Semantic Analysis: 1 Corinthians (Full Book) — English → Marathi
Purpose and Method
This document analyzes the entire Greek text of 1 Corinthians, chapter by chapter, for load-bearing theological vocabulary requiring careful Marathi rendering. The core passage (1 Corinthians 15:1-11) receives full verse-by-verse treatment. Every other chapter (1–14, 16, and the remainder of 15) receives chapter-level treatment of its load-bearing terms using the same analytical fields: Original word | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk.
Governing rule: Any term already fixed in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json (गॉस्पेल शुभवर्तमान, कृपा grace, विश्वास faith, तारण salvation, प्रेषित apostle, बोलावलेले/पाचारण called/calling, पवित्र holy, पवित्र जन saints, पवित्रीकरण sanctification, पुनरुत्थान resurrection, प्रभू lord, मंडळी church, सहभागिता fellowship, गौरव glory, देवाचे सामर्थ्य power of God, आत्मिक कृपादान spiritual gifts, उपकारस्तुती thanksgiving, देवाचे राज्य kingdom of God, पाप sin, परमेश्वर God, येशू Jesus, पवित्र आत्मा Holy Spirit, पिता Father, नियमशास्त्र law, करार covenant, अन्यजातीय Gentiles, संदेष्टा/भविष्यवाणी prophet/prophecy) is reused exactly in this analysis and never re-derived. Only new terminology introduced by 1 Corinthians is analyzed in full below.
Two collision zones dominate this book more heavily than Romans: (1) Warkari bhakti devotional vocabulary — especially given 1 Corinthians’ extended treatment of “wisdom,” visions/appearances, temple imagery, love, and spiritual gifts — and (2) caste-faction dynamics relevant to “Christian Unity versus Factionalism” (chs. 1, 3, 11-12), a doctrine with unusually direct resonance for Ambedkarite Buddhist-background readers who left a caste-stratified religious system.
PART A — CORE PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (Verse-by-Verse)
15:1 — Γνωρίζω δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὃ εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν, ὃ καὶ παρελάβετε, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἑστήκατε
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| γνωρίζω | gnōrizō | to make known, declare | inform, remind, disclose | ”I make known,” “I declare,” “I remind you” | Paul is not introducing new content but re-asserting foundational, already-received truth — signals what follows is settled apostolic deposit, not speculation | कळवणे / निवेदन करणे (kaḷavaṇe). Low risk; simple verb of declaration. |
| εὐαγγέλιον | euangelion | good news | the gospel message; a specific good-news announcement | ”gospel,” “good news” | The one saving proclamation about Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, appearances | शुभवर्तमान (reused from Romans TM exactly). High risk retained — must not read as one devotional “good news” among the Warkari’s own devotional announcements of Vitthal’s grace, nor as one dharma-teaching among others. |
| παρελάβετε | parelabete | you received | to receive (a tradition, teaching, deposit) | “received,” “accepted” | Technical term (paired with παρέδωκα in v.3) for the fixed transmission of apostolic eyewitness testimony | स्वीकारले (svīkārale). Medium-High risk: pairs with “delivered” below — must not be read through the lens of Hindu guru-śiṣya paramparā (an evolving master-to-disciple oral lineage), since Paul’s gospel is a closed, fixed, historically anchored deposit, not a living oral tradition open to elaboration. |
| ἑστήκατε | hestēkate | you stand, you have taken your stand | to stand firm, to be established | ”stand,” “in which you stand” | Present standing/security in the gospel already received | ज्यात तुम्ही स्थिर आहात (jyāt tumhī sthir āhāt). Low risk. |
15:2 — δι’ οὗ καὶ σῴζεσθε, τίνι λόγῳ εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν εἰ κατέχετε, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ εἰκῇ ἐπιστεύσατε
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| σῴζεσθε | sōzesthe | you are being saved | present passive; ongoing deliverance | ”are saved,” “are being saved” | Salvation as a present, ongoing reality grounded in a past historical gospel event | तारण (reused). CRITICAL — never मोक्ष/मुक्ती/निर्वाण. The present-passive form must not be read as a self-achieved ongoing spiritual progress (as in Eightfold Path cultivation) but as God’s continuing preservation of those he has delivered. |
| κατέχετε | katechete | you hold fast, retain | to hold firmly, keep possession of | ”hold fast,” “hold firmly to” | Continuing to grasp the gospel content, not merely an initial assent | घट्ट धरून ठेवणे (ghaṭṭa dharūn ṭhevaṇe). Low-Medium risk. |
| εἰκῇ | eikē | in vain, without effect, for nothing | purposelessly, without result | ”in vain,” “for naught” | Warns that a faith not held to genuine gospel content is empty | व्यर्थ (vyartha). Low risk. |
| ἐπιστεύσατε | episteusate | you believed | to place trust/faith in | ”believed,” “trusted” | Root of πίστις — reused विश्वास (faith) as the noun family | विश्वास ठेवला (viśvās ṭhevalā). High risk retained per baseline: personal trust in Christ specifically, not devotional reverence (bhakti/śraddhā) toward Vitthal nor confidence in a self-cultivated path. |
15:3 — παρέδωκα γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐν πρώτοις, ὃ καὶ παρέλαβον, ὅτι Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν κατὰ τὰς γραφάς
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| παρέδωκα | paredōka | I delivered, handed down | to pass on a tradition/deposit formally | ”delivered,” “passed on,” “handed down” | Technical term for transmitting a fixed, authoritative creedal deposit Paul himself received | सोपवले (sopavale) / अर्पण केले. Medium-High risk: same guru-paramparā caution as v.1 — this is a closed apostolic deposit traceable to eyewitnesses, not an open oral tradition. |
| ἐν πρώτοις | en prōtois | among the first things, of first importance | primary rank/priority | ”as of first importance,” “first of all” | Marks the death-burial-resurrection-appearances sequence as the very core of the gospel, not a peripheral doctrine | सर्वात महत्त्वाचे म्हणून (sarvāt mahatvāce mhaṇūn). Low risk. |
| Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν | Christos apethanen | Christ died | historical, factual death | ”Christ died” | Asserts genuine, historical death — foundational to countering any docetic reading | ख्रिस्त मरण पावला (Khrist maraṇ pāvalā). High risk contextually (see Incarnation/Humanity of Christ doctrines in Romans baseline) — must convey a real, historical death, not an illusory appearance. |
| ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν | hyper tōn hamartiōn hēmōn | on behalf of / for our sins | substitutionary, representative “for the sake of / because of" | "for our sins,” “because of our sins” | Substitutionary atonement: Christ’s death addresses the guilt of पाप (sin) directly | आपल्या पापांसाठी (āpalyā pāpānsāṭhī). Critical risk: ὑπέρ must be rendered so the substitutionary/representative sense is clear — Christ died in place of / for the sake of sinners, not merely “in connection with” sin. Must not be softened toward a merely exemplary or educational death. |
| κατὰ τὰς γραφάς | kata tas graphas | according to the Scriptures | conformity to a written authoritative text | ”according to the Scriptures,” “as the Scriptures said” | Fulfillment-of-prophecy doctrine: this death was foretold, not a surprise | शास्त्रानुसार / पवित्रशास्त्रानुसार (śāstrānusār). High risk — reinforces linear, one-time historical fulfillment (per baseline Fulfillment of Prophecy doctrine), not cyclical yuga-time or the Buddhist wheel of dependent origination. |
15:4 — καὶ ὅτι ἐτάφη, καὶ ὅτι ἐγήγερται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ κατὰ τὰς γραφάς
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| ἐτάφη | etaphē | he was buried | interment, entombment | ”was buried” | Confirms the reality and finality of physical death (no death, no burial needed) | पुरण्यात आले / पुरले गेले (puraṇyāt āle). Medium risk: establishes the historicity that makes the resurrection claim meaningful (a real corpse, a real tomb). |
| ἐγήγερται | egēgertai | has been raised (perfect tense: raised, and remains in the raised state) | bodily rising from death, with abiding effect | ”was raised,” “has risen,” “is risen” | CRITICAL — the perfect tense signals a once-for-all, still-standing accomplished fact: Jesus was raised and remains alive now, permanently | पुनरुत्थान (reused exactly). CRITICAL — never पुनर्जन्म (Hindu rebirth) or पुनर्भव (Buddhist re-arising of aggregates). Requires positive teaching: the same Jesus who died was bodily raised once, permanently — not a new configuration of aggregates, not a soul’s transfer to a new body. |
| τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ | tē hēmera tē tritē | on the third day | specific, fixed calendar reference | ”on the third day” | Anchors the resurrection to a verifiable, historical timeframe | तिसऱ्या दिवशी (tisaṛyā divaśī). Low risk. |
15:5 — καὶ ὅτι ὤφθη Κηφᾷ, εἶτα τοῖς δώδεκα
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| ὤφθη | ōphthē | he was seen, he appeared | passive of ὁράω; objective visual appearance to a witness | ”appeared to,” “was seen by” | Critical rendering decision. Refers to a real, bodily, historically-witnessed appearance of the risen Christ to named individuals — evidentiary, not devotional or mystical | प्रकट झाला / त्याला दिसला (prakaṭ jhālā / tyālā disalā). CRITICAL — do NOT use दर्शन दिले (“gave darshan”). दर्शन is a heavily loaded Warkari/Hindu devotional term for a deity graciously allowing itself to be seen by a devotee (e.g., Vitthal’s darshan at Pandharpur, or a guru’s darshan). Using दर्शन here would recast the bodily resurrection appearances as one more devotional darshan-experience rather than verifiable historical eyewitness testimony. Use प्रकट झाला / दिसला instead. |
| Κηφᾷ | Kēpha | Cephas (Aramaic “rock”; = Peter) | proper name | ”Cephas,” “Peter” | Names a specific, known, still-living eyewitness — evidentiary force of the claim | केफा (Kephā). Low risk; proper name, established form. |
| τοῖς δώδεκα | tois dōdeka | to the twelve | the apostolic circle (title, even though only eleven remained after Judas) | “the Twelve” | The recognized apostolic college as a corporate group of witnesses | बारा जण (bārā jaṇ). Low risk; titular use, not a strict headcount. |
15:6 — ἔπειτα ὤφθη ἐπάνω πεντακοσίοις ἀδελφοῖς ἐφάπαξ, ἐξ ὧν οἱ πλείονες μένουσιν ἕως ἄρτι, τινὲς δὲ ἐκοιμήθησαν
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| ἐπάνω πεντακοσίοις ἀδελφοῖς | epanō pentakosiois adelphois | more than five hundred brothers | a large, specific, still-checkable group | ”more than five hundred brothers” | Paul invites verification — most of these eyewitnesses were still alive when he wrote | पाचशेहून अधिक बंधूंना (pācaśehūn adhik bandhūnnā). Low risk. |
| ἐφάπαξ | ephapax | at one time, once for all | a single, unrepeated event | ”at one time,” “all at once” | Reinforces the historically singular, once-for-all nature of the appearance (parallel to the once-for-all nature of the resurrection itself) | एकाच वेळी (ekāca veḷī). Low-Medium risk; reinforces non-cyclical, unrepeatable historical event. |
| ἐκοιμήθησαν | ekoimēthēsan | they fell asleep | euphemism for death among believers | ”fallen asleep,” “died” | A euphemism implying hope of future bodily awakening (resurrection), not annihilation or transmigration | झोपी गेले / निजून गेले (jhopī gele). Medium risk: must be understood as a resurrection-hope euphemism specific to those united to Christ, not a generic Buddhist/Hindu metaphor for death as transition in an ongoing cycle. |
15:7 — ἔπειτα ὤφθη Ἰακώβῳ, εἶτα τοῖς ἀποστόλοις πᾶσιν
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Ἰακώβῳ | Iakōbō | James | proper name (the Lord’s brother, later Jerusalem church leader) | “James” | A further named, checkable witness | याकोब (Yākob). Low risk; established proper name. |
| τοῖς ἀποστόλοις πᾶσιν | tois apostolois pasin | to all the apostles | a wider group than “the Twelve,” including others recognized as apostles | ”all the apostles” | Confirms the appearance was witnessed corporately by the recognized apostolic body, not a private vision to one person | सर्व प्रेषितांना (sarva preṣitānnā). Reuses प्रेषित exactly. Low-Medium risk. |
15:8 — ἔσχατον δὲ πάντων ὡσπερεὶ τῷ ἐκτρώματι ὤφθη κἀμοί
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| ἔσχατον πάντων | eschaton pantōn | last of all | final in a sequence | ”last of all” | Paul places his own encounter last and distinct in kind but not in reality from the others | सर्वात शेवटी (sarvāt śevaṭī). Low risk. |
| ἔκτρωμα | ektrōma | one untimely born, a miscarriage/stillbirth | an abnormal, premature, or unexpected birth | ”one untimely born,” “abnormally born” | Paul’s self-deprecating description of the irregular, sudden, undeserved way he came to encounter the risen Christ (as a persecutor) | अपुऱ्या दिवसांचे मूल (apuṛyā divasāñce mūl) — used descriptively, not as a doctrinal term. Low risk; unique self-reference, no cultural collision. |
15:9 — Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι ὁ ἐλάχιστος τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὃς οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς καλεῖσθαι ἀπόστολος, διότι ἐδίωξα τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| ἐλάχιστος | elachistos | least, smallest | superlative of “little" | "least,” “smallest” | Paul’s genuine self-assessment relative to the other apostles, grounded in his persecuting past | अत्यंत लहान / सर्वांत लहान (atyant lahān). Low risk. |
| ἀπόστολος | apostolos | one sent, apostle | delegated, authorized envoy | ”apostle” | प्रेषित (reused exactly per baseline). Medium risk retained — distinguished from a self-appointed guru/teacher role. | प्रेषित. |
| ἐδίωξα | ediōxa | I persecuted | to pursue with hostile intent, harass, persecute | ”persecuted,” “pursued” | Paul’s pre-conversion opposition to the church — grounds his testimony to grace’s transforming power | छळ केला (chaḷ kelā). Low-Medium risk. |
| τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ | tēn ekklēsian tou theou | the church of God | the assembly/congregation belonging to God | ”the church of God” | मंडळी (reused exactly). Medium risk retained — never देऊळ/मंदिर (Hindu temple building); this is God’s gathered people, the object of Paul’s former persecution. | देवाची मंडळी (devācī maṇḍaḷī). |
15:10 — χάριτι δὲ θεοῦ εἰμι ὅ εἰμι, καὶ ἡ χάρις αὐτοῦ ἡ εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ κενὴ ἐγενήθη, ἀλλὰ περισσότερον αὐτῶν πάντων ἐκοπίασα, οὐκ ἐγὼ δὲ ἀλλὰ ἡ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ [ἡ] σὺν ἐμοί
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| χάριτι θεοῦ | chariti theou | by the grace of God | instrumental dative; God’s unearned favor as the acting cause | ”by God’s grace,” “through God’s grace” | CRITICAL. Paul’s entire apostolic identity and labor is attributed to unearned favor, not merit or self-effort | कृपा (reused exactly). CRITICAL risk retained per baseline — must not read as devotional favor cultivated through bhakti toward Vitthal, nor (for Buddhist-background readers) be assumed to require any prior concept at all, since self-cultivation has no equivalent “unearned gift” category. This verse is a prime teaching text for building the concept positively. |
| οὐ κενὴ ἐγενήθη | ou kenē egenēthē | did not become empty/without effect | fruitless, in vain | ”was not in vain,” “was not without effect” | Grace produced real fruit (labor) — grace and effort are not opposed, but effort is grace’s result, not its cause | व्यर्थ गेली नाही (vyartha gelī nāhī). Medium-High risk: must be phrased so working hard does not slide back into “grace as reward for merit” — the labor is grace’s fruit, following, not preceding or earning, the gift. |
| ἐκοπίασα | ekopiasa | I labored, I worked hard | to toil, work to exhaustion | ”labored,” “worked harder” | Paul’s strenuous ministry labor, explicitly framed as grace working through him, not his own achievement | परिश्रम केले / मेहनत केली (pariśram kele). Medium risk — same grace/works distinction as above must stay visible in context. |
15:11 — εἴτε οὖν ἐγὼ εἴτε ἐκεῖνοι, οὕτως κηρύσσομεν καὶ οὕτως ἐπιστεύσατε
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| κηρύσσομεν | kēryssomen | we preach, we proclaim | herald-like authoritative public proclamation | ”we preach,” “we proclaim” | The apostolic band (Paul and the other witnesses named above) proclaim one unified gospel message, regardless of which apostle speaks | आम्ही गाजवतो / आम्ही घोषणा करतो (āmhī ghoṣaṇā karto). Medium risk: reinforces Christian Unity vs. Factionalism theme — one gospel proclaimed by all apostles despite Corinthian party-loyalty tendencies (cf. ch. 1, 3). |
| ἐπιστεύσατε | episteusate | you believed | as in v.2 | ”you believed” | The Corinthians’ faith rests on this single, apostolically-unified gospel content | विश्वास ठेवला. Reuses विश्वास exactly. High risk retained. |
PART B — CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDY OF THE WHOLE BOOK
Chapter 1 — Factionalism, the Cross, and the Wisdom of God
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Called (to be saints) | κλητοῖς ἁγίοις | klētois hagiois | called holy ones | as Romans baseline | ”called to be saints” | 1:2 addresses the whole congregation as saints by calling, not achievement | बोलावलेले पवित्र जन (reused). High risk retained. |
| Schism / division | σχίσμα | schisma | a tear, split | factional division, party spirit | ”divisions,” “schisms” | 1:10-13 — the Corinthians have split into “I follow Paul / Apollos / Cephas / Christ” parties | फूट (phūṭ). Medium-High risk: in Maharashtra’s social context, factional identity-loyalty to a leader or teacher readily maps onto caste/sect-group identity; translators must ensure “division” reads as spiritual immaturity around Christ’s singular Lordship, not endorse or normalize a caste-like faction logic. |
| Wisdom | σοφία | sophia | skill, insight, wisdom | worldly cleverness vs. God’s wisdom revealed in the cross | ”wisdom,” “cleverness” | 1:17-25 contrasts human σοφία with the “foolishness” of the cross, which is in fact God’s σοφία and δύναμις | ज्ञान (jñān). High risk: ज्ञान is the same word used for jñāna in the Bhagavad Gita’s jñāna-mārga (the path of liberating knowledge) and for Buddhist prajñā (wisdom leading to enlightenment) — both self-attained through disciplined inquiry/meditation. 1 Corinthians’ point is the reverse: God’s wisdom is disclosed, not self-discovered, and looks like foolishness (a crucified deliverer) by every human wisdom-standard. Needs explicit teaching contrast, not just word substitution. |
| Foolishness | μωρία | mōria | folly, foolishness | absurdity by human standards | ”foolishness,” “folly” | The cross appears foolish to those perishing but is God’s power to those being saved | मूर्खपणा (mūrkhapaṇā). Low-Medium risk. |
| Power | δύναμις | dynamis | power, might, capability | supernatural enabling power | ”power” | 1:18, 24 — the cross is “the power of God” | देवाचे सामर्थ्य (reused exactly from power_of_god). High risk retained — never शक्ती. |
| Cross | σταυρός | stauros | a stake/cross (instrument of execution) | the physical means of Christ’s death; by metonymy, the whole saving event | ”cross,” “crucifixion” | 1:17-18 — “the message of the cross” is the gospel’s scandalous center | क्रूस (krūs). High risk: established loanword in Marathi Christian usage; risk is not lexical substitution but under-teaching — the cross must be presented as paradoxical wisdom/power, not merely a symbol of defeat, suffering piety, or an ascetic renunciation trophy (a risk of assimilation to sannyasa/tapasya imagery of self-denial as spiritually meritorious). |
| Called (effectual) | κλητοί | klētoi | called ones | as Romans baseline | ”those who are called” | 1:24 — “to those who are called,” Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power and wisdom of God | बोलावलेले (reused exactly). High risk retained. |
Chapter 2 — The Spirit and the Wisdom of God
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Mystery | μυστήριον | mystērion | a secret, hidden thing now disclosed | God’s formerly-hidden redemptive plan, now revealed in Christ | ”mystery,” “secret truth” | 2:1, 7 — “God’s wisdom, hidden in a mystery” — a plan concealed by God and then openly disclosed through the gospel, not an esoteric truth reserved for initiates | रहस्य (rahasya). Medium-High risk: रहस्य carries strong association with Hindu esoteric (“rahasya”) textual traditions and tantric secret teachings reserved for initiates. The biblical μυστήριον is the opposite dynamic — a plan once hidden that God has now made openly known to all through proclamation, not an ongoing secret restricted to an elite. |
| Natural person / spiritual person | ψυχικὸς ἄνθρωπος / πνευματικὸς ἄνθρωπος | psychikos anthrōpos / pneumatikos anthrōpos | soul-ish/natural person vs. Spirit-person | one without the Spirit’s discernment vs. one indwelt/taught by the Spirit | ”natural man,” “spiritual man” (or “person without/with the Spirit”) | 2:14-15 — spiritual truths are only rightly discerned by those who have the Spirit | नैसर्गिक मनुष्य (naisargik manuṣya) / आत्मिक मनुष्य (ātmik manuṣya). Medium risk: ψυχικός here does not mean “soul-less” but “operating merely on natural human capacity, without the Spirit” — must not be confused with Hindu/Buddhist categories of higher vs. lower consciousness attained through yogic or meditative practice; the difference here is a given possession of God’s Spirit, not a self-cultivated inner state. |
| Discern | ἀνακρίνω | anakrinō | to examine, judge, evaluate | to investigate and assess | ”discern,” “judge,” “evaluate” | 2:14-15 — spiritual matters must be spiritually discerned; the spiritual person discerns all things | पारखणे (pārakhaṇe). Low-Medium risk. |
| Demonstration of the Spirit | ἀπόδειξις τοῦ πνεύματος | apodeixis tou pneumatos | proof/demonstration of the Spirit | evidentiary display of divine power, not rhetorical persuasion | ”demonstration of the Spirit and of power” | 2:4 — Paul’s preaching relied on the Spirit’s power, not clever rhetoric (σοφία λόγου) | पवित्र आत्म्याचे प्रकटीकरण / सामर्थ्याचे प्रमाण (pavitra ātmyāce prakaṭīkaraṇ). Medium risk. |
Chapter 3 — Foundation, Temple, and Fellow Workers
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Foundation | θεμέλιος | themelios | foundation, base | that on which a building rests | ”foundation” | 3:11 — “no one can lay any other foundation than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” | पाया (pāyā). Low risk. |
| Temple (of God) | ναός | naos | sanctuary, inner shrine (of a temple) | the dwelling place of a deity’s presence | ”temple,” “sanctuary” | 3:16-17 — “you [plural, the congregation] are God’s temple, and God’s Spirit dwells among you” | मंदिर (mandir). High risk: मंदिर is the everyday word for a Hindu temple/shrine housing an idol (मूर्ती). Unlike ἐκκλησία (never रendered मंदिर, per Romans baseline church entry), ναός here is Paul’s own deliberate metaphor invoking the OT Jerusalem sanctuary — this usage is doctrinally correct but must be carefully taught: the congregation is God’s dwelling-place by the Spirit’s presence, not a site housing an image to be venerated or approached for darshan. |
| Wisdom of the world | σοφία τοῦ κόσμου | sophia tou kosmou | wisdom of this present age | human cleverness set against divine revelation | ”wisdom of this world” | 3:19 — “the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” | जगाचे ज्ञान (jagāce jñān). Same High risk as ch.1 — see wisdom/jñāna caution. |
| Fellow workers | συνεργοί | synergoi | co-laborers | those laboring together toward the same goal | ”fellow workers,” “co-laborers” | 3:9 — Paul and Apollos are God’s fellow workers, not rival factions | सहकारी (sahakārī). Low-Medium risk; reinforces unity-not-factionalism theme. |
Chapter 4 — Apostolic Stewardship and Fatherhood
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Steward | οἰκονόμος | oikonomos | household manager | one entrusted with another’s resources/affairs | ”steward,” “manager” | 4:1-2 — apostles as “stewards of the mysteries of God,” required to be found faithful | कारभारी (kārbhārī). Medium risk: must be understood as a trustee accountable to an owner (God), not an independently authoritative guru-figure. |
| Mysteries of God | μυστήρια θεοῦ | mystēria theou | God’s hidden/disclosed truths | as ch. 2 μυστήριον, plural | ”mysteries of God” | 4:1 — apostles entrusted with disclosing God’s redemptive plan | देवाची रहस्ये (devācī rahasye). Same Medium-High risk as ch. 2 mystery entry. |
| Spiritual fatherhood | πατὴρ (ἐγέννησα) | patēr (egennēsa) | father (I begot) | one who brought another to faith, as a spiritual parent | ”father,” “I became your father through the gospel” | 4:15 — Paul as spiritual father of the Corinthians through the gospel | पिता (reused) / शुभवर्तमानाद्वारे जन्म दिला (śubhavartamānādvāre janma dilā). Medium risk: figurative fatherhood through gospel proclamation, distinct from a guru’s transmission of teaching or ritual initiation (dīkṣā). |
Chapter 5 — Church Discipline, Purity, and Christ our Passover
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Sexual immorality | πορνεία | porneia | fornication, sexual sin | any sexual immorality outside biblical marriage | ”sexual immorality,” “fornication” | 5:1 — a specific case of incest tolerated within the church, requiring discipline | व्यभिचार (vyabhicār). High risk: church discipline doctrine; must be rendered with moral clarity and without shaming language that would discourage restorative church process; needs careful pastoral framing alongside 5:5’s restorative intent. |
| Leaven | ζύμη | zymē | yeast, leaven | agent of pervasive corrupting influence; OT Passover background | ”leaven,” “yeast” | 5:6-8 — “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” — sin’s corrupting spread through the community | खमीर (khamīr). Medium risk: requires OT Passover/unleavened bread background explanation, since Marathi readers (Hindu or Buddhist background) have no equivalent domestic ritual referent. |
| Christ our Passover | τὸ πάσχα ἡμῶν…Χριστός | to pascha hēmōn Christos | our Passover… Christ | Christ as the fulfillment of the Passover lamb sacrifice | ”Christ our Passover lamb” | 5:7 — Christ’s sacrificial death fulfills the OT Passover pattern | वल्हांडण सण (valhāṇḍaṇ saṇ, established Marathi Bible term for Passover) — “ख्रिस्त आपले वल्हांडणाचे कोकरू आहे.” Medium-High risk: requires OT narrative background (the Exodus lamb) that this audience, per baseline notes, has low literacy in; must be taught, not assumed. |
| Deliver to Satan | παραδοῦναι τῷ Σατανᾷ | paradounai tō Satana | to hand over to Satan | formal church-discipline act of excommunication for the offender’s ultimate restoration | ”deliver…to Satan,” “hand over to Satan” | 5:5 — severe discipline aimed at repentance and final salvation, not vindictive punishment | सैतानाच्या स्वाधीन करणे (saitānācyā svādhīn karaṇe). High risk: must be clearly framed as a restorative, redemptive act of church discipline (with hope of the person’s ultimate salvation, v.5b), not a curse or permanent condemnation — and clearly distinguished from any folk-exorcism framework. |
Chapter 6 — Lawsuits, the Body as Temple, and Redemption
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Judge / judgment | κρίνω | krinō | to judge, decide, adjudicate | legal or moral judgment | ”judge,” “judgment” | 6:1-6 — believers taking each other to secular courts; 6:2 — “the saints will judge the world” | न्याय करणे (nyāya karaṇe). Medium risk. |
| Body as temple of the Holy Spirit | ναὸς τοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν ἁγίου πνεύματος | naos tou en hymin hagiou pneumatos | temple of the Holy Spirit within you | the individual believer’s body as the Spirit’s dwelling | ”temple of the Holy Spirit” | 6:19 — grounds sexual purity in the body’s sanctity as the Spirit’s dwelling place | मंदिर (as ch. 3) + पवित्र आत्मा (reused). High risk: same collision noted in ch. 3 — additionally here risks conflation with yogic/tantric “body as temple/energy vessel” spiritual disciplines; must be taught as the indwelling of the personal Holy Spirit specifically, not a generic sacred-body concept achievable through practice. |
| Bought with a price | ἠγοράσθητε τιμῆς | ēgorasthēte timēs | you were bought for a price | redemption through payment; slave-market purchase imagery | ”bought with a price,” “purchased” | 6:20 — believers belong to God because Christ purchased them at the cost of his own life | किंमत मोजून विकत घेतलेले (kimmat mojūn vikat ghetlele). High risk: redemption/atonement imagery; must retain the costly, substitutionary purchase sense, not read as a generic transactional metaphor. |
Chapter 7 — Marriage, Singleness, and Calling
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Marriage | γάμος | gamos | marriage, wedding | the marital union/institution | ”marriage” | 7:1-9 — Paul’s counsel on marriage as a good, God-given, non-obligatory state | विवाह (vivāh). Medium risk: must avoid any suggestion that marriage is a spiritually inferior state compared to celibacy (following 7:7’s balanced “each has his own gift”), and avoid dowry/arranged-marriage cultural assumptions being read into the text. |
| Virgin | παρθένος | parthenos | virgin, unmarried woman (or man) | one not yet married; sexually chaste | ”virgin,” “unmarried person” | 7:25-38 — counsel to the unmarried regarding the “present distress” | कुमारी (kumārī, for a woman) / अविवाहित पुरुष (avivāhit puruṣ, for a man). Medium risk. |
| Unmarried / singleness | ἄγαμος | agamos | unmarried, without a spouse | single state, whether by choice or circumstance | ”unmarried,” “single” | 7:8, 32-34 — singleness as a valid, even advantageous, calling for undivided devotion to the Lord | अविवाहित (avivāhit). Medium risk: must not be read through a lens that treats singleness as a deficient social status (a significant cultural pressure in Maharashtra), since Paul commends it as a gift, not a lack. |
| Divorce / separation | χωρίζω / χωρισμός | chōrizō / chōrismos | to separate, divide | marital separation/divorce | ”separate,” “divorce” | 7:10-15 — instructions on marital separation, including the “Pauline privilege” | वेगळे होणे (vegḷe hoṇe) / घटस्फोट (ghaṭasphoṭ, for the formal legal sense). Medium-High risk: sensitive pastorally given contemporary Indian legal/social dynamics around divorce; must preserve Paul’s careful distinctions (dominical command vs. Paul’s own apostolic guidance) without collapsing them. |
| Calling (state in life) | κλῆσις | klēsis | calling, station | the situation/status in which one was called to faith | ”calling,” “state,” “condition” | 7:17-24 — “let each remain in the condition in which he was called” | पाचारण (reused exactly). High risk retained — here applied to one’s social/marital state at conversion, not merely salvation-calling; must not be misread as endorsing a fixed, unchangeable caste-like social station, since Paul’s own argument (v.21, “if you can gain your freedom, do so”) shows this is not a rigid caste-lock but a pastoral principle about contentment. |
Chapter 8 — Idol Meat, Knowledge, and Conscience
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Food sacrificed to idols | εἰδωλόθυτα | eidōlothyta | things sacrificed to idols | meat/food ritually offered to an idol before being sold or eaten | ”food sacrificed to idols,” “idol meat” | 8:1-13 — the central practical dilemma: may a believer eat meat previously offered to idols? | मूर्तींना अर्पिलेले अन्न (mūrtīnnā arpilele anna). CRITICAL risk: must never be rendered नैवेद्य or प्रसाद — these are the standard, positively-loaded Marathi/Hindu devotional terms for food ritually offered to and then received back from a deity (central to Warkari, Ganpati, and broader Hindu practice as a blessing). The biblical passage’s entire ethical weight depends on this food being understood as spiritually neutral-but-associated with false worship, not a blessed substance; a descriptive, non-devotional phrase is required. |
| Idol | εἴδωλον | eidōlon | image, idol | a representation of a false god; by extension, the false god itself | ”idol” | 8:4 — “an idol has no real existence”; the practical question turns on this theological claim | मूर्ती (mūrtī). Critical risk: this is the same everyday Marathi word used by Hindu neighbors for their own sacred images. Established as the standard biblical term for “idol” (as in Exodus 20 tradition), but every occurrence needs contextual framing making clear this refers to a false object of worship, not a neutral reference to sculpture or art. |
| Knowledge | γνῶσις | gnōsis | knowledge, understanding | correct doctrinal understanding, contrasted with love | ”knowledge” | 8:1 — “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” | ज्ञान (jñān — same lexeme as “wisdom” in chs. 1-3). High risk / ambiguity risk: Marathi lacks a clean lexical distinction between σοφία and γνῶσις; translators must rely on context to signal that here γνῶσις denotes correct factual/doctrinal understanding (about idols being nothing) which, without love, becomes spiritually destructive — the passage’s whole point is that “knowledge” alone (in the Gita’s jñāna-mārga or Buddhist prajñā sense of liberating insight) is insufficient without love toward the weaker believer. |
| Conscience | συνείδησις | syneidēsis | moral self-awareness, conscience | inner faculty of moral judgment about oneself | ”conscience” | 8:7-12 — a “weak conscience” defiled by eating idol meat while believing it wrong | सद्सद्विवेकबुद्धी (sadasadvivekbuddhī). Low-Medium risk; established formal Marathi term. |
| Stumbling block | σκάνδαλον / πρόσκομμα | skandalon / proskomma | trap, snare / thing struck against | cause of another’s moral downfall | ”stumbling block,” “hindrance” | 8:9, 13 — believers with strong conscience must not become a stumbling block to the weak | अडखळण (aḍakhaḷaṇ). Medium risk. |
Chapter 9 — Apostolic Rights and Rewards
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Right / authority | ἐξουσία | exousia | authority, right | legitimate entitlement | ”right,” “authority” | 9:4-6 — Paul’s right to material support as an apostle, voluntarily foregone | अधिकार (adhikār). Medium risk. |
| Imperishable crown / prize | στέφανος ἄφθαρτος / βραβεῖον | stephanos aphthartos / brabeion | incorruptible wreath / prize | athletic victor’s crown, applied to eternal reward | ”imperishable crown,” “prize” | 9:24-25 — the athletic-race metaphor for disciplined Christian living, contrasted with a perishable (φθαρτόν) athletic wreath | मुकुट (mukuṭ) / बक्षीस (bakṣīs), with अविनाशी (avināśī, imperishable) qualifying. Medium risk: must not be read as a merit-earning reward analogous to puṇya (karmic merit accumulation) — the crown is the fruit of grace-empowered discipline, not a payment for self-effort, consistent with the grace/works distinction established across the curriculum. |
| Preach the gospel | εὐαγγελίζωμαι | euangelizōmai | to proclaim good news | to preach/announce the gospel | ”preach the gospel” | 9:16 — “woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” | शुभवर्तमान सांगणे (reused शुभवर्तमान). High risk retained. |
Chapter 10 — Idolatry, the Table of the Lord, and Warning from Israel’s History
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Idolatry | εἰδωλολατρία | eidōlolatria | idol-worship | the sin of worshiping images/false gods | ”idolatry” | 10:7, 14 — “flee from idolatry,” warned by Israel’s wilderness example | मूर्तिपूजा (mūrtipūjā). CRITICAL risk: this is the literal, everyday Marathi/Hindi descriptive term Hindus themselves use for image-worship practice (not inherently pejorative in Hindu self-understanding). The biblical text uses it as an unambiguous, serious prohibition; translators must render it faithfully to the biblical warning without unnecessary polemical embellishment, while not softening the seriousness of the warning either. |
| Testing / temptation | πειρασμός | peirasmos | test, trial, temptation | trial permitted/limited by God’s faithfulness | ”temptation,” “testing” | 10:13 — “God is faithful; he will not let you be tested beyond what you can bear” | परीक्षा (parīkṣā) / मोह (moh, for enticement to sin specifically). Medium risk. |
| Cup of the Lord / cup of demons | ποτήριον κυρίου / ποτήριον δαιμονίων | potērion kyriou / potērion daimoniōn | cup of the Lord / cup of demons | ritual cup of communion vs. participation in pagan sacrificial rites | ”the cup of the Lord,” “the cup of demons” | 10:16-21 — participation (κοινωνία) in the Lord’s Supper is incompatible with participation in idol feasts | प्रभूचा प्याला (prabhūcā pyālā) / भुतांचा प्याला (bhutāñcā pyālā). Medium-High risk: reuses सहभागिता (fellowship/participation) for κοινωνία in v.16 — “the cup…is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?” |
| Demon | δαιμόνιον | daimonion | demon, evil spirit | a malevolent spiritual power behind false worship | ”demons” | 10:20-21 — “what pagans sacrifice, they offer to demons, not to God” | भूत (bhūt) / दुष्ट आत्मा (duṣṭa ātmā). High risk: भूत is the everyday Marathi/rural term for a malevolent ghost or folk-spirit (bhut-pisāch beliefs are widespread, especially in rural Maharashtra), which carries its own distinct folk-religious framework of appeasement and exorcism practices. Must be taught clearly as Paul’s claim: real spiritual powers stand behind idol worship, but they are to be fled from, not appeased, propitiated, or ritually managed — a different posture than folk-exorcism practice assumes. |
| Table of the Lord / table of demons | τράπεζα κυρίου / τράπεζα δαιμονίων | trapeza kyriou / trapeza daimoniōn | table of the Lord / table of demons | the Lord’s Supper vs. pagan sacrificial feasts, as rival, exclusive loyalties | ”the Lord’s table,” “the table of demons” | 10:21 — believers cannot partake of both | प्रभूचे मेज (prabhūce mej) / भुतांचे मेज (bhutāñce mej). Medium-High risk; parallels Lord’s Supper terminology (ch. 11). |
Chapter 11 — Head Coverings and the Lord’s Supper
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Head (headship) | κεφαλή | kephalē | head (body part); by extension, source/authority | literal head; figurative headship/authority relationship | ”head,” “authority over” | 11:3 — “the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, the head of Christ is God” | शीर्ष (śīrṣa) / मस्तक (mastak, for literal head). High doctrinal risk (not primarily a culture-collision risk but a live complementarian/egalitarian interpretive debate): translators must render the metaphor accurately without pre-resolving the interpretive question of “source” vs. “authority-over” beyond what the Greek itself supports; flag for theologian review per baseline routing conventions for gender-related passages. |
| Tradition | παράδοσις | paradosis | that which is handed down | apostolic teaching/practice transmitted to the churches | ”traditions,” “teachings” | 11:2 — “maintain the traditions…just as I delivered them to you” | परंपरा (paramparā). Medium-High risk: as in the core passage’s παρέδωκα/παρέλαβον pair, risk of conflation with Hindu guru-paramparā (an open, evolving oral-teaching lineage). Here it refers to a fixed, closed set of apostolic instructions, not an evolving tradition open to reinterpretation by later teachers. |
| The Lord’s Supper | κυριακὸν δεῖπνον | kyriakon deipnon | the Lord’s dinner/supper | the corporate commemorative meal instituted by Christ | ”the Lord’s Supper” | 11:20 — the ordinance under discussion; abuses of it addressed in 11:17-34 | प्रभूभोजन (prabhūbhojan). High risk: central sacramental term; must be kept doctrinally distinct from a merely social meal, from Hindu prasad-sharing rituals, and taught with the seriousness Paul gives it (discerning the body, self-examination). |
| Unworthy manner | ἀναξίως | anaxiōs | unworthily | in a manner inconsistent with the meal’s meaning | ”in an unworthy manner” | 11:27, 29 — warning against careless or divisive participation | अयोग्य रीतीने (ayogya rītīne). Medium risk. |
| Discerning the body | διακρίνων τὸ σῶμα | diakrinōn to sōma | discerning/distinguishing the body | recognizing the Lord’s body’s significance (and/or the body of believers) in the meal | ”discerning the body” | 11:29 — failure to discern the body brings judgment | शरीर ओळखणे / शरीराचे महत्त्व ओळखणे (śarīr oḷakhaṇe). High risk: theologically dense phrase (referring both to Christ’s body given for believers and the church as his body, cf. ch. 12); flag for theologian review. |
Chapter 12 — Spiritual Gifts and the Body of Christ
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Spiritual gifts | χαρίσματα | charismata | grace-gifts | Spirit-given enablements for the church’s benefit | ”spiritual gifts,” “gifts of grace” | 12:4-11 — “there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit” | आत्मिक कृपादान (reused exactly). Medium risk retained. |
| Body of Christ | σῶμα Χριστοῦ | sōma Christou | body of Christ | the church as Christ’s organic, unified, diverse body | ”body of Christ” | 12:12-27 — the central ecclesiological metaphor of this chapter | ख्रिस्ताचे शरीर (khristāce śarīr). High risk: central unity-vs-factionalism metaphor; must be taught to directly counter caste-based social stratification models (no member is dispensable, “less honorable” members receive greater honor, 12:22-24) — a claim with unusually direct resonance for readers with caste-hierarchy experience, whether Hindu or Ambedkarite Buddhist background. |
| Members | μέλη | melē | limbs, body parts | individual believers as differentiated, interdependent parts of the one body | ”members,” “parts” | 12:14-27 — no member may claim self-sufficiency or reject another as unnecessary | अवयव (avayav). Low-Medium risk. |
| Tongues (gift of) | γλῶσσαι | glōssai | tongues, languages | Spirit-enabled speech in unlearned language(s) | “tongues,” “other languages” | 12:10, 28, 30 — one gift among the list, addressed further in ch. 14 | अन्यभाषा (anyabhāṣā) — “gift of tongues” = अन्यभाषांचे दान (anyabhāṣāñce dān). High risk: doctrinally contested (charismatic vs. cessationist interpretation); render literally as “other/foreign tongues/languages,” avoiding interpretive glosses that presuppose a particular denominational position. |
| Interpretation of tongues | ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν | hermēneia glōssōn | interpretation of tongues | the companion gift of interpreting tongues-speech for the congregation’s benefit | ”interpretation of tongues” | 12:10, 30 | भाषांतराचे दान (bhāṣāntarāce dān). Medium risk. |
| Gifts of healing | χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων | charismata iamatōn | gifts of healings | Spirit-given ability to heal | ”gifts of healing” | 12:9, 28, 30 | रोगमुक्तीचे दान / आरोग्यदान (rogamuktīce dān). Medium risk; avoid conflating with faith-healing folk practices or claims of guaranteed healing. |
| Word of wisdom / word of knowledge | λόγος σοφίας / λόγος γνώσεως | logos sophias / logos gnōseōs | message/utterance of wisdom / of knowledge | Spirit-given insight communicated for the church’s benefit | ”word of wisdom,” “word of knowledge” | 12:8 | ज्ञानाचे वचन (jñānāce vacan). Same High risk as the wisdom/knowledge cluster in chs. 1-2, 8. |
Chapter 13 — Love as the Greater Way
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Love | ἀγάπη | agapē | selfless, willed love | committed, self-giving love that seeks another’s good regardless of merit or reciprocity | ”love” | The entire chapter: love is superior to all spiritual gifts and necessary to give them meaning | प्रीती (prītī). CRITICAL risk: Marathi has multiple “love” words — प्रेम (prem, the common word, often romantic/affectionate), भक्ति (bhakti, devotional love/reverence directed at a deity), and प्रीती (prītī, the term with the strongest established usage in Marathi Christian Bible tradition for covenantal, self-giving agapē-love). प्रीती must be used consistently and distinguished from प्रेम’s romantic connotations and from भक्ति’s devotee-to-deity reverential connotations (which, per the Romans baseline grace entry, already carries Warkari devotional overtones toward Vitthal). 1 Corinthians 13’s ἀγάπη is unconditional, active, self-giving love modeled on Christ, not devotional feeling or romantic attachment. |
| Patient / kind | μακροθυμεῖ / χρηστεύεται | makrothymei / chrēsteuetai | is long-suffering / shows kindness | practical dispositions defining love in action | ”is patient,” “is kind” | 13:4 — the descriptive, verb-based definition of love in action | सहनशील (sahanaśīl) / दयाळू (dayāḷū). Low risk. |
| Perfect / complete | τέλειον | teleion | complete, mature, whole | that which is fully realized, as opposed to partial (ἐκ μέρους) | “perfect,” “complete,” “mature” | 13:10 — “when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away” | पूर्ण (pūrṇa) / परिपूर्ण (paripūrṇa). Medium risk: must not be assimilated to the Hindu/Yogic concept of a “perfected being” (siddha) attained through spiritual practice, nor the Buddhist “perfections” (pāramitā) cultivated toward enlightenment — here τέλειον refers to the future, complete state of knowledge/vision at Christ’s return, a gift of grace at the consummation, not a self-attained state. |
Chapter 14 — Order in Worship: Prophecy, Tongues, and Edification
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Prophesy | προφητεύω | prophēteuō | to speak forth God’s message | Spirit-inspired intelligible speech building up the church | ”prophesy” | 14:1-5 — prophecy is preferred over uninterpreted tongues because it edifies the whole church | Reuses संदेष्टा/भविष्यवाणी root exactly (prophet/prophecy from Romans baseline). Low-Medium risk in this context. |
| Edification / building up | οἰκοδομή | oikodomē | building, construction | figurative: spiritual strengthening of the congregation | ”edification,” “building up” | 14:3-5, 12, 26 — the guiding criterion for all worship practices in this chapter | उन्नती (unnatī) / बांधणी (bāndhaṇī). Reuses conceptual ground of Romans baseline’s mutual_edification. Low risk. |
| Order | τάξις | taxis | arrangement, order, sequence | orderly, non-chaotic conduct | ”order,” “in order” | 14:40 — “let all things be done decently and in order” | सुव्यवस्था (suvyavasthā). Low-Medium risk. |
| Women keep silent (in the churches) | γυναῖκες…σιγάτωσαν | gynaikes… sigatōsan | let women be silent | a disputed, contextually-debated instruction regarding orderly worship (14:34-35) | “let women keep silent,” “should remain silent” | 14:34-35 — one of the most theologically and pastorally sensitive verses in the letter, requiring careful contextual and text-critical handling | मौन धारण करावे / गप्प राहावे (maun dhāraṇ karāve). High risk — flag for theologian review: significant interpretive debate exists over the scope and application of this instruction (compare 11:5, which assumes women pray and prophesy aloud in worship); translators must not resolve this interpretive tension unilaterally through word choice, and must route this passage per the baseline’s escalation rules for gender-sensitive text. |
Chapter 15 (verses 12-58) — The Resurrection of the Dead
(Verses 1-11 receive full treatment in Part A above; this section covers new terms from the remainder of the chapter.)
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Firstfruits | ἀπαρχή | aparchē | first portion of a harvest | the first installment guaranteeing the full harvest to come | ”firstfruits” | 15:20, 23 — “Christ the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” | प्रथमफळ (prathamphaḷ). Medium risk: requires OT harvest-offering background (Leviticus 23) to be meaningful; Christ’s resurrection guarantees believers’ future bodily resurrection as the same kind of “first installment.” |
| Last enemy | ἔσχατος ἐχθρός | eschatos echthros | last/final enemy | death personified as the final foe to be defeated | ”the last enemy” | 15:26 — “the last enemy to be destroyed is death” | शेवटचा शत्रू (śevaṭcā śatrū). Low risk. |
| Perishable / imperishable | φθαρτόν / ἄφθαρτον | phtharton / aphtharton | corruptible / incorruptible | subject to decay vs. not subject to decay | ”perishable,” “imperishable” | 15:42, 53-54 — the resurrection body is sown perishable, raised imperishable | नाशवंत (nāśavant) / अविनाशी (avināśī). High risk: अविनाशी closely parallels the Hindu concept of the ātman as eternal/imperishable (in contrast to the perishable body) — but Paul’s point is precisely the opposite emphasis: it is the body itself, transformed, that becomes imperishable, not merely a pre-existing eternal soul escaping a discarded body. Needs explicit teaching to avoid an implicit body/soul dualism foreign to the text. |
| Natural body / spiritual body | σῶμα ψυχικόν / σῶμα πνευματικόν | sōma psychikon / sōma pneumatikon | soul-ish body / Spirit-body | the present, mortal, natural body vs. the future, Spirit-empowered resurrection body | ”natural body,” “spiritual body” | 15:44 — one of the most doctrinally dense verses on the nature of the resurrection body | नैसर्गिक शरीर (naisargik śarīr) / आत्मिक शरीर (ātmik śarīr). High risk: “spiritual body” must not be read as an immaterial, ghost-like, or ethereal existence (which would suit a folk understanding of the afterlife) — it remains a true, tangible body, but one wholly transformed and empowered by the Spirit; likewise “natural” does not mean “without a soul” but “operating under present, mortal, Adamic conditions.” |
| Victory | νῖκος | nikos | victory, triumph | conquest over an opposing power | ”victory” | 15:54-57 — “death is swallowed up in victory… thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” | विजय (vijay). Low risk. |
| Sting | κέντρον | kentron | goad, sting | the piercing/injurious point of an animal or weapon; here, sin as death’s “sting" | "sting” | 15:56 — “the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law” | डंख (ḍaṅkh). Low-Medium risk. |
Chapter 16 — The Collection, Final Greetings, and Maranatha
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Marathi rendering & risk |
|---|
| Collection | λογεία | logeia | collection, contribution | a gathered monetary gift for the Jerusalem saints | ”the collection,” “the offering” | 16:1-3 — instructions for systematic, regular giving toward relief of the Jerusalem church | वर्गणी (vargaṇī) / देणगी (deṇgī). Medium risk: avoid दानधर्म (dāndharma), which carries the connotation of merit-generating religious almsgiving (a karma-adjacent framework); this is grace-motivated, unity-building generosity toward fellow believers, not a merit-accumulating religious duty. |
| Anathema (accursed) | ἀνάθεμα | anathema | a thing devoted to destruction; accursed | solemn curse/exclusion formula | ”let him be accursed,” “anathema” | 16:22 — “if anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed” | शापित (śāpit) — kept alongside the transliteration अनाथेमा where a formal liturgical register is desired. Medium-High risk: a severe formula; must not be softened, but also must not be confused with folk-curse (jādū-ṭonā, “black magic curse”) practices — this is a solemn covenantal exclusion formula tied to love for the Lord (13’s ἀγάπη theme), not an occult curse. |
| Maranatha | μαρὰν ἀθά | maran atha | ”Our Lord, come!” (Aramaic) | an early Christian liturgical acclamation of longing for Christ’s return | ”Maranatha,” “Our Lord, come” | 16:22 — preserved untransliterated in the Greek text itself, an Aramaic phrase retained from the earliest Aramaic-speaking church | मारान अथा (Māran Athā) — transliterated, as with baseline’s treatment of अब्बा (Abba). Low-Medium risk; preserve as a transliteration to retain its ancient liturgical flavor, glossed with its meaning. |
| Holy kiss | φίλημα ἅγιον | philēma hagion | holy kiss | a customary greeting of affection among believers, marked as “holy” (set apart, not romantic/erotic) | “holy kiss” | 16:20 — closing exhortation to greet one another with a holy kiss | पवित्र चुंबन (pavitra cumban) — often rendered in practice as पवित्र अभिवादन (pavitra abhivādan, “holy greeting”) for cultural appropriateness. Medium risk: physical kissing as greeting is culturally unusual/inappropriate in most Marathi social contexts; translators should retain the doctrinal point (warm, non-erotic, holy affection among believers) while using a culturally intelligible greeting term, flagged for native speaker review. |
Summary of Cross-Cutting Risk Themes for 1 Corinthians
- Wisdom/knowledge cluster (ज्ञान) — recurs across chs. 1, 2, 3, 8, 12; the single greatest new lexical risk in this curriculum, given both Hindu jñāna-mārga and Buddhist prajñā associations. Recommend a standing translator note wherever ज्ञान translates σοφία or γνῶσις.
- Darshan-avoidance for resurrection appearances (ὤφθη) — a newly identified Critical risk not present in Romans; दर्शन must never be used for Christ’s resurrection appearances.
- Naivedya/prasad-avoidance for idol meat (εἰδωλόθυτα) — a newly identified Critical risk; नैवेद्य/प्रसाद must never be used.
- Guru-paramparā caution for “delivered/received” tradition language (παρέδωκα/παρέλαβον/παράδοσις) — recurs in 11:2 and 15:1-3; must be framed as a closed apostolic deposit, not an open oral lineage.
- मंदिर (temple) as a legitimate but high-risk rendering distinct from मंडळी (church) — used correctly for ναός (chs. 3, 6) but requires explicit teaching against idol-shrine or yogic body-temple assumptions.
- प्रीती vs. प्रेम vs. भक्ति for ἀγάπη — ch. 13’s central term; must be fixed as प्रीती throughout this curriculum and never drift to प्रेम or भक्ति.
- Caste/faction resonance in unity-vs-division language (σχίσμα, σῶμα Χριστοῦ, μέλη) — chs. 1, 3, 11, 12; carries the same politically-live sensitivity as Romans’ universal_scope_of_gospel and unity_of_jews_and_gentiles doctrines.