁ διδάσκαλος τοῦ Ἰσραήλ	ho didaskalos tou Israēl	the teacher of Israel	A recognized, credentialed religious authority	the teacher of Israel	Jesus’s gentle rebuke: Israel’s foremost teacher should have recognized this from the OT Scriptures (e.g. Ezekiel 36)	इस्राएलाचो शिक्षक (Isrāelāco śikṣak) — Israel REUSED FROM ROMANS TM; शिक्षक as in v.2 — Medium

John 3:11

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
we speak/bear witness	λαλοῦμεν … μαρτυροῦμεν	laloumen … martyroumen	we speak … we testify	Legal/testimonial vocabulary — witness borne to what has actually been seen/known, not opinion	testify, bear witness, witness to	Establishes the epistemic authority of Jesus’s (and by extension the apostolic) testimony	साक्ष दिवप (sākṣa divap, to bear witness) — Medium: must convey courtroom-grade reliability of testimony, not casual personal opinion

John 3:12

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
earthly things / heavenly things	τὰ ἐπίγεια / τὰ ἐπουράνια	ta epigeia / ta epourania	the earthly things / the heavenly things	Things belonging to the earth vs. things belonging to heaven	earthly matters, heavenly matters	The new birth (an “earthly” illustration Nicodemus still can’t grasp) is easier than the deeper heavenly realities Jesus is about to disclose (his own heavenly origin, v.13)	सांसारीक गजाली (sānsārīk gajālī) / स्वर्गीय गजाली (svargīy gajālī) — Medium

John 3:13

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
ascended / descended	ἀναβέβηκεν / καταβάς	anabebēken / katabas	has gone up / having come down	Movement between heaven and earth	ascended, gone up to heaven / descended, come down from heaven	Only the Son of Man has both a heavenly origin and has come down — his pre-existence and incarnation are asserted in one breath	वयर वचप (vayar vacap) / सकयल येवप (sakayal yevap) — Critical: directly teaches Christ’s pre-existence; must not be softened to a merely visionary “ascent/descent” experience such as claimed by other regional religious figures, nor read as one of repeated avatar-descents
Son of Man	ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	ho huios tou anthrōpou	the son of the man	Christ’s favored self-designation (~12× in John), echoing Daniel 7:13’s exalted heavenly figure who receives an everlasting kingdom	Son of Man	A messianic self-title combining true humanity with heavenly, divine authority — deliberately paired with, not opposed to, “Son of God”	मनशाचो पुत्र (manaśāco putra) — Critical (NEW John-specific term): must be introduced with an explanatory note distinguishing it from “Son of God” (देवाचो पुत्र) — both are true, complementary titles, not competing ones; risk of collapsing “Son of Man” into a merely human, non-divine title

John 3:14

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
lifted up	ὑψωθῆναι	hypsōthēnai	to be lifted up/exalted	Double meaning throughout John: physical lifting up on the cross AND exaltation/glorification	lifted up, exalted, raised up	The cross itself is, paradoxically, Christ’s glorification — crucifixion and exaltation are one event in John’s theology	वयर काडप (vayar kāḍap, “lifted up”) — Critical: TRANSLATOR NOTE required at every occurrence (3:14; 8:28; 12:32-34) explaining the deliberate double meaning (crucifixion + glorification), which a single Konkani verb will not automatically convey
serpent (typology)	ὄφις	ophis	serpent, snake	Refers to Numbers 21:4-9, the bronze serpent Moses lifted up for healing	serpent, bronze serpent	Old Testament type: looking to the lifted-up serpent brought physical healing; looking to the lifted-up Son brings eternal life	सर्प (sarp) — Medium: requires OT background note (Numbers 21) for readers with low OT narrative literacy, per the baseline audience assumption

John 3:15

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
believes	πιστεύων	pisteuōn	believing, trusting	Ongoing, continuous trust, not a one-time intellectual assent	believe, trust in	The object of faith is “him” (the lifted-up Son) — trust in a specific person, not generic religious belief	विश्वास करपी / विश्वासता — विश्वास REUSED FROM ROMANS TM (faith) verb form — High
eternal life	ζωὴν αἰώνιον	zōēn aiōnion	life of the age (to come)	Not merely unending duration but the quality of life belonging to God’s age, received now and consummated in resurrection	eternal life, everlasting life	Key new term for John’s Gospel, first appearing here; the goal and result of believing in the lifted-up Son	सार्वकालिक जीवन (sārvakālik jīvan) — Critical (NEW John-specific term): must be carefully distinguished from मोक्ष (liberation from the rebirth cycle) and from an impersonal merging with Brahman/Paramatma; John’s eternal life is relational and personal — knowing the Father and the Son (17:3) — not dissolution of personal identity. TRANSLATOR NOTE required at first occurrence

John 3:16

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
loved	ἠγάπησεν	ēgapēsen	loved (aorist, a decisive act)	Self-giving, sacrificial love, not mere affection or emotional attachment	loved, so loved	God’s initiating, sacrificial love toward a world in rebellion — the theological ground of the whole verse	मोग केलो (mog kelo) — High (NEW John-specific term): मोग is the natural Konkani word for love; must be taught with the full weight of ἀγάπη (self-giving, sacrificial, initiated by God) rather than left to default to romantic or purely devotional (bhakti) senses
the world	τὸν κόσμον	ton kosmon	the world, the ordered universe/humanity	Here: fallen humanity as a whole, the object of God’s redemptive love (elsewhere in John, “world” can mean the God-opposing system, e.g. 15:18-19)	the world, humanity, mankind	God’s love is not restricted to Israel or to any single people/caste — it is directed to “the world” without qualification	जग (jag) — High (NEW John-specific term): note the dual Johannine usage (object of God’s redeeming love here vs. the hostile “world system” elsewhere, e.g. 15:18); flag as part of the “Universal Scope of the Gospel” doctrine, with particular resonance for a caste-divided or Hindu/Catholic-divided audience
only Son / only-begotten	τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ	ton huion ton monogenē	the only/unique-born Son	Unique, one-of-a-kind Sonship — not “only” in the sense of numerically first among many begotten, but categorically unique	only Son, only-begotten Son, one and only Son	Christ’s Sonship is singular and unrepeatable — foundational to both the incarnation and the gift of him “for the world”	एकुलतो पुत्र (ekulto putra) — Critical (NEW John-specific term): must not be read as implying the Son was created or came into being at a point in time (as if “begotten” meant “made”); the note must clarify this is eternal, unique relationship, consistent with देवाचो पुत्र already in the Romans TM
perish	ἀπόληται	apolētai	be destroyed, be lost	Everlasting separation/ruin, the negative counterpart to eternal life	perish, be lost, be destroyed	The alternative to eternal life is not reincarnation into another existence but genuine, final loss	नाश जावप (nāś jāvap) — High (NEW John-specific term): must not be conflated with the Hindu cycle of rebirth (an ongoing series of lives); this is a final, not cyclical, outcome

This verse functions in John’s Gospel much as Romans 1:16-17 functions in Romans — a thesis-level statement. Per the Theological Consistency Rules already established for the Romans package, John 3:16 must receive one single, fixed Konkani rendering used identically across every curriculum document.

John 3:17

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
condemn	κρίνῃ	krinē	judge, condemn	Judicial condemnation	condemn, judge, sentence	Christ’s first coming had a saving, not a condemning, purpose (final judgment is reserved, cf. 3:18b)	दोषी थारावप (doṣī thārāvap, “declare guilty”) — Critical (NEW John-specific term): parallels the structure of नीतिमान ठरवणें (justification) already in the Romans TM — a declarative/forensic act, not an emotional reaction
saved	σωθῇ	sōthē	be saved, be rescued	Deliverance from condemnation through Christ	be saved, be rescued	Salvation, not condemnation, is the purpose of Christ’s mission to the world	तारण (verb form: तारण जावप) — REUSED FROM ROMANS TM (salvation) — Critical

John 3:18

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
not condemned / condemned already	οὐ κρίνεται / ἤδη κέκριται	ou krinetai / ēdē kekritai	is not judged / has already been judged	Present spiritual status, not only a future verdict	not condemned / already condemned	Belief or unbelief in Christ determines one’s present standing before God, not merely a future outcome	दोषी न्हय / आदींच दोषी थारला (see v.17) — Critical
name of the only Son of God	τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ μονογενοῦς υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ	to onoma tou monogenous huiou tou theou	the name of the only Son of God	”Name” carries the Hebraic sense of identity, authority, and person, not merely a label	the name of the only Son of God	To disbelieve “in the name” is to reject the person and authority of Christ himself	नांव (nāv, name) combined with एकुलतो पुत्र + देवाचो पुत्र (REUSED) — Critical: brief note that “name” = the person/identity/authority, not a mere label

John 3:19

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
judgment	ἡ κρίσις	hē krisis	the judgment, the verdict	The noun form — here describing the very fact/mechanism of judgment, not merely its verdict	judgment, verdict, the basis of judgment	The judgment is self-selecting: people condemn themselves by preferring darkness	न्याय (nyāy) — Critical (NEW John-specific term): must not collapse into an impersonal karmic mechanism (“what goes around comes around”); this is a personal response to a personal light
light	τὸ φῶς	to phōs	light	Christ himself as the revealing, exposing light that has entered the world	the light, light	Christ’s arrival forces a moral choice; light exposes what darkness conceals	उजवाड (ujavāḍ) — High (NEW John-specific term): must be distinguished from Hindu “light of knowledge/jnana” tropes that dispel ignorance (avidya) through insight alone; John’s light/darkness is a moral and relational choice for or against a person, not merely an epistemic awakening
darkness	τὸ σκότος	to skotos	darkness	Moral and spiritual opposition to God, preferred by those whose deeds are evil	darkness	People’s preference for darkness over light is a moral verdict on themselves, not an accident of birth or caste	काळोख (kāḷokh) — High
evil deeds/works	τὰ ἔργα … πονηρά	ta erga … ponēra	wicked works/deeds	Actions expressing rebellion against God	evil works, wicked deeds	The reason people avoid the light — self-exposure of sin	वायट कामां (vāyaṭ kāmā) — Medium

John 3:20

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
hates the light / does not come to the light	μισεῖ τὸ φῶς / οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς	misei to phōs / ouk erchetai pros to phōs	hates the light / does not come to the light	Active avoidance, not passive ignorance	hates the light, avoids the light	Unbelief is morally culpable avoidance, not innocent unfamiliarity	उजवाडाचो तिरस्कार करता (ujavāḍāco tiraskār kartā) — Medium
exposed	ἐλεγχθῇ	elenchthē	be exposed, be reproved	Bringing hidden things to light for correction/verdict	be exposed, be reproved	Fear of exposure, not intellectual doubt, is the deeper reason for avoiding Christ	उघड जावप (ughaḍ jāvap) — Medium

John 3:21

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
does what is true	ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν	ho poiōn tēn alētheian	the one doing the truth	A Hebraic idiom meaning “lives faithfully/truthfully,” not merely “states true facts”	does the truth, lives truthfully	Genuine faith is expressed in a life that comes into the light willingly	सत्याप्रमाणें वागप (satyāpramāṇẽ vāgap, “act according to truth”) — सत्य (satya, truth) is NEW; High risk: must not be reduced to mere intellectual/propositional correctness — it is lived fidelity
carried out in God	ἐν θεῷ ἐστιν εἰργασμένα	en theō estin eirgasmena	have been worked/wrought in God	The believer’s good deeds are done “in God” — empowered by and dependent on him, not autonomous merit	done in God, wrought through God	Anticipates the grace-vs-merit concern already central to the Romans package: righteous deeds are God-enabled, not self-generated merit	देवा वरवीं घडलां (devā varvī̃ ghaḍlā, “brought about through/in God”) — High: must reinforce (as the Romans baseline already requires for grace) that these works are not कर्मफळ or पुण्य but God-enabled fruit of faith

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

Chapter 1 — Prologue, John the Baptist, First Disciples

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
the Word	ὁ λόγος	ho logos	word, speech, reason, account	Personal, eternal, pre-existent divine agent of creation and revelation, distinct in person from yet one in nature with God (1:1)	the Word, the Logos	The single most important new Christological term in John: identifies Christ as eternally pre-existent, personally distinct from the Father, yet fully God	शब्द (śabda) — CRITICAL, new term, ground for grounded concern: Goa’s Saraswat Brahmin Vedantic heritage includes a śabda/nāda-brahma concept — sacred sound/word as an impersonal manifestation of ultimate reality (echoed in Om/AUM theology). शब्द must be taught explicitly as the personal, eternal divine Son — “the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (distinct-yet-one) — never as an impersonal cosmic vibration or symbolic principle. TRANSLATOR NOTE mandatory at 1:1 and 1:14
dwelt/tabernacled among us	ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν	eskēnōsen en hēmin	pitched his tent/tabernacled among us	Deliberate echo of God’s tabernacling presence with Israel (Exodus 40; Shekinah glory)	dwelt among us, tabernacled among us, made his home among us	The Incarnation is presented as the ultimate, permanent fulfillment of God’s tabernacling presence — not a repeatable visitation	वस्ती केली (vastī kelī, “took up dwelling”) — High: pairs with देहधारण (incarnation, REUSED FROM ROMANS TM); note the OT tabernacle background for readers with low OT literacy
grace and truth	χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας	charitos kai alētheias	grace and truth	The full character of God revealed in Christ, echoing Exodus 34:6 (“steadfast love and faithfulness”)	grace and truth, full of grace and truth	Christ perfectly embodies and reveals God’s covenant character	कृपा (REUSED, grace) + सत्य (satya, truth) — High: सत्य is new to this curriculum; must be distinguished from a pluralistic “one truth among many paths” reading, especially given John’s exclusivity claims elsewhere (14:6)
children of God	τέκνα θεοῦ	tekna theou	children of God	Those who receive Christ are given the right/authority to become God’s children	children of God, sons of God (inclusive sense)	A distinct soteriological image from Paul’s legal “adoption” (υἱοθεσία, Romans 8) — John frames it as a new birth (v.13), not a legal transaction	देवाचीं भुरगीं (devācī bhurgī) — High (NEW term, distinct from दत्तक पुत्र करून घेणें already in Romans TM): TRANSLATOR NOTE required distinguishing John’s birth-metaphor from Paul’s adoption-metaphor so translators do not conflate or interchange the two phrases
born, not of blood… but of God	ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν	ek theou egennēthēsan	were born/begotten of God	Spiritual birth originating in God’s will, not human descent, will, or effort	born of God	Introduces the New Birth doctrine that John 3 will develop fully	देवा पासून जल्मले (devā pāsun jalmale) — Critical: foundational term for the New Birth doctrine; pairs directly with John 3:3-8
Lamb of God	ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ	ho amnos tou theou	the lamb of God	Passover/sacrificial lamb typology (Exodus 12), and/or Isaiah 53’s suffering servant imagery	Lamb of God, the Lamb	Christ as the sacrificial substitute who “takes away the sin of the world” — foundational to the Substitutionary Death doctrine	देवाचें कोंकरूं (devāce koṅkarū̃) — Critical (NEW term): must be explained with Passover typology (OT literacy assumed low); must not be read as a mere symbol of gentleness/innocence without its substitutionary-sacrificial force
Rabbi / King of Israel / Son of God / Messiah/Christ / Son of Man	ῥαββί / βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ / υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ / Χριστός / υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	—	(see above)	Cluster of titles applied to Jesus by early disciples in rapid succession	Rabbi, King of Israel, Son of God, Messiah/Christ, Son of Man	Chapter 1 systematically stacks nearly every major Christological title used in the book	रब्बी / राजा (rājā, king; NEW, Low/Medium risk — must not evoke a merely political/nationalist kingship given Goa’s own colonial history, per baseline mission-language sensitivity) / देवाचो पुत्र (REUSED) / मसीहा (REUSED) / मनशाचो पुत्र (introduced 1:51, see Core Passage v.13)

Chapter 2 — Wedding at Cana; Temple Cleansing

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
sign	σημεῖον	sēmeion	sign	(see Core Passage 3:2) — the first of Jesus’s signs (2:11), revealing his glory	sign, miracle	Establishes the sign/glory/belief pattern that structures the whole “Book of Signs” (chs. 2-12)	चिन्ह (REUSED from above) — Medium
my Father’s house / temple	ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρός μου / ὁ ναός	ho oikos tou patros mou / ho naos	my Father’s house / the temple (of his own body)	Literal reference to the physical Second Temple in Jerusalem; then reinterpreted by Jesus as his own body (2:19-21)	temple, my Father’s house	Jesus reframes the literal Jerusalem Temple as pointing to himself — his body is the true locus of God’s presence	मंदीर/देवूळ (mandīr/devūḷ) — Medium, disambiguation required: unlike the Romans baseline’s rejection of मंदिर/देऊळ for the church (to avoid Hindu-temple confusion), here the referent genuinely IS a literal historical Jewish Temple building, so मंदीर is an accurate literal rendering; TRANSLATOR NOTE must clarify this passage is about the literal building (then reinterpreted christologically), not to be confused with मंडळी (church) elsewhere in the curriculum
zeal	ὁ ζῆλος	ho zēlos	zeal, jealousy	Quoted from Psalm 69:9 — consuming devotion to God’s honor	zeal	Explains Jesus’s temple-cleansing action as motivated by holy zeal for God’s house	आवेश (āveś) — Low
the Hour	ἡ ὥρα	hē hōra	the hour, the time	John’s distinctive theological marker for the appointed time of Christ’s death/glorification (first mentioned negatively here — “my hour has not yet come,” 2:4)	my hour, the hour, his hour	A recurring motif (2:4; 7:30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1) tracking the divinely appointed schedule leading to the cross	(नेमलेली) वेळ / घडी ((nemleli) veḷ / ghaḍī) — Medium (NEW recurring motif term): translators must track this term across the book as a single theological thread, not treat each occurrence as an isolated time-reference

Chapter 3 — Remainder (verses 22–36; verses 1-21 treated fully above as Core Passage)

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
he must increase, I must decrease	ἐκεῖνον δεῖ αὐξάνειν, ἐμὲ δὲ ἐλαττοῦσθαι	ekeinon dei auxanein, eme de elattousthai	that one must increase, but I must decrease	John the Baptist’s self-effacing testimony	he must increase, I must decrease	Models proper witness — pointing away from oneself to Christ	वाडप / उणें जावप (vāḍap / uṇẽ jāvap) — Low
from above / above all	ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος … ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν	ho anōthen erchomenos … epanō pantōn estin	the one coming from above is above all	Continues the ἄνωθεν wordplay from vv.3,7	he who comes from above	Reinforces Christ’s heavenly origin and supremacy	REUSED from v.3 above — Critical
gives the Spirit without measure	δίδωσιν τὸ πνεῦμα	didōsin to pneuma	gives the Spirit	God gives the Spirit to Christ without limit, unlike the partial gifting given to prophets	gives the Spirit without limit	Christ’s unique fullness of the Spirit, distinct from every OT prophet	पवित्र आत्मा (REUSED) — High
wrath of God	ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ	hē orgē tou theou	the wrath of God	God’s settled judicial displeasure against unbelief/sin, remaining on the one who rejects the Son	wrath of God, God’s anger	The default condition apart from faith in Christ is not neutral but under wrath — sharpens the urgency of vv.16-18	देवाचो रोश (devāco roś) — High (NEW term): must be conveyed as a personal, moral, judicial reality — not an impersonal karmic debt automatically working itself out, but the settled response of a personal God to unbelief

Chapter 4 — The Samaritan Woman; the Royal Official’s Son

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
living water	ὕδωρ ζῶν	hydōr zōn	living/flowing water	Springing, life-giving water, contrasted with well water that must be drawn repeatedly	living water	Metaphor for the Spirit/eternal life Christ gives, which satisfies permanently (cf. 7:37-39)	जिवें उदक (jivẽ udak) — High (NEW term): pairs conceptually with सार्वकालिक जीवन (eternal life); must avoid conflation with ritual sacred-river bathing (e.g., regional pilgrimage practices) — this is received by faith, not obtained by ritual immersion
worship in spirit and truth	προσκυνεῖν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ	proskynein en pneumati kai alētheia	worship in spirit and truth	True worship is no longer tied to a particular location (Jerusalem or Gerizim) but is a matter of inward reality empowered by the Spirit and grounded in truth	worship in spirit and truth	Worship is redefined away from sacred-site geography toward Spirit-enabled, truth-grounded devotion to the Father	आराधना (ārādhanā, worship/adoration) — High (NEW term): deliberately NOT पूजा, which in Goan Hindu practice denotes ritual image/deity worship with offerings; आराधना conveys reverent worship of the one true God without ritual-image connotations
Savior of the world	ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου	ho sōtēr tou kosmou	the savior of the world	Confession by the Samaritan townspeople — universal, not ethnically restricted, salvation	Savior of the world	Anticipates and confirms 3:16-17’s universal scope	जगाचो तारणार (jagāco tāraṇhār) — तारण (REUSED FROM ROMANS TM, salvation) root; तारणार is a new derived agent-noun — Critical: must retain the exclusivity already established for तारण (never मुक्ती/मोक्ष)

Chapter 5 — Healing at Bethesda; Christ’s Equality with the Father

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
honor the Son as they honor the Father	τιμῶσι τὸν υἱὸν καθὼς τιμῶσι τὸν πατέρα	timōsi ton huion kathōs timōsi ton patera	honor the Son as they honor the Father	Equal honor due to the Son as to the Father	honor the Son	Direct claim to co-equal divine honor — foundational for the Deity of Christ and Unity of Father/Son doctrines	मान दिवप (mān divap, to give honor) — Critical: must convey equal honor, not honor of a lesser, derivative kind (as a devotee might honor a guru or a subordinate deity)
gives life / makes alive	ζωοποιεῖ	zōopoiei	makes alive, gives life	God’s/Christ’s life-giving power, exercised in both physical resurrection and spiritual regeneration	gives life, makes alive	The Son shares the Father’s unique life-giving prerogative	जिवें करप (jivẽ karap) — High (NEW term)
resurrection of life / resurrection of judgment	ἀνάστασις ζωῆς / ἀνάστασις κρίσεως	anastasis zōēs / anastasis kriseōs	resurrection of life / resurrection of judgment	Two distinct final resurrections: one to eternal life, one to condemnation	resurrection to life / resurrection to judgment	Universal bodily resurrection is coming, with two opposite destinies determined by response to Christ	पुनरुत्थान (REUSED FROM ROMANS TM) + जीवन/न्याय (life/judgment, both introduced above) — Critical
Scriptures … testify about me	αἱ γραφαί … μαρτυροῦσιν περὶ ἐμοῦ	hai graphai … martyrousin peri emou	the Scriptures testify concerning me	The entire OT witnesses to Christ	Scriptures testify about me	Ties the Fulfillment of Prophecy doctrine (established in the Romans baseline) directly into John’s own Christology	साक्ष दिवप (REUSED from Core Passage 3:11) — Medium

Chapter 6 — Feeding of the 5,000; Bread of Life Discourse

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
I am the bread of life	ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς	egō eimi ho artos tēs zōēs	I am the bread of life	First of the Seven “I Am” statements	I am the bread of life	Christ himself, not manna, is the true, permanently satisfying source of spiritual life	हांव जिविताची भाकर आसां (hāv jivitācī bhākar āsā̃) — जिविताची भाकर (jivitācī bhākar, bread of life) NEW; हांव आसा (“I am”) Critical, see Ch.8 below for the full “I Am” treatment
true bread from heaven	ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ἀληθινός ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ	ho artos ho alēthinos ho ek tou ouranou	the true bread out of heaven	Contrasted with the manna Moses gave, which only sustained physical life temporarily	true bread from heaven	Christ fulfills and surpasses the OT manna typology — points again to his heavenly, pre-existent origin	स्वर्गांतल्यान आयिल्ली खरी भाकर (svargāntlyān āyillī kharī bhākar) — High
eat my flesh, drink my blood	φάγητε … τὴν σάρκα … πίητε … τὸ αἷμα	phagēte … tēn sarka … piēte … to haima	eat the flesh … drink the blood	Deliberately shocking, concrete language for total reliance on Christ’s sacrificial death for life; historically debated as purely metaphorical vs. sacramental/Eucharistic	eat my flesh, drink my blood	Ties directly to the Substitutionary Death doctrine — receiving the benefit of Christ’s given-up body and shed blood	मांस खावप (mās khāvap) / रगत पिवप (ragat pivap) — High: flag for reviewer awareness that Catholic-background Konkani readers may read this through a Eucharistic-sacramental lens; note both interpretive traditions exist and translation should preserve the vivid concreteness of the original without adjudicating the sacramental debate

Chapter 7 — Feast of Booths; Division over Jesus

No major new theological vocabulary. Reuses living water / Spirit (ch.4), Messiah/Christ (मसीहा, REUSED FROM ROMANS TM), the Hour motif (7:30, REUSED from ch.2), and witness/testify (REUSED from Core Passage). Note only: 7:37-39 explicitly links “living water” to the Holy Spirit not yet given because Jesus “was not yet glorified” — reinforces the Hour motif’s connection to the Holy Spirit’s later outpouring (cf. chs. 14-16).

Chapter 8 — I Am the Light of the World; Truth Sets Free; Before Abraham

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
I am the light of the world	ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου	egō eimi to phōs tou kosmou	I am the light of the world	Second of the Seven “I Am” statements	I am the light of the world	Christ is the source of moral/spiritual illumination for all humanity, not one teacher’s insight among many	संसाराचो उजवाड (sansārāco ujavāḍ) — उजवाड REUSED from Core Passage 3:19; combined with हांव आसा (see below) — Critical
the truth will set you free	ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐλευθερώσει ὑμᾶς	hē alētheia eleutherōsei hymas	the truth will free you	Freedom from slavery to sin, granted by the Son (v.36), not self-achieved	the truth will set you free, will make you free	Genuine soteriological freedom from sin’s bondage — closely adjacent to, though distinct from, the “salvation” doctrine already established in Romans	सत्यान सुटका मेळटा (satyān suṭkā meḷṭā) — Critical: must NEVER be rendered मुक्ती (forbidden per Romans baseline for its Hindu moksha association); सुटका is used here strictly qualified — “पापाच्या गुलामगिरे पासून सुटका” (freedom from slavery to sin, granted by the Son) — must not stand alone as a general “liberation” statement that could be misread as self-achieved moksha
before Abraham was, I am	πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγὼ εἰμί	prin Abraam genesthai egō eimi	before Abraham came to be, I am	The absolute, unqualified “I am,” echoing God’s self-revelation to Moses (Exodus 3:14 LXX, ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν)	I am (absolute), I AM	The strongest single claim to full deity and eternal pre-existence in the whole Gospel — provokes an attempted stoning (v.59) for blasphemy	हांव आसा (hāv āsā) — CRITICAL: this is the single highest-stakes phrase in John’s Christology. Must be rendered so as to echo, for readers aware of it, the divine name; TRANSLATOR NOTE mandatory explaining the Exodus 3:14 background; must never be softened to a mere “I have always existed” statement that loses the self-existent divine name claim
devil	ὁ διάβολος	ho diabolos	the slanderer/accuser	Personal, malevolent spiritual being opposed to God and truth	the devil, Satan	Contrasted starkly with the Father of truth — spiritual paternity determines moral character	सैतान (saitān) — High (NEW term): a personal evil being, not an impersonal principle of evil or illusion (māyā)

No major new theological vocabulary beyond reuse: light of the world (REUSED from ch.8), sign (REUSED), and the judgment/belief-unbelief cluster (REUSED from Core Passage 3:17-21) applied metaphorically to physical and spiritual blindness. Note for translators: spiritual “blindness” (आंधळेपण, āndhaḷepaṇ) functions here as a extension of the light/darkness dualism already established, not as a new independent doctrinal term.

Chapter 10 — I Am the Door; I Am the Good Shepherd; “I and the Father Are One”

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
I am the door	ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ θύρα	egō eimi hē thyra	I am the door/gate	Third “I Am” statement	I am the door, I am the gate	Exclusive access to salvation and safety is through Christ alone	दार (dār, door/gate) + हांव आसा — Critical
I am the good shepherd	ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός	egō eimi ho poimēn ho kalos	I am the good shepherd	Fourth “I Am” statement, echoing Ezekiel 34 and Psalm 23	I am the good shepherd	Christ’s sacrificial, personal care and ownership of his people, in contrast to the “hired hand”	बरो मेंढपाळ (baro meṇḍhpāḷ) + हांव आसा — Critical
lay down his life for the sheep	τίθησιν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων	tithēsin tēn psychēn autou hyper tōn probatōn	lays down his life on behalf of the sheep	Voluntary, substitutionary self-sacrifice — Christ’s death is freely chosen, not forced	lay down his life, give his life for	Central to the Substitutionary Death doctrine — Christ’s death is a free, purposeful, sacrificial gift, not a tragic accident	जीव दिवप (jīv divap) — Critical (NEW term): must convey voluntary self-giving (“no one takes it from me, I lay it down of my own accord,” v.18)
I and the Father are one	ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν	egō kai ho patēr hen esmen	I and the Father are one	Essential unity of nature/being between the Father and the Son (provokes a second stoning attempt, v.31)	I and the Father are one	The foundational text for the Unity of the Father and the Son doctrine	हांव आनी बापूय एक आसां (hāv āni bāpūy ek āsā̃) — CRITICAL, ground for major concern: Goa’s strong Vedantic (Advaita) intellectual heritage, especially among Saraswat Brahmin communities, has a well-developed concept of monistic “oneness” (all multiplicity ultimately dissolving into a single undifferentiated Brahman). John’s “one” must be explicitly taught as unity of essence/nature between two eternally distinct persons — not the dissolving of personal distinction into an undifferentiated absolute. TRANSLATOR NOTE mandatory; flag for human theologian review at every occurrence (10:30; 17:11,21-22)

Chapter 11 — Raising of Lazarus; “I Am the Resurrection and the Life”

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
I am the resurrection and the life	ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή	egō eimi hē anastasis kai hē zōē	I am the resurrection and the life	Fifth “I Am” statement	I am the resurrection and the life	Christ is not merely an agent of resurrection but its very source and personal embodiment — directly foreshadows his own resurrection	पुनरुत्थान (REUSED FROM ROMANS TM) आनी जीवन (life) + हांव आसा — Critical: same forbidden-substitution rule applies (never पुनर्जन्म)
gathered into one the children of God who are scattered	συναγάγῃ εἰς ἓν τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ	synagagē eis hen ta tekna tou theou	gather into one the children of God	Christ’s death will unite God’s scattered children (Jew and Gentile alike) into one people	gather into one, unite	Anticipates the Unity of Jews and Gentiles doctrine already established in the Romans baseline	देवाचीं भुरगीं (REUSED from ch.1) एकठांय करप (ekṭhāy karap, gather into one) — Medium

Chapter 12 — The Grain of Wheat; Lifted Up; Isaiah’s Prophecy of Unbelief

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies	ἐὰν μὴ ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου πεσὼν … ἀποθάνῃ	ean mē ho kokkos tou sitou pesōn … apothanē	unless the grain of wheat falling … dies	Agricultural metaphor: death is the necessary path to abundant life/fruit	a grain of wheat must die to bear fruit	A direct metaphor for Christ’s own substitutionary death producing abundant spiritual life for others	गव्हाचें दाणें मरता (tar) फळ दिता (gavhāce dāṇẽ martā (tar) phaḷ ditā) — High
now is the Son of Man glorified	νῦν ἐδοξάσθη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	nyn edoxasthē ho huios tou anthrōpou	now the Son of Man is glorified	The Hour (see ch.2) has arrived — the cross itself is glorification	now is the Son of Man glorified	Reinforces that crucifixion and glory are, in John’s theology, one event, not sequential opposites	गौरव (REUSED FROM ROMANS TM) + मनशाचो पुत्र (REUSED from Core Passage) — Critical
lifted up, will draw all people	ὑψωθῶ … πάντας ἑλκύσω	hypsōthō … pantas helkysō	lifted up … I will draw all	Continues the double-meaning “lifted up” motif (see Core Passage 3:14)	lifted up, draw all people to myself	The universal scope of Christ’s saving invitation, drawn out through his cross	REUSED वयर काडप — Critical
hardened	πεπώρωκεν	pepōrōken	has hardened	Judicial hardening in response to persistent unbelief, quoting Isaiah 6:9-10	hardened their hearts	God’s judgment on persistent, willful unbelief — ties to the Judgment and Belief/Unbelief doctrine	काळीज कठीण जावप (kāḷīj kaṭhīṇ jāvap) — Medium

Chapter 13 — Foot Washing; New Commandment; Beloved Disciple

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
new commandment	ἐντολὴν καινήν	entolēn kainēn	a new commandment	Love for one another modeled on Christ’s own self-giving love, marking genuine discipleship	new commandment, love one another	Mutual, sacrificial love is the identifying mark of true disciples	नवी आज्ञा (navī āj̈ñā) — Medium
disciple	μαθητής	mathētēs	learner, follower, pupil	One who follows and learns from Jesus, used throughout the book (~78×) but concentrated in the Upper Room narrative (chs.13-17)	disciple, follower	Establishes the pattern of ongoing relational discipleship to Christ	शिष्य (śiṣya) — Medium (NEW term, first formal glossary entry though used from ch.1 onward): established Bible-translation term across the Konkani/Marathi tradition, but reviewers must clarify these are followers of Christ specifically, not devotees within a generic guru-shishya religious-authority structure (cf. baseline’s apostle/guru caution)

Chapter 14 — I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; Promise of the Counselor

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
I am the way, the truth, and the life	ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή	egō eimi hē hodos kai hē alētheia kai hē zōē	I am the way and the truth and the life	Sixth “I Am” statement — the sole means, the sole standard, and the sole source of life	I am the way, the truth, and the life	The strongest exclusivity claim in the Gospel: “no one comes to the Father except through me”	वाट (vāṭ, way) + सत्य (REUSED) + जीवन (life) + हांव आसा — CRITICAL: must preserve full exclusivity (“no one comes to the Father except through me”) without softening in a pluralistic religious environment where “many paths to God” is a common cultural assumption
Counselor / Advocate / Helper	ὁ παράκλητος	ho paraklētos	one called alongside (to help/advocate)	Legal-advocate and comforting/helping senses combined; “another Counselor” implies continuity with Christ’s own role	Counselor, Comforter, Helper, Advocate	The Holy Spirit’s personal, ongoing ministry of teaching, comforting, and advocating for believers after Christ’s departure	सहाय्यक (sahāyyak, “helper”) — Critical (NEW term, central to “The Holy Spirit as Counselor” doctrine): deliberately distinct from मध्यस्थी (already reserved in Romans TM for “intercession,” i.e., prayer on behalf of others) to avoid merging two related-but-distinct Spirit ministries; TRANSLATOR NOTE should explain the combined legal-advocate + comforter nuance, which no single Konkani word fully captures
Spirit of truth	τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας	to pneuma tēs alētheias	the Spirit of truth	Another name for the Holy Spirit/Paraclete, emphasizing his role in revealing and confirming truth	Spirit of truth	Reinforces the Spirit’s personal, truth-revealing ministry	सत्याचो आत्मो (satyāco ātmo) — पवित्र आत्मा REUSED where full title used; सत्याचो आत्मो as a descriptive title — High
peace I leave with you	εἰρήνην ἀφίημι ὑμῖν	eirēnēn aphiēmi hymin	peace I leave/give to you	Christ’s own peace, distinct from worldly/circumstantial peace	my peace I give to you	Distinguishes Christ’s gift of peace from the absence-of-conflict or meditative calm the world offers	शांती (REUSED FROM ROMANS TM, peace) — Medium: note the added contrast clause “not as the world gives”

Chapter 15 — I Am the True Vine; Abiding; Greater Love; the Counselor Again

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
I am the true vine	ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή	egō eimi hē ampelos hē alēthinē	I am the true vine	Seventh and final “I Am” statement	I am the true vine	Christ as the sole source of spiritual life and fruitfulness for believers, who are the branches	खरो द्राक्षवेल (kharo drākṣavel) + हांव आसा — Critical
abide/remain	μένειν	menein	to remain, stay, abide	Continuous, dependent relational union with Christ (used ~11× in this chapter alone)	abide, remain, stay in	Fruitfulness is impossible apart from ongoing union with Christ	रावप (rāvap, to remain/stay) — High (NEW term): must be taught as ongoing personal, relational union (a distinct “I” remaining in relationship with a distinct “Christ”), NOT an Advaita-style dissolving/merging of the self into the divine — parallel concern to “I and the Father are one” (ch.10)
no greater love than this, that one lay down his life for his friends	μείζονα ταύτης ἀγάπην οὐδεὶς ἔχει, ἵνα τις τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ θῇ ὑπὲρ τῶν φίλων αὐτοῦ	meizona tautēs agapēn oudeis echei …	no one has greater love than this …	Defines the highest form of love as self-sacrificial death for others	greater love has no one than this	Directly ties Christ’s substitutionary death to the nature of true, self-giving love	मोग (REUSED) + जीव दिवप (REUSED from ch.10) — Critical

Chapter 16 — The Spirit’s Work; Sorrow Turned to Joy; “I Have Overcome the World”

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
convict/expose	ἐλέγξει	elenxei	will convict, will expose, will reprove	The Spirit’s work of exposing sin, righteousness, and judgment to the world	convict, expose, reprove	The Holy Spirit’s ministry is not only comfort but also conviction — bringing moral clarity	दोष दाखोवप (doṣ dākhovap, “expose fault”) — Medium (NEW term)
your sorrow will turn into joy	ἡ λύπη ὑμῶν εἰς χαρὰν γενήσεται	hē lypē hymōn eis charan genēsetai	your grief will become joy	Joy (χαρά) that follows resurrection, distinct from circumstantial happiness	your grief will turn to joy	Establishes resurrection joy as a settled reality following present sorrow	आनंद (ānand, joy) — Low (NEW term)
I have overcome the world	ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον	egō nenikēka ton kosmon	I have conquered the world	Christ’s victory, already accomplished before the cross even occurs, over the hostile world-system	I have overcome the world	Grounds believers’ confidence and peace in Christ’s already-secured victory	जग जिखलां (jag jikhlā̃) — High (NEW term)

Chapter 17 — The High Priestly Prayer

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
glorify me with the glory I had with you before the world existed	δόξασόν με … τῇ δόξῃ ᾗ εἶχον πρὸ τοῦ τὸν κόσμον εἶναι	doxason me … tē doxē hē eichon pro tou ton kosmon einai	glorify me with the glory I had before the world was	Explicit statement of Christ’s personal, conscious pre-existence and shared divine glory before creation	before the world existed, before the world was made	The single clearest pre-existence statement in the Gospel, alongside 1:1 and 8:58	गौरव (REUSED) + जग रचण्यापयलीं (jag racaṇyā-paylĩ, “before the world was created”) — CRITICAL (NEW phrase): must clearly convey Christ’s personal, eternal pre-existence with the Father — not merely “planned in advance” but personally existing before creation
this is eternal life: that they know you … and Jesus Christ	αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ αἰώνιος ζωή, ἵνα γινώσκωσιν σὲ … καὶ … Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν	hautē estin hē aiōnios zōē, hina ginōskōsin se … kai … Iēsoun Christon	this is eternal life, that they know you and Jesus Christ	Defines eternal life relationally: personal, ongoing knowledge of the Father and the Son	this is eternal life: to know you	The definitive Johannine definition of eternal life — a relationship, not a state of dissolution or liberation	सार्वकालिक जीवन (REUSED from Core Passage) + ओळखप (oḷakhap, “to know” relationally) — Critical: ओळखप conveys personal acquaintance/relationship, not mere intellectual/propositional knowledge (ज्ञान); TRANSLATOR NOTE required distinguishing this relational eternal life from Vedantic knowledge-based liberation (jñāna leading to moksha)
that they may be one, even as we are one	ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν καθὼς ἡμεῖς ἕν	hina ōsin hen kathōs hēmeis hen	that they may be one just as we are one	Believers’ unity is patterned on, and grounded in, the Father-Son unity (see ch.10)	that they may be one	Extends the Unity of Father and Son doctrine to the unity of the church	REUSED हांव आनी बापूय एक आसां (ch.10) applied to believers — Critical: same Vedantic-monism caution applies; believers’ unity is relational/purposive harmony modeled on, not identical to, the Father-Son ontological unity
sanctify them in the truth	ἁγίασον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ	hagiason autous en tē alētheia	sanctify them in the truth	The Spirit’s ongoing work of making believers holy, grounded in God’s word/truth	sanctify them in the truth	Ties directly into the established Romans-baseline Sanctification doctrine	पवित्रीकरण (REUSED FROM ROMANS TM exactly) — High

Chapters 18–19 — Betrayal, Trial, Crucifixion

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
King of the Jews	ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων	ho basileus tōn Ioudaiōn	the king of the Jews	Pilate’s official charge/title, ironically true	King of the Jews	John repeatedly uses this title ironically — mocked by Rome, yet truly royal and messianic	राजा (REUSED from ch.1) + यहुदी (REUSED) — Medium: note the deliberate Johannine irony (mockery that is unintentionally true)
it is finished	τετέλεσται	tetelestai	it has been finished/completed/paid in full	A single perfect-tense verb conveying a completed, sufficient, once-for-all accomplishment (commercial/legal “paid in full” resonance)	it is finished, it is accomplished, it is completed	Christ’s final word from the cross — the redemptive work is fully and finally accomplished, nothing remains to be added	पुराय जालें (purāy jāle) — CRITICAL (NEW term): must convey total sufficiency and completion of Christ’s atoning work — must not be rendered in a way that implies ongoing human effort could add to or complete it further (directly reinforces the Romans baseline’s grace-vs-merit concern)
not one of his bones will be broken	ὀστοῦν οὐ συντριβήσεται αὐτοῦ	ostoun ou syntribēsetai autou	not a bone of him will be broken	Direct fulfillment of Passover lamb regulations (Exodus 12:46)	not one bone broken	Reinforces the Lamb of God typology established in ch.1 — Christ is the true Passover Lamb	देवाचें कोंकरूं (REUSED from ch.1) — Critical

Chapter 20 — Resurrection Appearances; Thomas’s Confession; Purpose Statement

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
My Lord and my God!	Ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ὁ θεός μου	ho kyrios mou kai ho theos mou	my Lord and my God	Thomas’s confession upon seeing the risen Christ — the clearest explicit confession of Christ’s full deity in the Gospel, left uncorrected by Jesus	My Lord and my God!	The climactic Deity-of-Christ confession of the whole book, deliberately parallel to Romans 10:9’s “Jesus is Lord”	माझो प्रभू आनी माझो देव! (mājho prabhū āni mājho dev!) — प्रभू and देव REUSED FROM ROMANS TM — CRITICAL: per the Romans baseline’s requirement that देव always carry an exclusivity marker in doctrinally load-bearing contexts, this confession itself functions as that marker (an explicit, personal ascription of full deity to Jesus) and must never be rendered as merely honorific address
receive the Holy Spirit	λάβετε πνεῦμα ἅγιον	labete pneuma hagion	receive the Holy Spirit	Christ’s post-resurrection impartation of the Spirit to the disciples	receive the Holy Spirit	Anticipates the fuller Pentecost outpouring, ties to the Counselor promise of chs.14-16	पवित्र आत्मा (REUSED FROM ROMANS TM) — Critical
that you may believe … and have life in his name	ἵνα πιστεύ[σ]ητε … καὶ … ζωὴν ἔχητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ	hina pisteusēte … kai … zōēn echēte en tō onomati autou	that you may believe … and have life in his name	John’s own explicit statement of purpose for writing the whole Gospel	that you may believe and have life in his name	Frames the entire book’s theological aim: belief in Christ’s identity produces (eternal) life	विश्वास (REUSED, faith) + जीवन (REUSED, life) + नांव (REUSED from Core Passage 3:18, name/identity/authority) — Critical: this verse should receive the same fixed, consistent rendering across every John curriculum document, parallel to the Romans-package rule for Romans 1:16-17

Chapter 21 — Epilogue; Restoration of Peter

Term	Original	Translit.	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Konkani rendering & risk
do you love me? (ἀγαπάω / φιλέω)	ἀγαπᾷς με; / φιλῶ σε	agapas me; / philō se	do you love me? / I love/am fond of you	Greek distinguishes ἀγαπάω (self-giving, willed love) from φιλέω (warm affection/friendship-love) across this exchange (21:15-17)	do you love me?, I love you	Peter’s threefold restoration, echoing his threefold denial; the shift between the two Greek verbs is widely discussed though its exact theological weight is debated	मोग (REUSED) — Medium, translation-loss flag: Konkani, like most target languages, likely renders both Greek verbs with the same word (मोग), losing the lexical distinction. TRANSLATOR NOTE required noting the Greek uses two different words here and that scholars differ on how much theological weight to place on the distinction
feed my lambs / shepherd my sheep	βόσκε τὰ ἀρνία μου / ποίμαινε τὰ πρόβατά μου	boske ta arnia mou / poimaine ta probata mou	feed my lambs / shepherd my sheep	Commissions Peter to pastoral care of Christ’s people, echoing the Good Shepherd imagery of ch.10	feed my lambs, tend my sheep	Peter is entrusted with shepherding under Christ, the true Good Shepherd	मेंढपाळ (REUSED from ch.10) — Medium

Summary of NEW Critical-Risk Terms Introduced by John (not present in the Romans baseline)

Word/Logos (शब्द) — Vedantic śabda/nāda-brahma collision risk
Only Son / monogenēs (एकुलतो पुत्र) — must not imply Christ was created
Son of Man (मनशाचो पुत्र) — must not collapse into merely-human title
Born again/from above (परतून जल्मप / वयल्यान जल्मप) — untranslatable double sense
Eternal life (सार्वकालिक जीवन) — moksha-collision risk
World (जग) — dual Johannine usage
“I am” absolute (हांव आसा) — divine self-existence claim, esp. 8:58
I and the Father are one (हांव आनी बापूय एक आसां) — Advaita monism collision risk
Before the world was (जग रचण्यापयलीं) — pre-existence
It is finished (पुराय जालें) — completed atoning work
My Lord and my God (माझो प्रभू आनी माझो देव) — climactic deity confession
Lamb of God (देवाचें कोंकरूं) — substitutionary sacrifice typology
Lay down his life (जीव दिवप) — voluntary substitutionary death
Counselor/Paraclete (सहाय्यक) — personal Holy Spirit ministry
Truth sets free (सत्यान सुटका मेळटा) — must never render मुक्ती

These, together with the full term set below, should be added to translation memory in Phase 1 Step 2.

See analysis/08_core_glossary.md for the consolidated per-term glossary table.

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