07 — Semantic Analysis: Acts 1–28 (Koine Greek → Manipuri)
Curriculum: Acts
Core passage: Acts 2:1–41 (Pentecost)
Destination language: Manipuri (Meiteilon, Bengali script)
Doctrines in scope: The Holy Spirit and Pentecost; The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles; Repentance and Baptism; The Church as Community; Apostolic Authority and Miracles; Persecution and Bold Witness; Conversion of Paul; Justification apart from the Law; The Great Commission Fulfilled
Governing rule: Every term already fixed in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json (Θεός/তেংবাং মপু, κύριος/মপু ইবুংগো, πνεῦμα ἅγιον/থাওয়াই অসেংবা, δικαιοσύνη/অচুম্বা চৎনবিরাক, etc.) is reused here exactly, with no re-derivation. This document extends that inventory with terms load-bearing for Acts that the Romans package did not need to fix (repentance, baptism, tongues, witness, the Way, and others).
PART 1 — Core Passage Verse-by-Verse: Acts 2:1–41
Acts 2:1
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning in Context | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| Πεντηκοστή | Pentēkostē | ”fiftieth [day]“ | Jewish Feast of Weeks/Shavuot, 50 days after Passover firstfruits; by NT era also an appointed pilgrim feast | ”Pentecost,” “the day of Pentecost,” “Feast of Weeks” | The divinely appointed day on which the Spirit is poured out, fulfilling OT firstfruits typology and inaugurating the church | New term. Transliterate: পেন্তেকোস্ত. Risk: Medium. Must not be assimilated into the general category of “festival day” shared with the Vaishnava festival calendar (Ras Lila performances, Krishna Janmashtami) or the Lai Haraoba festival calendar — extends the gospel entry’s existing baseline caution about festive “good news” framing. |
| ὁμοῦ | homou | ”together, in the same place” | unity of location and purpose | ”together,” “in one place” | The gathered, expectant unity of the believing community awaiting the promised Spirit | Low risk; ties to Fellowship (লোইনবা, baseline Low) and Church as Community doctrine. |
Acts 2:2
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning in Context | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| πνοῆς βιαίας… ἦχος | pnoēs biaias… ēchos | ”a sound… of a violent breath/blast” | πνοή shares the same root as πνεῦμα (wind/breath/spirit) — a deliberate Greek wordplay | ”a sound like a rushing wind,” “a violent wind” | The wind is the sensory sign accompanying, not identical to, the Spirit’s coming — echoing OT wind-theophanies (Ezek 37; 1 Kgs 19) | New term for “wind”: নুংশিত (nungshit). Risk: High. The Greek wind/Spirit wordplay does not carry over cleanly, since থাওয়াই অসেংবা (Holy Spirit) is already a fixed compound distinct from নুংশিত. Translator note required: the sign (wind) is not itself to be equated with থাওয়াই in its populated Sanamahi sense (ancestral/nature spirits); it is a one-time theophanic sign accompanying the person of the Holy Spirit. |
Acts 2:3
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning in Context | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός | glōssai hōsei pyros | ”tongues as of fire” | γλῶσσα = tongue (organ)/language, here a flame-shaped visual sign; resumes as “language” in v.4 | ”tongues of fire,” “what seemed to be tongues of fire” | Visible, divided manifestation of the Spirit resting individually on each believer | Risk: Medium. Fire imagery (মেই) may resonate with ritual fire in regional devotional practice (homa/yajna fire in Vaishnava ritual, torch-lit Meira processions). Translator note: this is God’s self-manifesting sign, not a ritual fire-offering to be replicated or venerated. |
Acts 2:4
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning in Context | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ἐπλήσθησαν πάντες Πνεύματος Ἁγίου | eplēsthēsan pantes Pneumatos Hagiou | ”were all filled with Holy Spirit” | filling = complete Spirit-empowerment, not partial | ”were all filled with the Holy Spirit” | The decisive, once-for-all inauguration of the Spirit’s indwelling ministry in the church | Reuse baseline exactly: থাওয়াই অসেংবা (Critical). Never bare থাওয়াই. |
| ἐλάλουν ἑτέραις γλώσσαις | elaloun heterais glōssais | ”began to speak in other tongues/languages” | γλῶσσα here confirmed by context (v.6,8,11 “each in his own language,” ἰδία διαλέκτῳ) to mean actual, known human languages, not unintelligible ecstatic speech | ”other tongues,” “other languages” | Sign-gift for cross-cultural gospel proclamation — reversal of Babel, first fruit of the Great Commission Fulfilled doctrine | New term. Manipuri: লোন (lon, “tongue/language,” cognate with “Meiteilon”). Phrase: অতোপ্পা লোনশিং। Risk: Critical. Must be rendered as literal, intelligible human languages given for gospel proclamation, and explicitly not as the ecstatic, unintelligible trance-utterance of a maibi priestess seized during Lai Haraoba. A translator note distinguishing these two phenomena is mandatory at every occurrence (also 10:46; 19:6). |
Acts 2:5
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| Ἰουδαῖοι… κατοικοῦντες | Ioudaioi… katoikountes | ”Jews… dwelling” | ethnic-religious identity term | ”Jews,” “devout Jews” | Diaspora Jews gathered for the feast, the initial audience of the gospel (Gospel to Jews and Gentiles doctrine) | New proper-ethnonym term. Manipuri: জুহুদী (Juhudi) — already used in the baseline doctrine registry for “Jews” (unity_of_jews_and_gentiles). Risk: Low-Medium. |
Acts 2:6–8
Narrative amazement (συνεχύθη, “was confounded”; ἐξίσταντο/ἐθαύμαζον, “were amazed/marveled”). No new load-bearing theological terms; reinforces the “each in his own language” (ἰδία διαλέκτῳ) point already treated under v.4. Risk: Low.
Acts 2:9–11a
Nation-list (Parthians, Medes, Elamites, etc.) — proper nouns, low translation risk individually, but doctrinally significant as a concrete demonstration of universal gospel scope (“every nation under heaven,” v.5) anticipating the Great Commission Fulfilled doctrine developed across the whole book. Risk: Low (individually), Medium (doctrinally, as first data-point for universal scope).
Acts 2:11b
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| τὰ μεγαλεῖα τοῦ Θεοῦ | ta megaleia tou Theou | ”the great/mighty things of God” | God’s great acts/deeds, distinct from δύναμις (power) and σημεῖα/τέρατα (signs/wonders) | “the mighty works of God,” “the wonders of God” | The content of the Spirit-given speech: proclamation of what God has done, not self-generated ecstatic praise | New compound term. Manipuri: তেংবাং মপুগী অচৌবা থৌদাং (God’s great deeds). Risk: Medium. Kept distinct from থৌরাং (providence, already fixed) to avoid conflating God’s mighty historical acts with his ongoing providential governance. |
Acts 2:12–13
“They are filled with new wine” (γλεύκους, gleukos — new/sweet wine). Narrative mockery, Risk: High doctrinally (not lexically): sets up Peter’s clarification (v.15) that Spirit-filling is categorically distinct from intoxication. Translator note recommended: this also distinguishes Spirit-filling from any dance/drum-induced altered state achieved in Lai Haraoba trance or from bhakti kirtan ecstasy — the apostles’ speech is intelligible proclamation, not induced trance.
Acts 2:14
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ἀποφθέγξατο | apophthegxato | ”declared, spoke out with authority/solemnity” | used of weighty, authoritative, prophetic-register speech | ”declared,” “addressed,” “said” | Peter’s Spirit-inspired but fully rational, non-ecstatic apostolic proclamation | New term. Manipuri: ফোংদোকখি (declared/proclaimed). Risk: Medium. Must not be rendered so as to suggest channeled/oracular speech (maibi pronouncement); this is authoritative gospel preaching, reusing the Apostleship doctrine framework (তবিদগী থাবিরকপা, baseline Medium). |
Acts 2:15
Narrative rebuttal (“it is only the third hour”). No new term. Risk: Low.
Acts 2:17
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις | en tais eschatais hēmerais | ”in the last days” | eschatological era inaugurated by Christ’s first coming, not merely the final moment of history | ”in the last days,” “afterward” | The Pentecost outpouring marks the beginning of the eschatological age, not an isolated marvel | New term. Manipuri: চাইখৎপা নুমিৎশিং (the last days). Risk: High. Must be taught as a now-inaugurated, ongoing era (already/not-yet), not folded into any cyclical yuga-style cosmic-age scheme familiar from Vaishnava Puranic cosmology. |
| ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός μου | ekcheō apo tou Pneumatos mou | ”I will pour out from my Spirit” | Joel 2:28 quotation; outpouring on “all flesh” (πᾶσαν σάρκα) | “I will pour out my Spirit” | Universal, non-specialist distribution of the Spirit’s prophetic gifting | Reuse থাওয়াই অসেংবা (Critical). New verb-phrase: হুন্দোকপা (to pour out). Risk: High. Must stress that this outpouring is on “sons and daughters,” “young and old,” “servants and handmaidens” alike — explicitly not restricted to a ritual-specialist class as the maibi/maiba office is restricted within Sanamahi religious practice. |
| προφητεύσουσιν | prophēteusousin | ”shall prophesy” | Spirit-given declaration of God’s message | ”shall prophesy” | Reuse baseline প্রফেসি term ফোংদোকপা ৱারোল (Low in Romans; elevated context here) | Risk: High in this context (elevated from baseline Low) because of the democratization point above — flag for native-speaker review even though the term itself carries Low risk in Romans. |
Acts 2:19–20
Apocalyptic cosmic signs (blood, fire, vapor, sun/moon darkened) — no new term beyond τέρατα/σημεῖα (see v.22 below); apocalyptic register. Risk: Low-Medium; ensure these are read as literal eschatological signs, not astrological omens.
Acts 2:21
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| πᾶς ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου σωθήσεται | pas hos an epikalesētai to onoma Kyriou sōthēsetai | ”everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” | ἐπικαλέσηται = to invoke, appeal to, call upon for help | ”call on the name of the Lord,” “call upon the Lord” | The thesis verse of universal salvation through confessing/invoking the exclusive Lord Jesus — the hinge of Gospel to Jews and Gentiles doctrine | Risk: Critical. Reuse σωθήσεται → অহানবা (salvation, Critical) and Κυρίου → মপু ইবুংগো (Lord, Critical). “Calling on the name” must be rendered as a personal, trust-laden confession, not as an act resembling repeated name-invocation for devotional merit (nāma-japa/kīrtan repetition of Krishna’s names, a live, central Vaishnava devotional practice) nor as invoking an Umang Lai or ancestral spirit’s name in Sanamahi ritual petition. Mandatory translator note. |
Acts 2:22
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| δυνάμεσι καὶ τέρασι καὶ σημείοις | dynamesi kai terasi kai sēmeiois | ”mighty works and wonders and signs” | three-fold vocabulary for divine-authenticating miracle | ”miracles, wonders, and signs” | God’s authentication of Jesus’ messianic ministry — foundational for Apostolic Authority and Miracles doctrine | New compound term. Manipuri: মমল অমসুং খুদমশিং। Risk: High. Reuse the baseline caution on power_of_god (never শক্তি). Must be distinguished from a maiba/maibi’s ritual displays of power and from occult sorcery (see Acts 8, 13, 19 below): biblical signs authenticate God’s sent messenger; they are not personally-wielded occult ability. |
Acts 2:23
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| τῇ ὡρισμένῃ βουλῇ καὶ προγνώσει τοῦ Θεοῦ … ἀνείλατε | prognōsei tou Theou… aneilate | ”by the determined plan and foreknowledge of God… you killed” | προγνώσει = foreknowledge; ἔκδοτον = “given over, betrayed" | "foreknowledge,” “delivered up,” “you killed” | Christ’s death is simultaneously human sin and God’s sovereign, foreordained plan — a classic providence/election tension | Reuse তেংবাং মপুগী থৌরাং (providence, High) and তেংবাং মপুগী খনবা (election, High) frameworks. Risk: Critical. Must affirm both divine sovereignty and genuine human guilt without collapsing into ৱাইফম (impersonal fate) — the baseline’s explicit caution on providence/election applies directly here. |
Acts 2:24
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ὃν ὁ Θεὸς ἀνέστησεν, λύσας τὰς ὠδῖνας τοῦ θανάτου | hon ho Theos anestēsen… | “whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death” | ὠδῖνας = birth-pangs, a vivid metaphor for death’s grip being broken | ”God raised him up, freeing him from the agony of death” | The bodily, historical, once-for-all resurrection, decisively ending death’s hold | Reuse baseline exactly: সিবদগী হিংজত-লকপা (Critical). Birth-pang metaphor may need light cultural adaptation but must never be softened toward a cyclical-release (মোক্ষ/rebirth) framing. |
Acts 2:25–28
Psalm 16 quotation; introduces Ἅδης (Hadēs, “Hades,” the realm of the dead). New term. Manipuri: মীৱাংগী মফম (place of the dead) or transliterated হেদেস। Risk: High. Must be presented as the temporary realm of the dead prior to bodily resurrection, and explicitly distinguished from the populated, ongoing ancestral-spirit world (Apokpa) that Sanamahi practice holds living descendants continue to ritually interact with.
Acts 2:29–31
David’s tomb; reuse davidic_covenant (দাউদগী ৱারেপ্পা, High), seed_of_david (দাউদগী চা-চাহি, High), and resurrection (Critical) terms — David prophetically foresaw Christ’s resurrection, not his own. Risk: High, consistent with baseline.
Acts 2:32
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| τοῦτον τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀνέστησεν ὁ Θεός, οὗ πάντες ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν μάρτυρες | …esmen martyres | ”…of which we all are witnesses” | μάρτυς = one who testifies to what was personally seen/experienced; root of English “martyr” (later NT usage, e.g. Acts 22:20) | “witnesses,” “we are witnesses of this” | Eyewitness, historical, rational testimony to the bodily resurrection — foundational to Apostolic Authority doctrine and later to the Persecution and Bold Witness doctrine (martyrdom as witness-unto-death) | New term. Manipuri: সাক্ষী (sakshi, common regional loanword) / verb সাক্ষী পীবা। Risk: High. Apostolic witness is deliberate, rational, historical eyewitness testimony to a literal bodily event — must be sharply distinguished from a maibi’s mediated, trance-state oracular disclosure of the Umang Lai’s presence during Lai Haraoba. Mandatory translator note at every recurrence (1:8; 3:15; 4:33; 5:32; 10:39; 13:31; 22:20; 26:16). |
Acts 2:33
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| τῇ δεξιᾷ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑψωθεὶς | tē dexia tou Theou hypsōtheis | ”exalted [to/by] the right hand of God” | royal enthronement imagery (Ps 110) | “exalted to the right hand of God” | Christ’s ascension and enthronement as Lord — ties Lordship of Christ and Ascension doctrines together | New term (extends baseline). Manipuri: স্বর্গদা লেংথোকপা (taken up/exalted to heaven). Risk: Critical — see Acts 1:9–11 below. |
| τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος | tēn epangelian tou Hagiou Pneumatos | ”the promise of the Holy Spirit” | ἐπαγγελία = a formal, binding promise | ”the promised Holy Spirit” | The Father’s covenant promise, fulfilled visibly at Pentecost | Reuse ৱাশাক্না (promise, already used in the baseline doctrine registry for “messianic promise”) + থাওয়াই অসেংবা (Critical). Risk: Critical. |
Acts 2:34–35
Psalm 110 quoted: “The Lord said to my Lord…” — two distinct referents (God the Father and the Messiah) both rendered মপু ইবুংগো. Risk: Critical. Mandatory translator note flagging the two distinct referents, since Manipuri lacks a grammatical device to mark this distinction automatically — a real risk of the verse reading as address to a single figure.
Acts 2:36
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| καὶ Κύριον καὶ Χριστὸν ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεός | Kyrion kai Christon epoiēsen auton ho Theos | ”God has made him both Lord and Christ” | ἐποίησεν = “made, appointed, installed” — refers to public messianic installation/enthronement, not ontological origin | ”God has made him both Lord and Christ” | Summary confession of the apostolic gospel: Jesus is enthroned as supreme Lord and promised Messiah | Risk: Critical. Reuse মপু ইবুংগো + ক্রিস্তো exactly. Mandatory translator note against two specific misreadings: (1) adoptionism (Jesus only becoming divine/Lord at this point, rather than being eternally the Son who is now publicly enthroned); (2) any implicit analogy to a temple deity-installation ritual (e.g. the abhisheka/installation of a Krishna image), which would wrongly cast the resurrection-enthronement as a periodic ritual act rather than Christ’s unique, historical, once-for-all installation as reigning Lord. |
Acts 2:37
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| κατενύγησαν τὴν καρδίαν | katenygēsan tēn kardian | ”were pierced/stabbed in the heart” | vivid metaphor for sudden, painful conviction of conscience | ”were cut to the heart,” “were pierced in their hearts” | Spirit-produced conviction of sin preceding repentance | New term. Manipuri: পুকৌ কায়খৎলি (heart was pierced/struck). Risk: Medium-High. Must be presented as conscience-conviction, not as the physical overtaking/possession experience of a maibi in Lai Haraoba trance; this is a rational-moral response, not spirit-possession. |
| Τί ποιήσωμεν; | Ti poiēsōmen | ”What shall we do?“ | genuine, urgent inquiry | ”What shall we do?” | Sets up the repentance-and-baptism instruction of v.38 | Low risk narrative question. |
Acts 2:38
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| μετανοήσατε | metanoēsate | ”repent!“ | a decisive change of mind/heart turning from sin toward God, not mere remorse | ”repent,” “turn from your sins” | The necessary human response to the gospel — foundational to the Repentance and Baptism doctrine | NEW CRITICAL TERM (not previously fixed in the Romans baseline). Proposed Manipuri: পুকৌ হোংদোকপা (pukou hongdokpa, “turning the heart/mind around”). Risk: Critical. Must be explicitly distinguished from prāyaścitta-style ritual atonement acts within Vaishnava practice and from ritual purification undertaken before Lai Haraoba; biblical repentance is an inward reorientation toward the living God through Christ, not a ritual act that discharges an offense. Confirm with a Manipuri-speaking theologian before wide deployment. |
| βαπτισθήτω | baptisthētō | ”let him be baptized” | βαπτίζω = to dip, immerse; in NT usage, the rite of Christian initiation | ”be baptized” | Public, once-for-all identification with Christ’s death/resurrection and entry into the believing community | NEW CRITICAL TERM. Proposed Manipuri: বাপ্তিস্মা লৌবা (baptisma louba), transliterating বাপ্তিস্মা following established regional Indian-Christian convention (parallel to how ক্রিস্তো is transliterated). Risk: Critical. Must be distinguished from ritual purification bathing in both live traditions: Vaishnava snana (ritual bathing) and Sanamahi purification rites before Lai Haraoba/temple entry. Baptism is a public, one-time marker of repentance and union with Christ, not a repeatable purification washing. |
| εἰς ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὑμῶν | eis aphesin tōn hamartiōn hymōn | ”for/unto forgiveness of your sins” | ἄφεσις = release, pardon, remission | ”for the forgiveness of your sins” | The immediate, gracious result of repentant faith and baptism | Reuse the baseline’s rejected-alternative term as the correct positive term here: ময়ামদা কোকপা (forgiveness). The baseline explicitly reserved this term as too narrow for justification but it is precisely correct for ἄφεσις here. Risk: Critical. Translator note required: forgiveness (ময়ামদা কোকপা) and justification (অচুম্বা ওইহনবা) are related but distinct; Acts 2:38 speaks of forgiveness, and this must not be inflated into full justification language nor collapsed below it. |
| τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος | tēn dōrean tou Hagiou Pneumatos | ”the gift of the Holy Spirit” | δωρεά = a gift freely given | ”the gift of the Holy Spirit” | The Spirit himself given as the defining mark of the new covenant believer | Reuse থাওয়াই অসেংবা (Critical) + grace concept (মথৌ তাদনা পীবা তেংবাং, Critical). Risk: Medium — keep distinct from spiritual_gifts/charismata (থাওয়াইগী খুদোল): this is the gift of the Spirit’s own person/presence, not a Spirit-given enablement. |
Acts 2:39
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ὑμῖν… καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς εἰς μακράν, ὅσους ἂν προσκαλέσηται Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν | hymin… eis makran… proskalesētai | ”to you… your children… all who are far off… as many as the Lord our God will call” | εἰς μακράν = “unto/at a distance,” echoing Isaianic Gentile-inclusion language | ”for you and your children and for all who are far off, everyone the Lord our God calls” | Explicit foreshadowing of Gentile inclusion — the seed of the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles doctrine that Acts 10–15 will fully unfold | Reuse ৱাশাক্না (promise) + কৌখিবা/তেংবাং মপুগী খনবা (called/election, High). Risk: High. Must retain full universal scope — “those far off” must not be narrowed to diaspora Jews only; this verse is the narrative seed of the whole book’s Jew-Gentile trajectory. |
Acts 2:40
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| διεμαρτύρατο | diemartyrato | ”solemnly testified/witnessed” | intensified form of μαρτυρέω | ”he testified,” “he solemnly urged” | Ties directly to the witness/testimony vocabulary of v.32 and the Persecution and Bold Witness doctrine | New term, same family as সাক্ষী (v.32). Risk: High, same collision caution regarding maibi oracular testimony. |
| παρεκάλει | parekalei | ”was exhorting/urging” | encouragement or entreaty depending on context | ”exhorted,” “pleaded” | Reuse baseline exhort term থাওয়াই পীবা (Low), used here in its “entreaty” sense | Risk: Low. |
| σώθητε | sōthēte | ”be saved!“ | imperative of σωτηρία | ”save yourselves,” “be saved” | Reuse অহানবা (salvation, Critical) | Risk: Critical, consistent with baseline. |
| ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς τῆς σκολιᾶς ταύτης | apo tēs geneas tēs skolias tautēs | ”from this crooked/perverse generation” | echoes Deut 32:5 | ”this corrupt generation,” “this crooked generation” | A moral-ethical warning, not an ethnic or communal condemnation | Risk: Medium. Must not be read as targeting a specific contemporary ethnic community, consistent with the baseline’s caution about Manipur’s inter-community sensitivities. |
Acts 2:41
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ἀποδεξάμενοι τὸν λόγον… ἐβαπτίσθησαν | apodexamenoi ton logon… ebaptisthēsan | ”having received/welcomed the word… were baptized” | reception of the gospel message followed by the initiation rite | ”received his word… were baptized” | Repentant faith expressed publicly through baptism | Reuse বাপ্তিস্মা (Critical, see v.38). |
| προσετέθησαν… ψυχαὶ ὡσεὶ τρισχίλιαι | prosetethēsan… psychai hōsei trischiliai | ”were added… about three thousand souls” | προσετέθησαν = organic incorporation into an existing body | ”were added… about three thousand souls” | New believers incorporated into the visible community of the church — foundational to Church as Community doctrine | New term. Manipuri: হাপচিনখি (were added/joined). ψυχαί → মীওইশিং (persons), avoiding an overly metaphysical “soul” reading that could import Sanamahi thawai-multiplicity concepts. Risk: Medium. Reuse কলিসিয়া (church, Medium) for the receiving community; frame as organic incorporation into Christ’s body, not clan/yumnak registration logic. |
PART 2 — Chapter-by-Chapter Semantic Analysis, Acts 1–28
Chapter 1
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| βαπτίζω ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ (1:5) | baptizō en Pneumati Hagiō | ”baptized in/with the Holy Spirit” | contrasted explicitly with John’s water baptism | ”baptized with the Holy Spirit” | Establishes the Spirit-baptism/water-baptism distinction developed through Acts (esp. ch.19) | New term, see core-passage entry on baptism. Risk: Critical. |
| μάρτυρες (1:8) | martyres | ”witnesses” | see 2:32 above; here the programmatic commission | ”you will be my witnesses” | The structural outline of Acts itself: Jerusalem → Judea/Samaria → ends of the earth — the Great Commission Fulfilled doctrine’s governing verse | Risk: Critical as the thematic key verse of the whole book; must be rendered consistently with 2:32’s সাক্ষী. |
| ἀναλαμβάνω / ἀνελήμφθη (1:9,11) | analambanō / anelēmphthē | ”taken up” | bodily, visible, historical ascent into heaven | ”was taken up,” “ascended” | Christ’s bodily ascension and enthronement — foundational to Lordship of Christ doctrine | New Critical term. Manipuri: স্বর্গদা লেংথোকপা (taken up to heaven). Must be sharply distinguished from Vaishnava narratives of Krishna’s departure/return to Vaikuntha/Goloka at the end of his avatar-leela: Christ’s ascension is the unique, bodily glorification of the one eternal Son, not the withdrawal-phase of a repeatable avatar cycle. |
| κλῆρος (1:26) | klēros | ”lot” | casting lots for decision-making | ”cast lots” | A one-time apostolic-era method of discerning God’s choice of Matthias, not an ongoing divinatory practice | Risk: Medium. Must be clearly bounded as a single historical incident, not commended as an ongoing method — important given the divinatory/omen-reading practices associated with traditional Meitei ritual specialists. |
| ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ (1:3,6) | hē basileia tou Theou | ”the kingdom of God” | reuse baseline | ”the kingdom of God” | Reuse তেংবাং মপুগী লৈপাক (Medium) | Consistent with baseline caution distinguishing this from the historic Meitei kingship’s Pakhangba-descent political framing. |
Chapter 2
Core passage; see Part 1 above.
Chapter 3
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ὁ ἅγιος καὶ ὁ δίκαιος (3:14) | ho hagios kai ho dikaios | ”the Holy and Righteous One” | combines holiness (ἅγιος) and righteousness (δίκαιος) as a Christological title | ”the Holy and Righteous One” | A compact confession of Christ’s sinless deity and perfect righteousness | New Critical compound, built from reused baseline terms অসেংবা (holy, High) + অচুম্বা (righteous, Critical): অসেংবা অমসুং অচুম্বা মহাক। Risk: Critical. |
| ἀρχηγός (3:15; cf. 5:31) | archēgos | ”founder, pioneer, leader” | one who originates and leads the way for others | ”Author of life,” “Prince,” “Pioneer” | Christ as the originating source and leader of resurrection life | New Critical term. Manipuri: অহানবগী লম্বীলাকপা (pioneer/leader of salvation). |
| καιροὶ ἀναψύξεως (3:19) / ἀποκατάστασις (3:21) | kairoi anapsyxeōs / apokatastasis | ”times of refreshing” / “restoration” | future eschatological renewal at Christ’s return | ”times of refreshing,” “restore all things” | Linear, once-for-all future consummation, not a repeating cosmic cycle | New High-risk term. Manipuri: হানবগী মতম (times of refreshing) / পুম্নমক হানথোকপা (restoration of all things). Risk: High — must not be assimilated to cyclical yuga-renewal cosmology familiar from Puranic/Vaishnava cosmology; this is a single, future, historical event. |
| ὁ προφήτης… ὡς ἐμέ (3:22–23, Deut 18:15 quote) | ho prophētēs… hōs eme | ”a prophet… like [Moses]“ | Messianic prophetic office | ”a prophet like me,” “the prophet Moses foretold” | Fulfillment of a specific Old Testament promise in Jesus, extending Messianic Promise doctrine | Reuse prophet (তোঙান তোঙানবা ফোংদোকপা, Low) and messiah (ক্রিস্তো, Critical) frameworks; Risk: High in this fulfillment context. |
| μετάνοια / ἐπιστρέφω (3:19) | metanoia / epistrephō | ”repentance / turn back” | reuse repentance term from 2:38, extended with “turning back" | "repent and turn back” | Reuse পুকৌ হোংদোকপা (Critical) | Consistent application. |
Chapter 4
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| παρρησία (4:13,29,31) | parrēsia | ”boldness, freedom/confidence of speech” | fearless, open public speech, especially under threat | ”boldness,” “confidence” | Spirit-produced courage to proclaim Christ despite opposition — core to Persecution and Bold Witness doctrine | New term. Manipuri: ঠাঠোন্না ঙাংবা (speaking openly/boldly). Risk: Medium. |
| οὔτε γὰρ ὄνομά ἐστιν ἕτερον (4:12) | oute onoma… heteron | ”there is no other name” | exclusivist salvation claim | ”no other name,” “salvation in no one else” | Absolute exclusivity of salvation through Christ alone | Reuse অহানবা (Critical) + মপু ইবুংগো (Critical). Risk: Critical — this verse must retain unqualified exclusivity, resisting any reading that places Jesus alongside Krishna or the Umang Lai as one valid name among several. |
| ὁ παῖς σου (4:27,30) | ho pais sou | ”your servant/child” | Isaianic Servant title, echoing 3:13,26 | ”your holy servant Jesus” | Christ as the promised Suffering Servant of Isaiah | New Critical Christological term. Manipuri: থৌরোইশিং (servant). Mandatory translator note: this must be taught as a unique OT-fulfillment title for Christ’s redemptive mission, and explicitly distinguished from the dāsya-bhāva (“servant-mood”) devotional posture cultivated by a Vaishnava bhakta who calls themselves Krishna’s dāsa/servant — the direction of the relationship here is reversed: Christ is God’s own unique Servant sent for us, not a devotee modeling servanthood toward a deity. |
| ἅπαντα κοινά (4:32) / χάρις μεγάλη (4:33) | hapanta koina / charis megalē | ”all things common” / “great grace” | economic sharing within the community; heightened divine favor resting on the church | ”everything they had in common,” “great grace was upon them all” | Concrete communal outworking of grace — Church as Community doctrine | Extend baseline লোইনবা (fellowship, Low) and মথৌ তাদনা পীবা তেংবাং (grace, Critical). Risk: Medium — note the sharing described is voluntary and Spirit-produced, distinct from clan (yumnak) communal obligation. |
Chapter 5
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ψεύσασθαι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον (5:3) | pseusasthai to Pneuma to Hagion | ”to lie to the Holy Spirit” | treating the Spirit as a deceivable person, i.e., testing/lying to God himself | ”lied to the Holy Spirit,” “tested the Spirit of the Lord” | The Spirit’s full personhood and deity — sin against him is sin against God directly | Reuse থাওয়াই অসেংবা (Critical). Risk: Critical — Ananias/Sapphira narrative underscores the Spirit’s personal, not impersonal, nature. |
| πειθαρχεῖν… Θεῷ μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνθρώποις (5:29) | peitharchein Theō mallon ē anthrōpois | ”to obey God rather than men” | priority of obedience to divine over human authority | ”we must obey God rather than men” | Foundational principle for the Persecution and Bold Witness doctrine when civil/religious authority opposes the gospel | Extend baseline থাজবগী ইনবা (obedience of faith, High). Risk: High. |
Chapter 6
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| διάκονος / διακονία (6:1–6, implied “the Seven”) | diakonos / diakonia | ”servant/deacon” / “service, ministry” | an appointed office of practical service within the church | ”deacons,” “the ministry,” “serving tables” | Early formal church office — Church as Community and Apostolic Authority doctrines | New term. Manipuri: থৌরোই / সেবক (servant-minister). Risk: Medium. |
| πλήρης Πνεύματος καὶ σοφίας (6:3,5) | plērēs Pneumatos kai sophias | ”full of the Spirit and of wisdom” | qualification standard for church leadership | ”full of the Spirit and wisdom” | Spirit-fullness paired with practical wisdom (σοφία, new term) as leadership qualification | Reuse থাওয়াই অসেংবা (Critical) + new term প্রজ্ঞা (wisdom). Risk: Medium. |
Chapter 7
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (7:56) | ho huios tou anthrōpou | ”the Son of Man” | Danielic eschatological-judge title (Dan 7:13), distinct from “Son of God" | "Son of Man” | Stephen’s dying vision affirms Christ’s heavenly glory and eschatological authority — extends Deity of Christ doctrine | New Critical Christological term, distinct from তেংবাং মপুগী মচানুপা. Manipuri: মীওইগী মচানুপা (Son of Man, literal humanity-emphasizing title). Risk: Critical — must not be confused with, or collapsed into, “Son of God”; both titles must be kept terminologically distinct in translator notes. |
| Κύριε, μὴ στήσῃς αὐτοῖς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ταύτην (7:60) | Kyrie, mē stēsēs autois tēn hamartian tautēn | ”Lord, do not hold this sin against them” | intercessory forgiveness prayer under martyrdom | ”Lord, do not hold this sin against them” | Christlike intercession amid persecution — Persecution and Bold Witness doctrine’s paradigmatic scene | Reuse মখোয়গী মফমদা হায়জবা (intercession, Medium) + ময়ামদা কোকপা (forgiveness). Risk: Medium-High in this martyrdom context. |
| Reuse from ch.1–6: covenant, law, prophet (extensively rehearsed in Stephen’s speech, no new terms beyond those above). | | | | | | |
Chapter 8
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| μαγεία / ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ καλουμένη Μεγάλη (8:9–11) | mageia | ”sorcery, magic” | occult ritual power exercised by Simon for personal prestige, contrasted with Spirit-given gifts | ”sorcery,” “magic arts” | The false, self-glorifying counterfeit of the Spirit’s true power — sharpens the Apostolic Authority and Miracles doctrine’s boundary | New Critical term. Manipuri: লৌহৌবগী থবক (sorcery-work). Risk: High. Must be clearly condemned and distinguished both from Spirit-given gifts (থাওয়াইগী খুদোল) and from any ritual specialist’s (maiba/maibi) recognized practices — the text itself treats Simon’s practice as illegitimate, giving a clear biblical warrant for the distinction. |
| ἐπίθεσις τῶν χειρῶν (8:17–18) | epithesis tōn cheirōn | ”laying on of hands” | a physical gesture accompanying Spirit-impartation or blessing/commissioning | ”laid hands on them,” “the laying on of hands” | Apostolic mediation of the Spirit’s coming upon new Samaritan believers — ties Apostolic Authority and Gospel to Jews/Gentiles (Samaritans) doctrines together | New term. Manipuri: খুৎ থাম্বা। Risk: Medium. Distinguish from a maiba’s ritual touch-healing gesture; this is a commissioning/blessing act tied to apostolic authority, not an independent healing technique. |
| Ethiopian eunuch: τί κωλύει με βαπτισθῆναι; (8:36) | ti kōlyei me baptisthēnai | ”what prevents me from being baptized?“ | reuse baptism | ”what is to prevent me from being baptized?” | Baptism as the immediate, joyful response to gospel faith, crossing ethnic and social boundary (a eunuch, a foreigner) | Reuse বাপ্তিস্মা (Critical); extends Gospel to Jews and Gentiles doctrine to include a socially marginal outsider. |
Chapter 9
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| Τίς εἶ, κύριε; (9:5) | Tis ei, kyrie | ”Who are you, Lord?” | Saul’s confrontation with the risen, glorified Christ | ”Who are you, Lord?” | The Conversion of Paul doctrine’s founding moment — direct, personal encounter with the risen Lord | Reuse মপু ইবুংগো (Critical). |
| σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς (9:15) | skeuos eklogēs | ”a chosen vessel/instrument” | God’s sovereign selection of Paul for a specific mission | ”a chosen instrument,” “a vessel I have chosen” | Extends Election doctrine into apostolic commissioning | New compound. Manipuri: খনবগী শান্দোক (chosen vessel), building on তেংবাং মপুগী খনবা (election, High). Risk: High. |
| ἡ ὁδός (9:2) | hē hodos | ”the Way” | a self-designation for the early Christian movement (also 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22) | “the Way,” “this Way,” “the sect” | The church’s earliest corporate self-identity, before “Christian” is coined (11:26) — ties Church as Community doctrine | NEW HIGH-RISK TERM. Manipuri: লম্বী (lambi, “path/way”). Risk: High. Must not be rendered so as to align with the “path/mārga” concept central to Indic soteriology generally, and specifically with the recognized bhakti-mārga (“path of devotion”) within Manipuri Vaishnavism. “The Way” in Acts names this specific historical movement centered on the risen Christ, not one spiritual path among several equally valid mārgas toward liberation. Mandatory translator note at every occurrence. |
| ἀπέπεσαν… αἱ λεπίδες (9:18) | apepesan… hai lepides | ”the scales fell off” | metaphor of physical blindness lifting, paired with spiritual sight given | ”the scales fell from his eyes” | Physical healing as a sign of Saul’s spiritual illumination | New Low-Medium term. Manipuri: মিত কায়দবা লৌথোকখি (blindness/scales removed). |
| ἀνάστασις (Tabitha, 9:36–42) | anastasis | ”resurrection” applied to a temporary restoration to mortal life | distinguish from Christ’s unique, final, immortal resurrection | ”raised to life,” “restored to life” | A miracle of restoration to ordinary mortal life (as with Lazarus), not the eschatological, immortal resurrection Christ alone has undergone | Risk: Medium-High — mandatory translator note distinguishing this and similar restoration-miracles (also Eutychus, 20:9–12) from Christ’s resurrection (Critical baseline term সিবদগী হিংজত-লকপা), lest readers conflate a temporary reprieve from death with the final, unrepeatable resurrection to immortality. |
Chapter 10
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| κοινός / ἀκάθαρτος vs. καθαρός (10:14–15,28) | koinos / akathartos vs. katharos | ”common/unclean” vs. “clean” | ceremonial food/purity categories under the Mosaic law | ”common or unclean,” “God has made clean” | God’s declaration that ceremonial purity distinctions no longer bar Gentile inclusion — a hinge text for Gospel to Jews and Gentiles and Justification apart from the Law doctrines | New term. Manipuri: শেংদবা (ceremonially unclean), carefully distinguished from the baseline’s reserved শেংবা (ritual cleanliness) and অসেংবা (moral holiness, High). Risk: High. Must not let this theological point be absorbed into existing regional purity categories (ritual cleanliness before Lai Haraoba or Vaishnava temple entry, or caste-inflected food-purity concerns); the text’s point is that God himself has abolished this category boundary in Christ. |
| σεβόμενος/φοβούμενος τὸν Θεόν (10:2,22) | sebomenos/phoboumenos ton Theon | ”God-fearing, devout” | a technical term for Gentile sympathizers attracted to Jewish monotheism without full conversion | ”devout,” “God-fearing” | Describes Cornelius’s pre-conversion religious posture — a bridge figure for Gentile inclusion | New term. Manipuri: তেংবাং মপুবু কিবা মীওই (a person who fears/reveres God). Risk: Medium. |
| οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολήπτης ὁ Θεός (10:34) | ouk estin prosōpolēptēs ho Theos | ”God is not one who shows partiality [lit. receives the face]“ | impartiality regarding ethnic/social status | ”God shows no partiality,” “God is no respecter of persons” | Direct doctrinal statement grounding the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles and Universal Scope of the Gospel doctrines | New High-risk term. Manipuri: তেংবাং মপুনা মমাই য়েংনা ৱারৌবা তৌদে (God does not judge by appearance/face). Risk: High. Consistent with the baseline’s caution about Manipur’s contemporary inter-community sensitivities: teach as theological principle, not as direct social-political commentary on present ethnic relations. |
Chapter 11
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| Χριστιανός (11:26) | Christianos | ”Christian” | the first use of this now-common designation, coined at Antioch | ”Christians,” “the disciples were first called Christians” | The naming of the new, ethnically-mixed community centered on Christ | New term. Manipuri: ক্রিস্তান (transliteration, following ক্রিস্তো). Risk: Medium. |
| …ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν μετάνοιαν εἰς ζωήν (11:18) | edōken… tēn metanoian eis zōēn | ”God has granted repentance leading to life” | repentance as a gift God grants, not a human achievement | ”God has granted repentance that leads to life” | Reinforces that repentance itself is a work of grace, extended explicitly here to Gentiles | Reuse পুকৌ হোংদোকপা (repentance, Critical) + grace framework. Risk: Critical, since it directly extends the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles doctrine — repentance-as-gift applies identically across ethnic lines. |
Chapter 12
No new load-bearing theological vocabulary. Reuses intercession (prayer for Peter’s release, 12:5,12), providence/power of God (angelic deliverance), and the Persecution and Bold Witness doctrine framework (James’s martyrdom, Herod’s judgment) established in earlier chapters. Explicitly reviewed: no new terms.
Chapter 13
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| …δικαιωθῆναι… ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν οὐκ ἠδυνήθητε ἐν νόμῳ Μωυσέως δικαιωθῆναι (13:39) | dikaiōthēnai… en nomō Mōuseōs dikaiōthēnai | ”to be justified… from all that you could not be justified from by the law of Moses” | forensic justification set explicitly against law-based justification | ”everyone who believes is justified from everything they could not be justified from by the law of Moses” | THE locus classicus for the Justification apart from the Law doctrine in Acts, directly parallel to Romans 3–4 | Reuse baseline exactly: অচুম্বা ওইহনবা (justification, Critical) and য়াথাং (law, Medium). Risk: Critical. Must be rendered identically to the Romans package’s justification vocabulary for full-curriculum consistency; this is the single most important terminological bridge between the Acts and Romans curricula. |
| φῶς ἐθνῶν (13:47, Isa 49:6 quote) | phōs ethnōn | ”a light for the Gentiles/nations” | Isaianic Servant-mission language applied to the apostolic mission | ”a light for the Gentiles,” “to bring salvation to the ends of the earth” | Programmatic mission text for the Great Commission Fulfilled doctrine | New term. Manipuri: ফুরুপশিংগী মমী (light of the nations), building on baseline glory (মতিক চাউবা, High) and gentiles (অতোপ্পা ফুরুপ, Medium). Risk: High. |
| μαγεία (Elymas, 13:8–11) | mageia | ”sorcery” | reuse from ch.8 | ”sorcerer” | Reuse লৌহৌবগী থবক (High). | Consistent with ch.8. |
Chapter 14
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν ματαίων ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ Θεὸν ζῶντα (14:15) | apo toutōn tōn mataiōn epistrephein epi Theon zōnta | ”to turn from these vain/worthless things to a living God” | μάταια = “empty/worthless things,” a polemical term for idols; θεὸς ζῶν = “living God,” contrasted with lifeless idols | ”turn from these worthless things to the living God” | Paul and Barnabas refuse worship as gods (the crowd invoking Zeus and Hermes) and redirect attention to the one living God — directly analogous to the comparative-religion situation this curriculum must address | New Critical/High term. Manipuri: অকানবা পোৎশিং (worthless/empty things, for idols) / হিংবা তেংবাং মপু (the living God, extending the baseline’s তেংবাং মপু). Risk: High. This episode’s rhetorical pattern — refusing worship offered to human/created figures and redirecting to the one living God — is directly relevant to how this curriculum must frame the biblical God against both the Umang Lai pantheon of Sanamahi practice and the avatar/deity worship of Manipuri Vaishnavism; must be taught with respect but without softening the exclusive-worship claim. |
| Reuse: θεραπεία (healing miracle), σημεῖα/τέρατα (signs and wonders), persecution/bold witness (stoning of Paul). No further new terms. | | | | | | |
Chapter 15
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| περιτομή (15:1,5) | peritomē | ”circumcision” | the Mosaic covenant sign, at issue in the Jerusalem Council | ”circumcision,” “be circumcised” | Central controversy: whether Gentiles must keep the Mosaic law/covenant sign to be saved — the Jerusalem Council’s resolution is the narrative climax of Justification apart from the Law doctrine | New term. Manipuri: চোকথোকপগী চত্থোক (the cutting-off rite). Risk: Medium-High. Confirm with theologian; the doctrinal weight rests less on this term itself than on the surrounding grace/law/justification vocabulary already fixed. |
| ζυγός (15:10) | zygos | ”yoke” | metaphor for the law’s burden | ”yoke,” “why put a yoke on them” | The Council’s rejection of imposing Mosaic law-keeping as a salvation requirement on Gentile believers | New term. Manipuri: য়াথাংগী পোৎ (the law’s burden/yoke). Risk: Medium. |
| δόγμα (15:20,28–29, the Council’s decree) | dogma | ”decree, ruling” | an official, binding communal decision | ”decree,” “decision,” “these requirements” | Corporate apostolic decision-making — Apostolic Authority and Church as Community doctrines intersect | New term. Manipuri: ৱারেপ্পা লৌখিবা (decision taken). Risk: Medium. |
| διὰ τῆς χάριτος… σωθῆναι (15:11) | dia tēs charitos… sōthēnai | ”saved through grace” | direct grace-salvation statement paralleling Ephesians 2:8 | ”we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus” | Explicit summary statement of salvation by grace, resolving the Council’s law/grace question | Reuse baseline exactly: মথৌ তাদনা পীবা তেংবাং (grace, Critical) + অহানবা (salvation, Critical). Risk: Critical. |
Chapter 16
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| Τί με δεῖ ποιεῖν ἵνα σωθῶ; (16:30) | Ti me dei poiein hina sōthō | ”What must I do to be saved?“ | the Philippian jailer’s urgent question | ”What must I do to be saved?” | Paradigmatic individual salvation-inquiry, answered with faith in the Lord Jesus — reuse Faith and Salvation doctrines | Reuse থাজবা (faith, High) + অহানবা (salvation, Critical). Risk: Critical. |
| ὁ οἶκος αὐτοῦ (household baptism, 16:15,33) | ho oikos autou | ”his household” | corporate/family reception of faith and baptism | ”he and his whole household were baptized” | Household solidarity in conversion — ties Church as Community doctrine to family/kinship structures, a point of real resonance with Meitei yumnak (clan) social organization | New term. Manipuri: ইমুং পুম্নমক (the whole household). Risk: Medium — note that household baptism describes each individual member’s own faith-response within a family unit, not an automatic clan-wide status transfer; avoid conflating with yumnak lineage identity. |
| πνεῦμα πύθωνα (16:16) | pneuma pythōna | ”a spirit of divination [lit. a python spirit]“ | an oracular, possession-based spirit empowering fortune-telling | ”a spirit of divination,” “a spirit by which she predicted the future” | The slave girl’s oracular speech is explicitly identified as demonic, not neutral or benign | NEW CRITICAL TERM. Manipuri: ফাত্তবা থাওয়াই (evil/harmful spirit) or অগন হায়বগী থাওয়াই (divination spirit). Risk: Critical. This passage requires the most explicit and careful translator note in the entire book: the phenomenon described (a spirit speaking oracular truths through a human medium) closely parallels the maibi’s trance-state oracular role within Lai Haraoba. Scripture’s own verdict here is unambiguous — Paul casts the spirit out as a demonic power in Jesus’ name, not as a legitimate mediating spirit to be honored or negotiated with. This must be taught pastorally and respectfully but without softening the text’s clear judgment. |
Chapter 17
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| Ἀγνώστῳ Θεῷ (17:23) | Agnōstō Theō | ”To an Unknown God” | inscription on an Athenian altar; Paul’s apologetic bridge-point | ”the unknown god,” “what you worship as unknown” | Paul uses a local religious artifact as a bridge to proclaim the true God — a methodologically significant but theologically hazardous precedent | NEW CRITICAL TERM requiring the most careful doctrinal framing in the book. Manipuri: খংদবা তেংবাং মপু (the unknown God). Risk: Critical. MANDATORY DOCTRINE NOTE: Paul’s rhetorical move (using an existing altar as a bridge) must never be read as affirming that the Athenians’ “unknown god,” Sanamahi, or an Umang Lai deity IS the true God under an unfamiliar name. Paul’s very next words correct and replace the Athenians’ ignorance with specific revealed content (the God who made the world, raised Jesus, will judge the world) — the bridge is rhetorical, not a concession of prior valid worship. This curriculum must state this distinction explicitly to prevent a syncretistic misreading in the Manipuri context. |
| χρόνοι τῆς ἀγνοίας (17:30) | chronoi tēs agnoias | ”the times of ignorance” | period before full gospel revelation | ”the times of ignorance,” “in the past God overlooked such ignorance” | God’s patient forbearance toward pre-gospel religious practice, now superseded by the call to repent | New High-risk term. Manipuri: খংদবা মতমশিং (times of not-knowing). Risk: High. Must be taught with pastoral sensitivity — this describes a theological category (ignorance of the one true God), not a demeaning ethnic or cultural judgment on Sanamahi or Vaishnava religious history, consistent with the baseline’s caution on mission-related colonial sensitivities. |
| ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν (17:28, quoting Greek poets) | en autō gar zōmen kai kinoumetha kai esmen | ”in him we live and move and have our being” | Paul quotes pagan poets approvingly for a specific point (creaturely dependence on God), not pantheistic identity with God | ”in him we live and move and have our being” | God’s sustaining, personal nearness to all creation — must not be read as pantheistic merger of Creator and creation | Risk: Critical. Requires explicit translator note: this affirms creaturely dependence on a personal, transcendent Creator, not an immanentist identity between God and creation of the kind found in some Vedantic monist readings, nor the nature-immanent Umang Lai framework of Sanamahi belief. |
Chapter 18
No significant new theological vocabulary. Reuses ἡ ὁδός/“the Way” concept (implicitly, as Apollos is instructed “the way of God more accurately,” 18:26 — τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀκριβέστερον), baptism (John’s baptism vs. full instruction), and civil-authority themes (Gallio’s judgment, low doctrinal risk). Explicitly reviewed: no new terms beyond extension of “the Way.”
Chapter 19
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| εἰς τί ἐβαπτίσθητε; (19:3) — Ἰωάννου βάπτισμα vs. βαπτισθέντες εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ (19:5) | Iōannou baptisma / baptisthentes eis to onoma tou Kyriou Iēsou | ”John’s baptism” vs. “baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus” | explicit contrast between a preparatory, repentance-only baptism and full Christian baptism into Christ’s name with the Spirit’s coming | ”John’s baptism,” “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” | Sharpens the Repentance and Baptism doctrine: Christian baptism is specifically into union with the risen, exalted Lord Jesus and accompanied by the Spirit, not merely a repentance-marker | Risk: Critical. Reuse বাপ্তিস্মা + মপু ইবুংগো. Mandatory translator note distinguishing the two baptisms explicitly, since this is the clearest biblical text establishing that “baptism” is not a single undifferentiated category. |
| σκευάρια Σκευᾶ, ἐξορκισταί (19:13–19) | ta biblia (magic scrolls), exorkistai | ”magic books,” “exorcists” | occult practice explicitly condemned and publicly renounced (books burned) | “magic scrolls,” “exorcists” | Reuse sorcery term (লৌহৌবগী থবক, High) and unclean-spirit/exorcism vocabulary; dramatic public repudiation models decisive break from occult practice upon conversion | Risk: High — directly relevant precedent for how converts from Sanamahi or Vaishnava ritual-specialist backgrounds (maiba/maibi practice, tantric elements sometimes present in regional devotional practice) might be pastorally guided to decisively renounce prior occult practices, following this narrative’s own pattern, without wholesale cultural rejection of non-occult cultural practice. |
| Ἄρτεμις (Artemis of the Ephesians, 19:23–41) | Artemis | proper name of a pagan goddess with a major temple-based economy | idol-worship intertwined with civic economic interest | ”Artemis of the Ephesians,” “the great goddess” | The gospel’s disruption of a religious-economic system built around temple/festival commerce | Risk: Medium-High, doctrinally instructive rather than lexically complex: illustrates that gospel proclamation can provoke opposition rooted in economic interests tied to religious festival/temple systems — a pattern worth noting with pastoral care given the cultural-economic prestige of the Ras Lila tradition, without drawing a direct equivalence between Artemis-worship and Ras Lila devotion. |
Chapter 20
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| πᾶσαν τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ (20:27) | pasan tēn boulēn tou Theou | ”the whole counsel/purpose of God” | the entirety of God’s revealed plan and message, withheld nothing | ”the whole will of God,” “the whole counsel of God” | Paul’s faithful, complete proclamation as a model for apostolic ministry — Apostolic Authority doctrine | New term. Manipuri: তেংবাং মপুগী ৱারোল পুম্নমক (God’s whole word/counsel). Risk: Medium. |
| πρεσβύτεροι / ἐπίσκοπος / ποιμήν (20:17,28) | presbyteroi / episkopos / poimēn | ”elders” / “overseer” / “shepherd” | overlapping terms for the same local church leadership office | ”elders,” “overseers,” “shepherd the church” | Establishes church governance vocabulary — Church as Community doctrine | New terms. Manipuri: অহল (elder) / চেক্শিনবা (overseer) / য়াওল (shepherd). Risk: Medium. |
| τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἣν περιεποιήσατο διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ ἰδίου (20:28) | periepoiēsato dia tou haimatos tou idiou | ”which he purchased/obtained with his own blood” | atonement/redemption-purchase language applied to the church’s origin | ”the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” | Christ’s substitutionary, sacrificial death as the price of the church’s existence — connects to the atonement/propitiation doctrine flagged Critical in the Romans baseline (3:25) | NEW CRITICAL TERM. Manipuri: মহাক্কী মথমগী ঈদগী লৈফম্লবা (redeemed/obtained by his own blood). Risk: Critical. Must be taught as Christ’s unique, historical, once-for-all substitutionary sacrifice, and explicitly distinguished from any animal or ritual sacrifice (yajna/homa offerings in Vaishnava practice, or any traditional Sanamahi sacrificial rite) that might otherwise seem structurally similar; Christ’s blood accomplishes what no repeated ritual offering can. |
Chapter 21
No significant new theological vocabulary beyond one term. Reuses holy/ritual-purity distinctions (temple purification rites, 21:24,26 — reserved শেংবা vs. অসেংবা distinction applies) and prophecy (Agabus, 21:10–11, reuse ফোংদোকপা ৱারোল).
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| εὐχή (Nazirite vow, 21:23–24; cf. 18:18) | euchē | ”vow” | a voluntary religious vow under the Mosaic law | ”a vow,” “the Nazirite vow” | Paul’s continued respect for Jewish custom without implying it is required for salvation — nuances the Justification apart from the Law doctrine | New term. Manipuri: ৱাশাক্না লৌবগী থৌরাং (vow-taking). Risk: Low-Medium. |
Chapter 22
No new load-bearing theological terms beyond civil-status vocabulary. Reuses Conversion of Paul narrative vocabulary (Lord, baptism, repentance — all Critical baseline terms) and “the Way” (22:4). Roman citizenship (πολίτης, 22:25–29) is a civil-legal term of Low doctrinal risk, relevant to Persecution and Bold Witness doctrine’s treatment of navigating civil authority, but requires no new theological rendering.
Chapter 23
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν (23:6,8) — Pharisees vs. Sadducees | anastasis nekrōn | ”resurrection of the dead” | here extended beyond Christ’s own resurrection to the general doctrine of bodily resurrection at the last day | ”the resurrection of the dead” | Extends the resurrection doctrine from Christ’s specific resurrection to the general future resurrection of all people — an eschatological, not merely Christological, claim | Risk: Critical, reusing সিবদগী হিংজত-লকপা but requiring an explicit doctrinal extension note: this is the same resurrection reality (bodily, historical, once-for-all reversal of death) applied to all humanity’s future, not a distinct category. |
| συνείδησις (23:1) | syneidēsis | ”conscience” | inner moral awareness/self-judgment | ”conscience,” “clear conscience” | Paul’s appeal to a clear conscience before God as a mark of integrity under persecution | New term. Manipuri: মনগী মিত্তুবা (inner sense/conscience). Risk: Medium. |
Chapter 24
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| περὶ δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἐγκρατείας καὶ τοῦ κρίματος τοῦ μέλλοντος (24:25) | dikaiosynēs kai egkrateias kai tou krimatos tou mellontos | ”righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment” | ἐγκράτεια = self-mastery/self-control; κρίμα = judicial verdict | ”righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come” | Paul’s preaching before Felix connects righteousness (reuse baseline Critical term) to future accountability — extends Universal Human Accountability doctrine | Reuse অচুম্বা চৎনবিরাক (righteousness, Critical); new terms: থাদাংশিন খুম্নবা (self-control, Low-Medium) and লাকপা ৱাইয়োক্পা/মতম্না লাকপা লান্থোকপা (coming judgment, High). Risk: High for the judgment-to-come concept specifically, tying to eschatological accountability. |
| ἡ ὁδός (24:14,22) | hē hodos | ”the Way” | reuse from ch.9,19 | ”the Way,” “this sect” (Felix’s hostile framing) | The movement is here explicitly called a “sect” (αἵρεσις) by opponents — a live category-collision worth noting | Reuse লম্বী (High). Note also αἵρεσις (“sect/faction,” 24:14) as a hostile outsider label the church itself must not adopt for its own self-description. |
Chapter 25
No new load-bearing theological vocabulary. Civil/legal proceedings (appeal to Caesar) reuse Persecution and Bold Witness doctrine framework established in chs. 4–5, 16, 21–24. Explicitly reviewed: no new terms.
Chapter 26
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ἀνοῖξαι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν, τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς καὶ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ Σατανᾶ ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν (26:18) | …apo skotous eis phōs kai tēs exousias tou Satana epi ton Theon | ”to open their eyes, to turn from darkness to light and from the authority/power of Satan to God” | ἐξουσία = delegated authority/dominion; here Satan’s dominion over the unconverted, contrasted with God’s | ”turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God” | The programmatic summary statement of the Conversion of Paul (and, by extension, all conversion) — reuse light/glory and add a new, sharply Critical term for Satan’s authority | NEW CRITICAL TERM. Manipuri: শয়তানগী মপাংথোক (Satan’s dominion/authority). Risk: Critical. Mandatory translator note: biblical Satan is uniquely and comprehensively evil, categorically opposed to God — this must not be assimilated to the more morally ambivalent spirit-categories within Sanamahi cosmology, where certain spirits may be either propitiated or honored depending on ritual relationship. Conversion is decisive rescue from an actively hostile spiritual dominion, not a renegotiation of ritual standing with a spirit that could otherwise be appeased. |
| ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ κλῆρον ἐν τοῖς ἡγιασμένοις πίστει (26:18) | aphesin hamartiōn kai klēron en tois hēgiasmenois pistei | ”forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith” | κλῆρος here = “inheritance/portion,” not “lot” as in 1:26 | ”forgiveness of sins and a place among those sanctified by faith” | Summarizes forgiveness + sanctification + faith as the content of the gospel Paul was sent to preach | Reuse ময়ামদা কোকপা (forgiveness), অসেংবা ওইহনবা (sanctification, High), থাজবা (faith, High) — full baseline consistency. Risk: Critical, as a compressed summary of the whole gospel. |
Chapter 27
No significant new theological vocabulary; this is primarily a shipwreck-survival narrative. Reuses providence (God’s care and protective promise amid the storm, 27:22–25,34 — তেংবাং মপুগী থৌরাং, High) and the angel-of-God motif established in ch.12. Explicitly reviewed: no new theological terms; reuses providence vocabulary from chs. 1–20.
Chapter 28
| Term | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Theological Meaning | Manipuri Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| κηρύσσων τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ (28:31) | kēryssōn tēn basileian tou Theou | ”proclaiming the kingdom of God” | reuse baseline kingdom_of_god term | ”preaching the kingdom of God” | The book’s closing summary of Paul’s ongoing ministry — reuse তেংবাং মপুগী লৈপাক (Medium) | Consistent with baseline. |
| ἀκωλύτως (28:31, the book’s final word) | akōlytōs | ”unhindered, without obstruction” | a single adverb, but the deliberately chosen final word of the entire book | ”without hindrance,” “unhindered” | The gospel’s unstoppable advance despite imprisonment, persecution, and shipwreck — the closing thematic seal of the Great Commission Fulfilled doctrine | New term, doctrinally significant despite its brevity. Manipuri: কোনবা য়াওদনা (without any hindrance). Risk: Medium-High doctrinally (though lexically simple): this final word should be highlighted in teaching materials as Acts’ deliberate closing statement that no persecution, legal process, or opposition — including from either of Manipur’s two live religious traditions — can ultimately stop the gospel’s advance. |
Summary Note on Full-Book Coverage
Every chapter of Acts (1–28) has been reviewed above. Chapters 12, 18, 22, 25, and 27 are explicitly noted as introducing no new load-bearing theological vocabulary beyond what earlier chapters (or, in ch. 18/22’s case, minor extensions of already-treated terms) establish; all other chapters contribute at least one new term requiring Language Package treatment. See 08_core_glossary.md for the consolidated, risk-tiered glossary drawn from this analysis.