Core Glossary
Core Glossary: 1 Timothy (English → Malay)
This glossary consolidates every load-bearing term identified in analysis/07_semantic_analysis.md, spanning all six chapters of 1 Timothy. Terms marked (reused) are already fixed in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json and bible_term_registry.json and MUST be rendered identically here. New terms are proposed additions for this curriculum’s translation memory extension, carrying the same Critical/High/Medium/Low risk-tier discipline as the baseline.
Legend
- Risk: Critical / High / Medium / Low (per baseline risk_definitions)
- Status: Reused (from Romans TM) / New (proposed for 1 Timothy TM extension)
- Ch.: Chapter(s) where the term is load-bearing
Table 1: Reused Terms (from Romans Translation Memory — render exactly as recorded)
| Term (English) | Malay Rendering | Risk | Ch. | 1 Timothy Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gospel | Injil | High | 1 | ”glorious gospel of the blessed God” (1:11) |
| Grace | Kasih kurnia | High | 1, 6 | ”grace overflowed” (1:14); closing (6:21) |
| Faith | Iman | High | throughout | Object (Christ) must remain explicit in every occurrence |
| Righteousness | Kebenaran | Critical | 3 (v.15), 6 | Context-sensitive: “truth” sense in 3:15 (pillar of truth); virtue-list sense in 6:11 |
| Law | Hukum Taurat | High | 1 | Never render Syariah |
| Sin/Sinners | Dosa / orang berdosa | High | 1 | ”chief of sinners” (1:15) |
| Called/Calling | Dipanggil / Panggilan | High | 6 | ”eternal life to which you were called” (6:12) |
| Holy | Kudus | High | 2, 3, 4, 5 | Distinguish from ὅσιος (khusyuk) and ἁγνός (suci) — see Table 3 |
| Saints | Orang kudus | High | 5 | ”washing the feet of the saints” (5:10) |
| Church | Gereja | Medium | 3 | ”church of the living God” (3:15) |
| Lord | Tuhan | Critical | 6 | ”Lord of lords” (6:15) |
| Kingdom of God | (background reference only) | Medium | 6 | Cf. “King of kings” cultural-bridge note |
| Prophecy | Nubuat | Medium | 4 | ”given through prophecy” (4:14) |
| Election | Pilihan Allah | High | 5 | ”elect angels” (5:21) — cross-reference only, not new doctrine |
| Intercession | Perantaraan | Critical | 2 | Reserved exclusively for Christ’s mediatorial work (2:5); NOT for ordinary prayer in 2:1 — see Table 2 |
| Providence | Pemeliharaan Allah | High | 6 | Background parallel to “contentment” entry — see Table 2 |
| Gentiles | Bangsa bukan Yahudi | Medium | — | Not directly present but background-relevant to “all people” language (2:1-4) |
| Apostle | Rasul | High | 1, 2 | Paul’s self-designation (1:1; 2:7) |
| Prophet | Nabi | Low | — | Background only |
| Thanksgiving | Kesyukuran | Low | 2 | Part of the fourfold prayer list (2:1) |
| God | Allah | Critical | throughout | Single most legally/politically sensitive term, per baseline |
| Jesus | Yesus | Critical | throughout | Never Isa |
| Messiah/Christ | Kristus | Critical | throughout | Never Al-Masih |
| Holy Spirit | Roh Kudus | Critical | 3, 4 | ”justified in the Spirit” (3:16); “sanctified… by the word of God and prayer” background (4:5) |
| Father | Bapa | Critical | — | Background doxological use |
| Exhort | Menasihati | Low | 4, 5, 6 | ”exhortation” in public reading (4:13); rebuke/entreat distinctions (5:1-2) |
| Salvation | Keselamatan | Critical | 1, 2, 4 | Underlies “eternal life” (1:16), the debated 2:15, and “Savior” (4:10) — see Table 2 |
| Justification | Diperbenarkan | Critical | 3 | ”justified/vindicated in the Spirit” (3:16) — Christ’s vindication, not believer’s justification; disambiguate |
| Obedience of Faith | Ketaatan iman | High | — | Background; distinguish from domestic “ketaatan” (submission) in 3:4 |
Table 2: New Terms — Critical Risk (Human Theologian Review Mandatory)
| Term (English) | Original (Greek) | Malay Rendering | Ch. | Doctrine | Grounded Risk Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husband of one wife | μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα | suami kepada seorang isteri sahaja | 3, 5 | Qualifications for Church Leadership | Directly collides with Malaysian Syariah family law’s permission of polygyny for Muslim men; risks reading as an implicit polemic against Islamic family law rather than an office qualification |
| Mediator | μεσίτης | Pengantara | 2 | Christ as the One Mediator | Must be distinguished from any wasilah-style optional intermediary concept; Christ’s mediatorship is unique, necessary, sufficient |
| Intercessions (ordinary prayer, 2:1) | ἐντεύξεις | doa permohonan bagi orang lain (NOT “doa syafaat”) | 2 | Public Worship and Prayer | Placed adjacent to Christ’s unique mediatorship (2:5); using the conventional “doa syafaat” phrase risks conflating ordinary intercessory prayer with Muhammad’s Judgment-Day syafaat doctrine, which the baseline already forbids for Christ’s intercession |
| Ransom | ἀντίλυτρον | tebusan | 2 | Christ as the One Mediator | No close parallel in mainstream Islamic theology, which lacks a substitutionary-atonement-for-sin doctrine |
| Depart from the faith | ἀποστήσονταί… τῆς πίστεως | meninggalkan iman (NOT “murtad”) | 4 | Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching | ”Murtad” is a legally consequential term under Malaysian Syariah court jurisdiction; using it risks the text being read as referencing Muslims leaving Islam rather than Christians abandoning apostolic teaching |
| Saved through childbearing | σωθήσεται διὰ τῆς τεκνογονίας | diselamatkan melalui masa mengandung dan bersalin | 2 | (exegetical crux; connects to Salvation) | Shares the root of Keselamatan; a plain reading risks implying works-based salvation through childbirth, contradicting the letter’s own grace doctrine |
| Savior (of all, especially believers) | σωτήρ | Penyelamat | 4 | (connects to Salvation) | Universal/particular tension must not collapse into universalism nor render “especially of believers” meaningless |
| Taken up in glory | ἀνελήμφθη ἐν δόξῃ | diangkat naik dalam kemuliaan | 3 | The Church as Pillar of Truth / Incarnation | Must be distinguished from the Qur’anic no-death ascension (raf’) of Isa; presupposes the prior death and resurrection already established |
| Appearing (of Christ) | ἐπιφάνεια | kedatangan | 6 | (background eschatology) | Collides with mainstream Sunni eschatology’s own return-of-Isa doctrine, which explicitly denies Isa returns as divine Lord/Judge |
| Blasphemed/reviled | βλασφημῆται | dihujat | 6 | Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching | Blasphemy against religion is a serious offense under Malaysian law; requires legal-safety awareness alongside translation accuracy |
| Manifested in the flesh (hymn) | ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκί | (reuse Penjelmaan) | 3 | The Church as Pillar of Truth | Per baseline Incarnation entry: guard against avatar-style episodic-appearance misreading |
Table 3: New Terms — High Risk (Human Theologian Review Required)
| Term (English) | Original (Greek) | Malay Rendering | Ch. | Doctrine | Grounded Risk Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overseer | ἐπίσκοπος | Penyelia | 3 | Qualifications for Church Leadership | Never “Imam” (Malaysia’s formally recognized Islamic mosque-leadership office) or “Uskup” (imports unrelated hierarchical polity) |
| Elder | πρεσβύτερος | Penatua | 5 | Qualifications for Church Leadership | Same “Imam” rejection as Overseer; functionally overlaps with episkopos, needs teaching clarification |
| Sound doctrine | ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ | ajaran yang sihat | 1, 6 | Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching | Presupposes an uncorrupted apostolic deposit, intersecting the baseline’s Critical Inspiration-of-Scripture/tahrif concern |
| Different doctrine | ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν | mengajar ajaran sesat | 1, 6 | Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching | Paired opposite of sound doctrine; must target doctrinal deviation specifically, not cultural/denominational variation |
| Mystery (of the faith / of godliness) | μυστήριον | rahsia (iman / kesalehan) | 3 | The Church as Pillar of Truth | Must be taught as revealed/public truth, not privileged esoteric knowledge (risk of conflation with Sufi ilmu batin) |
| Godliness | εὐσέβεια | kesalehan | 2, 3, 4, 6 | Godliness and Contentment | Shares root with “amal soleh” (works-ledger vocabulary already flagged in baseline); requires explicit grace-fruit teaching at every occurrence |
| Contentment | αὐτάρκεια | kepuasan hati | 6 | Godliness and Contentment | Must be distinguished from fatalistic redha/takdir framing; Paul’s contentment is active confidence in a personal, purposive God |
| Pillar and buttress of truth | στῦλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας | tiang dan asas kebenaran | 3 | The Church as Pillar of Truth | Uses Kebenaran in its “truth/correctness” sense; disambiguate from Romans’ forensic-righteousness sense |
| Deceitful spirits / teachings of demons | πνεύμασιν πλάνοις καὶ διδασκαλίαις δαιμονίων | roh-roh yang menyesatkan dan ajaran roh jahat | 4 | Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching | Never “jin” — the Islamic jinn category is morally mixed, unlike the uniformly malevolent NT daimonion |
| Godliness as a means of gain | νομιζόντων πορισμὸν εἶναι τὴν εὐσέβειαν | menyangka kesalehan itu jalan keuntungan | 6 | Godliness and Contentment | Guards against prosperity-gospel commodification of piety |
| Wives/women (deacon qualification) | γυναῖκας | isteri-isteri mereka / kaum wanita | 3 | Qualifications for Church Leadership | Genuinely ambiguous in Greek (deacons’ wives vs. women deacons); do not foreclose either reading in translation |
| Authority/domineer | αὐθεντεῖν | menguasai / memerintah | 2 | Public Worship and Prayer | Center of live complementarian/egalitarian debate, compounded by parallel Malaysian debates on women’s religious leadership roles |
| The good confession | τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν | pengakuan yang baik | 6 | Christ as the One Mediator / Sound Doctrine | Connects to the baseline’s Critical Romans 10:9-10 confession convention; maintain cross-curriculum consistency |
| Unapproachable light | φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον | cahaya yang tidak terhampiri | 6 | (God’s glory) | Never “Nur” — avoids the Sufi Nur Muhammad pre-existence association per baseline’s Glory entry |
| Deposit (guard the) | παραθήκη | amanah | 1, 6 | Guarding the Deposit of Faith | Strong positive theological resonance but also names an active Malaysian political party; verify contemporary reader association |
| Falsely called knowledge | ψευδώνυμος γνῶσις | ilmu pengetahuan yang direka-reka | 6 | Guarding the Deposit of Faith | Bare “ilmu” risks reading as a slight against Islamic religious scholarship or evoking Malay esoteric ilmu batin/ilmu hitam traditions |
| Mercy | ἔλεος | belas kasihan | 1 | (Grace, adjacent) | “Rahmat” deliberately avoided, consistent with baseline’s rejection of rahmat for grace, to keep the unmerited-favor framework distinct from a deeds-and-mercy judgment calculus |
Table 4: New Terms — Medium Risk (Native Speaker Review Recommended)
| Term (English) | Original (Greek) | Malay Rendering | Ch. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office of overseer | ἐπισκοπή | jawatan penyelia | 3 | Abstract noun form of Penyelia |
| Entrusted (with the gospel) | ἐπιστεύθην | telah dipercayakan | 1 | Anticipates the “deposit” (parathēkē) theme |
| Eternal life | ζωὴν αἰώνιον | hidup yang kekal | 1, 6 | Must be taught as present possession, per baseline Salvation entry |
| Satan | Σατανᾶς | Iblis | 1, 3, 5 | Shared, low-friction vocabulary with Qur’anic Iblis; note narrative-role differences |
| Testimony from outsiders | μαρτυρίαν… ἀπὸ τῶν ἔξωθεν | kesaksian yang baik daripada orang luar | 3 | ”Orang luar” concretely often means Muslim neighbors/colleagues in Malaysia |
| Not greedy for dishonest gain | αἰσχροκερδεῖς | tidak tamak akan keuntungan yang haram | 3 | ”Haram” borrowed for moral clarity; the standard invoked is apostolic teaching, not Syariah |
| Deacon | διάκονος | Diakon | 3 | Established transliteration in Malaysian Reformed/Presbyterian usage |
| Holy hands (ὅσιος, distinct from ἅγιος) | ὅσιος | khusyuk / suci hati | 2 | Distinguish nuance from Kudus |
| Household of God | οἴκῳ θεοῦ | keluarga Allah | 3 | Connects to baseline Adoption doctrine; culturally comfortable family image |
| Church of the living God | ἐκκλησίᾳ θεοῦ ζῶντος | Gereja Allah yang hidup | 3 | Reused Gereja/Allah |
| Justified/vindicated in the Spirit | ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι | dibenarkan oleh Roh | 3 | Christ’s vindication, not believer’s justification — disambiguate from Romans usage |
| Forbidding marriage / abstinence from foods | κωλυόντων γαμεῖν, ἀπέχεσθαι βρωμάτων | melarang perkahwinan, berpantang makanan | 4 | Must not read as implicit critique of halal/haram or puasa practice |
| Worse than an unbeliever | χείρων ἀπίστου | lebih buruk daripada orang yang tidak beriman | 5 | Keep narrowly contextual; avoid broad condemnation of non-Christian family members |
| Wife of one husband | ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή | isteri kepada seorang suami sahaja | 5 | Lower friction than the elder/deacon parallel, since Malaysian law already forbids polyandry |
| Pure (keep yourself) | ἁγνόν | suci | 5 | Narrower ritual/moral-purity nuance; not a general substitute for Kudus elsewhere |
| Love of money | φιλαργυρία | cinta akan wang | 3, 6 | Preserve “a root,” not “the root”; “kinds of evils,” not “evil” as such |
| Man of God | ἄνθρωπε θεοῦ | hamba Allah | 6 | Positively resonant phrase across both Malay Christian and Muslim devotional usage |
| Council of elders | πρεσβυτέριον | Majlis Penatua | 4 | Built from the flagged Penatua term |
Table 5: New Terms — Low Risk (Automated/Native Speaker Review Sufficient)
| Term (English) | Original (Greek) | Malay Rendering | Ch. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trustworthy saying (formula) | πιστὸς ὁ λόγος | Benarlah perkataan ini | 3 |
| Noble task | καλοῦ ἔργου | tugas yang mulia | 3 |
| Above reproach | ἀνεπίλημπτον | tidak boleh dicela | 3 |
| Sober-minded | νηφάλιον | berakal sihat / bijaksana | 3 |
| Self-controlled | σώφρονα | bijak menguasai diri | 3 |
| Respectable | κόσμιον | terhormat / tertib | 3 |
| Hospitable | φιλόξενον | suka menyambut tetamu | 3 |
| Able to teach | διδακτικόν | cakap mengajar | 3 |
| Not a drunkard | πάροινον | bukan peminum | 3 |
| Not violent | πλήκτην | bukan pemarah yang ganas | 3 |
| Gentle | ἐπιεικῆ | lemah lembut | 3 |
| Not quarrelsome | ἄμαχον | bukan suka bertengkar | 3 |
| Manage household | προϊστάμενον | menguruskan/mengetuai dengan baik | 3, 5 |
| Dignity | σεμνότητος | kehormatan/kesungguhan | 3, 3:8, 3:11 |
| Submissive (domestic) | ὑποταγῇ | ketaatan | 3 |
| Care for | ἐπιμελήσεται | menjaga/memelihara | 3 |
| Recent convert | νεόφυτον | baru percaya | 3 |
| Puffed up with conceit | τυφωθεὶς | menjadi sombong | 3 |
| Reproach/disgrace | ὀνειδισμὸν | aib/celaan | 3 |
| Double-tongued | διλόγους | bercakap dua kali | 3 |
| Addicted to wine | οἴνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας | ketagihan arak | 3 |
| Tested/proved | δοκιμαζέσθωσαν | diuji | 3 |
| Blameless | ἀνέγκλητοι | tidak bercela | 3 |
| Slanderers | διαβόλους (adj.) | memfitnah | 3 |
| Faithful in all things | πιστὰς ἐν πᾶσιν | setia dalam segala perkara | 3 |
| Good standing | βαθμὸν καλὸν | kedudukan yang baik | 3 |
| Great confidence | πολλὴν παρρησίαν | keyakinan yang besar | 3 |
| Myths and genealogies | μύθοις καὶ γενεαλογίαις | cerita dongeng dan salasilah | 1 |
| Warfare (military image) | στρατείαν | peperangan yang baik | 1 |
| Conscience | συνείδησις | hati nurani | 1, 3, 4 |
| Modesty and self-control | αἰδοῦς καὶ σωφροσύνης | kesopanan dan penguasaan diri | 2 |
| Adam / Eve | Ἀδάμ / Εὕα | Adam / Hawa | 2 |
| Example/pattern | τύπος | teladan | 4 |
| Laying on of hands | ἐπίθεσις τῶν χειρῶν | penumpangan tangan | 4 |
| Widow | χήρα | balu | 5 |
| Honor | τιμή | hormat / penghormatan | 5 |
| Repay parents | ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδιδόναι | membalas jasa | 5 |
| Two or three witnesses | δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων | dua atau tiga orang saksi | 5 |
| Elect angels | ἐκλεκτῶν ἀγγέλων | malaikat-malaikat pilihan | 5 |
| Fight the good fight (athletic image) | ἀγωνίζου τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα | berjuang dalam pertandingan yang baik | 6 |
Cross-Reference Note
Chapters not separately itemized above for a given term should be understood as reviewed and confirmed to introduce no additional new theological vocabulary beyond what is captured in Tables 1-5 — e.g., portions of Chapter 5 (vv. 11-14, practical instructions on younger widows) and Chapter 6 (v.1-2 on slaves/masters beyond the “blasphemed” term, vv. 17-19 on charging the rich) reuse vocabulary already tabulated (contentment, godliness, riches/gain family, honor) rather than introducing new load-bearing terms, and are treated as explicitly reviewed rather than silently omitted, per the full-book coverage mandate.
This glossary must be merged into translation_memory.json as version increments before any Phase 2 segment translation of 1 Timothy begins, per the Glossary Enforcement Priority Order established in 12_ai_translation_requirements.md.
Critical Risk Terms
Righteousness
Approved rendering: Kebenaran
Transliteration: keh-beh-NAH-rahn
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: amal soleh (righteous deeds, as the ground itself)
Original: δικαιοσύνη
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. CRITICAL cross-context caveat for 1 Timothy: 3:15 uses Kebenaran in a ‘truth/correctness’ sense (‘pillar and foundation of the truth’), NOT the forensic-righteousness sense; 6:11 uses a practical-virtue-to-be-pursued sense. Both must be explicitly disambiguated from the Romans forensic usage in teaching material.
Justification
Approved rendering: Diperbenarkan
Transliteration: dee-per-beh-NAHR-kahn
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: diampunkan (forgiven, alone)
Original: δικαιόω
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Note: 1 Timothy 3:16 uses the same verb root applied to Christ’s own vindication (‘dibenarkan oleh Roh’), a distinct referent — see the new ‘justified_in_the_spirit’ entry below; do not conflate.
Salvation
Approved rendering: Keselamatan
Transliteration: keh-seh-lah-MAH-tahn
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: masuk syurga (entering paradise, as the whole content)
Original: σωτηρία
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies ‘eternal life’ (1:16), the debated childbearing verse (2:15), and ‘Savior’ language (1:1, 2:3, 4:10) in this curriculum. Must remain a present reality secured by Christ.
Intercession
Approved rendering: Perantaraan
Transliteration: peh-rahn-tah-RAH-ahn
Doctrine: Prayer and Intercession
Rejected alternatives: syafaat (the mainstream Sunni doctrine of the Prophet Muhammad’s intercession on the Day of Judgment)
Inherited from Romans package. In this curriculum reserved EXCLUSIVELY for Christ’s mediatorial work at 1 Timothy 2:5-6; must never be applied to the ordinary congregational prayer of 2:1 (see ‘intercessions_ordinary_prayer’ below).
Incarnation
Approved rendering: Penjelmaan
Transliteration: pen-jel-MAHN
Doctrine: Incarnation
Rejected alternatives: Tuhan yang menyamar sebagai manusia (God disguising himself as a human)
Inherited from Romans package. Directly used at 1 Timothy 3:16’s hymn opening, ‘manifested in the flesh.’ Guard against the avatar-like ‘penjelmaan dewa’ misreading, reactivated here in a prominent, memorable creedal hymn.
Resurrection
Approved rendering: Kebangkitan
Transliteration: keh-bahng-KIT-ahn
Doctrine: Resurrection of Christ
Rejected alternatives: diangkat naik ke syurga (being raised up to heaven, without dying)
Inherited from Romans package. Presupposed (though not named directly) by the sequence of 1 Timothy 3:16’s hymn, which moves from manifestation to vindication to glory; must be affirmed as the necessary prior event before ‘taken up in glory.‘
Father
Approved rendering: Bapa
Transliteration: BAH-pah
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Rejected alternatives: Pencipta (Creator, as a substitute to avoid relational language)
Original: πατήρ
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Background doxological use, 1 Timothy 1:2, 1:17.
God
Approved rendering: Allah
Transliteration: ahl-LAHH
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: Tuhan (used for ‘Lord’ in this Language Package)
Original: θεός
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Single most legally/politically sensitive term in Malaysia; occurs throughout 1 Timothy (e.g. 1:1, 1:17, 2:5).
Jesus
Approved rendering: Yesus
Transliteration: YEH-soos
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: Isa (the Qur’anic name, deliberately avoided)
Original: Ἰησοῦς
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. Never Isa. Occurs throughout, notably paired with Kristus at 1:1-2, 2:5, 6:13-14.
Messiah
Approved rendering: Kristus
Transliteration: KRIS-toos
Doctrine: Messianic Promise
Rejected alternatives: Al-Masih (the Qur’anic title)
Inherited from Romans package. Never Al-Masih. Occurs throughout (1:1-2, 1:15-16, 2:5, 3:16, 5:11, 6:3, 6:13-14).
Lord
Approved rendering: Tuhan
Transliteration: TOO-hahn
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: tuan (master/sir, non-divine)
Original: κύριος
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 6:15, ‘Lord of lords’ — must convey exclusive cosmic lordship, never Tuan.
Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: Roh Kudus
Transliteration: ROHKH KOO-doos
Doctrine: Sanctification
Rejected alternatives: Jibril (the archangel Gabriel), roh halus (a generic nature/subtle spirit in traditional Malay animist belief)
Original: πνεῦμα
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 3:16, ‘vindicated/justified in the Spirit’; 4:1, ‘the Spirit expressly says.’ Must not be read as an impersonal force or as Jibril.
Depart From The Faith
Approved rendering: Meninggalkan iman
Transliteration: meh-ning-GAHL-kahn ee-MAHN
Doctrine: Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching
Rejected alternatives: murtad (the legally consequential Malay/Islamic term for apostasy from Islam, adjudicated under Malaysian state Syariah court jurisdiction)
Original: ἀφίστημι… τῆς πίστεως
Category: False Teaching
New term. 1 Timothy 4:1. Using murtad risks the text being read as commentary on Muslims leaving Islam rather than Paul’s actual subject: professing Christians abandoning apostolic teaching. Mandatory human theologian review, with legal-safety awareness.
Husband Of One Wife
Approved rendering: Suami kepada seorang isteri sahaja
Transliteration: SOO-ah-mee keh-PAH-dah seh-OH-rahng is-TREE sah-HAH-jah
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
Rejected alternatives: bare literal calque without ‘sahaja’ (only), which reads ambiguously, setia kepada isterinya (faithful to his wife alone, which loses the numeric force the exegetical debate turns on)
Original: μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα / ἄνδρες
Category: Church Leadership
New term. 1 Timothy 3:2, 3:12. Directly collides with Malaysian Syariah family law’s express permission of polygyny (up to four wives) for Muslim men. Must be taught as a qualification for a specific church office, not a claim about society’s marital arrangements, and the genuine exegetical debate must be preserved rather than resolved by translation fiat. Mandatory human theologian review.
Mediator
Approved rendering: Pengantara
Transliteration: peng-ahn-TAH-rah
Doctrine: Christ as the One Mediator
Rejected alternatives: wasilah (a debated Islamic intermediary-access-to-God concept), perantara used loosely for any informal go-between, which would trivialize the unique reconciling office in view
Original: μεσίτης
Category: Christ as One Mediator
New term. 1 Timothy 2:5. Mainstream Sunni doctrine generally holds no intermediary is needed between the believer and Allah in prayer, making Paul’s claim of a necessary, exclusive mediator genuinely distinct and provocative, not a restatement of wasilah. Mandatory human theologian review.
One God
Approved rendering: Satu Allah / Allah yang esa
Transliteration: SAH-too ahl-LAHH / ahl-LAHH yahng EH-sah
Doctrine: Christ as the One Mediator
Original: εἷς θεός
Category: God
New term. 1 Timothy 2:5. A genuine, substantive point of agreement with Islamic tawhid, immediately followed by ‘one mediator… the man Christ Jesus,’ reintroducing the Incarnation/Deity-of-Christ tension. Teaching material should name the agreement explicitly before addressing the tension.
Intercessions Ordinary Prayer
Approved rendering: Doa permohonan bagi orang lain
Transliteration: DOH-ah per-moh-HOH-nahn BAH-gee OH-rahng LAH-in
Doctrine: Public Worship and Prayer
Rejected alternatives: doa syafaat (the conventional Malay Christian phrase for intercessory prayer, sharing its root with the mainstream Sunni doctrine of Muhammad’s Judgment-Day intercession)
Original: ἔντευξις
Category: Worship
New term. 1 Timothy 2:1. Placed only four verses before Christ’s unique mediatorship (2:5); using ‘doa syafaat’ here would blur exactly the distinction the baseline protects for Christ’s own intercession. Reserve Perantaraan exclusively for 2:5. Mandatory human theologian review.
Saved Through Childbearing
Approved rendering: Diselamatkan melalui masa mengandung dan bersalin
Transliteration: dee-seh-lah-MAHT-kahn meh-lah-LOO-ee MAH-sah meng-AHN-doong dahn ber-sah-LIN
Doctrine: Public Worship and Prayer
Rejected alternatives: a bare, unqualified ‘diselamatkan’ which would strongly suggest works-based salvation through childbirth
Original: σωθήσεται διὰ τῆς τεκνογονίας
Category: Worship
New term. 1 Timothy 2:15, one of the most exegetically debated verses in the letter. Shares the root of Keselamatan; must be presented as a genuinely debated exegetical crux, never as a settled works-based salvation-through-childbirth doctrine. Mandatory human theologian review.
Taken Up In Glory
Approved rendering: Diangkat naik dalam kemuliaan
Transliteration: dee-AHNG-kaht NAH-eek dah-LAHM keh-moo-lee-AH-ahn
Doctrine: Incarnation and Exaltation of Christ (Hymn of 3:16)
Original: ἀνελήμφθη ἐν δόξῃ
Category: Christology
New term. 1 Timothy 3:16, closing line of the hymn. Must be sharply distinguished from the Qur’anic raf’ tradition (Qur’an 4:157-158) teaching a no-death ascension of Isa; this verse’s sequence (manifestation, vindication, proclamation, THEN glory) presupposes the prior death and resurrection assumed throughout the NT. Mandatory human theologian review.
Manifested In Flesh
Approved rendering: Penjelmaan
Transliteration: pen-jel-MAHN
Doctrine: Incarnation and Exaltation of Christ (Hymn of 3:16)
Rejected alternatives: Tuhan yang menyamar sebagai manusia (God disguising himself as a human)
Original: ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκί
Category: Christology
Reuses the baseline Incarnation entry exactly. 1 Timothy 3:16 hymn opening, ‘was manifested in the flesh.’ Guard against the avatar-like ‘penjelmaan dewa’ misreading, given prominent placement in a memorizable creedal hymn.
Savior Of All
Approved rendering: Penyelamat
Transliteration: peh-nyeh-LAH-maht
Doctrine: Christ’s Universal Saving Provision (Savior of All)
Original: σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, μάλιστα πιστῶν
Category: Salvation
New term. 1 Timothy 4:10, ‘Savior of all people, especially of believers.’ Shares the root of the baseline’s Critical Keselamatan entry. The universal/particular tension must not collapse into universalism nor render ‘especially of believers’ meaningless. Mandatory human theologian review.
Appearing Of Christ
Approved rendering: Kedatangan
Transliteration: keh-dah-TAHNG-ahn
Doctrine: The Return (Appearing) of Christ
Original: ἐπιφάνεια
Category: Eschatology
New term. 1 Timothy 6:14. Mainstream Sunni eschatology includes the return of Isa near the end of days, but as a prophetic figure affirming Islam, defeating al-Dajjal, and eventually dying a natural death — explicitly not returning as divine Lord and Judge. Mandatory human theologian review.
King Of Kings Lord Of Lords
Approved rendering: Raja segala raja dan Tuhan segala tuan
Transliteration: RAH-jah seh-GAH-lah RAH-jah dahn TOO-hahn seh-GAH-lah TOO-ahn
Doctrine: The Return (Appearing) of Christ
Original: βασιλεὺς τῶν βασιλευόντων καὶ κύριος τῶν κυριευόντων
Category: Christology
New term, reuses Tuhan from the baseline’s Lordship of Christ entry. 1 Timothy 6:15. Carries positive cultural resonance with the historic Malay sultanate tradition of paramount royal authority, but teaching material must clarify Christ’s kingship is universal and cosmic, not another territorial sultanate.
High Risk Terms
Gospel
Approved rendering: Injil
Transliteration: IN-jeel
Doctrine: Gospel
Rejected alternatives: berita baik (generic ‘good news’, without the proclamation weight)
Original: εὐαγγέλιον
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 1:11, ‘the glorious gospel of the blessed God,’ entrusted to Paul; connects to the Guarding the Deposit of Faith doctrine thread in this curriculum.
Grace
Approved rendering: Kasih kurnia
Transliteration: KAH-sih KOOR-nee-ah
Doctrine: Grace
Rejected alternatives: rahmat (mercy, an Arabic-loan term operating within a deeds-and-mercy Islamic judgment framework)
Original: χάρις
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 1:14, ‘grace overflowed’; must be kept distinct from the new ‘mercy’ (Belas kasihan) entry below, occurring in the same paragraph.
Faith
Approved rendering: Iman
Transliteration: ee-MAHN
Doctrine: Faith
Rejected alternatives: kepercayaan (generic belief/trust)
Original: πίστις
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Occurs constantly through 1 Timothy (1:2, 1:5, 1:14, 1:19, 2:7, 2:15, 3:9, 3:13, 4:1, 4:6, 6:10, 6:12, 6:21); object must remain Christ, not generic Islamic iman.
Law
Approved rendering: Hukum Taurat
Transliteration: HOO-koom tow-RAHT
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Prophecy
Rejected alternatives: Syariah / Hukum Syariat (Islamic religious law, an operative parallel legal system in Malaysia)
Original: νόμος
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 1:8-9, ‘the law is good if one uses it lawfully.’ Never Syariah.
Sin
Approved rendering: Dosa
Transliteration: DOH-sah
Doctrine: Universal Human Accountability
Rejected alternatives: kesilapan (mistake/error)
Original: ἁμαρτία / ἁμαρτωλός
Category: Sin
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 1:15, ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost’ (orang berdosa).
Called
Approved rendering: Dipanggil
Transliteration: dee-PAHNG-gil
Doctrine: Divine Calling
Rejected alternatives: dijemput (invited, as to a social event)
Inherited from Romans package.
Calling
Approved rendering: Panggilan
Transliteration: pahng-GIL-ahn
Doctrine: Divine Calling
Rejected alternatives: jemputan
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 6:12, ‘the eternal life to which you were called.‘
Holy
Approved rendering: Kudus
Transliteration: KOO-doos
Doctrine: Sanctification
Rejected alternatives: suci (ritually/physically clean)
Original: ἅγιος
Category: Sanctification
Inherited from Romans package. In 1 Timothy must be distinguished from two other Greek purity-words: hosios (2:8, khusyuk/suci hati) and hagnos (5:22, suci) — neither is a general substitute for Kudus elsewhere.
Saints
Approved rendering: Orang kudus
Transliteration: OH-rahng KOO-doos
Doctrine: Sainthood
Rejected alternatives: wali (Sufi saints venerated at keramat sites in traditional Malay Islam)
Original: ἅγιοι
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 5:10, ‘washing the feet of the saints.‘
Apostle
Approved rendering: Rasul
Transliteration: RAH-sool
Doctrine: Apostleship
Rejected alternatives: utusan (a lower-weight, purely secular ‘envoy/messenger’)
Original: ἀπόστολος
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. Paul’s self-designation, 1 Timothy 1:1, 2:7.
Election
Approved rendering: Pilihan Allah
Transliteration: pee-LEE-hahn ahl-LAHH
Doctrine: Effectual Calling
Rejected alternatives: takdir (fate/predetermined decree)
Original: ἐκλεκτός
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 5:21, ‘elect angels’ (malaikat-malaikat pilihan) — a background cross-reference to the same root, applied to angelic beings rather than believers; introduces no new soteriological doctrine here.
Providence
Approved rendering: Pemeliharaan Allah
Transliteration: peh-meh-lee-hah-RAH-ahn ahl-LAHH
Doctrine: Providence
Rejected alternatives: takdir (fate/decree)
Original: πρόνοια (cf. 1 Timothy 6:17, God ‘richly provides’)
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Background to 1 Timothy 6:17, ‘richly provides us with everything to enjoy’; must not collapse into takdir-style fatalism, especially adjacent to the new ‘contentment’ entry.
Obedience Of Faith
Approved rendering: Ketaatan iman
Transliteration: keh-tah-AH-tahn ee-MAHN
Doctrine: Obedience of Faith
Rejected alternatives: ketaatan agama (generic religious dutifulness/submission)
Original: ὑπακοὴ πίστεως (cf. Romans 1:5; background category)
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Must be kept distinct from the domestic ‘submission’ (hypotagē) of 1 Timothy 3:4, describing a child’s household deportment, not the believer’s gospel response.
Glory
Approved rendering: Kemuliaan
Transliteration: keh-moo-lee-AH-ahn
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: nur (divine light, associated with Nur Muhammad devotion in the historic Malay Sufi tradition)
Inherited from Romans package. Used in 1 Timothy 3:16, ‘taken up in glory’; see ‘taken_up_in_glory’ below for the full compound phrase risk.
Mercy
Approved rendering: Belas kasihan
Transliteration: BEH-lahs kah-SEE-hahn
Doctrine: Grace and Mercy to the Foremost of Sinners
Rejected alternatives: rahmat (the standard Arabic-loan Malay/Islamic mercy term, which operates within a deeds-and-merit judgment calculus)
Original: ἔλεος
Category: Salvation
New term. 1 Timothy 1:13, 1:16, ‘I received mercy.’ Deliberately avoids rahmat for the same reason the baseline rejects it for grace; must be taught alongside, and distinguished from, Kasih kurnia in the same paragraph (1:14).
Sound Doctrine
Approved rendering: Ajaran yang sihat
Transliteration: ah-JAH-rahn yahng SEE-haht
Doctrine: Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching
Rejected alternatives: ajaran yang betul (too flat/generic, loses the health/vitality metaphor)
Original: ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ
Category: False Teaching
New term. Recurs 1:10, 6:3; render identically at both. Presupposes a trustworthy, uncorrupted apostolic deposit, intersecting the baseline’s Critical Inspiration-of-Scripture concern about tahrif.
Different Doctrine
Approved rendering: Mengajar ajaran sesat
Transliteration: meng-AH-jar ah-JAH-rahn SEH-saht
Doctrine: Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching
Rejected alternatives: ajaran lain (too weak, loses moral seriousness), ajaran palsu (available as a lower-intensity fallback)
Original: ἑτεροδιδασκαλέω
Category: False Teaching
New term. Recurs 1:3, 6:3; render identically at both. ‘Sesat’ is a strong, socially loaded word in Malaysian public discourse (used of state-banned ‘deviant teachings’ within Islam); must be taught as targeting doctrinal deviation from the apostolic gospel specifically, not denominational/cultural variation, and not as an analogy to Malaysia’s intra-Islamic deviant-teaching enforcement apparatus.
Mystery Of Faith
Approved rendering: Rahsia iman
Transliteration: RAH-see-ah ee-MAHN
Doctrine: Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching
Rejected alternatives: a rendering implying an ongoing secret accessible only to spiritual elites
Original: τὸ μυστήριον τῆς πίστεως
Category: Faith
New term. 1 Timothy 3:9. Must be explicitly distinguished from esoteric Malay Sufi mystical practice (ilmu batin, hidden inner knowledge for initiates) — this mystery is revealed and public, proclaimed to all.
Mystery Of Godliness
Approved rendering: Rahsia kesalehan
Transliteration: RAH-see-ah keh-sah-LEH-hahn
Doctrine: The Church as Pillar of Truth
Original: τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον
Category: Godliness
New term. 1 Timothy 3:16, introducing the early Christian hymn. Compounds two already-flagged High-risk terms (mystery, godliness); same esoteric-knowledge misreading risk as mystery_of_faith applies.
Deceitful Spirits Teachings Of Demons
Approved rendering: Roh-roh yang menyesatkan dan ajaran roh jahat
Transliteration: ROHKH roh-roh yahng meh-nyeh-SAHT-kahn dahn ah-JAH-rahn ROHKH jah-HAHT
Doctrine: Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching
Rejected alternatives: jin (the Qur’anic/Islamic category of unseen beings, morally mixed — some jinn are described as believers in mainstream Islamic cosmology)
Original: πνεύματα πλάνα καὶ διδασκαλίαι δαιμονίων
Category: False Teaching
New term. 1 Timothy 4:1. ‘Jin’ would import a morally ambivalent cosmology unlike the New Testament’s uniformly malevolent daimonion; ‘roh jahat’ keeps the uniformly negative sense intact.
Falsely Called Knowledge
Approved rendering: Ilmu pengetahuan yang direka-reka
Transliteration: IL-moo peng-eh-TAH-hoo-ahn yahng dee-REH-kah-REH-kah
Doctrine: Guarding the Deposit of Faith
Rejected alternatives: ilmu (bare) — risks sounding like a slight against Islamic religious scholarship (ilmu agama) or evoking Malay esoteric ilmu batin/ilmu hitam traditions
Original: ψευδώνυμος γνῶσις
Category: False Teaching
New term. 1 Timothy 6:20. The qualifying phrase ‘yang direka-reka’ (contrived/invented) keeps the focus narrowly on this specific false, fabricated teaching; must always be attached, never abbreviated to bare ‘ilmu’ or ‘ilmu palsu.‘
Guard The Deposit
Approved rendering: Amanah
Transliteration: ah-mah-NAH
Doctrine: Guarding the Deposit of Faith
Rejected alternatives: pesanan yang dipertaruhkan (fallback if political association proves too distracting in a given teaching context)
Original: παραθήκη
Category: Guarding the Deposit
New term. 1 Timothy 6:20, connects to 1:11’s ‘entrusted.’ Theologically resonant (echoes al-Amin) but also the name of an active Malaysian political party (Parti Amanah Negara); retain as primary rendering, flag for native speaker review each occurrence.
Overseer
Approved rendering: Penyelia
Transliteration: peh-nyeh-LEE-ah
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
Rejected alternatives: Imam (Malaysia’s formally recognized Islamic mosque-prayer-leadership and community religious authority office under state Islamic administration enactments), Uskup (imports an unrelated hierarchical Catholic/Anglican polity)
Original: ἐπίσκοπος
Category: Church Leadership
New term. 1 Timothy 3:1-2. Established Malaysian Reformed/Presbyterian usage; teaching material must clarify the episkopos/presbyteros functional overlap with Penatua (elder).
Elder
Approved rendering: Penatua
Transliteration: peh-nah-TOO-ah
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
Rejected alternatives: Imam (same rejection reasoning as Overseer)
Original: πρεσβύτερος
Category: Church Leadership
New term. Full treatment at 1 Timothy 5:17-22; functionally anticipated in chapter 3. Established Malaysian Presbyterian/Reformed usage, paired with Penyelia for the same office.
Double Honor For Elders
Approved rendering: Penghormatan berganda
Transliteration: peng-hor-MAH-tahn ber-GAHN-dah
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
Original: διπλῆς τιμῆς
Category: Church Leadership
New term. 1 Timothy 5:17-18. Note the possible financial-support connotation drawn from the following ‘the laborer deserves his wages’ citation.
Wives Or Women Deacons
Approved rendering: Isteri-isteri mereka / kaum wanita
Transliteration: is-TREE is-TREE meh-REH-kah / KOWM wah-NEE-tah
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
Rejected alternatives: a rendering that forecloses either the ‘deacons’ wives’ or ‘women deacons’ reading
Original: γυναῖκας
Category: Church Leadership
New term. 1 Timothy 3:11. Genuinely ambiguous in Greek (gynē means both ‘woman’ and ‘wife’). This ambiguity should be preserved, not resolved, by translation choice, since Malaysian denominational traditions vary on women’s diaconal service. Mandatory human theologian review.
Ransom
Approved rendering: Tebusan
Transliteration: teh-BOO-sahn
Doctrine: Christ as the One Mediator
Original: ἀντίλυτρον
Category: Christ as One Mediator
New term. 1 Timothy 2:6. No close parallel in mainstream Islamic theology, which lacks a substitutionary-atonement-for-sin doctrine; must be taught as a distinctive claim, not softened into a vague ‘helper’ concept.
Authority Domineer
Approved rendering: Menguasai / memerintah
Transliteration: meng-oo-AH-sai / meh-meh-RIN-tahh
Doctrine: Public Worship and Prayer
Original: αὐθεντέω
Category: Worship
New term (authenteō, a rare word with a debated semantic range). 1 Timothy 2:12. Center of a live complementarian/egalitarian debate, compounded by parallel Malaysian debates on women’s religious leadership across faith communities. Render without smuggling in a resolved interpretive stance; mandatory human theologian review.
Pillar And Foundation Of Truth
Approved rendering: Tiang dan asas kebenaran
Transliteration: TEE-ahng dahn AH-sahs keh-beh-NAH-rahn
Doctrine: The Church as Pillar of Truth
Original: στῦλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας
Category: Church as Pillar of Truth
New term. 1 Timothy 3:15. Uses Kebenaran in its ‘truth/correctness’ sense rather than the forensic-righteousness sense central to the baseline’s Romans usage; teaching material must make this contextual disambiguation explicit.
Justified In The Spirit
Approved rendering: Dibenarkan oleh Roh
Transliteration: dee-beh-NAHR-kahn oh-leh ROHKH
Doctrine: Incarnation and Exaltation of Christ (Hymn of 3:16)
Original: ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι
Category: Christology
New term, context-sensitive reuse of the Diperbenarkan verb root. 1 Timothy 3:16. Refers to Christ’s own vindication/exaltation by the Spirit, NOT the believer’s justification doctrine of Romans; must be explicitly disambiguated to avoid conflating the two distinct referents of the same root word.
Godliness
Approved rendering: Kesalehan
Transliteration: keh-sah-LEH-hahn
Doctrine: Godliness and Contentment
Rejected alternatives: ketakwaan (from taqwa, even more tightly bound to the specific Islamic devotional-legal concept of God-consciousness oriented toward avoiding forbidden acts)
Original: εὐσέβεια
Category: Godliness
New term. The letter’s most consequential vocabulary gap; recurs at 2:2, 3:16, 4:7-8, 6:3, 6:5, 6:6, 6:11. Malay lacks a native, non-Arabic-loan compact word for this concept; kesalehan derives from the same ‘soleh’ root the baseline flagged when rejecting amal soleh. Every occurrence requires explicit teaching that Christian eusebeia is Spirit-produced fruit of grace, not a meritorious deeds-category.
Contentment
Approved rendering: Kepuasan hati
Transliteration: keh-poo-AH-sahn HAH-tee
Doctrine: Godliness and Contentment
Original: αὐτάρκεια
Category: Godliness
New term. 1 Timothy 6:6, ‘godliness with contentment is great gain.’ Genuinely resonates with Malay-Islamic devotional redha/tawakal but must be distinguished from takdir-style fatalistic resignation; Paul’s contentment is active confidence in a personal, purposive God (cf. 6:17).
Godliness As Means Of Gain
Approved rendering: Menyangka kesalehan itu jalan untuk mendapat keuntungan
Transliteration: meh-NYAHNG-kah keh-sah-LEH-hahn EE-too JAH-lahn OON-took men-DAH-paht keh-oon-TOONG-ahn
Doctrine: Godliness and Contentment
Original: νομίζοντων πορισμὸν εἶναι τὴν εὐσέβειαν
Category: Godliness
New term. 1 Timothy 6:5. Directly warns against a prosperity-gospel-style commodification of piety, relevant given prosperity-gospel-influenced teaching present in parts of the Malaysian/Southeast Asian charismatic scene; this warning must not be softened.
Blasphemed
Approved rendering: Dihujat
Transliteration: dee-HOO-jaht
Doctrine: Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching
Original: βλασφημέω
Category: Sound Doctrine
New term. 1 Timothy 6:1, ‘so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.’ Blasphemy against God or Islam is treated as a serious offense under Malaysian law (Sedition Act, state Islamic administration enactments); requires legal-safety awareness alongside translation accuracy. Mandatory human theologian review.
Good Confession
Approved rendering: Pengakuan yang baik
Transliteration: peng-ah-KOO-ahn yahng BAH-eek
Doctrine: Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching
Original: ἡ καλὴ ὁμολογία
Category: Sound Doctrine
New term. 1 Timothy 6:12-13. Directly connects to the baseline’s Critical Romans 10:9-10 ‘Jesus is Lord’ confession convention; teaching material should draw this connection explicitly.
Unapproachable Light
Approved rendering: Cahaya yang tidak terhampiri
Transliteration: chah-HAH-yah yahng TEE-dahk ter-hahm-PEE-ree
Doctrine: The Return (Appearing) of Christ
Rejected alternatives: Nur (evokes the pre-existent light of Muhammad in traditional Malay Sufi devotional literature)
Original: φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον
Category: God
New term. 1 Timothy 6:16. Never Nur, per the baseline’s Glory entry caution; use the plain, non-Sufi-loaded ‘cahaya’ instead.
Medium Risk Terms
Church
Approved rendering: Gereja
Transliteration: geh-REH-jah
Doctrine: Church as God’s People
Rejected alternatives: jemaah (a term also used broadly for a mosque congregation or generic religious assembly)
Original: ἐκκλησία
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 3:5, ‘care for God’s church’; 3:15, ‘church of the living God.‘
Prophecy
Approved rendering: Nubuat
Transliteration: noo-boo-AHT
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Prophecy
Rejected alternatives: ramalan (fortune-telling/prediction)
Original: προφητεία
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 4:14, ‘the gift given through prophecy.‘
Gentiles
Approved rendering: Bangsa bukan Yahudi
Transliteration: BAHNG-sah BOO-kahn yah-HOO-dee
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Rejected alternatives: kafir (unbeliever/infidel, an Islamic religious-legal category)
Original: ἔθνη (background to 2:1-4’s ‘all people’)
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. Background-relevant to 1 Timothy 2:1-4’s universal ‘all people’ scope and 2:7’s ‘teacher of the Gentiles.‘
Spiritual Gifts
Approved rendering: Karunia rohani
Transliteration: kah-ROO-nee-ah roh-HAH-nee
Doctrine: Spiritual Gifts
Rejected alternatives: keramat (a miraculous power or site associated with a venerated wali)
Inherited from Romans package. 1 Timothy 4:14, ‘the gift given through prophecy with the laying on of hands.‘
Forbid Marriage Abstain Foods
Approved rendering: Melarang perkahwinan dan menyuruh berpantang makanan
Transliteration: meh-LAH-rahng per-kah-WIN-ahn dahn meh-NYOO-roh ber-PAHN-tahng mah-KAH-nahn
Doctrine: Guarding Against False Asceticism
Original: κωλυόντων γαμεῖν, ἀπέχεσθαι βρωμάτων
Category: False Teaching
New term. 1 Timothy 4:3. Must not be read as an implicit critique of Islamic dietary law (halal/haram) or fasting practice (puasa), which rest on obedience to revealed command, not a belief that matter/marriage is inherently evil.
Entrusted With Gospel
Approved rendering: Telah dipercayakan kepadaku
Transliteration: teh-LAHH dee-per-chah-YAH-kahn keh-PAH-dah-koo
Doctrine: Guarding the Deposit of Faith
Original: ἐπιστεύθην
Category: Guarding the Deposit
New term. 1 Timothy 1:11. Anticipates the ‘deposit’ theme of 6:20; both should be taught together as one unfolding doctrine thread.
Office Of Overseer
Approved rendering: Jawatan penyelia
Transliteration: jah-WAH-tahn peh-nyeh-LEE-ah
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
Original: ἐπισκοπή
Category: Church Leadership
New term. 1 Timothy 3:1, the abstract noun form of Penyelia. Carries the same Imam/Uskup avoidance logic by extension.
Deacon
Approved rendering: Diakon
Transliteration: dee-AH-kon
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
Rejected alternatives: khadam (generic servant/attendant, understates the formal, examined nature of the office)
Original: διάκονος
Category: Church Leadership
New term. 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Established transliteration in Malaysian Reformed/Presbyterian usage; low collision risk since no competing Islamic office term exists for this word.
Council Of Elders
Approved rendering: Majlis Penatua
Transliteration: MAH-jlis peh-nah-TOO-ah
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
Original: πρεσβυτέριον
Category: Church Leadership
New term. 1 Timothy 4:14, ‘the council of elders’ who laid hands on Timothy. Built from the already-flagged Penatua term.
Wife Of One Husband
Approved rendering: Isteri kepada seorang suami sahaja
Transliteration: is-TREE keh-PAH-dah seh-OH-rahng SOO-ah-mee sah-HAH-jah
Doctrine: Care for Widows and the Household of Faith
Original: ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή
Category: Church Leadership
New term. 1 Timothy 5:9, the parallel qualifier for enrolled widows. Lower friction than the husband-of-one-wife qualifier, since Malaysian law does not permit polyandry for women in any community; note the instructive asymmetry for translators.
Holy Hands Hosios
Approved rendering: Khusyuk / suci hati
Transliteration: KHOOS-yook / SOO-chee HAH-tee
Doctrine: Public Worship and Prayer
Original: ὅσιος
Category: Worship
New term (hosios, distinct Greek word from hagios/Kudus). 1 Timothy 2:8, ‘lifting up holy hands.’ Distinguish this nuance from Kudus; avoid treating as a simple synonym requiring identical Malay vocabulary.
Household Of God
Approved rendering: Keluarga Allah
Transliteration: keh-loo-AHR-gah ahl-LAHH
Doctrine: The Church as Pillar of Truth
Original: οἶκος θεοῦ
Category: Church
New term. 1 Timothy 3:15. Connects to the baseline’s Adoption doctrine (Pengangkatan sebagai anak); a culturally comfortable image in Malay society, but must not imply God has literal offspring.
Church Of Living God
Approved rendering: Gereja Allah yang hidup
Transliteration: geh-REH-jah ahl-LAHH yahng HEE-doop
Doctrine: The Church as Pillar of Truth
Original: ἐκκλησία θεοῦ ζῶντος
Category: Church
New term (compound of reused Gereja and Allah). 1 Timothy 3:15. Implicitly contrasts the living God with lifeless idols.
Love Of Money
Approved rendering: Cinta akan wang / tidak tamak akan wang
Transliteration: CHIN-tah AH-kahn WAHNG / TEE-dahk TAH-mahk AH-kahn WAHNG
Doctrine: Wealth and the Love of Money
Original: ἀφιλάργυρος / φιλαργυρία
Category: Godliness
New term. Render 1 Timothy 3:3 and 6:10 consistently with the same root Malay term. Must preserve ‘a root,’ not ‘the root,’ and ‘all kinds of evils,’ not ‘evil’ as such.
Not Greedy For Dishonest Gain
Approved rendering: Tidak tamak akan keuntungan yang haram
Transliteration: TEE-dahk TAH-mahk AH-kahn keh-oon-TOONG-ahn yahng hah-RAHM
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
New term. 1 Timothy 3:8. ‘Haram’ borrowed deliberately for moral clarity but must be understood as an ethical descriptor, not an invocation of Islamic religious-legal authority (fiqh); the standard invoked is apostolic teaching, not Syariah.
Eternal Life
Approved rendering: Hidup yang kekal
Transliteration: HEE-doop yahng keh-KAHL
Doctrine: Grace and Mercy to the Foremost of Sinners
Original: ζωὴ αἰώνιος
Category: Salvation
New term. 1 Timothy 1:16; 6:12, 6:19. Must be taught as a present possession secured through Christ, per the baseline Critical Salvation entry, not merely a hoped-for future outcome deferred to Judgment Day.
Satan
Approved rendering: Iblis
Transliteration: IB-lees
Doctrine: Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching
Original: Σατανᾶς / διάβολος
Category: Sin
New term. 1 Timothy 1:20, 3:6-7, 5:15. Low-friction, shared vocabulary with the Qur’anic Iblis; teaching material should note the differing narrative role Iblis occupies in Qur’anic versus biblical cosmology.
Worse Than Unbeliever
Approved rendering: Lebih buruk daripada orang yang tidak beriman
Transliteration: LEH-bih BOO-rook dah-ree-PAH-dah OH-rahng yahng TEE-dahk beh-ree-MAHN
Doctrine: Care for Widows and the Household of Faith
Original: χείρων ἀπίστου
Category: Household of Faith
New term. 1 Timothy 5:8. Must be kept narrowly in its context — failure to provide for one’s own household — and not heard as a broader condemnation of non-Christian family members, given common interfaith family relationships in Malaysian households.
Testimony From Outsiders
Approved rendering: Kesaksian yang baik daripada orang luar
Transliteration: keh-SAHK-see-ahn yahng BAH-eek dah-ree-PAH-dah OH-rahng LOO-ahr
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
New term. 1 Timothy 3:7. In Malaysia, ‘orang luar’ (outsiders) for a church leader concretely and often means Muslim neighbors, colleagues, and civil authorities; native speaker review recommended to ensure this reads as commendation of consistent godly character, not a specific missional posture.
Pure Hagnon
Approved rendering: Suci
Transliteration: SOO-chee
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
New term (hagnos, distinct from hagios/Kudus). 1 Timothy 5:22, ‘keep yourself pure.’ This deliberate, narrower usage of ‘suci’ here is not a general substitute for Kudus elsewhere in the curriculum.
Man Of God
Approved rendering: Hamba Allah
Transliteration: HAHM-bah ahl-LAHH
Doctrine: Godliness and Contentment
New term. 1 Timothy 6:11. A very common, positively resonant phrase in Malay religious vocabulary generally, used devotionally in both Christian and Muslim contexts; low friction, genuine bridge term.
Low Risk Terms
Thanksgiving
Approved rendering: Kesyukuran
Transliteration: keh-shoo-KOO-rahn
Doctrine: Thanksgiving
Original: εὐχαριστία
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Part of the fourfold prayer list, 1 Timothy 2:1.
Exhort
Approved rendering: Menasihati
Transliteration: meh-NAH-see-HAH-tee
Doctrine: Mutual Edification
Original: παρακαλέω
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Context-sensitive across 1 Timothy 4:13 (public exhortation) and 5:1-2 (entreaty).
Prophet
Approved rendering: Nabi
Transliteration: NAH-bee
Doctrine: Inspiration of Scripture
Rejected alternatives: ahli nujum (fortune-teller/astrologer)
Inherited from Romans package. Background vocabulary only in 1 Timothy; no direct occurrence but retained for cross-curriculum consistency.
Manage Household
Approved rendering: Menguruskan/mengetuai dengan baik
Transliteration: meng-oo-ROOS-kahn / meng-eh-too-AH-ee deng-AHN BAH-eek
Doctrine: Household Management and Family Order
Original: προΐστημι
Category: Church Leadership
New term (proistēmi). Recurs 3:4-5, 3:12, 5:17 (of elders’ governing function); render consistently across all four occurrences.
Widow
Approved rendering: Balu
Transliteration: BAH-loo
Doctrine: Care for Widows and the Household of Faith
Original: χήρα
Category: Household of Faith
New term. 1 Timothy 5:3-16. A genuine cultural bridge point: care for widows and orphans is a strongly shared ethical value across Malay-Muslim culture (cf. zakat obligations).
Conscience
Approved rendering: Hati nurani
Transliteration: HAH-tee noo-RAH-nee
Doctrine: Guarding the Deposit of Faith
Original: συνείδησις
Category: Faith
New term. Recurs 1:5, 1:19, 3:9, 4:2; render identically at every occurrence for cross-chapter consistency.
Repay Parents
Approved rendering: Membalas jasa
Transliteration: mem-BAH-lahs JAH-sah
Doctrine: Household Management and Family Order
New term. 1 Timothy 5:4. A genuine point of strong cultural resonance: filial duty to repay and care for parents is deeply held across Malay, Chinese-Confucian, and Islamic (birrul walidain) ethical traditions in Malaysia.
Recent Convert
Approved rendering: Bukan orang yang baru percaya
Transliteration: BOO-kahn OH-rahng yahng BAH-roo per-CHAH-yah
Doctrine: Qualifications for Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)
New term. 1 Timothy 3:6. Pastoral-sensitivity note: converts from a Muslim background in Malaysia often face significant social/familial/legal pressure and may be pushed toward premature leadership; teaching emphasis should be patient discipleship, not suspicion of recent converts.
Myths And Genealogies
Approved rendering: Cerita dongeng dan salasilah yang tiada kesudahannya
Transliteration: cheh-REE-tah dong-ENG dahn sah-lah-SEE-lah yahng TEE-ah-dah keh-soo-DAH-hahn-nyah
Doctrine: Sound Doctrine versus False Teaching
New term. 1 Timothy 1:4. ‘Salasilah’ (genealogy/lineage) is the same word used of royal Malay dynastic lineage (salasilah diraja); no doctrinal risk, a shared-vocabulary point for translator awareness only.
Referenced passages