07 Semantic Analysis — 1 Corinthians (English → Mandarin)

Methodology and Baseline Compliance

This analysis extends the baseline Romans Language Package (translation_memory.json, bible_term_registry.json, doctrine_risk_registry.json) to the 1 Corinthians curriculum. Per hard rule, every term already recorded in the Romans translation memory is reused exactly — its Mandarin rendering, transliteration, and risk tier are not re-derived here; this document only notes where the baseline term recurs and what new contextual nuance 1 Corinthians adds. All new terms introduced by 1 Corinthians receive full treatment: original Greek word, transliteration, literal meaning, semantic range, English variants, contextual theological meaning, and destination-language (Mandarin) rendering risk.

Script: Simplified Chinese. Transliteration: Hanyu Pinyin with tone marks. Register anchor: CUV (和合本), Shen edition (神版), consistent with the Romans baseline. God = 神 throughout (never 上帝, 天, or 老天爷, per baseline rule).

Coverage: the core passage (1 Corinthians 15:1-11) receives verse-by-verse treatment first. The remainder of the book is then covered chapter by chapter, first to last, including chapter 15’s remaining verses (12-58).

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PART A — Core Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (Verse-by-Verse)

This passage is Paul’s summary of the apostolic gospel tradition and the resurrection appearances. It is the theological anchor of the whole curriculum’s Resurrection doctrine, and every load-bearing term here also functions as a doctrinal keystone for chapter 15 as a whole.

Verse 1 — “Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand”

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
εὐαγγέλιον	euangelion	good announcement	authoritative proclamation of saving news	”gospel,” “good news”	The specific apostolic message about Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection defined in vv.3-5, not a generic religious message	Reuse baseline: 福音 (fúyīn). Medium risk per baseline notes (福 folk-fortune collision); no new risk introduced.
παρελάβετε	parelabete	you received (from another, as a formal transmission)	receiving a tradition, teaching, or deposit passed down by an authorized source	”received,” “accepted”	Paired with παρέδωκα (v.3, “I delivered”): the Corinthians received a fixed, authoritative tradition, not a personal opinion they formed independently	NEW TERM. 领受 (lǐngshòu) or 接受 (jiēshòu). Risk: Medium-High. Must convey receiving an authoritative, fixed deposit of teaching from an apostolic source — parallel to, but doctrinally distinct from, the Confucian model of a disciple receiving a master’s transmitted teaching (传道/师承), which risks framing the gospel as one lineage-teaching among several rather than a unique, once-delivered apostolic deposit. Recommend footnote linking to παρέδωκα in v.3.
ἑστήκατε	hestēkate	you stand, you have stood (perfect tense — stand firm, with abiding result)	stability, firm position, perseverance	”stand,” “stand firm”	The gospel is the ground on which believers presently and continually stand; not a past event only	NEW (minor). 站立 (zhànlì) / 站稳 (zhàn wěn). Risk: Low. Straightforward; no significant collision.

Verse 2 — “and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain”

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
σῴζεσθε	sōzesthe	you are being saved (present passive, ongoing)	the continuing effect of salvation already secured	”are saved,” “are being saved”	Salvation as a present, ongoing reality grounded in a completed past event (Christ’s death/resurrection), not a repeatable ritual process	Reuse baseline verb form of 救恩 (jiùēn)/救 (jiù). Critical per baseline salvation entry. New nuance: present-tense continuity must be preserved — avoid rendering that implies salvation is uncertain or incomplete pending further merit.
κατέχετε	katechete	you hold fast, you retain firmly	grasping and retaining, holding one’s ground	”hold fast,” “hold firmly,” “retain”	Continuing adherence to the apostolic gospel content, not a one-time emotional decision	NEW TERM. 持守 (chíshǒu). Risk: Medium. Convey persevering faithfulness to a specific content (the gospel as defined in vv.3-5), not vague religious perseverance or willpower-based self-discipline (cf. Confucian 恒心/毅力, “constancy of will”).
ἐπιστεύσατε	episteusate	you believed	trust placed in a specific claim/person	”believed,” “trusted”	Belief with a specific object: the gospel content just described	Reuse baseline root 信 (xìn), verbal form of 信心 (xìnxīn). High risk per baseline faith entry — object of faith must remain the gospel of vv.3-5, not generic piety.

Verse 3 — “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures”

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
παρέδωκα	paredōka	I handed over, I delivered (as a formal transmission)	passing on a fixed teaching/tradition with authority	”delivered,” “passed on,” “handed down”	Paul transmits a fixed apostolic tradition he did not originate; paired with παρέλαβον below	NEW TERM. 传给 (chuán gěi) / 传授 (chuánshòu). Risk: High. Must be distinguished from the transmission of classical wisdom-teaching in the Confucian tradition (经典的传授) — this is a historically-anchored eyewitness report of a completed redemptive event, not philosophical wisdom handed master-to-disciple. Directly parallels 11:2’s “traditions” (παράδοσις) — recommend consistent glossary linkage.
ἐν πρώτοις	en prōtois	among the first things, of first importance	primacy, priority in a list or in significance	”as of first importance,” “first of all”	Signals that what follows (death, burial, resurrection, appearances) is the non-negotiable core of the gospel	首要的事 (shǒuyào de shì). Risk: Low.
ὑπὲρ	hyper	on behalf of, for the sake of, in place of	benefit, substitution, representation	”for,” “on behalf of,” “in place of”	Substitutionary/representative sense: Christ’s death addresses “our sins” specifically, not merely “concerning” or “about” sins	NEW TERM (grammatical/theological). 为 (wèi) / 替 (tì). Risk: Critical. Mandarin 为 can be read merely as “concerning/regarding”; translators must select or supplement with 替 (tì, “in place of, on behalf of”) or explanatory phrasing to preserve the substitutionary-atonement sense. A flattened rendering risks reducing the atonement to Christ dying “in connection with” sin rather than “in the place of” sinners.
ἁμαρτιῶν	hamartiōn	sins	moral offenses against God	”sins,” “trespasses”	Reuse baseline 罪 (zuì); High risk per baseline sin entry.
κατὰ τὰς γραφάς	kata tas graphas	according to the Scriptures	conformity to a written authoritative text	”according to the Scriptures,” “as the Scriptures said”	Christ’s death fulfills specific OT revelation (echoed in Romans’ Fulfillment of Prophecy doctrine), not a coincidental or cyclical historical pattern	NEW TERM. 照圣经所说 (zhào Shèngjīng suǒ shuō) / 正如经上所记 (zhèng rú jīng shàng suǒ jì). Risk: High. Same collision flagged in the Romans baseline’s Fulfillment of Prophecy doctrine: must be taught as linear, one-time historical fulfillment, not the cyclical dynastic-rise-and-fall pattern (治乱循环) many readers intuitively bring to long historical narrative.

Verse 4 — “that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures”

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἐτάφη	etaphē	he was buried	interment of a corpse	”was buried,” “was entombed”	Affirms real, physical death — burial is proof of death, the necessary premise for a real resurrection	NEW TERM. 埋葬 (máizàng). Risk: High. Must be retained explicitly (not abbreviated or skipped) to guard against any docetic-flavored reading and to block a “spirit returned” folk-ghost-story reading (cf. baseline resurrection note on 还魂, reanimation folklore) — burial establishes real bodily death prior to a real bodily resurrection.
ἐγήγερται	egēgertai	he has been raised (perfect tense: raised, with abiding present result)	a past act with continuing present effect	”was raised,” “has been raised,” “is risen”	The perfect tense signals Christ’s resurrection is not merely a past occurrence but a permanently established, present reality (he is risen and remains risen)	Reuse baseline 复活 (fùhuó). Critical per baseline resurrection entry — NEVER 轮回/投胎/还魂. New nuance: Mandarin verb aspect does not mark perfect tense as Greek does; translators should consider a stative gloss (e.g., 已经复活了 / 已复活) to carry forward the “abiding result” nuance rather than a simple past-completed reading.
τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ	tē tritē hēmera	on the third day	a specific, countable day within human history	”on the third day,” “three days later”	Historical specificity of a datable event, not a symbolic or mythic time-marker	第三天 (dì sān tiān). Risk: Low, but pairs with the High-risk Fulfillment of Prophecy doctrine — reinforces linear historical fulfillment.
κατὰ τὰς γραφάς	(repeated)	—	—	—	Repetition intensifies the OT-fulfillment claim for the resurrection specifically	See v.3 above; same risk profile.

Verse 5 — “and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve”

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ὤφθη	ōphthē	he was seen, he appeared (passive of ὁράω)	an objective visual encounter with a real object, not a subjective inner experience	”appeared,” “was seen,” “showed himself”	The risen Christ presented himself as a real, physically visible object of sight to named, verifiable witnesses	NEW TERM. 显现 (xiǎnxiàn). Risk: Critical. Must not be rendered with vocabulary suggesting a vision, apparition, or dream (幻象, mèng, 灵异现象) nor with folk vocabulary for a ghost’s appearance/haunting (显灵, 见鬼) — both are common frameworks in Chinese folk religion for a deceased person “appearing” to the living, and both would reduce the bodily resurrection to a spirit-sighting. 显现 is the established CUV term and should be retained but must always be taught alongside the bodily-resurrection framework of vv.3-4 to prevent a ghost-story reading.
Κηφᾷ	Kēpha	Cephas (Peter’s Aramaic name)	proper name	”Cephas,” “Peter”	Names a specific, identifiable, still-living eyewitness (cf. Gal 1:18)	矶法 (Jīfǎ) — established CUV transliteration; also cross-referenced with 彼得 (Bǐdé). Risk: Low (proper name consistency only).
τοῖς δώδεκα	tois dōdeka	the Twelve	the recognized apostolic circle	”the Twelve,” “the twelve apostles”	A specific, bounded, nameable group of eyewitnesses, reinforcing historical verifiability	十二使徒 (shí’èr shǐtú), building on reused baseline term 使徒. Risk: Low.

Verse 6 — “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep”

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἐφάπαξ	ephapax	at once, at one single time / once for all	a single, unrepeated occurrence	”at one time,” “all at once”	Emphasizes a single, verifiable, mass-witnessed historical event — not a repeated or evolving legend	一次 (yí cì) / 同时 (tóngshí). Risk: Low-Medium. Note: this word-family (ἅπαξ/ἐφάπαξ) elsewhere carries strong “once for all” theological weight (e.g., Hebrews); here the force is primarily historical-evidential (simultaneity of witness), and should not be over-theologized in translation.
ἐκοιμήθησαν	ekoimēthēsan	they fell asleep (euphemism for death)	death viewed through the lens of a future waking (resurrection hope)	“have fallen asleep,” “have died”	A hope-filled euphemism: death for believers is temporary “sleep” awaiting bodily resurrection, not an ending	NEW TERM. 睡了 (shuì le) — CUV convention for this NT euphemism. Risk: High. Must be distinguished from Buddhist metaphors of death as a transition within an ongoing rebirth cycle (投胎/轮回, already forbidden under baseline resurrection rules) — here “sleep” implies a future single awakening (bodily resurrection), not an intermediate state before a new rebirth. Requires an explanatory note on first use.

Verse 7 — “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles”

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
Ἰακώβῳ	Iakōbō	to James	proper name (the Lord’s brother, later Jerusalem church leader)	“James”	Another named, identifiable, checkable eyewitness	雅各 (Yǎgè) — established CUV form. Risk: Low.
τοῖς ἀποστόλοις πᾶσιν	tois apostolois pasin	to all the apostles	the complete apostolic company	”all the apostles”	Reuse baseline 使徒 (shǐtú); confirms the full scope of official apostolic eyewitness testimony	Risk: Low (reuse).

Verse 8 — “Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he appeared also to me”

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἔκτρωμα	ektrōma	one born abnormally/prematurely; a miscarried or stillborn child	an image of unexpectedness, unworthiness, or a birth out of the normal course	”one untimely born,” “one born at the wrong time,” “abnormally born”	Paul’s self-description as the least fitting, most unlikely recipient of a resurrection appearance — a term of deep humility, not literal biology	NEW TERM. 未足月而生的 (wèi zúyuè ér shēng de) or a functional gloss such as 不合时的人 (“one out of due time”). Risk: Medium-High. The image is unusual and potentially obscure or uncomfortable in Mandarin (miscarriage/stillbirth imagery); a literal rendering risks either confusion or unintended offense. Recommend a functional-equivalence gloss with a translator’s note preserving Paul’s point (unworthy, unexpected recipient of grace) rather than a clinical medical term.

Verse 9 — “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God”

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἐλάχιστος	elachistos	least, smallest	superlative of smallness/lowliness	”least,” “smallest”	Paul’s self-assessment of unworthiness relative to the other apostles	最小的 (zuì xiǎo de). Risk: Low.
ἱκανός	hikanos	sufficient, fit, worthy	adequacy, qualification	”worthy,” “fit,” “sufficient”	Paul denies any inherent qualification for apostleship apart from grace	配 (pèi) / 够资格 (gòu zīgé). Risk: Low-Medium.
ἐδίωξα	ediōxa	I persecuted	active hostile pursuit/harassment	”persecuted,” “pursued to harm”	Paul’s pre-conversion history as an enemy of the church, heightening the wonder of grace in v.10	逼迫 (bīpò) — established CUV term for religious persecution. Risk: Low.
ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ	ekklēsian tou theou	church of God	Reuse baseline 教会 (jiàohuì) + 神 (Shén). Risk: Medium per baseline church entry.

Verse 10 — “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me”

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
χάριτι θεοῦ	chariti theou	by the grace of God	Reuse baseline 恩典 (ēndiǎn). Critical per baseline grace entry — this is the pivotal grace-not-merit verse of the whole book, structurally parallel to Romans 3-4.
κενή	kenē	empty, without effect, in vain	fruitlessness, ineffectiveness	”in vain,” “without effect,” “empty”	Grace received is never inert — it produces real fruit (Paul’s labor), directly countering any notion that grace alone (without corresponding works) is passive or purposeless	NEW TERM. 落空 (luòkōng) / 徒然 (túrán). Risk: High. Must be handled with care alongside the merit-accounting collision already flagged for grace (功德): the passage affirms grace produces labor without grace becoming merit — the labor is evidence of grace’s effectiveness, not a separate meritorious contribution added to grace. A poor rendering could accidentally reintroduce a works-earns-standing reading exactly where Paul is guarding against it.
ἐκοπίασα	ekopiasa	I labored, I worked hard (to the point of weariness)	strenuous exertion	”labored,” “worked hard,” “toiled”	Grace-empowered labor, not merit-earning effort — the labor flows from and is enabled by grace, not the reverse	NEW TERM. 劳苦 (láokǔ) / 劳碌 (láolù). Risk: Medium-High. Same collision as κενή above: teaching must make explicit the labor is the fruit of grace received, not its cause.
σὺν ἐμοί	syn emoi	with me	close cooperative presence	”with me,” “working alongside me”	Grace is personally, actively present and active in Paul’s ongoing ministry — but the grammar (subject = “the grace of God,” not “I”) preserves grace as the operative agent	与我同在 (yǔ wǒ tóngzài) / 和我一同做工 (hé wǒ yītóng zuò gōng). Risk: Medium. Caution: must not be phrased so as to suggest Paul and grace are two equal co-laboring partners (synergism) — the preceding clause (“not I, but the grace of God”) must govern the reading; grace remains the acting subject, with Paul as its instrument.

Verse 11 — “Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed”

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
κηρύσσομεν	kēryssomen	we proclaim, we preach (as a herald)	authoritative public announcement	”preach,” “proclaim,” “announce”	The gospel message is a unified apostolic proclamation regardless of which apostle delivers it — unity of message across all witnesses	NEW TERM. 传讲 (chuánjiǎng) / 宣讲 (xuānjiǎng). Risk: Medium. Herald-proclamation sense (a public, authoritative announcement of a settled fact) should be distinguished from a teacher’s private instruction or a fortune-teller’s forecast — reinforces the settled, non-negotiable nature of the gospel content just recited.
ἐπιστεύσατε	(repeated)	—	—	—	Closes the loop: the content proclaimed is exactly the content believed	Reuse 信 (xìn); see v.2.

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PART B — Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis of the Whole Book

Chapter 1 — Factionalism, the Cross, and Calling

New load-bearing terms (beyond baseline reuse of 教会, 圣徒, 蒙召的/呼召, 恩典, 团契, 福音, 基督, 神):

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning in 1 Cor 1	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
division/schism	σχίσμα	schisma	a tear, split, rupture	”division,” “schism,” “quarrel”	The Corinthian church’s fracturing into rival loyalty-groups around leaders (Paul, Apollos, Cephas) — the direct antithesis of the Christian Unity doctrine	NEW. 分党 (fēndǎng) — established CUV rendering. Risk: High. 党 (dǎng) carries strong modern political-party connotation in Chinese (as in 政党); teaching must clarify this is loyalty-faction rivalry within one body, not a legitimate pluralism of viewpoints or parties, and must not be softened into mere “difference of opinion.”
wisdom	σοφία	sophia	skill, cleverness, insight into how life/reality works	”wisdom,” “cleverness,” “philosophy”	Contrasted sharply: “wisdom of the world” vs. “wisdom of God” revealed in the crucified Christ	NEW. 智慧 (zhìhuì). Risk: Critical. 智慧 is also a core virtue in Confucian ethics (one of the Five Constant Virtues, 仁义礼智信) and a central category in Chinese Buddhist soteriology (般若智慧, prajñā-wisdom attained through enlightenment/cultivation). Every occurrence in 1 Cor 1-2 contrasting divine and worldly wisdom requires a note: God’s wisdom in the cross is revealed, received by faith, and appears as foolishness to unaided human reasoning — it is not a higher attainment reached through moral or contemplative cultivation.
foolishness	μωρία	mōria	folly, absurdity	”foolishness,” “folly”	The cross appears as absurd folly to those without faith, yet is in fact the power and wisdom of God — a deliberate, paradoxical reversal	NEW. 愚拙 (yúzhuō) — established CUV term. Risk: High. Must be taught as an intentional divine paradox (the “folly” is only apparent, from an unbelieving vantage point), not an admission that the gospel is genuinely irrational.
cross	σταυρός	stauros	the wooden execution stake/cross	”cross”	The message of Christ’s crucifixion as the locus of both wisdom and power — the doctrinal anchor of “The Cross as Wisdom and Power”	NEW. 十字架 (shízìjià) — established, near-exclusively Christian compound in Mandarin. Risk: Medium. Chief danger is not syncretistic collision but secularization/decoration — 十字架 is widely recognized as a generic religious/fashion symbol in modern urban China; teaching must restore its scandal and saving-power content, not merely treat it as an emblem.

Power of God (δύναμις θεοῦ, 1:18, 24) reuses baseline 神的大能; wisdom-power pairing here is the direct doctrinal bridge into Romans 1:16’s power-of-God theme.

Chapter 2 — The Spirit and Hidden Wisdom

New load-bearing terms:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
mystery	μυστήριον	mystērion	a hidden thing now disclosed	”mystery,” “secret”	God’s redemptive plan, formerly hidden, now revealed in Christ through the Spirit — not humanly discoverable wisdom	NEW. 奥秘 (àomì). Risk: High. Must be distinguished from esoteric occult secrets (秘术), Daoist inner-alchemy “secret transmissions,” or divinatory hidden knowledge — biblical mystery is revealed truth freely disclosed by God’s Spirit to all believers, not privileged knowledge reserved for spiritual elites or adepts.
spiritual person / natural person	πνευματικός / ψυχικός	pneumatikos / psychikos	one governed by the Spirit / one governed by unaided human life-faculties (“soul-ish”)	“spiritual person,” “natural person,” “unspiritual person”	Two categories of humanity: those who can receive Spirit-given truth, and those who cannot without the Spirit	NEW. 属灵的人 (shǔlíng de rén) / 属血气的人 (shǔ xiěqì de rén) — established CUV pair. Risk: High. 血气 (xiěqì, “blood-and-breath/vital energy”) risks being read through a Traditional Chinese Medicine or qigong lens (bodily vital-energy deficiency) rather than as a term for unregenerate human nature apart from the Spirit. Requires a clarifying note distinguishing this from any bodily-energy framework.
mind of Christ	νοῦς Χριστοῦ	nous Christou	the mind/thinking of Christ	”mind of Christ”	Believers, through the Spirit, share in Christ’s own perspective/discernment	NEW. 基督的心 (Jīdū de xīn). Risk: Medium. Should not be flattened to a generic call to “think positively” or “be virtuous”; it is a Spirit-given participation in Christ’s own understanding.

Chapter 3 — Carnal Division, God’s Field and Temple

New load-bearing terms:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
fleshly/carnal	σάρκινος / σαρκικός	sarkinos / sarkikos	made of flesh; dominated by the flesh	”carnal,” “fleshly,” “worldly”	Corinthian factionalism is evidence of spiritual immaturity dominated by sinful nature, not evidence that the body itself is evil	NEW. 属肉体的 (shǔ ròutǐ de). Risk: High. Must be distinguished from a dualistic body-is-evil reading (avoiding a folk-Buddhist “flesh/matter is the source of corruption” framework) — this describes a moral-spiritual immaturity governed by sin, not physicality itself as evil.
temple of God	ναός θεοῦ	naos theou	God’s dwelling-sanctuary	”temple of God,” “God’s temple”	The church corporately (and, in ch. 6, the believer’s body) is God’s dwelling place by the Spirit	NEW (extends baseline church entry). 神的殿 (Shén de diàn). Risk: Critical. Directly extends the baseline’s church-vs-temple caution (avoid 庙/寺/道观): here the image is intentionally a sanctuary metaphor, so care is needed to affirm God’s indwelling presence without importing folk-temple concepts of a geomantically auspicious site, an idol-housing structure, or a place requiring ritual offerings to appease a resident deity.
reward	μισθός	misthos	wages, payment for work	”reward,” “wages”	Believers’ service is evaluated and rewarded by God, though salvation itself is not earned (3:14-15)	NEW. 赏赐 (shǎngcì). Risk: High. Must be carefully distinguished from the Buddhist merit-accounting worldview (功德) already flagged as forbidden for “grace” in the Romans baseline — this reward is God’s gracious response to Spirit-empowered service after salvation is secured by grace, not a ledger determining salvation itself.

Chapter 4 — Apostolic Stewardship

New load-bearing terms:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
servant (of Christ)	ὑπηρέτης	hypēretēs	an attendant, subordinate assistant	”servant,” “attendant”	Apostles serve Christ, not human factions — reinforces ch.1-3’s anti-factionalism	NEW. 执事 (zhíshì). Risk: Low-Medium.
steward	οἰκονόμος	oikonomos	household manager entrusted with another’s resources	”steward,” “manager”	Apostles are entrusted with God’s mysteries, accountable to God rather than to human factions or patrons	NEW. 管家 (guǎnjiā). Risk: Medium. Should not be reduced to a mere employee/servant role divorced from trust and accountability; the steward manages another’s household on the owner’s behalf and will give account — helpful bridge to a Chinese audience’s own household-steward concept, provided merit-based self-justification is avoided.

Mystery (μυστήριον) recurs (4:1), reusing the ch. 2 entry above.

Chapter 5 — Church Discipline, Leaven, and the Passover Lamb

New load-bearing terms:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
sexual immorality	πορνεία	porneia	illicit sexual activity broadly	”sexual immorality,” “fornication”	The specific unrepented sin requiring church discipline; a serious offense against the body and the community’s holiness	NEW. 淫乱 (yínluàn). Risk: High. Must be presented as a serious sin against God and the body (not merely a breach of social propriety or “face”), directly relevant to the Church Discipline and Holiness doctrine.
leaven / unleavened	ζύμη / ἄζυμος	zymē / azymos	fermenting agent / without fermenting agent	”leaven,” “unleavened,” “yeast”	OT Passover imagery: the church must purge sin (old leaven) to become what it already is in Christ (unleavened, i.e., holy)	NEW. 面酵 (miànjiào) / 无酵(的饼) (wú jiào de bǐng). Risk: Medium. Chief risk is a knowledge gap (OT Passover background is unfamiliar to most Mandarin-speaking readers without prior instruction) rather than a syncretism collision; requires explanatory teaching material, not a different term.
Passover (lamb)	πάσχα	pascha	the Passover festival/sacrifice	”Passover,” “our Passover lamb”	Christ is declared the fulfillment of the Passover lamb, whose sacrifice secures deliverance — a unique, once-for-all fulfillment of an OT type	NEW. 逾越节 (Yúyuèjié), with Christ as 逾越节的羔羊 (Yúyuèjié de gāoyáng). Risk: Critical. Must be sharply distinguished from ongoing Chinese folk/ancestral sacrificial-offering practices (祭祀, 拜拜) intended to appease deities or ancestors on a recurring basis — Christ’s Passover sacrifice is a unique, historical, once-for-all fulfillment, not a repeatable ritual offering that must be performed again to maintain favor.
deliver to Satan	παραδίδωμι τῷ Σατανᾷ	paradidōmi tō Satana	hand over to Satan(‘s sphere)	“hand over to Satan,” “deliver to Satan”	Formal church discipline — removal from the fellowship’s protective, sanctifying environment for the purpose of eventual restoration	NEW. 交给撒但 (jiāo gěi Sādàn). Risk: High. Must be taught as a redemptive, restoration-oriented act of church discipline (cf. 2 Cor 2:5-11), not a magical curse or exorcistic ritual — avoid any collision with folk exorcism/curse practices.

Chapter 6 — Lawsuits, Sexual Purity, and the Body as Temple

New load-bearing terms:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
body	σῶμα	sōma	the physical body	”body”	The individual believer’s body is “a temple of the Holy Spirit” and “a member of Christ” — the body matters morally and eschatologically	NEW. 身体 (shēntǐ) (note: CUV text of 6:15-19 sometimes uses the older variant 身子, shēnzi, with identical meaning). Risk: High. Extends the ch.3 temple-of-God caution to the individual body specifically: must affirm bodily holiness without dualistic body-is-evil folk-Buddhist framing, and must connect to Church Discipline/Holiness doctrine.
bought with a price	ἀγοράζω (+ τιμῆς)	agorazō	to purchase in the marketplace	”bought,” “purchased,” “redeemed”	Believers belong to God because Christ purchased them at a price (his death) — the ground for bodily holiness	NEW. 重价买来 (chóngjià mǎi lái, “bought at a great price”) — established CUV phrase. Risk: High. Must be taught within a grace framework (Christ’s costly, gracious purchase) rather than as a cold commercial transaction, and must not be conflated with folk practices of ritually “redeeming” or “buying back” a person’s fate or a departed soul (which differ fundamentally — those are ritual transactions performed by the living for the dead or for fortune, whereas this is Christ’s once-for-all purchase of the living believer).

Reuses: 圣洁/成圣 (holy/sanctified, 6:11), 称义 (justified, 6:11), 淫乱 (sexual immorality, from ch.5).

Chapter 7 — Marriage, Singleness, and Calling

New load-bearing terms:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
marriage	γάμος	gamos	the marriage relationship/institution	”marriage”	A good, God-ordained state, but not spiritually superior or inferior to singleness	NEW. 婚姻 (hūnyīn). Risk: Medium. Chinese cultural pressure toward marriage as filial/social duty (延续香火, continuing the family line) may cause Paul’s even-handed treatment of both states to be read as devaluing marriage; teaching should clarify both are legitimate callings.
virgin/unmarried person	παρθένος	parthenos	one who has not married; a virgin	”virgin,” “unmarried person”	Commended as a valid, undistracted calling for undivided devotion to the Lord, not enforced asceticism or a merit-earning state	NEW. 童身 (tóngshēn) — established CUV term. Risk: Medium. Must avoid framing celibacy as spiritually superior (echoing ascetic self-cultivation ideals) or as an imposed social stigma (unmarried adults face strong social pressure in Chinese culture); Paul presents it as a free, Spirit-given calling (χάρισμα, see below).
gift (individual calling)	χάρισμα	charisma	a grace-gift	”gift,” “grace-gift”	Here χάρισμα denotes an individual’s personal calling/capacity for marriage or singleness — a distinct sense from the corporate ministry-gifts of chapters 12/14	NEW SENSE of a baseline term. Baseline records χάρισμα (plural, ministry-empowerment sense) as 属灵恩赐, with the explicit rule “never 恩赐 alone.” CUV itself, however, renders 7:7 with 恩赐 alone (“蒙神的恩赐”). Risk: High. Requires an explicit disambiguation note: in 7:7 χάρισμα refers to a personal vocational gift (for marriage or celibacy), distinct from the corporate, church-building spiritual gifts of chapters 12 and 14. Recommend retaining 恩赐 alone here but flagging every occurrence for a clarifying footnote distinguishing the two senses, so learners do not conflate “gift for singleness” with “spiritual gift for ministry.”
self-control	ἐγκράτεια (cf. 7:9 μὴ ἐγκρατεύονται)	egkrateia	mastery over one’s desires	”self-control,” “self-mastery”	A Spirit-enabled restraint, not willpower-based moral achievement	NEW. 节制 (jiézhì). Risk: Medium. Distinguish from the Confucian self-discipline ideal of 克己 (kèjǐ, “restraining the self” through moral cultivation) — biblical self-control is Spirit-enabled, not self-generated virtue.

Chapter 8 — Idol Meat and Conscience

New load-bearing terms — among the most culturally sensitive in the whole book:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
idol	εἴδωλον	eidōlon	an image/representation of a false god	”idol”	A false, powerless object of worship contrasted with the one true God	NEW. 偶像 (ǒuxiàng). Risk: Critical. Directly and unavoidably intersects with the practice of veneration before ancestral tablets, deity images, and temple idols still active in Chinese folk religion; must be taught with pastoral clarity distinguishing (a) the idol’s ontological non-existence/powerlessness as a rival god from (b) any implication that ancestor-honoring as a cultural practice of respect is automatically equivalent to idol worship — this requires careful doctrinal framing beyond simple lexical choice.
food sacrificed to idols	εἰδωλόθυτον	eidōlothyton	meat that has been ritually offered to an idol before being sold/eaten	”food sacrificed to idols,” “idol meat”	The central pastoral case study of Christian Liberty: believers have freedom of conscience, but must exercise it in love, not causing weaker believers to stumble	NEW. 祭偶像之物 (jì ǒuxiàng zhī wù) — established CUV phrase. Risk: Critical. This maps with unusual precision onto a live contemporary Chinese practice: food offered at temple festivals, funerals, and ancestor-veneration rites is commonly redistributed and eaten by extended family and community. Teaching materials must address this real situation directly and pastorally, not merely as an ancient historical curiosity.
conscience	συνείδησις	syneidēsis	inner moral awareness/judgment	”conscience”	The Spirit-informed conscience that must not be defiled by participating in idol-associated practices while believing them significant	NEW. 良心 (liángxīn). Risk: Medium-High. 良心 is also a live Confucian ethical category (innate moral sense); must be taught here as a conscience formed under the lordship of Christ and Scripture, not an autonomous, self-sufficient inner moral compass.
knowledge	γνῶσις	gnōsis	understanding, insight	”knowledge”	Contrasted with love: knowledge alone “puffs up,” but love builds up — a key thematic link to chapter 13	NEW. 知识 (zhīshi). Risk: Medium. Some risk of conflation with the Buddhist category of enlightened insight/wisdom (悟, 智) attained through spiritual practice; here γνῶσις is intellectual/doctrinal understanding that can exist without love and can therefore mislead.

Chapter 9 — Apostolic Rights and Athletic Discipline

New load-bearing terms:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
right/authority	ἐξουσία	exousia	a legitimate claim or entitlement	”right,” “authority”	Paul’s legitimate right to material support from those he serves, voluntarily foregone for the gospel’s sake	NEW. 权柄 (quánbǐng) — CUV rendering in 9:4-6. Risk: Medium. Distinct sense from the political-authority usage in Romans 13 (also ἐξουσία but referring to governing authorities); here it denotes a personal ministerial entitlement, voluntarily surrendered — clarify this is not about governmental power.
crown/wreath	στέφανος	stephanos	a victor’s laurel wreath	”crown,” “wreath,” “prize”	An imperishable reward for disciplined ministry, contrasted with the perishable wreath awarded to athletic victors	NEW. 冠冕 (guānmiǎn) — established CUV term. Risk: Medium. Must not be conflated with a royal/imperial crown of political rule (王冠); this is an athlete’s victory-wreath image, denoting reward for faithful service, not sovereign authority.

Chapter 10 — Idolatry, the Table of the Lord, and Demons

New load-bearing terms — the doctrinal peak of the idol-meat theme:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
idolatry	εἰδωλολατρία	eidōlolatria	the worship/service of idols	”idolatry”	Explicitly forbidden participation in worship directed at false gods, as distinct from merely eating meat with an unknown history	NEW. 拜偶像 (bài ǒuxiàng). Risk: Critical. Must be clearly distinguished from the permissible “eating idol meat with a clear conscience” of chapter 8 — the line Paul draws is between eating (which may be permissible) and worshiping/participating in ritual (which is always forbidden). Chinese teaching materials must draw this line explicitly given the frequency with which food, worship, and family ritual are integrated in local practice.
demon	δαιμόνιον	daimonion	a hostile, rebellious spiritual being	”demon,” “evil spirit”	The unseen spiritual reality behind pagan idol-sacrifice: participants unknowingly commune with demons, not merely with dead wood/stone images	NEW. 鬼 (guǐ) / 鬼魔 (guǐmó) — inherited CUV convention across the whole NT (cf. Gospel exorcism narratives, “赶鬼”). Risk: Critical. This is one of the most significant collision points in the entire curriculum: 鬼 in ordinary Mandarin usage denotes a deceased human’s wandering or vengeful ghost, frequently an ancestor spirit requiring appeasement — an entirely different category from the biblical δαιμόνιον, a fallen angelic being in active rebellion against God. Using 鬼 (the established CUV rendering, inherited rather than newly chosen) risks either (a) trivializing demons as merely unhappy ancestor-ghosts, or (b) — more dangerously — casting departed ancestors themselves as demonic. This requires sustained, explicit doctrinal teaching in every occurrence, distinguishing biblical “demons” from folk-religious “ancestor ghosts,” rather than a lexical fix alone.
table of the Lord / table of demons	τράπεζα κυρίου / τράπεζα δαιμονίων	trapeza kyriou / trapeza daimoniōn	the Lord’s dining table / demons’ dining table	”the Lord’s table,” “the table of demons”	A believer cannot participate in both — table fellowship implies allegiance and communion with the one whose table it is	NEW. 主的桌子 (Zhǔ de zhuōzi) / 鬼的筵席 (guǐ de yánxí). Risk: High. Directly parallels the very real cultural situation of attending temple-associated communal meals or ancestor-veneration feasts; requires explicit pastoral application, not merely translation.

Chapter 11 — Head Coverings, Headship, and the Lord’s Supper

New load-bearing terms:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
head	κεφαλή	kephalē	the physical head; (figurative) source, prominence, authority-in-relationship	”head”	Describes an ordered relationship (God-Christ-man-woman) whose precise nature (source vs. hierarchical authority) is exegetically debated; must be rendered so as to preserve the ambiguity/nuance rather than flattening it toward one reading	NEW. 头 (tóu). Risk: Critical. Direct collision risk with the Confucian Three Bonds (三纲, especially 夫为妻纲, “the husband is the head/guide of the wife”) — a hierarchical, duty-bound patriarchal framework. Mandarin 头 could be read as fully endorsing this pre-existing cultural hierarchy uncritically, or, if over-corrected, could erase the relational-order language Paul actually uses. Requires careful theological framing distinct from both extremes; flagged for mandatory human theologian review in any teaching material.
Lord’s Supper	κυριακὸν δεῖπνον	kyriakon deipnon	the Lord’s own dinner/meal	”the Lord’s Supper”	The corporate memorial meal proclaiming Christ’s death, eaten by the gathered living church in unity	NEW. 主的晚餐 (Zhǔ de wǎncān) — established Chinese Christian term. Risk: Critical. Must be sharply distinguished from ancestral memorial-meal offerings (祭祖, 扫墓祭拜) in which food is ritually presented to deceased ancestors — the Lord’s Supper is a meal shared with the living, present Lord by the living congregation, in remembrance of a completed, once-for-all sacrifice, not an ongoing offering made to appease or honor the departed.
body and blood (of Christ, in the Supper)	σῶμα καὶ αἷμα	sōma kai haima	Christ’s body and blood, represented in bread and cup	”body and blood”	The bread and cup symbolically/really convey participation in the benefits of Christ’s sacrificial death; the elements are received with reverence, not casually	NEW. 身体和血 (shēntǐ hé xiě). Risk: Critical. Must avoid two folk-collision risks: (1) a magical-transformation reading akin to talisman or ritual-object power common in folk practice, and (2) any suggestion of the blood-oath sworn-brotherhood bonding already flagged in the baseline fellowship entry (结拜, the Peach Garden oath) — the Supper is Spirit-mediated remembrance and proclamation of Christ’s finished work, not a magical rite or a fraternal blood-pact.
unworthily	ἀναξίως	anaxiōs	in an unfitting/inappropriate manner	”unworthily,” “in an unworthy manner”	Warns against participating in the Supper without self-examination or without regard for the body (the church) — a manner-of-participation warning, not a statement about one’s ultimate salvific worthiness	NEW. 不按理 (bù àn lǐ) — established CUV phrase (literally “not according to what is fitting”). Risk: Medium.
tradition(s)	παράδοσις	paradosis	that which is handed down	”traditions,” “what was delivered”	Directly parallel in root and theme to παρέδωκα/παρέλαβον in 15:1-3 — Paul’s authoritative apostolic instructions passed on and to be maintained	NEW. 传统 (chuántǒng) or verbal form 所传给你们的 (suǒ chuán gěi nǐmen de, “what was delivered to you”). Risk: Medium-High. Recommend cross-referencing directly with the core passage’s tradition-transmission vocabulary (15:3) for glossary consistency, since both describe the same category of authoritative apostolic deposit.

Chapter 12 — Spiritual Gifts and the Body of Christ

New load-bearing terms:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
body of Christ	σῶμα Χριστοῦ	sōma Christou	Christ’s body (corporate metaphor)	“body of Christ”	The church as one living organism with many interdependent members, united by the one Spirit	NEW (builds on baseline σῶμα/church terms). 基督的身体 (Jīdū de shēntǐ). Risk: High. Must convey organic, Spirit-united interdependence, not a mere voluntary social organization or a hierarchical bureaucratic structure.
member (of the body)	μέλος	melos	a bodily limb or organ	”member,” “part”	Each believer is an indispensable, differently-gifted part of the one body — grounds for both diversity and unity	NEW. 肢体 (zhītǐ) — established CUV term (cf. 6:15). Risk: Medium.
baptize/baptism	βαπτίζω / βάπτισμα	baptizō / baptisma	to immerse/dip	”baptize,” “baptism"	"In one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” — Spirit-baptism uniting believers into the one church; also the standard water-rite of Christian initiation elsewhere in the book (1:13-17)	NEW (not present in Romans baseline, though thematically related to Romans 6:3-4’s burial-with-Christ imagery). 洗礼 (xǐlǐ) — established Chinese Christian term. Risk: High. Must be distinguished from ritual purification bathing in Daoist/Buddhist/folk practice (净身, spirit-cleansing washing performed by a ritual specialist) — Christian baptism signifies Spirit-wrought union with Christ and incorporation into his body, not a magical or self-performed purification technique.
varieties (of gifts/ministries/workings)	διαίρεσις	diairesis	a distribution, apportionment	”varieties,” “different kinds”	The same Spirit distributes different gifts to different members for the common good, not for personal status or comparison	NEW. 分别 (fēnbié) / 不同 (bùtóng). Risk: Low.

Reuses: 属灵恩赐 (spiritual gifts, baseline — corporate/ministry sense, distinct from the 7:7 personal-vocation sense noted above); 预言 (prophecy, baseline). 医病 (healing, ἴασις) is new and Low-Medium risk, distinct from folk healing practices (气功, qigong healing; must not be conflated per the baseline’s power_of_god caution against 气/法力).

Chapter 13 — Love as the Greater Way

New load-bearing terms — the doctrinal heart of the chapter:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
love	ἀγάπη	agapē	selfless, willed, others-directed love	”love,” “charity” (older English)	The greatest of the enduring graces (with faith and hope), the necessary animating quality of every spiritual gift and Christian practice, without which all else is worthless	NEW. 爱 (ài) — CUV renders the whole chapter with the unqualified, simple 爱, deliberately avoiding technical philosophical compounds. Risk: Critical. Must be distinguished from (a) romantic/erotic love (爱情, àiqíng), (b) mere affection or liking (喜欢), (c) the Confucian virtue 仁 (rén, benevolence — a relational duty calibrated to social role and hierarchy, cultivated through moral effort), and (d) Buddhist compassion 慈悲 (cíbēi, compassion arising from insight into suffering and non-attachment). Biblical ἀγάπη in 1 Cor 13 is a Spirit-enabled, self-giving disposition modeled on God’s own character (cf. Romans grace/love pairing), not a role-calibrated social duty or a detachment-based compassion. CUV’s choice of the simple, unqualified 爱 (rather than borrowing 仁 or 慈悲) is itself doctrinally significant and should be preserved, but requires the strongest possible clarifying teaching note given its centrality to the whole curriculum.
hope	ἐλπίς	elpis	confident expectation of a future good	”hope”	One of the three enduring realities (faith, hope, love) that remain when spiritual gifts cease; grounded in the resurrection hope developed fully in ch.15	NEW (not in Romans baseline as a standalone entry). 盼望 (pànwàng). Risk: Medium. Must be distinguished from generic wishful hoping or fortune-seeking hope for good luck (cf. the baseline’s 福-related folk-fortune caution under “gospel” and “peace”) — Christian hope is a confident expectation grounded in a specific, secured future event (bodily resurrection), not an uncertain wish.

Chapter 14 — Order in Worship: Tongues and Prophecy

New load-bearing terms:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
tongues	γλῶσσα (pl. γλῶσσαι)	glōssa	language, tongue (organ or speech)	“tongues,” “speaking in tongues”	The spiritual gift of Spirit-given speech, requiring interpretation for corporate benefit; regulated for orderly worship	NEW. 方言 (fāngyán) — established CUV term. Risk: High. In ordinary Mandarin usage 方言 simply means “regional dialect” (e.g., Cantonese, Shanghainese) with no supernatural connotation whatsoever; this creates a significant semantic-gap risk distinct from a syncretism risk — readers may fail to recognize a spiritual gift is being described at all unless the term is consistently accompanied by clarifying context. This is the established rendering and should be retained, but every occurrence should be flagged for a clarifying teaching note.
interpretation	ἑρμηνεία	hermēneia	translation/explanation of meaning	”interpretation”	The complementary gift enabling the congregation to understand and be built up by tongues-speech	NEW. 翻译 (fānyì) / 解释 (jiěshì). Risk: Low.
order	τάξις	taxis	arrangement, sequence, orderliness	”order,” “orderly manner”	Worship must be conducted in an orderly, edifying manner — “God is not a God of confusion but of peace”	NEW. 次序 (cìxù). Risk: Low-Medium.

Reuses: 预言 (prophecy), 建造/造就 (edification, from ch.3’s 建造 root and Romans’ mutual_edification doctrine).

Chapter 15 (verses 12-58) — The Resurrection of the Dead

(Verses 1-11 receive full treatment in Part A above.)

New load-bearing terms in 15:12-58:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
spiritual body	σῶμα πνευματικόν	sōma pneumatikon	a body animated/governed by the Spirit	”spiritual body”	The believer’s future resurrection body: a real, transformed, physical body empowered by and suited to the Spirit — not a disembodied soul or ghost	NEW. 属灵的身体 (shǔlíng de shēntǐ). Risk: Critical. This is among the highest-risk terms in the entire curriculum: must be sharply distinguished from (a) a disembodied ghost/spirit surviving without a body (folk afterlife concepts), and (b) the Buddhist “intermediate-state body” (中阴身/bardo-like concept) between death and rebirth. Paul insists on continuity (the same body, transformed) and physicality (a real body, not merely a soul), against any reading that treats resurrection as escape from the body into pure spirit.
perishable / imperishable	φθαρτός / ἄφθαρτος	phthartos / aphthartos	subject to decay / not subject to decay	”perishable,” “imperishable,” “corruptible,” “incorruptible”	Describes the qualitative transformation the resurrection body undergoes	NEW. 能坏的 (néng huài de) / 不能坏的 (bù néng huài de). Risk: Medium.
last Adam	ἔσχατος Ἀδάμ	eschatos Adam	the final/ultimate Adam	”last Adam”	Christ as the second, greater Adam, reversing the first Adam’s death-bringing sin with life-giving resurrection — a two-figure typology, not a series	NEW. 末后的亚当 (mòhòu de Yàdāng). Risk: High. Requires OT/Genesis background teaching (Adam typology is unfamiliar without prior instruction) and must be clarified as a two-term typological structure (first Adam / last Adam) rather than read through a reincarnation-lineage or serial-avatar framework.
victory	νῖκος	nikos	triumph, conquest	”victory”	Christ’s resurrection secures the believer’s ultimate triumph over death	NEW. 得胜 (déshèng). Risk: Medium. Should be tied explicitly to resurrection hope, not generalized into a vague this-worldly triumphalism.
sting	κέντρον	kentron	a goad or stinger (as of a scorpion/bee)	“sting”	Death’s power to harm is nullified for the believer because of the resurrection	NEW. 毒钩 (dúgōu) — established CUV image. Risk: Low. Vivid metaphor; requires only a brief gloss, no doctrinal collision.

Chapter 16 — The Collection, Final Greetings, and Maranatha

New load-bearing terms:

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal/Semantic Range	English Variants	Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
collection	λογία	logia	a monetary gathering/collection	”collection,” “contribution”	A grace-motivated, voluntary gathering of funds for the Jerusalem saints — an expression of unity and love, not an obligatory religious levy	NEW. 捐项 (juānxiàng) — established CUV term. Risk: High. Must be distinguished from the Buddhist/folk-temple practice of donating for merit (功德箱, “merit box” donations at temples believed to accrue merit or favor) — this collection is a grace-motivated act of love and solidarity, not a merit-generating religious transaction.
Maranatha	μαράνα θά	marana tha	”Our Lord, come!” (Aramaic)	“Maranatha,” “Come, Lord!”	An early Aramaic liturgical exclamation expressing longing for Christ’s return, preserved untranslated as a mark of the earliest church’s devotion	NEW. 马拉纳他 (Mǎlānàtā), transliterated, with gloss 主必要来 / 我们的主，请来! Risk: Medium. Opaque without a gloss; requires explanatory note on first use, similar in kind to the baseline’s treatment of Abba (阿爸).
holy kiss	φίλημα ἅγιον	philēma hagion	a kiss marking sacred familial affection	”holy kiss”	An ancient Near Eastern greeting custom expressing warm Christian family affection among believers	NEW. 圣洁的亲嘴 (shèngjié de qīnzuǐ) — established CUV phrase. Risk: Low-Medium. Chief risk is cultural strangeness (kissing as greeting is atypical in contemporary Chinese social custom) rather than doctrinal collision; requires a cultural-background note, not a different term.
accursed	ἀνάθεμα	anathema	set apart for destruction/judgment; a formal curse of exclusion	”accursed,” “let him be cursed”	A solemn covenant-community pronouncement of exclusion for one who does not love the Lord — a statement about ultimate spiritual condition, not a ritual curse-spell	NEW. 咒诅 (zhòuzǔ) / 被咒诅 (bèi zhòuzǔ). Risk: High. Must be distinguished from folk curse-casting practices (下咒, magical hexing performed by a ritual specialist against an enemy) — this is a solemn, covenantal statement of ultimate exclusion from love for the Lord, pronounced by the apostolic community, not a magical technique for harming another person.

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Summary Observation

1 Corinthians introduces a substantially larger new-term inventory than the Romans baseline anticipated, concentrated in three zones of acute cultural collision for a Mandarin-speaking, Confucian/Buddhist/folk-religion-formed audience:

1. Idol meat, idolatry, and demons (chs. 8, 10) — the single most practically-relevant collision zone, given the ongoing role of temple offerings, ancestor veneration, and food-sharing in contemporary Chinese religious and family life.
2. The Lord’s Supper and headship (ch. 11) — collision with ancestral memorial-meal practice and with the Confucian Three Bonds hierarchy respectively.
3. Wisdom, love, and the resurrection body (chs. 1-2, 13, 15) — collision with Confucian virtue-cultivation categories (智, 仁) and Buddhist soteriological/afterlife categories (悟, 中阴身, 轮回).

All such terms receive full risk documentation in 08_core_glossary.md and must be routed per the risk tiers there for Phase 2 human/native-speaker review.