07 Semantic Analysis — Hebrews (English → Mandarin)

Scope and Method

This document analyzes the entire book of Hebrews in the original Koine Greek, chapter 1 through chapter 13, for the purpose of building destination-language (Mandarin, Simplified script, CUV/和合本 “Shen edition” register) translation requirements. Part 1 gives verse-by-verse treatment to the core passage, Hebrews 9:11–28. Part 2 surveys every chapter of the whole book for load-bearing theological vocabulary not already covered.

Governing rule: any term already codified in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json (e.g. 神, 耶稣, 基督, 圣灵, 救恩, 恩典, 信心, 义, 称义, 约, 圣洁, 圣徒, 成圣, 律法, 罪, 荣耀, 蒙召的, 呼召, 拣选, 代求, 神的护理, 父, 阿爸, 大卫, 摩西 [per 12_ai_translation_requirements.md transliteration table], 以色列) is reused exactly and is only re-flagged here where Hebrews places it under new doctrinal pressure. All newly identified terms are proposed for addition to translation memory in Step 2 with the risk tier justified below.

Hebrews poses a distinct risk profile from Romans: where Romans collides mainly with the merit/moral-cultivation worldview (Confucian virtue, Buddhist merit-ledger), Hebrews collides mainly with the ritual-mediation worldview — priests, sacrifices, blood rites, ancestral service, and spirit-appeasement practices pervasive in Chinese folk religion, Buddhism, and Daoism. Every priesthood/sacrifice term below must be handled with this in mind.

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PART 1 — Core Passage Verse-by-Verse: Hebrews 9:11–28

Hebrews 9:11

καὶ σκηνή and ἀρχιερεύς are introduced as the chapter’s controlling images.

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἀρχιερεύς	archiereus	”chief/first priest” (ἀρχι- + ἱερεύς)	The one supreme priestly office; in Israel, the sole figure permitted to enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur	”high priest”	Christ has arrived (παραγενόμενος) as High Priest of the good things that have come — the office is now realized, not merely anticipated	大祭司 (dà jìsī) — Critical. Collides with Buddhist monks (僧/和尚) and Daoist ritual specialists (道士/法师) who perform repeatable, fee-based merit or exorcism rites, and with folk temple functionaries. Every occurrence must clarify Christ’s priesthood is unique, unrepeatable, and perfectly effective — not one ritual specialist among many available for hire.
σκηνή	skēnē	”tent”	The wilderness Tabernacle; by extension any temporary dwelling	”tabernacle”	The “greater and more perfect tabernacle… not of this creation” — the heavenly reality behind the earthly copy	帐幕 (zhàngmù) — Medium. Distinguish from 圣殿 (temple building) used for Solomon’s/Herod’s Temple; must be taught as God’s dwelling-with-his-people, whose earthly form was only ever a shadow of a heavenly original — an idea foreign to cyclical/immanent folk cosmology.
χειροποίητος	cheiropoiētos	”made by hand”	Ordinary human construction, contrasted with divine/heavenly origin	”man-made,” “made with hands”	Negates any merely human-built sanctuary as the locus of ultimate access to God	人手所造的 (rénshǒu suǒ zào de) — Low. Descriptive compound; low collision risk, reinforces the not-of-this-creation contrast.

Hebrews 9:12

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
αἷμα	haima	”blood”	Literal blood; by extension life poured out, sacrificial death	”blood”	Christ’s own blood, contrasted with animal blood, secures entry into the heavenly Holy Place	血 (xuè) — High. Linguistically simple but theologically loaded: Chinese folk and ancestral ritual practice includes blood offerings and blood-oath rites (e.g. 结拜 sworn-brotherhood blood oaths). Every occurrence needs context clarifying this is God-ward atoning sacrifice, not a fraternal blood pact or a folk placation offering.
ἅπαξ	hapax	”once,” “one single time”	Numerical singularity; in Hebrews, a technical term for the unrepeatable, sufficient character of Christ’s sacrifice (cf. 9:26, 9:28, 10:10)	“once for all,” “once”	The central adverb of the whole passage: Christ’s entrance/offering happens ONE time, in decisive contrast to the yearly repetition of Levitical sacrifice (v. 25)	一次 / 只一次 (yī cì / zhǐ yī cì) — Critical. CUV itself uses 只一次 to carry the emphatic “only once” force. High collision risk: Chinese ritual life (incense-burning, ancestor rites, temple offerings) is built on repeated practice for ongoing merit/protection; readers may instinctively assume Christian sacrifice, too, needs repeating. Every occurrence must be paired with explicit finality language (不再重复, “never repeated again”).
λύτρωσις (αἰωνία)	lytrōsis (aiōnia)	“a ransoming,” “a releasing by payment”	Release secured by a price paid; used of slaves/captives ransomed	”redemption,” “eternal redemption”	Christ’s blood secures a permanent, once-for-all release from sin’s guilt — CUV renders the phrase as 永远赎罪的事 (“an eternal matter of atoning-redemption”)	永远的赎罪 / 赎罪 (yǒngyuǎn de shúzuì) — Critical. 赎罪 (“redeem from sin/guilt”) risks collision with the folk-Buddhist practice of penitential merit-works to expiate guilt (e.g. releasing captive animals, 放生, or paying temple fees to atone) — an ongoing, repeatable human effort. Must be taught as a completed, once-for-all divine transaction Christ alone accomplishes, never a human penance-work.

Hebrews 9:13

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἁγιάζει	hagiazei	”sanctifies,” “makes holy/set apart”	Ritual/ceremonial sanctification effecting external, bodily fitness for worship	”sanctifies,” “makes holy”	Describes only the OT system’s external, fleshly effect — deliberately the lesser half of Hebrews’ “how much more” (πόσῳ μᾶλλον) argument in v. 14	使…(身体)洁净 (shǐ…(shēntǐ) jiéjìng) — High. Translators must NOT render this with the technical term 成圣 (reserved for the New Covenant’s inward, Spirit-wrought reality in v. 14). Using identical vocabulary for both halves of the a fortiori argument collapses Hebrews’ entire “lesser vs. greater” logic. This is a structural risk unique to this verse pair.
καθαρότης τῆς σαρκός	katharotēs tēs sarkos	”purity/cleanness of the flesh”	Ceremonial, bodily purity only	”purification of the flesh”	Marks the limit of the old system: it reaches the body, not the conscience	肉体的洁净 (ròutǐ de jiéjìng) — Medium. Must be kept visibly distinct from 良心的洁净 (cleansing of the conscience, v. 14) so the contrast Hebrews is building is not flattened.

Hebrews 9:14

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἄμωμος	amōmos	”without blemish,” “unblemished”	OT sacrificial-animal quality standard (Lev. 22:20-21), applied metaphorically to Christ’s moral perfection	”unblemished,” “without blemish/spot”	Christ is both perfect priest and perfect, sinless victim	无瑕无疵 (wú xiá wú cī) — Medium. Standard CUV sacrificial idiom; ensure it is not read as ritual/magical purity (清净, already flagged under “holy” in the Romans baseline) but as Christ’s actual moral sinlessness.
προσφέρω	prospherō	”to bring/offer toward”	Standard term for presenting a sacrificial offering to God	”offered,” “presented”	Christ offers himself — he is simultaneously priest and offering	献上 (xiànshàng) — High. Collides with the everyday vocabulary of offering incense/food/paper money to gods, ancestors, and local spirits (献祭, 拜拜). Must be anchored each time to “offered himself to God” (献给神) — a unique, self-donating, once-for-all act, not a routine devotional gift exchange.
συνείδησις	syneidēsis	”co-knowing,” “conscience”	The inner faculty of moral self-awareness and guilt	”conscience”	Christ’s blood cleanses the inner moral faculty itself, not merely outward ritual status	良心 (liángxīn) — High. 良心 is also a live Confucian ethical term (the innate moral heart cultivated through self-reflection and virtue practice, cf. Mencius). Must be taught that in Hebrews the conscience is cleansed by an external, once-for-all divine act (Christ’s blood), not perfected through internal self-cultivation. NOTE: CUV itself renders συνείδησις inconsistently across Hebrews (心 at 9:14, 良心 at 10:22); this Language Package should standardize on 良心 throughout for cross-lesson consistency.
νεκρὰ ἔργα	nekra erga	”dead works”	Deeds that cannot produce spiritual life; ritual acts performed without effect for salvation	”dead works”	Contrasted with λατρεύειν Θεῷ ζῶντι — the OT ritual system, however sincere, cannot itself impart life	死行 (sǐxíng) — Medium. Risk of readers hearing this as “bad deeds” generally rather than specifically religious/ritual works that cannot save; clarify in context that even sincere ritual observance is “dead” apart from Christ.
λατρεύω	latreuō	”to serve/render religious service”	Cultic/priestly service and worship rendered to a deity	”serve,” “worship”	The purpose-clause of Christ’s cleansing work: freedom to serve the living God	事奉 (shìfèng) — High. CUV itself sometimes uses 侍奉 here, the same verb used for filial/ancestral service (侍奉父母, 侍奉祖先). This Language Package recommends 事奉 specifically to avoid mapping worship-service of God onto the ancestor-veneration duty script, consistent with the “father”/“adoption” cautions already established in the Romans baseline against inverting the direction of care between God and worshiper.
Θεὸς ζῶν	Theos zōn	”God living”	God as personally alive, active, in contrast to lifeless idols	”the living God”	Direct contrast with the “dead works” just mentioned — worship of a truly living Person, not empty ritual toward silent images	活神 (huó Shén) — Medium. Reinforces monotheistic personal-God distinctiveness against silent idols/ancestor tablets; should be paired with existing 神 conventions from the Romans baseline.

Hebrews 9:15

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
διαθήκη καινή	diathēkē kainē	”covenant new”	The promised new covenant of Jer. 31:31-34, ratified by Christ’s death	”new covenant”	Christ is mediator of the covenant that supersedes and fulfills the Mosaic covenant	新约 (xīnyuē) — Critical. 约 already established in Romans baseline. Major internal-Chinese ambiguity: 新约 and 旧约 are ALSO the standard Chinese terms for the “New Testament” and “Old Testament” (i.e. the book collections, 新约圣经/旧约圣经). Every occurrence discussing the covenant-relationship (as opposed to the canon of books) must carry a disambiguating note. CUV itself sometimes sidesteps this at 9:15/9:18 by rendering the former covenant as 前约 rather than 旧约 — this Language Package should adopt 前约 for “the first/former covenant” specifically in covenant-theology contexts, reserving 旧约 for the canon of Scripture.
μεσίτης	mesitēs	”one who stands in the middle”	A go-between who establishes or guarantees an agreement between two parties	”mediator”	Christ personally mediates and ratifies the new covenant by his own death — established CUV Christian term (also 1 Tim. 2:5, Heb. 8:6, 12:24)	中保 (zhōngbǎo) — Critical. Collides with the structural role of folk-religious intermediaries — spirit mediums (乩童), Daoist priests interceding with spirits on the living’s behalf, ancestor tablets as channels of access, or Buddhist bodhisattvas as intercessors. Must be taught that Christ is the sole, sufficient, once-for-all Mediator who establishes the covenant by his own blood, not a repeatable ritual go-between contracted for each new request.
παράβασις	parabasis	”a stepping across/aside”	Violation of a specific law or covenant stipulation	”transgression,” “trespass”	Sins committed under the first covenant, requiring the redemptive death for their removal	罪过 (zuìguò) — Medium. CUV term at 9:15; distinguish from generic legal infraction — this is violation of God’s covenant specifically.
κληρονομία (αἰώνιος)	klēronomia (aiōnios)	“inheritance”	Property/estate passed to an heir; in Hebrews, the eternal inheritance promised to God’s people	”eternal inheritance”	The promised inheritance the called now receive because the mediating death has occurred	产业 (chǎnyè) — Medium. Chinese inheritance customs are strongly tied to patrilineal clan property and ancestral estate (祖产, 家产); must clarify this inheritance is heavenly, relational, and received by all who are “called” (蒙召的, established term), not a this-worldly clan estate passed by bloodline.

Hebrews 9:16–17

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
διαθήκη	diathēkē	”a disposition,” “arrangement”	Dual sense in Greek: (1) covenant, (2) last will/testament — the author exploits both senses in this verse pair	”covenant,” “will,” “testament”	The argument depends on shifting from “covenant” to “will/testament” sense: a will takes effect only at the testator’s death	约 / 遗命 (yuē / yímìng) — High. This wordplay has no natural equivalent in Mandarin, since 约 (covenant) and 遗嘱/遗命 (last will) are unrelated words. CUV solves this with a translator’s footnote at 9:16 noting “遗命 is the same original word as ‘约’” — this Language Package should retain that footnoting strategy rather than attempt a false lexical unification.
θάνατος τοῦ διαθεμένου	thanatos tou diathemenou	”death of the one who disposed/covenanted”	The death of the one who made the arrangement	”the death of the one who made it”	The logical hinge: Christ’s death is what activates the New Covenant’s benefits, just as a testator’s death activates a will	立约者的死 (lìyuēzhě de sǐ) — Low. Descriptive phrase; low collision risk once the covenant/testament dual-sense note above is in place.

Hebrews 9:18

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἐγκαινίζω	enkainizō	”to make new,” “to inaugurate”	To formally institute or dedicate (a covenant, a building)	“inaugurated,” “put into effect,” “ratified”	Even the first (Mosaic) covenant required a blood-inauguration — establishing the pattern the New Covenant fulfills at a greater level	立(约) (lì [yuē]) — Low. CUV renders simply “立” (“前约也不是不用血立的”); low risk, reuses established covenant vocabulary.

Hebrews 9:19–20

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
Μωϋσῆς	Mōusēs	(Hebrew, “drawn out”)	Proper name	”Moses”	The mediator of the first covenant, whose blood-ratification ceremony (Exod. 24:8) is being recalled and typologically surpassed	摩西 (Móxī) — Low. Established transliteration per the baseline requirements document; proper name, no collision risk.
ῥαντίζω	rhantizō	”to sprinkle”	Ritual sprinkling of blood/water for consecration or purification	”sprinkled”	The physical ritual act instituting the Mosaic covenant, prefiguring the once-for-all cleansing of v. 13-14	洒 (sǎ) — Low. Ordinary ritual-action verb; low risk but should be visually distinguished from repeated folk-ritual sprinkling/aspersion practices (e.g. temple purification rites) through context, not vocabulary substitution.
αἷμα τῆς διαθήκης	haima tēs diathēkēs	”blood of the covenant”	The specific covenant-ratifying, sin-remitting blood — echoes Exod. 24:8 and Christ’s own Last Supper words (“this is my blood of the covenant,” Matt. 26:28)	“the blood of the covenant”	Directly links the Sinai covenant-blood to the New Covenant’s covenant-blood (Christ’s), the intended typological connection	立约的血 (lìyuē de xuè) — High. This exact phrase must render identically wherever it recurs across Hebrews and the Gospels’ Last-Supper accounts in this curriculum, since the typological link depends on verbal echo; inconsistent rendering across documents would sever the intended intertextual connection (cf. baseline’s “Theological Consistency Rules Across Documents”).

Hebrews 9:21

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
λειτουργία	leitourgia	”public service,” “ministry”	Cultic/priestly service; the origin of the English “liturgy"	"ministry,” “service”	The tabernacle vessels used in priestly service were themselves blood-consecrated, extending the “nearly everything is purified by blood” principle of v. 22	供职 / 事奉 (gòngzhí / shìfèng) — Low. CUV renders “供职的器具” (vessels used in service); low collision risk, reuses the λατρεύω/事奉 semantic field already flagged at v. 14.

Hebrews 9:22

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
αἱματεκχυσία	haimatekchysia	”blood-shedding” (compound: αἷμα + ἐκχέω, “to pour out”)	The technical, comprehensive term for sacrificial bloodshed as the mechanism of atonement	”shedding of blood”	States the governing principle of the entire OT sacrificial system, which Christ’s death fulfills once for all	流血 (liúxuè) — Medium. Straightforward; ensure it is read as sacrificial, atoning bloodshed rather than violence/bloodshed in the general or martial sense (流血 is also common battle/violence vocabulary in Chinese).
ἄφεσις	aphesis	”a sending away,” “release”	Forgiveness/remission of sins, or release from debt/captivity	”forgiveness,” “remission”	The stated purpose and result of the shed-blood principle: without bloodshed, there is no forgiveness	赦免 (shèmiǎn) — High. Standard Chinese legal/political term for pardon/amnesty (used of state pardons of criminals), risking reduction to a legal technicality detached from atoning blood. Also must be distinguished from the Buddhist logic of dissolving accumulated karma (消业) through merit-practice or repentance-ritual (忏悔) — biblical forgiveness in this verse is categorically tied to substitutionary bloodshed, not merit-offsetting.

Hebrews 9:23

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ὑπόδειγμα	hypodeigma	”a shown-under thing,” “a pattern, example”	A copy or model that represents something else	”copies,” “patterns,” “sketches”	The earthly tabernacle and its furnishings were only copies of heavenly realities, and therefore needed only earthly-grade purification	样式 (yàngshì) — High. Risk of collapsing into a Buddhist-influenced “illusion vs. reality” (幻/空 vs. 真) metaphysic, in which the phenomenal world is unreal maya to be transcended. Hebrews’ typology is redemptive-historical (an earlier real-but-provisional pattern pointing forward to a later real fulfillment), not a metaphysical illusion/enlightenment framework. Must be taught with this distinction explicit.
ἐπουράνιος	epouranios	”upon/above heaven”	Belonging to the heavenly realm	”heavenly,” “heavenly things”	The heavenly sanctuary itself, the reality behind the earthly copy, requiring “better sacrifices”	天上的 (tiānshàng de) — Low. Standard, low risk; reinforces already-established 神的国/宝座 heavenly-realm vocabulary.
θυσία	thysia	”sacrifice,” “offering” (the act or the victim)	The general term for any sacrificial offering, animal or otherwise	”sacrifices"	"Better sacrifices” — anticipates the immediate identification of Christ’s self-offering as that better sacrifice in vv. 24-26	祭物 (jìwù) — Critical. Collides directly with the pervasive Chinese folk/ancestral sacrificial-offering system (祭祀, 拜拜) — repeatable propitiatory gifts to gods, ancestors, or local spirits to secure favor or avert misfortune. Central to the curriculum’s “Once-for-All Atoning Sacrifice” doctrine; every occurrence must clarify Christ’s self-offering is unique, sufficient, and unrepeatable, categorically unlike ongoing appeasement offerings.

Hebrews 9:24

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἀντίτυπος	antitypos	”struck back/against,” “corresponding to a type”	A copy or representation that corresponds to a greater pattern/archetype	”copy,” “antitype,” “representation”	The earthly Holy of Holies is only a corresponding image of the true (heavenly) one Christ entered	影像 (yǐngxiàng) — High. CUV rendering; same illusion/reality collision risk noted at v. 23 (ὑπόδειγμα) — must be handled identically to avoid contradictory teaching within one passage.
ἐμφανίζω	emphanizō	”to make visible/manifest”	To appear before, to present oneself visibly	”to appear,” “to manifest”	Christ now appears before God’s presence on believers’ behalf — an ongoing, present-tense heavenly ministry	显(在神面前) (xiǎn [zài Shén miànqián]) — Medium. Related to the incarnation caution already in the baseline (avoid implying a repeatable divine epiphany/avatar-appearance, 化身/下凡); here it denotes Christ’s unique, continuing heavenly intercessory presence, not a recurring manifestation cycle.
πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ	prosōpon tou Theou	”the face of God”	God’s personal presence	”the presence of God,” “before God”	The goal of Christ’s heavenly entrance: to appear “for us” (ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν) directly before God himself	神面前 (Shén miànqián) — Low. Standard idiom for God’s presence; low risk.

Hebrews 9:25

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
κατ’ ἐνιαυτόν	kat’ eniauton	”according to a year,” “yearly”	Annual recurrence — specifically the Day of Atonement’s yearly repetition	”year after year,” “every year”	The explicit foil to ἅπαξ (v. 12, 26, 28): the Levitical high priest must repeat his entrance every single year; Christ enters once	每年 (měinián) — High. The repetition-vs.-finality contrast is the doctrinal crux of the whole passage; must be rendered so the yearly-repetition/one-time-finality contrast is unmistakable in Mandarin, since repeated seasonal ritual observance (年年祭祖, annual ancestor rites; 年年拜拜, annual temple worship) is a deeply familiar cultural pattern that could blunt the force of the contrast if not made explicit.
αἷμα ἀλλότριον	haima allotrion	”blood belonging to another”	Blood that is not one’s own — the animal’s blood, not the priest’s	”blood not his own,” “another’s blood”	Underscores that the Levitical high priest never offers himself; Christ uniquely offers his own blood (v. 12, 14)	别人的血 / 不是自己的血 (biérén de xuè) — Low. Descriptive; low risk, reinforces the my-blood/not-my-blood contrast already established.

Hebrews 9:26

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
παθεῖν	pathein	”to suffer”	To undergo suffering, especially unto death	”to suffer,” “suffering”	The counterfactual: if the sacrifice needed repeating, Christ would need to suffer repeatedly since the world’s foundation — an absurdity Hebrews uses to prove the sacrifice’s sufficiency	受苦 (shòukǔ) — Medium. Standard term; low collision risk in itself, but must not be softened into merely “hardship” — this is atoning, redemptive suffering culminating in death.
καταβολὴ κόσμου … συντέλεια τῶν αἰώνων	katabolē kosmou … synteleia tōn aiōnōn	”foundation of the world… completion/end of the ages”	Two poles of a redemptive-historical timeline: creation’s beginning and history’s climactic consummation	”since the foundation of the world… at the end of the age”	Frames Christ’s sacrifice as the single, decisive hinge-point of all of history — an essentially linear, one-directional redemptive timeline	创世 / 末世 (chuàngshì / mòshì) — Critical. 末世 (“last age/end of the age”) carries strong risk in the contemporary Mandarin context of association with fringe apocalyptic new religious movements (末日邪教, “doomsday cults,” e.g. groups popularly labeled 全能神教) whose sensationalist end-times predictions are widely publicized and distrusted in China. Must be taught as the theologically settled doctrine of inaugurated eschatology — Christ has decisively acted “once” in the climactic period of history already underway — not a fear-driven, imminent-doomsday prediction. Also reinforces the linear (not the cyclical dynastic 治乱循环) view of history already flagged under “Fulfillment of Prophecy” in the Romans baseline.
ἀθέτησις	athetēsis	”a setting aside,” “annulment”	Nullification, cancellation, removal of legal/covenantal force	”to put away,” “to do away with,” “to annul”	Christ’s sacrifice does not merely cover sin temporarily (as annual sacrifices did) but nullifies it	除掉 (chúdiào) — Medium. Standard term for removal/abolition; ensure it communicates permanent, judicial removal of sin’s guilt rather than a merely psychological “letting go.”

Hebrews 9:27

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἀπόκειται	apokeitai	”it is laid up/reserved,” “it is appointed”	Something fixed and awaiting a person, often used of a stored-up reward or fate	”it is appointed,” “it is destined,” “is reserved”	States the universal human appointment: death once, then judgment — establishing the human pattern Christ’s death both shares and transcends (v. 28)	定命 (dìngmìng) — High. 定命 risks being heard as impersonal fixed fate/destiny (echoing 命运 and 天命, both already flagged Critical/High in the Romans baseline for “election,” “calling,” and “providence”). Must be taught as God’s specific, personal appointment for humanity (death, then judgment before a personal God), not a blind cosmic determinism.
κρίσις	krisis	”a separating,” “a judging,” “a decision”	Legal/forensic judgment; a verdict rendered by a judge	”judgment”	The judgment that follows death for all humanity — the backdrop against which Christ’s substitutionary, sin-bearing death (v. 28) must be understood	审判 (shěnpàn) — High. Collides with the impersonal karmic-retribution framework (报应, already flagged under “sin” in the Romans baseline) in which consequences accrue automatically across a person’s fortune/lineage/rebirths. Biblical judgment in Hebrews 9:27 is a personal God’s forensic verdict rendered once, after a single, non-cyclical death — not karma working itself out across reincarnations.

Hebrews 9:28

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἅπαξ προσενεχθείς	hapax prosenechtheis	”having been offered once”	A single, completed, passive offering-event	”having been offered once,” “was offered once”	Closes the ἅπαξ inclusio begun in v. 12 and echoed in v. 26 — Christ’s self-offering is a completed, unrepeatable historical event	一次被献 (yī cì bèi xiàn) — Critical. See ἅπαξ (v. 12) above; consistency across all three occurrences (vv. 12, 26, 28) is essential to preserving the passage’s argument.
ἀναφέρω (ἁμαρτίας)	anapherō (hamartias)	“to carry/bear up” (sins)	To bear away or take up a burden on another’s behalf; echoes Isaiah 53’s suffering-servant language (“he bore our sins”)	“to bear sins,” “to take away sins”	Christ’s death was specifically substitutionary — bearing the sins of “many”	担当(罪) (dāndāng [zuì]) — High. Must retain the substitutionary, vicarious sense (bearing sin’s guilt and penalty on another’s behalf) rather than flattening into a generic “carrying a burden” idiom; connect explicitly to Isaiah 53 in teaching notes.
ἐκ δευτέρου … ὀφθήσεται	ek deuterou … ophthēsetai	”a second time…will be seen/will appear”	A future, singular re-appearance	”will appear a second time,” “will appear again”	The promised Second Coming — deliberately a single additional appearing, not a repeatable or cyclical one	第二次显现 (dì’èr cì xiǎnxiàn) — Medium. Must not be assimilated to the repeatable-manifestation pattern already forbidden under “incarnation” in the baseline (化身/下凡, a deity’s repeatable temporary descent); this is Christ’s own unique, promised, once-more return, continuous with his single incarnation and single first appearing.
χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας	chōris hamartias	”apart from sin,” “without reference to sin”	Either “sinlessly” or, more likely here, “no longer bearing sin’s burden” (since he already dealt with it at the first coming)	“without sin,” “apart from sin,” “not to deal with sin”	At his return, Christ’s mission is no longer to bear away sin (that work is finished) but to bring final salvation to those who wait for him	与罪无关 (yǔ zuì wúguān) — Medium. Ambiguous even in the Greek; teaching notes must clarify this means the atoning work is already finished, not that Christ was sinless (though also true, that is not this clause’s point).
ἀπεκδεχομένοις	apekdechomenois	”eagerly awaiting,” “eagerly expecting”	Intense, forward-looking anticipation	”those who eagerly wait for him,” “those who look for him”	Describes believers’ posture toward the Second Coming — hopeful, active expectation, not fatalistic resignation	热切等候 (rèqiè děnghòu) — Low. Standard expectant-waiting vocabulary; low risk.
σωτηρία	sōtēria	”salvation,” “deliverance”	Established term — see Romans baseline	”salvation”	The final, consummating aspect of salvation delivered at Christ’s return	救恩 (jiùēn) — Critical [REUSED EXACTLY from Romans baseline]. No new risk beyond what is already documented; NEVER 解脱 or 超度.

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PART 2 — Chapter-by-Chapter Semantic Survey: Hebrews 1–13

Chapter 1 — The Son Superior to Angels

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης	apaugasma tēs doxēs	”radiance/effulgence of glory”	Light shining forth from a source, inseparable from it	”radiance of glory,” “brightness of glory”	Christ is not a reflection of God’s glory (a secondary, derivative light) but its own inseparable radiance — asserting shared divine essence	荣耀的光辉 (róngyào de guānghuī) — Critical. Must not be read as a temporary emanation, avatar-glow, or bodhisattva radiance (a common motif in Chinese Buddhist iconography, e.g. a Buddha’s halo/light, 佛光); this is ontological unity with the divine glory (荣耀, established term), not a borrowed or emitted brilliance.
χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ	charaktēr tēs hypostaseōs autou	”the exact stamp/impression of his substance/being”	An engraved image reproducing the source’s exact form — like a coin struck from a die	”exact imprint of his nature,” “very image of his substance”	Christ perfectly and exactly represents God’s own essential being — full deity, not a lesser semi-divine likeness	神本体的真像 (Shén běntǐ de zhēnxiàng) — Critical. Central deity-of-Christ text; must not be softened toward “an especially exalted representative of God” (the historic Chinese emperor’s Mandate-of-Heaven framework, already flagged Critical under son_of_god/sonship_of_christ in the baseline).
κληρονόμος πάντων	klēronomos pantōn	”heir of all things”	The one who inherits everything	”heir of all things”	Christ’s supreme, cosmic inheritance, contrasted with any creaturely heir (including angels)	承受万有的 (chéngshòu wànyǒu de) — Medium. Reuses inheritance vocabulary (see κληρονομία, 9:15); low-medium risk here since the referent (Christ, not believers) removes the clan-inheritance collision.
ἄγγελος	angelos	”messenger”	A created spirit being who serves and worships God, delivers messages, executes God’s will	”angel”	The entire chapter’s argument: angels worship the Son (1:6), are called “ministering spirits” (λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα, 1:14) in service to those who inherit salvation — categorically inferior and creaturely	天使 (tiānshǐ) — Critical. Chinese folk cosmology includes a populated hierarchy of spirit-beings — local city gods (城隆), immortals (神仙), celestial generals (天兵天将), ancestor spirits — some of whom may be venerated or petitioned directly. Since the doctrine “Superiority of Christ over Angels” is the book’s opening argument, any blending of 天使 into this folk hierarchy (implying angels are one more category of spirit one might also honor or invoke) would undercut the entire chapter. Must be taught: angels are created, worshiping servants of the Son, never objects of worship or petition themselves (cf. Heb. 1:6, “let all God’s angels worship him”).
θρόνος	thronos	”throne”	Seat of royal/judicial authority	”throne”	Ps. 45:6 quoted of the Son: “Your throne, O God, is forever” — a direct scriptural address of the Son as God	宝座 (bǎozuò) — Critical. Low linguistic risk but doctrinally load-bearing: this is one of the clearest direct scriptural predications of deity to the Son; translation must preserve the vocative address to the Son as “Θεός/神,” not soften it into a mere royal metaphor.

Chapter 2 — Christ’s Humanity, Suffering, and Priestly Sympathy

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ἱλάσκομαι / ἱλασμός	hilaskomai / hilasmos	”to propitiate,” “a propitiation”	To turn away deserved wrath through an offered sacrifice, rendering the offended party favorable	”to make propitiation,” “to make atonement”	Christ, as merciful and faithful high priest, “makes propitiation for the sins of the people” (2:17) — the term underlying the whole doctrine of atonement (cf. Rom. 3:25’s ἱλαστήριον, not separately codified in the Romans baseline; this Language Package formally establishes it here)	献祭赎罪 / 挽回祭 (xiàn jì shúzuì / wǎnhuí jì) — Critical. Must be sharply distinguished from Chinese folk-religious appeasement of potentially wrathful or hungry spirits (e.g. rites for 饿鬼 “hungry ghosts” during 中元节 Ghost Festival, or placating a displeased ancestor/local deity through offerings). Biblical propitiation satisfies a holy God’s just wrath against sin through a specific, sufficient, once-for-all substitutionary sacrifice — not arbitrary or capricious spirit-placation requiring repeated ritual management.
ἀρχηγός	archēgos	”chief leader,” “originator,” “pioneer”	One who goes first, opening the way for others who follow	”pioneer,” “founder,” “captain”	Christ as “the founder/pioneer of their salvation” (2:10) made perfect through suffering — CUV renders with the military metaphor 元帅 (“marshal/commander”)	元帅 / 元首 (yuánshuài / yuánshǒu) — Medium. Must avoid nationalist/military-conquest overtones; the point is Christ leads the way through suffering to bring his people to glory, not that he commands an army.
πάθημα / πάσχω	pathēma / paschō	”suffering”	Suffering endured, especially unto death	”suffering(s)“	Christ was made “perfect through suffering” and shares fully in human suffering to become a sympathetic, faithful high priest	受苦 (shòukǔ) — Low-Medium. Reused from 9:26; low risk, reinforces the humanity-of-Christ doctrine.

Chapter 3 — Christ Superior to Moses; The Warning Begins

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
κατάπαυσις	katapausis	”a causing to rest,” “rest”	Cessation from labor; here, entrance into the Promised Land as a type of ultimate rest in God	”rest”	Israel’s wilderness generation was barred from God’s “rest” through unbelief — the first extended warning-passage image	安息 (ānxí) — Medium. Must be distinguished from Daoist effortless non-striving (无为) or mere physical repose; this is covenantal, eschatological rest — entering into God’s own completed redemptive purpose.
σκληρύνω (τὴν καρδίαν)	sklērynō (tēn kardian)	“to harden (the heart)“	To become unresponsive, resistant to God’s voice	”harden your hearts”	The warning’s central verb: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Ps. 95, quoted 3:7-8, 15)	硬着心 (yìng zhe xīn) — Low. Standard idiom; low risk.
ἀπιστία	apistia	”unbelief,” “faithlessness”	Absence of trust/faith; the opposite of πίστις	”unbelief”	Identifies the specific cause of Israel’s exclusion from rest — a direct warning to the audience against the same failure	不信 (bùxìn) — Medium. Negation of established 信心 (faith); must retain that this is specifically unbelief toward God/Christ, not general skepticism.

Chapter 4 — Entering God’s Rest; The Living Word; The Sympathetic High Priest

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
σαββατισμός	sabbatismos	”Sabbath-keeping/resting”	A Sabbath-rest, specifically a rest that remains to be entered by God’s people	”Sabbath rest”	The eschatological rest God’s people still look forward to, patterned on God’s own seventh-day rest	安息 (ānxí) — Medium [continues ch. 3 term]. Same collision risk as κατάπαυσις above.
ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ	ho logos tou Theou	”the word of God”	God’s spoken/written communication; here personified as “living and active” (ζῶν καὶ ἐνεργής)	“the word of God”	Scripture’s penetrating, discerning power to judge “the thoughts and intentions of the heart”	神的道 (Shén de dào) — Medium. Terminological ambiguity risk: 道 also appears in the technical Christological compound 道成肉身 (incarnation, established in the Romans baseline) where it denotes the eternal, personal Word/Son. Here it denotes Scripture’s message more generally. Teaching notes must distinguish these two senses of 道 so learners do not conflate “the word of God is living and active” with the Incarnation doctrine.
συμπαθέω (ταῖς ἀσθενείαις)	sympatheō (tais astheneiais)	“to suffer/feel with (weaknesses)“	To be moved with compassion because one shares the same experience	”sympathize with our weaknesses”	Christ, as high priest, personally sympathizes with human weakness because he was himself tempted in every way	体谅我们的软弱 (tǐliàng wǒmen de ruǎnruò) — Low. Warm, relational term; reinforces high priest’s approachability, low collision risk.

Chapter 5 — Qualifications for High Priesthood; Order of Melchizedek Introduced; Spiritual Immaturity

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
τάξις Μελχισέδεκ	taxis Melchisedek	”order of Melchizedek”	A priestly succession/category distinct from and superior to the Levitical order	”order of Melchizedek”	First introduction of the chapter 7 argument: Christ’s priesthood derives from a different, older, non-hereditary order	麦基洗德的等次 (Màijīxiédé de děngcì) — Medium. Requires OT background (Gen. 14, Ps. 110) unfamiliar to readers without Torah literacy; needs an explanatory note each occurrence until ch. 7 develops it fully.
γάλα / στερεὰ τροφή	gala / stereá trophē	”milk / solid food”	Metaphor for elementary vs. mature spiritual teaching	”milk / solid food”	Rebukes the readers’ spiritual immaturity, setting up the warning of ch. 6	奶 / 干粮 (nǎi / gānliáng) — Low. Standard metaphor; low risk.

Chapter 6 — The Warning Against Falling Away; The Anchor of Hope

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
παραπίπτω	parapiptō	”to fall away,” “to fall beside”	Decisive apostasy from a previously professed faith	”to fall away,” “to commit apostasy”	The most severe warning in Hebrews (6:4-6): describes those who have tasted the heavenly gift and then fall away	背道 (bèidào) / 离弃(信仰) (líqì [xìnyǎng]) — Critical. Central to the curriculum’s “Danger of Apostasy” doctrine. Must be taught with full seriousness (the warning is real and directed at genuine covenant community members) while avoiding a merit-depletion reading in which grace is treated as a finite resource that can run out through insufficient effort — a natural but incorrect inference for readers steeped in the Buddhist merit-ledger worldview (功德, already Critical in the Romans baseline). The tension between the reality of the warning and the assurance of chs. 8-10 must be actively taught, not resolved by softening either side.
ἄγκυρα	ankyra	”anchor”	A ship’s anchor, securing it against drifting	”anchor”	Hope in God’s unbreakable promise and oath functions as “an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast” (6:19)	锚 (máo) — Low-Medium. Vivid, concrete image; low doctrinal risk though may need a brief explanatory gloss for readers unfamiliar with maritime imagery.
ὅρκος / ἀμετάθετος	horkos / ametathetos	”oath” / “unchangeable, unable to be altered”	A sworn guarantee; “unchangeable” describes God’s purpose and word	”oath” / “unchangeable”	God’s oath to Abraham, added to his promise, gives believers unshakeable confidence — introduces the theme of assurance developed further in ch. 11-12	誓言 / 不能更改的 (shìyán / bùnéng gēnggǎi de) — Low. Standard vocabulary; supports the “Perseverance and Assurance” doctrine without significant collision risk.

Chapter 7 — Melchizedek’s Priesthood Superior to the Levitical Priesthood

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
Μελχισέδεκ	Melchisedek	(Hebrew, “king of righteousness”)	Proper name; king-priest of Salem (Gen. 14:18-20)	“Melchizedek”	Type of Christ’s eternal, kingly, non-hereditary priesthood, “without beginning of days or end of life” as recorded in Scripture	麦基洗德 (Màijīxiédé) — Medium. Established transliteration; requires substantial OT background explanation since no comparable figure/office exists in Chinese religious or dynastic history.
Λευί / Λευιτικός	Leui / Leuitikos	Proper name / “of Levi”	The tribe of Levi; hereditary Israelite priesthood descended from Aaron	”Levi,” “Levitical”	The priesthood being superseded — hereditary, mortal, limited — by Christ’s superior, eternal Melchizedekian priesthood	利未 / 利未人的祭司职任 (Lìwèi / Lìwèi rén de jìsī zhírèn) — Medium. Requires OT tribal-system background; central to the “Superiority of Christ…over the Levitical Priesthood” doctrine.
ἀπαράβατος	aparabatos	”not to be transgressed/passed over,” “permanent”	Unchangeable, non-transferable — describes Christ’s priesthood as one that cannot pass to a successor	”permanent,” “unchangeable”	Because Christ “continues forever,” he holds his priesthood permanently, unlike Levitical priests who died and were succeeded	长久不变的 (chángjiǔ bùbiàn de) — Medium. Reinforces the eternal-priesthood doctrine; low-medium collision risk.
ἔγγυος (κρείττονος διαθήκης)	engyos (kreittonos diathēkēs)	“guarantor,” “surety”	A legal guarantor who personally backs an obligation	”guarantor of a better covenant”	Distinct from but overlapping μεσίτης (mediator, 9:15): Christ personally guarantees the New Covenant’s terms	中保 / 保证人 (zhōngbǎo / bǎozhèngrén) — Medium. May be rendered with 中保 (reusing the mediator term) or a distinct 保证人 (guarantor); this Language Package recommends 保证人 where ἔγγυος specifically occurs (7:22) to preserve the distinct nuance from μεσίτης, while noting the semantic overlap for teaching purposes.

Chapter 8 — The New Covenant Announced (Jeremiah 31)

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
διαθήκη καινή (full Jeremiah 31 quotation)	diathēkē kainē	”new covenant”	The OT prophetic promise of a covenant unlike the Sinai covenant, written on the heart	”new covenant”	The theological center of the “New Covenant versus the Old” doctrine — quoted at length (8:8-12)	新约 — Critical [see full note at 9:15 above]. This chapter is the primary locus of the 新约/新约圣经 disambiguation risk; every occurrence in ch. 8 must be checked for whether “the New Testament canon” could be mistakenly inferred.
σκιά	skia	”shadow”	An outline cast by a solid object; a faint, derivative representation	”shadow,” “shadow of things to come”	The Law and its priesthood are “a shadow of the good things to come,” not the reality itself (8:5, cf. 10:1)	影儿 / 影像 (yǐngr / yǐngxiàng) — High. Same illusion/reality collision risk as ὑπόδειγμα/ἀντίτυπος (9:23-24); must be taught as historical, provisional foreshadowing within a single unfolding redemptive plan, not a Buddhist-style unreal/illusory phenomenal realm.
τύπος	typos	”pattern,” “mold,” “model”	The heavenly pattern shown to Moses on the mountain, which the earthly tabernacle was built to copy (8:5, quoting Exod. 25:40)	“pattern,” “model”	Establishes the copy/original relationship foundational to the whole book’s typology	样式 (yàngshì) — Medium [continues ch. 9 term ὑπόδειγμα]. Same risk profile as ὑπόδειγμα above.

Chapter 9:1–10 — The Earthly Sanctuary and Its Limits (preceding the core passage)

(Hebrews 9:11–28 receives full verse-by-verse treatment in Part 1 above. This section covers the chapter’s opening ten verses, describing the Levitical sanctuary and its furnishings, which introduce vocabulary essential for understanding vv. 11-28.)

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
τὰ ἅγια / ἅγια ἁγίων	ta hagia / hagia hagiōn	”the holy things/place” / “holy of holies”	The outer sanctuary chamber / the innermost chamber, entered only once a year by the high priest	”the Holy Place” / “the Most Holy Place,” “the Holy of Holies”	Establishes the spatial structure the whole chapter’s argument depends on — the innermost, most restricted access point to God’s presence	圣所 / 至圣所 (shèngsuǒ / zhìshèngsuǒ) — Medium. Must be distinguished from a folk-temple inner shrine room (神龛/内殿) housing an idol; this is the place of the one true God’s dwelling-presence, with historically extremely restricted human access — a structural setup for the “Access to God” doctrine’s climax in v. 11-28.
κιβωτὸς τῆς διαθήκης	kibōtos tēs diathēkēs	”ark of the covenant”	The gold-covered chest containing the covenant tablets, housed in the Holy of Holies	”ark of the covenant”	The central object symbolizing God’s covenant presence among his people	约柜 (yuēguì) — Low. Established term; low risk, though requires OT background explanation.
ἱλαστήριον	hilastērion	”mercy seat,” “place/means of propitiation”	The golden cover of the ark, understood both as physical furniture and as the theological locus of atonement (same Greek word as Rom. 3:25)	“the mercy seat,” “the atoning cover”	The literal OT furniture-object that typifies the very propitiation Christ accomplishes (see ἱλάσκομαι, ch. 2 above)	施恩座 (shī ēn zuò) — Critical. Same Greek word (ἱλαστήριον) is used of the literal furniture here and of Christ’s atoning work in Rom. 3:25 (rendered there in Chinese tradition as 挽回祭). This dual referent — one word, two different Mandarin renderings depending on referent (object vs. act) — must be explicitly taught so learners see the typological connection between the physical mercy seat and Christ’s own atoning sacrifice, rather than treating them as unrelated vocabulary.
χερουβίμ	cheroubim	(Hebrew loanword) “cherubim”	Winged heavenly beings depicted atop the ark	”cherubim”	Guardians of God’s glory-presence; part of the sanctuary’s furnishing	基路伯 (Jīlùbó) — Low. Established transliteration; low risk, proper-noun/creature term.
λατρεία	latreia	”service,” “religious service”	Noun form of λατρεύω (already flagged at 9:14); the priestly service performed in the sanctuary	”worship,” “divine service”	Describes the ongoing priestly duties performed in the outer sanctuary	事奉 (shìfèng) — Medium [reuses λατρεύω, 9:14]. Same collision risk as noted there.

Chapter 10 — No Further Sacrifice for Sin; Drawing Near; Warning Against Willful Apostasy; A Call to Endurance

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
προσέρχομαι	proserchomai	”to come/approach toward”	To draw near, approach — Hebrews’ key verb for approaching God (4:16, 7:19, 10:1, 10:22, 11:6, 12:22)	“draw near,” “approach,” “come to”	Central to the “Access to God through Christ’s Blood” doctrine: believers may now “draw near” directly and confidently because of Christ’s finished work	来到…面前 / 亲近(神) (lái dào…miànqián / qīnjìn [Shén]) — High. Must be distinguished from the folk-religious pattern of approaching a deity or ancestor only through ritual preparation, incense, or a mediating specialist (medium/priest) performed by the worshiper to gain access; biblical “drawing near” is secured entirely by Christ’s blood already shed, requiring only faith, not ongoing ritual self-purification by the worshiper.
παρρησία	parrēsia	”freedom of speech,” “boldness,” “confidence”	Open, unashamed confidence to speak or approach	”confidence,” “boldness"	"Let us draw near with confidence” (10:19, 22) — the posture access-through-Christ’s-blood makes possible	坦然无惧 (tǎnrán wú jù) — Medium. Must be distinguished from social boldness/face-confidence (面子, already flagged under “glory” in the Romans baseline); this is confidence rooted in a completed atoning work, not social standing or self-assurance.
σκιά / εἰκών	skia / eikōn	”shadow” / “image, form”	Contrasted terms: the Law has only a “shadow” of the good things, not their true “form” (εἰκών, 10:1)	“shadow… true form”	Reinforces the ch. 8-9 typology at the start of the sacrifice-sufficiency argument	影儿 / 真像 (yǐngr / zhēnxiàng) — High [continues ch. 8/9 term]. Same risk profile as σκιά/ὑπόδειγμα/ἀντίτυπος above.
θεληματικῶς (ἁμαρτάνω)	thelēmatikōs (hamartanō)	“willingly, deliberately (to sin)“	Deliberate, knowing rejection, as opposed to unintentional sin	”sin deliberately/willfully”	Identifies the specific object of the chapter’s severe warning (10:26): deliberate rejection of the truth after receiving knowledge of it	故意犯罪 (gùyì fànzuì) — High [continues apostasy doctrine, ch. 6]. Must preserve the seriousness of willful, informed rejection of Christ, distinct from ordinary struggle with sin as a believer.
ἐκδίκησις	ekdikēsis	”vengeance,” “just recompense”	Judicial retribution exacted by a rightful authority (quoting Deut. 32:35, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay”)	“vengeance,” “recompense”	God himself will justly repay covenant-breakers — a solemn warning closing the apostasy section	报应 / 伸冤 — Critical, RECOMMENDATION: avoid bare 报应. 报应 (bàoyìng) is explicitly flagged as a rejected term in the Romans baseline (“sin” doctrine note) due to its impersonal karmic-retribution connotation. This Language Package recommends rendering ἐκδίκησις here as 神必施行公义的审判/报应 (“God will carry out just/righteous judgment”) with a mandatory clarifying note, rather than the bare term 报应, to keep this personal, judicial, covenantal recompense clearly distinct from impersonal cosmic karma balancing itself out across a person’s fortune or future rebirths.

Chapter 11 — The Faith of the Old Testament Saints

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
ὑπόστασις	hypostasis	”that which stands under,” “substance, reality, confidence”	Either objective “substantial reality” or subjective “confident assurance” — debated, but functions in 11:1 to define faith itself	”substance,” “assurance,” “reality”	Defines faith as giving substantial reality/confidence to things hoped for but not yet seen — foundational to the “Faith of the Old Testament Saints” doctrine	实底 (shídǐ) — Medium. CUV’s established rendering (“信就是所望之事的实底”); a somewhat classical-flavored compound not in everyday speech, risking obscurity for readers at the target reading level. Must be taught clearly rather than assumed self-evident; ensure it is not confused with a vague, wishful, fatalistic “hope for the best” sentiment common in folk fortune-seeking speech.
ἔλεγχος	elenchos	”proof,” “evidence,” “conviction”	Legal/rhetorical term for demonstrative proof or conviction of what is not directly observed	”conviction,” “evidence,” “proof”	The second half of Hebrews’ definition of faith (11:1): “the conviction/evidence of things not seen”	确据 (quèjù) — Medium. Pairs with 实底 above to form Hebrews’ compact definition of faith; must be taught together as a unit, reinforcing that biblical faith rests on objective certainty grounded in God’s character and promise, not subjective wishful feeling.
μαρτυρέω (ἐμαρτυρήθησαν)	martyreō	”to bear witness,” “to be commended/attested”	To receive divine testimony/commendation	”were commended,” “gained approval,” “were attested”	Structures the entire chapter: each OT figure “was commended” (attested by God) through faith — reinforces that faith, not works, was the operative principle even under the Old Covenant	得了美好的证据 / 蒙称许 (méng chēngxǔ) — Low-Medium. Reinforces already-established faith (信心) vocabulary; low collision risk, supports rather than complicates existing terms.
Proper names (Ἐνώχ, Νῶε, Ἀβραάμ, Σάρρα, Ἰσαάκ, Ἰακώβ, Ἰωσήφ, Ῥαάβ, Γεδεών, Σαμσών, etc.)	—	—	—	Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Rahab, Gideon, Samson, etc.	The chapter’s roll-call of OT faith exemplars	以诺, 挪亚, 亚伯拉罕, 撒拉, 以撒, 雅各, 约瑟, 喇合, 基甸, 参孙 — Low. Established CUV transliterations; proper names carry no doctrinal collision risk in themselves, but each requires brief OT-background notes given assumed-low OT narrative literacy in the target audience (per the baseline’s tone requirements).
ξένοι καὶ παρεπίδημοι	xenoi kai parepidēmoi	”strangers and sojourners”	Resident aliens without permanent citizenship rights; temporary dwellers	”strangers and exiles,” “aliens and pilgrims”	The patriarchs confessed themselves to be sojourners seeking “a better country… a heavenly one” (11:13-16) — grounds the perseverance/hope theme of chs. 10-12	客旅 (kèlǚ) — Medium. Must be distinguished from Buddhist renunciation of worldly attachment as an end in itself (出家, detachment for its own sake); biblical sojourning is forward-looking, hope-filled longing for a specific promised heavenly homeland/city, not detachment as spiritual technique.

Chapter 12 — Discipline, Perseverance, and Mount Zion

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
παιδεία	paideia	”training, discipline, upbringing”	Formative discipline, as of a parent raising a child	”discipline,” “training”	God disciplines his children “for our good, that we may share his holiness” (12:10) — reframes suffering as evidence of genuine sonship (see 儿子的名分, established)	管教 (guǎnjiào) — Medium. Positively resonant with the Confucian family-formation ideal of parental discipline (家教), which can be a genuine bridge; but must be clarified as loving, purposeful, holiness-oriented fatherly discipline (linked to 父, established) rather than honor/shame-driven punitive correction tied to family “face” (面子).
ἀρχηγὸς καὶ τελειωτής (τῆς πίστεως)	archēgos kai teleiōtēs	”founder/pioneer and perfecter/finisher”	The one who both originates and completes/brings to fulfillment	”the founder and perfecter of faith,” “the author and finisher”	Jesus is both the source and the one who brings faith to its completed goal — CUV renders as 创始成终的	创始成终的 (chuàngshǐ chéngzhōng de) — Medium. Ties together the ἀρχηγός (ch. 2) and τελειόω (perfection) themes; must retain that Christ both originates and completes salvation — a single, unified work, not two separable stages.
Σιὼν … Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐπουρανίῳ	Siōn … Ierousalēm epouraniō	”Zion… heavenly Jerusalem”	The literal OT holy mountain/city, and its heavenly, eschatological counterpart	”Mount Zion… the heavenly Jerusalem”	Contrasts believers’ approach to God at Mount Zion/heavenly Jerusalem with Israel’s terrifying encounter at Sinai (12:18-24) — climactic statement of the “Access to God” doctrine	锡安山 / 天上的耶路撒冷 (Xī’ān Shān / tiānshàng de Yēlùsālěng) — Medium. Proper names requiring OT/eschatological background; low collision risk in themselves but conceptually dense for readers with low OT literacy.
πνεύματα δικαίων τετελειωμένων	pneumata dikaiōn teteleiōmenōn	”spirits of righteous ones perfected/made complete”	The departed righteous, now brought to their completed, glorified state	”the spirits of the righteous made perfect”	Part of the heavenly assembly description; reuses τελειόω (perfect/complete)	被成全之义人的灵魂 (bèi chéngquán zhī yìrén de línghún) — Medium [reuses τέλειος]. Same Neo-Confucian self-cultivation collision risk noted under τέλειος below; must be clear this “perfecting” is God’s completing work upon the believer, not the believer’s own moral perfection project.
τέλειος / τελειόω	teleios / teleioō	”complete, whole, mature” / “to complete, perfect, bring to maturity”	The state of being brought to intended completeness/maturity — used throughout Hebrews of what the Law could not do (7:19, 9:9, 10:1) but Christ’s work accomplishes (10:14, 12:23)	“perfect,” “make perfect,” “complete”	One of Hebrews’ most theologically load-bearing recurring terms: the Law “made nothing perfect” (7:19); by one offering Christ “has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (10:14)	完全 / 成全 (wánquán / chéngquán) — Critical. Direct collision with the Neo-Confucian technical concept of moral self-perfection through cultivation into sagehood — the very same collision already flagged Critical for “sanctification” (成圣) in the Romans baseline. Hebrews’ “perfecting” is Christ’s finished, once-for-all priestly work applied by grace to believers already justified, categorically not a gradual, self-effort-driven moral cultivation process (修身/修炼). Every occurrence requires this clarifying note.
ῥίζα πικρίας	rhiza pikrias	”root of bitterness”	A poisonous or corrupting root that springs up and defiles many	”root of bitterness”	Warns against any person or attitude that could cause others to fall short of grace (12:15) — links to the apostasy-warning theme	毒根 (dúgēn) — Low-Medium. Vivid idiom; low collision risk.
βασιλεία ἀσάλευτος	basileia asaleutos	”unshakeable kingdom”	A kingdom that cannot be shaken or removed, contrasted with the shaking of heaven and earth at the end (12:26-28)	“unshakeable kingdom,” “kingdom that cannot be shaken”	Reuses established 神的国 (kingdom of God) with the modifier “unshakeable” — grounds the assurance doctrine in cosmic, eschatological permanence	不能震动的国 (bùnéng zhèndòng de guó) — Medium [reuses kingdom_of_god]. Must retain 神的国 exactly per the baseline, adding the modifier; avoid framing as a this-worldly political dynasty that merely happens to be especially stable (天下 collision, already flagged in Romans baseline).

Chapter 13 — Practical Exhortations; Christ Outside the Camp; Benediction

Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Mandarin Rendering & Risk
φιλοξενία	philoxenia	”love of strangers,” “hospitality”	Active welcome and care of guests/strangers	”hospitality"	"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (13:2)	接待客旅 (jiēdài kèlǚ) — Low. Reuses κèlǚ from ch. 11; low collision risk, straightforward ethical exhortation.
ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς / πύλης	exō tēs parembolēs / pylēs	”outside the camp/gate”	Recalls the Levitical requirement that the sin-offering’s body be burned outside the camp (Lev. 16:27)	“outside the camp,” “outside the gate”	Jesus suffered “outside the gate” (13:12) to sanctify his people with his own blood, deliberately fulfilling the sin-offering type	营外 (yíng wài) — Medium. Requires an explanatory note connecting it to the Levitical sin-offering disposal ritual (burned outside the camp) as a type fulfilled in Christ’s crucifixion outside Jerusalem’s walls; without that OT background note, the image loses its typological force for readers with low OT literacy.
θυσία αἰνέσεως	thysia aineseōs	”sacrifice of praise”	A non-bloody, verbal offering of thanksgiving, reusing sacrificial vocabulary metaphorically	”sacrifice of praise”	Believers now “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise” (13:15) — the sacrificial vocabulary of the whole book is transformed into worship and good works, not literal blood-offering	称谢的祭 (chēngxiè de jì) — Medium [reuses θυσία]. Must be clearly taught as a metaphorical transformation of sacrificial language (praise, good works, generosity, 13:15-16) now that the literal, atoning sacrifice is finished — not a reintroduction of ongoing propitiatory offerings.
ποιμὴν (τῶν προβάτων) ὁ μέγας	poimēn (tōn probatōn) ho megas	”the great shepherd (of the sheep)“	Pastoral care/leadership image applied to Christ	”the great shepherd of the sheep”	Closing benediction (13:20) identifies the risen Christ as the great Shepherd, “by the blood of the eternal covenant” — reuses established covenant-blood vocabulary	群羊的大牧人 (qún yáng de dà mùrén) — Low. Standard pastoral metaphor; low collision risk, reinforces established shepherd/flock imagery already familiar in Chinese Christian usage.
ὁ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης	ho Theos tēs eirēnēs	”the God of peace”	God as source and giver of peace	”the God of peace”	Opens the closing benediction; reuses established 平安 (peace) term	平安的神 (píng’ān de Shén) — Medium [reuses established 平安]. Same collision risk as already documented in the Romans baseline (peace vs. amulet-style good-fortune wishes); must be read as relational, covenantal peace flowing from the completed work just expounded throughout the letter.

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Summary of Structural Observations for Phase 2

1. Priesthood/sacrifice vocabulary (大祭司, 祭司, 祭物, 献上, 血, 挽回祭, 施恩座) forms the single largest cluster of Critical-risk terms in this curriculum, because Hebrews’ entire argument runs directly through the vocabulary Chinese folk religion, Buddhism, and Daoism use for their own ritual-mediation systems. This is a materially different risk profile than Romans, where the dominant collision was with merit-based moral cultivation.
2. 新约/旧约 vs. 新约圣经/旧约圣经 is a uniquely acute internal-Mandarin ambiguity not present in the Romans baseline (which never needed to distinguish “covenant” from “Testament-as-book-collection” as sharply as Hebrews 8-9 does). CUV’s own practice of using 前约 for “the first covenant” in some places should be formally adopted as a disambiguation strategy in Step 2.
3. 成圣/完全 (sanctification/perfection) collision with Neo-Confucian self-cultivation, already Critical in the Romans baseline, recurs throughout Hebrews with even greater frequency (7:19, 9:9, 10:1, 10:14, 12:23), since “perfecting” is one of the book’s controlling verbs.
4. 末世/定命/报应 (end of the age / appointed fate / retribution) each carry a distinct, specific collision with contemporary Chinese apocalyptic-cult stigma, impersonal fatalism, and karmic retribution respectively — none of which appear as such in the Romans baseline and all of which require new Critical/High entries.