Core Glossary
Core Glossary: Acts — English → Ndebele
This glossary compiles every load-bearing theological term identified in 07_semantic_analysis.md, spanning all 28 chapters of Acts. Terms already recorded in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json are marked [BASELINE — REUSED EXACTLY] and carry forward their recorded rendering, risk tier, and notes unchanged. New terms required by Acts are marked [NEW] and are risk-tiered using the identical Critical/High/Medium/Low framework established in the baseline doctrine_risk_registry.json.
Part A — Baseline Terms Reused Exactly (Confirmed Present in Acts)
| Term | Ndebele Rendering | Risk | Doctrine | Chapters Appearing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| God | uNkulunkulu | Critical | Sovereignty of God | 1–28 (throughout) | Baseline note applies unchanged: never let God appear reachable only through intermediaries |
| Jesus | uJesu | Critical | Lordship of Jesus Christ | 1–28 (throughout) | — |
| Lord | iNkosi | Critical | Lordship of Jesus Christ | 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 22, 26 | Must always exceed historical royal/chieftaincy connotation |
| Holy Spirit | uMoya oNgcwele | Critical | The Holy Spirit and Pentecost | 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 28 | Central term of the entire curriculum |
| Messiah / Christ | uMesiya / uKristu | Critical | Lordship of Jesus Christ | 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 17, 18, 26 | — |
| Resurrection | ukuvuka kwabafileyo | Critical | Resurrection of Jesus Christ | 1, 2, 4, 17, 23, 24, 26 | Never conflated with joining the amadlozi |
| Salvation | usindiso | Critical | Salvation | 2, 4, 13, 16, 28 | — |
| Justification | ukulungisiswa | Critical | Justification apart from the Law | 13 | Explicit non-Romans occurrence of Paul’s justification doctrine (13:38-39) |
| Righteousness | ukulunga | Critical | Justification apart from the Law | 13, 17, 24 | — |
| Imputed righteousness (conceptual link) | ukubalelwa ukulunga | Critical | Justification apart from the Law | 13 (conceptually) | Cross-referenced from Romans doctrine, not a distinct Acts term but same forensic principle |
| Son of God | iNdodana kaNkulunkulu | Critical | Sonship of Christ | 9, 13 | — |
| Grace | umusa | Critical | Grace | 4, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 20, 24 | — |
| Church | ibandla | Medium | The Church as Community | 2, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20 | — |
| Apostle | umphostoli | Medium | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | 1–16 (esp.) | — |
| Faith | ukholo | High | Faith / Justification apart from the Law | 3, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 24, 26 | — |
| Gospel | ivangeli | High | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | 8, 14, 15, 20 | — |
| Sin | isono | High | Repentance and Baptism | 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 13, 22, 26 | — |
| Gentiles | abezizwe | Medium | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22, 26, 28 | — |
| Law | umthetho | High | Justification apart from the Law | 6, 7, 13, 15, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 | — |
| Kingdom of God | umbuso kaNkulunkulu | Medium | The Great Commission Fulfilled | 1, 8, 14, 19, 20, 28 | — |
| Called / Calling | obiziweyo / ubizo | High | God’s Calling and Election | 2, 13 | — |
| Election | ukukhethwa | High | God’s Calling and Election / Conversion of Paul | 1, 9, 22 | — |
| Covenant | isivumelwano | High | Messianic Promise | 2, 3, 7 | — |
| David | uDavida | Low | Messianic Promise | 1, 2, 4, 7, 13, 15 | — |
| Israel | uIsrayeli | Medium | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13, 21, 28 | — |
| Seed of David | inzalo kaDavida | Medium | Messianic Promise | 13 | — |
| Father | uBaba | High | Sonship of Christ | 1, 2, 7, 13 | — |
| Holy / Saints | -ngcwele / abangcwele | High | Sanctification | 9, 26 | — |
| Prophet / Prophecy | umphrofethi / isiphrofetho | High | Authority of Scripture | 2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 13, 15, 19, 21, 26, 28 | Never blended with isangoma |
| Glory | udumo | High | Sovereignty of God | 7, 12, 22 | — |
| Power of God | amandla kaNkulunkulu | High | God’s Saving Power / Apostolic Authority | 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 19 | — |
| Peace | ukuthula | Medium | Grace and Peace | 9, 10, 15, 24 | — |
| Fellowship | ubudlelwano | Low | Fellowship of Believers | 2 | — |
| Thanksgiving | ukubonga | Low | Christian Encouragement | 27, 28 | — |
| Exhort | ukukhuthaza | Low | Christian Encouragement | 2, 11, 14, 15, 16, 20, 27 | — |
| Providence | ukunakekela kukaNkulunkulu | High | Sovereignty of God | 17, 27 | — |
| Mission | umsebenzi wokutshumayela | Medium | The Great Commission Fulfilled | 13, 15, 20 | — |
| Intercession (conceptual, prayer for others) | ukuncengela | Critical | Christ as Sole Mediator | 12 (church’s prayer for Peter) | Reinforces Christ-alone-mediator doctrine already central to the curriculum |
Part B — New Terms Introduced by Acts
| Term (English) | Ndebele Rendering | Transliteration/Original | Doctrine | Risk | Chapters | Grounded Risk Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pentecost | iPhentekoste | Πεντηκοστή / Pentēkostē | The Holy Spirit and Pentecost | Medium | 2 | Must be taught as a unique, unrepeatable historical event, not an analog to a seasonal ancestral ceremony |
| Filled with the Holy Spirit | ukugcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele | ἐπλήσθησαν πνεύματος ἁγίου | The Holy Spirit and Pentecost | High | 2, 4, 9, 13 | Must not be rendered like spirit-mediumship “mounting”/possession by an idlozi |
| Pour out (the Spirit) | ukuthululwa (koMoya) | ἐκχεῶ | The Holy Spirit and Pentecost | High | 2, 10 | God’s sovereign gift, not an entity taking control of an unwilling vessel as in traditional mediumship |
| Other tongues / languages | ezinye izilimi | γλῶσσαι ἕτεραι | The Holy Spirit and Pentecost | Medium | 2, 10, 19 | Must be distinguished as real known languages in Acts 2/10/19 narrative context |
| Last days | izinsuku zokucina | ἔσχαται ἡμέραι | The Holy Spirit and Pentecost | Medium | 2 | Must not be flattened into vague future-only prophecy |
| Day of the Lord | usuku lweNkosi | ἡμέρα κυρίου | Sovereignty of God | Medium | 2 | ”iNkosi” must retain supreme, exclusive sense |
| Call on the name of the Lord | ukubiza ibizo leNkosi | ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου | Repentance and Baptism / Christ as Sole Mediator | Critical | 2, 9, 22 | The salvation formula requiring direct, unmediated address to God through Christ — the central doctrinal anchor for the whole curriculum given traditional religion’s normal ancestral-intermediary pattern |
| Signs and wonders | izibonakaliso lezimangaliso | σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | High | 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 14, 15 | Must be distinguished from wonder-working attributed to izinyanga/izangoma |
| God’s determined plan and foreknowledge | icebo likaNkulunkulu elimisiweyo lokwazi kwakhe ngaphambili | ὡρισμένη βουλὴ καὶ πρόγνωσις τοῦ θεοῦ | Sovereignty of God | High | 2 | Personal divine intention, not impersonal fate/destiny |
| Hades | iHayidesi / indawo yabafileyo | ᾅδης | Resurrection of Jesus Christ | Medium | 2 | Not a permanent ancestral abode; temporary state preceding resurrection |
| Patriarch | ukhokho | πατριάρχης | Messianic Promise | High | 2, 7 | ”Ukhokho” is the standing Ndebele word for a venerated ancestor (amadlozi); David must be honored as historical forefather, not treated as continuing spiritual intermediary |
| Throne | isihlalo sobukhosi | θρόνος | Messianic Promise / Lordship of Christ | Medium | 2 | Carries historical Ndebele royal weight, per baseline iNkosi/umbuso caution |
| Promise | isithembiso | ἐπαγγελία | Messianic Promise | Medium-High | 1, 2, 7, 13, 26 | — |
| Repentance / Repent | ukuphenduka / phendukani | μετάνοια / μετανοέω | Repentance and Baptism | Critical | 2, 3, 5, 11, 17, 19, 20, 26 | Must be distinguished from ritual appeasement of aggrieved amadlozi; this is whole-person turning to God through Christ |
| Baptism / Baptize | ubhabhathizo / ukubhabhathizwa | βάπτισμα / βαπτίζω | Repentance and Baptism | Critical | 1, 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 18, 19, 22 | Must be distinguished from traditional ritual water-cleansing performed to restore ancestral favor; this is public confession of allegiance to Christ and incorporation into his body |
| Forgiveness of sins | ukuthethelelwa kwezono | ἄφεσις τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν | Repentance and Baptism | High | 2, 5, 10, 13, 26 | — |
| Gift of the Holy Spirit | isipho soMoya oNgcwele | δωρεὰ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος | The Holy Spirit and Pentecost | High | 2, 8, 10, 11 | Distinct from “izipho zoMoya” (spiritual gifts/abilities) — here the Spirit himself is the gift |
| Souls (persons) | imiphefumulo | ψυχαί | The Church as Community | Low-Medium | 2, 7, 27 | Read as “persons,” not a claim about separable spiritual essences per traditional belief |
| Ascension | ukwenyukela ezulwini | ἀνελήμφθη | The Great Commission Fulfilled | Medium | 1 | Not to be confused with an ancestor’s spirit “ascending” to join amadlozi |
| Witness / Testimony | umfakazi / ubufakazi | μάρτυς / μαρτυρία | Persecution and Bold Witness | High | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 13, 22, 23, 26 | Truthful, evidentiary testimony to a historical event, not comparable to divinatory insight |
| Lots (casting) | inkatho | κλῆρος | God’s Calling and Election | Low-Medium | 1 | Distinguished from divination (ukubhula) practiced by izangoma |
| Office / Ministry | isikhundla senkonzo | ἐπισκοπή | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | Low | 1 | — |
| Servant (Christological title) | inceku (kaNkulunkulu) | παῖς (θεοῦ) | Sonship of Christ | High | 3 | Must appear alongside, not instead of, higher Christological titles (iNdodana kaNkulunkulu) |
| Holy and Righteous One | oNgcwele loLungileyo | ὁ ἅγιος καὶ δίκαιος | Sonship of Christ | High | 3 | Compound of two High-risk baseline roots |
| Author/Founder of life | uMsunguli wokuphila | ἀρχηγὸς τῆς ζωῆς | Sonship of Christ | High | 3 | ”Umsunguli” risks resonance with a lineage-founding ancestor; must be taught as sole divine source of life, not a founding-ancestor mediator |
| Times of refreshing / restoration | izikhathi zokuvuselelwa / ukubuyiselwa kwazo zonke izinto | καιροὶ ἀναψύξεως / ἀποκατάστασις πάντων | The Great Commission Fulfilled | Medium | 3 | — |
| Boldness | isibindi | παρρησία | Persecution and Bold Witness | Medium | 4, 9, 13, 14, 19, 26, 28 | Spirit-given confidence under threat, not mere natural courage |
| No other name under heaven | akulabo abanye abangasisindisa ngaphandle kwaye | οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἄλλῳ οὐδενὶ ἡ σωτηρία | Christ as Sole Mediator | Critical | 4 | Doctrinal capstone against religious pluralism and mediated access of every kind |
| One heart and soul / all things common | inhliziyo yinye lomphefumulo munye / ukwabelana ngakho konke | καρδία καὶ ψυχὴ μία / ἅπαντα κοινά | The Church as Community | Medium | 2, 4 | — |
| Sanhedrin / Council | iSanihedrini / umkhandlu omkhulu wamaJuda | συνέδριον | Persecution and Bold Witness | Low-Medium | 4, 5, 6, 22, 23, 24 | — |
| Lied to the Holy Spirit | ukuqamba amanga kuMoya oNgcwele | ψεύσασθαι τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον | The Holy Spirit and Pentecost | Critical | 5 | Direct evidence text for the Spirit’s full personhood and deity |
| Great fear (upon the church) | ukwesaba okukhulu | φόβος μέγας | Sovereignty of God | Medium | 5 | Reverent awe before God’s holiness, not fear of an offended ancestral spirit |
| Serve tables / ministry of service | ukukhonza etafuleni / izikhonzi | διακονεῖν τραπέζαις / διακονία | The Church as Community | Medium | 6 | Distinguish from “ukukhonza” as worship of God |
| Hellenists / Hebrews | amaHelenisiti / amaHebheru | Ἑλληνισταί / Ἑβραῖοι | The Church as Community | Low | 6 | — |
| God does not dwell in hand-made houses | oPhezukonke kahlali ezindlini ezakhiwe ngezandla | οὐκ ἐν χειροποιήτοις κατοικεῖ | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | Medium | 7 | — |
| Son of Man | iNdodana yoMuntu | ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου | Sonship of Christ | Critical | 7 | Must be taught alongside “iNdodana kaNkulunkulu” as another exalted divine title |
| Sorcery / Magic | ubuthakathi | μαγεία | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | Critical | 8, 13, 19 | Highly loaded Ndebele witchcraft term; must precisely target manipulative, self-serving spiritual power-seeking, not indiscriminately condemn traditional healing (izinyanga) |
| Sorcerer / Magician (person) | umlumbi / umthakathi | μάγος | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | Critical | 8, 13 | See sorcery rationale above |
| Simony (buying the Spirit’s power) | ukuthenga isipho sikaNkulunkulu ngemali | ἀργύριον…ἵνα λάβω τὸ πνεῦμα | Grace | High | 8 | The Spirit’s gift cannot be bought, reinforcing umusa as unmerited |
| Laying on of hands | ukubekwa kwezandla | ἐπίθεσις τῶν χειρῶν | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | High | 6, 8, 9, 13, 19 | Distinguish from touch-based healing gestures of izinyanga |
| Persecute | ukuzingela / ukuhlukuluza | διώκειν | Persecution and Bold Witness / Conversion of Paul | Medium | 9 | — |
| The Way | iNdlela | ἡ ὁδός | The Church as Community / Conversion of Paul | Medium-High | 9, 19, 22, 24 | Must be capitalized/contextualized as a proper title, not conflated with generic “traditional way/custom” |
| Vision | umbono | ὅραμα | Conversion of Paul | Medium-High | 9, 10, 16, 18, 26 | Anchor as originating directly from Christ/Spirit, requiring no diviner-interpreter |
| Chosen instrument | isitsha esikhethiweyo | σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς | God’s Calling and Election / Conversion of Paul | High | 9 | — |
| God-fearer | okwesaba uNkulunkulu | φοβούμενος τὸν θεόν | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | Low-Medium | 10, 13 | — |
| Unclean / common (ritual) | okungcolileyo / okungahlambulukanga | κοινός | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | High | 10, 11 | Ndebele traditional religion has its own strong ritual-purity/taboo logic; God himself redefines purity around the gospel |
| God shows no partiality | uNkulunkulu kakhethi buso | οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολήμπτης ὁ θεός | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | Medium-High | 10 | — |
| Christian | umKristu / amaKristu | Χριστιανός | The Church as Community | Medium | 11, 26 | Identity rooted specifically in allegiance to Christ, not a generic religious label |
| Angel (of the Lord) | ingilosi (yeNkosi) | ἄγγελος | Sovereignty of God | Medium | 1, 5, 8, 10, 12, 23, 27 | Distinct created heavenly being sent by God directly; not a deceased human’s spirit (amadlozi) |
| Idols / worthless things | izithombe | εἴδωλα | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | High | 7, 14, 15, 17, 19 | False-god images condemned by Scripture; underlying issue (worship misdirected, including toward spiritual intermediaries) is directly relevant to Ndebele context |
| The living God who made heaven and earth | uNkulunkulu ophilayo owenza izulu lomhlaba | τὸν θεὸν τὸν ζῶντα…ὃς ἐποίησεν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν | Sovereignty of God | Critical | 14 | — |
| Elders (church office) | abadala | πρεσβύτεροι | The Church as Community | Medium-High | 11, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21 | ”Abadala” also names customary clan/community elders with traditional ritual authority; church eldership must be framed as a distinct, Spirit-appointed spiritual office |
| Circumcision | ukusoka | περιτομή | Justification apart from the Law | High | 7, 15, 16, 21 | The specific Jewish covenant sign under debate; not to be conflated with any Ndebele rite of passage |
| Spirit of divination (python spirit) | umoya wokubhula | πνεῦμα πύθωνα | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | Critical | 16 | Direct collision with izangoma’s divination practice (ukubhula); Christ’s authority decisively expels it — absolute victory, not negotiation between powers |
| Household (baptism) | indlu | οἶκος | The Church as Community | Low | 10, 16, 18 | Positive resonance with Ndebele extended-family (umuzi) structures |
| What must I do to be saved? | kufanele ngenzeni ukuthi ngisindiswe? | τί με δεῖ ποιεῖν ἵνα σωθῶ | Salvation | Critical | 16 | Clearest short-form gospel presentation in Acts |
| Unknown god | unkulunkulu ongaziwayo | ἀγνώστῳ θεῷ | Sovereignty of God | Critical | 17 | Speaks precisely to the Ndebele risk of God perceived as remote; Paul’s speech must be used AGAINST this framing, proclaiming God’s nearness through Christ |
| In him we live and move and have our being | kuye siyaphila, siyanyakaza, siyakhona | ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν | Sovereignty of God | High | 17 | God’s immediate presence, not confined to shrines or mediated by other spirits |
| Baptism of John (distinguished) | ubhabhathizo lukaJohane | τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου | Repentance and Baptism | Critical | 18, 19 | Must be distinguished from complete Christian baptism in Jesus’s name with the Spirit |
| Evil / unclean spirit (demon) | umoya omubi / umoya ongcolileyo | πνεῦμα πονηρόν / ἀκάθαρτον | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | Critical | 19 | Distinct hostile category; must not be conflated with amadlozi (ancestral spirits), generally regarded as neutral or benevolent in traditional belief |
| Exorcists | abakhipha imimoya emibi | ἐξορκισταί | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | High | 19 | Spiritual authority belongs to Christ; not a borrowable technique/formula |
| Magic books (burned) | izincwadi zemilingo | βίβλους τῶν περιέργων | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | Critical | 19 | Continuous with ubuthakathi term-field |
| Goddess Artemis of the Ephesians | inkosikazi u-Athemi wamaEfesu / isithombe sikankulunkulukazi u-Athemi | ἡ θεὰ Ἄρτεμις Ἐφεσίων | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | High | 19 | Gospel confronts entrenched religious-economic systems directly |
| Whole counsel of God | icebo lonke likaNkulunkulu | πᾶσαν τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ | Authority of Scripture | Medium-High | 20 | Complete apostolic teaching, not truncated or syncretized |
| Overseers, shepherd the church | ababonisi / ukwelusa ibandla | ἐπίσκοποι / ποιμαίνειν | The Church as Community | Medium | 20 | Pastoral-care emphasis of the elders’ office (see abadala above) |
| Purification rites | ukuhlanjululwa | ἁγνισμός | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | Medium | 21 | Distinguish from traditional ritual cleansing for ancestral-taboo breach; a temporary Jewish custom, not a salvation requirement |
| Vow | isifungo | εὐχή | Christian Encouragement | Low-Medium | 2, 21 | Voluntary devotional act, not a bargaining ritual with a spiritual power |
| Roman citizen | isakhamuzi saseRoma | πολίτης Ῥωμαῖος | The Great Commission Fulfilled | Low | 22 | Civil-legal detail |
| Sect | iqembu | αἵρεσις | The Church as Community | Medium | 24, 28 | Must not imply the gospel is merely one optional religious faction among others |
| Judgment to come | ukwahlulela okuzayo | κρίμα τὸ μέλλον | Authority of Scripture | Medium | 24 | — |
| Appeal to Caesar | ukudlulisela kuKesari | Καίσαρα ἐπικαλοῦμαι | The Great Commission Fulfilled | Low | 25 | Quietly reinforces God’s providence working through ordinary legal process |
| Turn from darkness to light, from Satan’s power to God | ukususa emnyameni kuye ekukhanyeni, lokususa emandleni kaSathane kuye kuNkulunkulu | ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς…τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ Σατανᾶ ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν | Conversion of Paul / The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | Critical | 26 | The most compact whole-gospel summary sentence in Acts |
| Satan | uSathane | Σατανᾶς | Conversion of Paul | Critical | 26 | Must be one specific, personal, already-defeated enemy — not a class of malevolent forces to be individually placated per traditional cosmology |
| Preaching the kingdom boldly, unhindered | etshumayela umbuso kaNkulunkulu ngesibindi sonke, engavinjelwa muntu | κηρύσσων τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ…μετὰ πάσης παρρησίας ἀκωλύτως | The Great Commission Fulfilled | Medium-High | 28 | Triumphant, deliberately open-ended fulfillment of Acts 1:8 |
Risk Tier Summary (New Terms Only)
| Risk Tier | Count | Review Routing (per baseline convention) |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | 15 | Human theologian |
| High | 15 | Human theologian |
| Medium-High / Medium | 20 | Native speaker review (Medium-High items should default to theologian review given ambiguity) |
| Low / Low-Medium | 9 | Automated / native speaker spot-check |
Total new terms cataloged: 59, in addition to the 34 baseline terms confirmed reused exactly. This glossary, together with 07_semantic_analysis.md, provides the complete term inventory for Phase 1 Step 2 (doctrine risk registry) and Phase 2 translation memory expansion for the Acts curriculum in Ndebele.
Critical Risk Terms
Righteousness
Approved rendering: ukulunga
Transliteration: ukulunga
Doctrine: Righteousness of God
Original: δικαιοσύνη
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Must convey right standing before uNkulunkulu through Christ, not merely good moral or social conduct. Reused in Acts 13:38-39, 17:31, and 24:25 (Paul before Felix).
Justification
Approved rendering: ukulungisiswa
Transliteration: ukulungisiswa
Doctrine: Justification by Faith
Original: δικαίωσις / δικαιοῦται
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Being made/declared righteous; must be kept distinct from general moral improvement. Acts 13:38-39 is the explicit non-Romans/Galatians occurrence of this doctrine and must retain the same forensic, credited-not-earned sense.
Salvation
Approved rendering: usindiso
Transliteration: usindiso
Doctrine: Salvation
Original: σωτηρία
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Must not be reduced to physical rescue or protection from misfortune sought through ancestral favor; this is reconciliation with uNkulunkulu through Christ. Central to Acts 2:21,40; 4:12; 16:30-31.
Resurrection
Approved rendering: ukuvuka kwabafileyo
Transliteration: ukuvuka kwabafileyo
Doctrine: Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Original: ἀνάστασις
Category: Eschatology
Inherited from Romans package. Bodily, historical, once-for-all rising; must not be conflated with a deceased person joining the amadlozi. Central to Acts 2:24-32, 4:33; tested directly by Sadducee denial (Acts 23:6-8) and the mixed Areopagus reception (Acts 17:31-32).
Lord
Approved rendering: iNkosi
Transliteration: iNkosi
Doctrine: Lordship of Jesus Christ
Original: κύριος
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. Must convey exclusive, supreme lordship, exceeding the historical royal title of the Ndebele kings. Acts 2:36’s climactic declaration (‘Lord and Christ’) is the Pentecost sermon’s doctrinal peak.
Son Of God
Approved rendering: iNdodana kaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: iNdodana kaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Original: υἱὸς θεοῦ
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. Christ’s unique, eternal, co-equal divine sonship. Reused at Acts 9:20; must be taught alongside the Servant/Son-of-Man titles introduced in Acts 3 and 7 without diminishing this one.
Messiah
Approved rendering: uMesiya
Transliteration: uMesiya
Doctrine: Lordship of Jesus Christ
Original: Χριστός / מָשִׁיחַ
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. ‘uKristu’ used interchangeably. Acts 2:36’s ‘Lord and Christ’ (iNkosi loKristu) is the Pentecost sermon’s doctrinal climax.
Intercession
Approved rendering: ukuncengela
Transliteration: ukuncengela
Doctrine: Prayer
Original: ὑπερεντυγχάνει / ἔντευξις
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. In Acts 12, the church’s earnest prayer for Peter’s release illustrates believers interceding for one another — distinct from, and never competing with, Christ’s own unique mediatorship; teaching must not let this be confused with ancestral intermediation.
Jesus
Approved rendering: uJesu
Transliteration: uJesu
Doctrine: Lordship of Jesus Christ
Original: Ἰησοῦς / יֵשׁוּעַ
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. Standard, well-established Nguni Bible transliteration; used throughout Acts 1-28.
God
Approved rendering: uNkulunkulu
Transliteration: uNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Original: θεός / אֱלֹהִים / יהוה
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Acts repeatedly stresses direct divine nearness (Acts 17:27-28) against the traditional risk of uNkulunkulu being regarded as remote and reached only through amadlozi.
Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: uMoya oNgcwele
Transliteration: uMoya oNgcwele
Doctrine: Spiritual Gifting
Original: πνεῦμα ἅγιον
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. The third Person of the Trinity, personal and divine, and the central actor of the entire book of Acts; must not be conflated with amadlozi or a possessing spirit associated with a diviner.
Imputed Righteousness
Approved rendering: ukubalelwa ukulunga
Transliteration: ukubalelwa ukulunga
Doctrine: Justification by Faith
Original: ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Righteousness credited by faith, not earned; same forensic principle explicitly proclaimed in Acts 13:38-39.
Call On The Name Of The Lord
Approved rendering: ukubiza ibizo leNkosi
Transliteration: ukubiza ibizo leNkosi
Doctrine: Christ as Sole Mediator
Original: ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου
Category: Christology
The salvation formula of Acts (2:21; 9:14; 22:16). Traditional Ndebele religion’s normal pattern is that uNkulunkulu is invoked through an idlozi intermediary, not addressed directly; this phrase must be rendered so that ‘calling on the Lord’s name’ is unmistakably direct, unmediated address to God through Jesus, with no ancestral or other intermediary required.
Repentance
Approved rendering: ukuphenduka
Transliteration: ukuphenduka
Doctrine: Repentance and Baptism
Original: μετάνοια / μετανοέω
Category: Salvation
Imperative form ‘phendukani.’ A total reorientation of mind and life toward God through Christ (Acts 2:38; 3; 5; 11:18; 17:30; 19; 20; 26:20). Must be sharply distinguished from ritual appeasement of aggrieved amadlozi, a normal traditional response to affliction believed caused by ancestral displeasure.
Baptism
Approved rendering: ubhabhathizo
Transliteration: ubhabhathizo
Doctrine: Repentance and Baptism
Original: βάπτισμα / βαπτίζω
Category: Salvation
Verb form ‘ukubhabhathizwa.’ The public, once-for-all water rite of initiation in Jesus’s name (Acts 1:5; 2:38, 41; 8:36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:31-33; 18:8; 19:1-5). Must be distinguished from traditional ritual water-cleansing performed to purify a person from ancestral displeasure or bad fortune.
No Other Name
Approved rendering: akulabo abanye abangasisindisa ngaphandle kwaye
Transliteration: akulabo abanye abangasisindisa ngaphandle kwaye
Doctrine: Christ as Sole Mediator
Original: οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἄλλῳ οὐδενὶ ἡ σωτηρία
Category: Christology
Peter’s absolute exclusivity claim (Acts 4:12): salvation exists in no name but Jesus’s. This is the doctrinal capstone verse against religious pluralism and mediated access of every kind, ancestral or otherwise; must be rendered with unmistakable exclusivity.
Lied To The Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: ukuqamba amanga kuMoya oNgcwele
Transliteration: ukuqamba amanga kuMoya oNgcwele
Doctrine: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Original: ψεύσασθαί σε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον
Category: God
Ananias’s deception of the Holy Spirit himself (Acts 5:3-4). Direct evidence text for the Spirit’s full personhood and deity; reinforces that uMoya oNgcwele is God himself, not a lesser, impersonal, or ancestor-like spirit that could be more casually offended or manipulated.
Son Of Man
Approved rendering: iNdodana yoMuntu
Transliteration: iNdodana yoMuntu
Doctrine: Sonship and Deity of Christ
Original: ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου
Category: Christology
Daniel 7’s exalted, divine-authority figure; Stephen’s dying vision of Christ at God’s right hand (Acts 7:56). Must be taught alongside ‘iNdodana kaNkulunkulu’ as another exalted, divine title, not read as merely emphasizing Christ’s humanity at the expense of his deity.
Sorcery Magic
Approved rendering: ubuthakathi
Transliteration: ubuthakathi
Doctrine: Confrontation with Occult and Spiritual Powers
Original: μαγεία / μαγεύων
Category: Occult and Spiritual Powers
Occult, manipulative spiritual power exemplified by Simon Magus (Acts 8) and Elymas (Acts 13). Among the most emotionally and socially loaded words in Ndebele culture, traditionally feared and sometimes violently punished. Teaching must precisely target manipulative, self-serving pursuit of spiritual power for status/profit, without indiscriminately conflating this with traditional healing (izinyanga) broadly.
Sorcerer Magician
Approved rendering: umlumbi / umthakathi
Transliteration: umlumbi / umthakathi
Doctrine: Confrontation with Occult and Spiritual Powers
Original: μάγος
Category: Occult and Spiritual Powers
A practitioner of occult arts opposing the gospel (Simon, Acts 8; Elymas, Acts 13). Carries the same weight and precision requirements as ubuthakathi; must be applied only to the specific persons and practices Scripture names.
Living God Creator
Approved rendering: uNkulunkulu ophilayo owenza izulu lomhlaba
Transliteration: uNkulunkulu ophilayo owenza izulu lomhlaba
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Original: τὸν θεὸν τὸν ζῶντα…ὃς ἐποίησεν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν
Category: God
God identified as the living Creator, in direct polemical contrast to idol worship (Acts 14:15). Compound use of the Critical baseline term uNkulunkulu with creator emphasis; must retain full force as the sole living God confronting all rival claimants, including idols and mediating spirits.
Spirit Of Divination
Approved rendering: umoya wokubhula
Transliteration: umoya wokubhula
Doctrine: Confrontation with Occult and Spiritual Powers
Original: πνεῦμα πύθωνα
Category: Occult and Spiritual Powers
An oracular, fortune-telling spirit empowering a slave girl’s predictions, cast out by Paul in Jesus’s name (Acts 16:16-18). ‘Ukubhula’ is the precise Ndebele verb for the divination practiced by izangoma; this narrative must be taught as Christ’s authority definitively overpowering and expelling the very kind of spirit that empowers traditional divination — absolute victory, not one spiritual power negotiating with another.
What Must I Do To Be Saved
Approved rendering: kufanele ngenzeni ukuthi ngisindiswe?
Transliteration: kufanele ngenzeni ukuthi ngisindiswe?
Doctrine: Salvation
Original: τί με δεῖ ποιεῖν ἵνα σωθῶ
Category: Salvation
The Philippian jailer’s urgent question, answered simply ‘believe in the Lord Jesus’ (Acts 16:30-31). The clearest short-form gospel presentation in Acts; must preserve usindiso’s full reconciliation-with-God sense, and the answer must exclude any additional ritual or mediating requirement.
Unknown God
Approved rendering: unkulunkulu ongaziwayo
Transliteration: unkulunkulu ongaziwayo
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Original: ἀγνώστῳ θεῷ
Category: God
The Athenians’ altar inscription, used by Paul as a bridge to proclaim the true God (Acts 17:23). This speaks with unusual precision to the Ndebele context, where uNkulunkulu is traditionally regarded as remote; teaching must use Paul’s speech AGAINST this framing, proclaiming that God is not distant or unknowable but desires to be known directly through Christ.
Baptism Of John
Approved rendering: ubhabhathizo lukaJohane
Transliteration: ubhabhathizo lukaJohane
Doctrine: Repentance and Baptism
Original: τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου
Category: Salvation
John’s preparatory, repentance-only baptism, incomplete without Christ and the Spirit (Acts 18:25; 19:3-5). Must be distinguished from complete Christian baptism in Jesus’s name accompanied by the gift of the Spirit.
Evil Unclean Spirit
Approved rendering: umoya omubi / umoya ongcolileyo
Transliteration: umoya omubi / umoya ongcolileyo
Doctrine: Confrontation with Occult and Spiritual Powers
Original: πνεῦμα πονηρόν / ἀκάθαρτον
Category: Occult and Spiritual Powers
A malevolent, non-divine spiritual being causing harm or possession, decisively defeated by the gospel’s power (Acts 19:12-16). Must be taught as a distinct biblical category (a hostile, non-human spiritual being) and NOT conflated with amadlozi, which traditional religion regards as usually benevolent or neutral rather than inherently evil.
Magic Books
Approved rendering: izincwadi zemilingo
Transliteration: izincwadi zemilingo
Doctrine: Confrontation with Occult and Spiritual Powers
Original: τῶν τὰ περίεργα πραξάντων…τὰς βίβλους
Category: Occult and Spiritual Powers
Occult manuals/charms publicly and costly burned by new believers at Ephesus (Acts 19:19). Continuous with the ubuthakathi/sorcery term-field; models a decisive, costly public break with occult practice upon conversion.
Turn From Darkness To Light
Approved rendering: ukususa emnyameni kuye ekukhanyeni, lokususa emandleni kaSathane kuye kuNkulunkulu
Transliteration: ukususa emnyameni kuye ekukhanyeni, lokususa emandleni kaSathane kuye kuNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Conversion of Paul
Original: ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς καὶ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ Σατανᾶ ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν
Category: Salvation
The Damascus-road commissioning’s summary of the whole gospel mission (Acts 26:18). The single most compact whole-gospel-summary sentence in Acts; must render the total, decisive transfer of allegiance and authority without softening either pole.
Satan
Approved rendering: uSathane
Transliteration: uSathane
Doctrine: Conversion of Paul
Original: Σατανᾶς
Category: Occult and Spiritual Powers
The singular, personal, chief spiritual enemy, already defeated in Christ (Acts 26:18). Ndebele traditional cosmology recognizes various categories of malevolent spiritual forces typically countered through ritual protection or appeasement; uSathane must be taught as a single, personal, already-defeated enemy over whom Christ has decisive authority, not one more force among many requiring ongoing ritual management.
Lord And Christ
Approved rendering: iNkosi loKristu
Transliteration: iNkosi loKristu
Doctrine: Lordship of Jesus Christ
The Pentecost sermon’s climactic double title (Acts 2:36): God has installed Jesus in both supreme offices. Must retain full force; ‘iNkosi’ here must exceed any historical Ndebele royal-title association.
High Risk Terms
Gospel
Approved rendering: ivangeli
Transliteration: ivangeli
Doctrine: Gospel
Original: εὐαγγέλιον
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Standard Nguni loanword, consistent with Zulu Bible usage. In Acts, recurs at 8:25 (Samaria), 14:7 (Lystra), 15:7 (Jerusalem Council), 20:24 (Paul’s farewell).
Grace
Approved rendering: umusa
Transliteration: umusa
Doctrine: Grace
Original: χάρις
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Well-established Nguni Bible term for unmerited favor. Must not be softened into general kindness owed in social reciprocity, or treated as a reward for correctly honoring the ancestors. Acts 8’s Simon Magus episode (simony) illustrates this doctrine by direct negative example: the Spirit’s gift cannot be bought.
Faith
Approved rendering: ukholo
Transliteration: ukholo
Doctrine: Faith
Original: πίστις
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Standard term for belief/trust; context must anchor the object of ukholo specifically to Christ. Recurs throughout Acts, notably 3:16, 11:24, 13:8, 14:9, 16:31, 26:18.
Called
Approved rendering: obiziweyo
Transliteration: obiziweyo
Doctrine: Calling of God
Original: κλητός
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Must convey God’s own sovereign summons, not an ancestral spirit’s call to mediumship. Relevant to Acts 2:39.
Calling
Approved rendering: ubizo
Transliteration: ubizo
Doctrine: Calling of God
Original: κλῆσις
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Noun form of ‘called’; same distinction from a spirit’s call to mediumship applies.
Holy
Approved rendering: -ngcwele
Transliteration: ngcwele
Doctrine: Sanctification
Original: ἅγιος
Category: Sanctification
Inherited from Romans package. Standard adjective root for set-apart purity before uNkulunkulu; distinguish from ritual purity required before approaching ancestral spirits. Reused in Acts 3:14 (‘the Holy and Righteous One’) and 9:13 (saints).
Saints
Approved rendering: abangcwele
Transliteration: abangcwele
Doctrine: The Church as Believers in Christ
Original: ἅγιοι
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. All believers, not a small class of especially holy or ancestor-like figures. Appears in Acts 9:13, 32, 41; 26:10.
Law
Approved rendering: umthetho
Transliteration: umthetho
Doctrine: Righteousness of God
Original: νόμος
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. The Mosaic Law; must not be rendered with a term for customary law or ancestral taboo. Central to Acts 6-7, 13, 15, 18, 21-25’s law/circumcision debates.
Sin
Approved rendering: isono
Transliteration: isono
Doctrine: Humanity’s Sinfulness
Original: ἁμαρτία
Category: Sin
Inherited from Romans package. Moral transgression before a personal God; distinguish from ritual impurity or an offense against the ancestors requiring appeasement. Recurs Acts 2:38, 3:19, 5:1-11 (Ananias/Sapphira), 22:16, 26:18.
Glory
Approved rendering: udumo
Transliteration: udumo
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Rejected alternatives: inkazimulo
Original: δόξα
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. ‘Udumo’ preferred for its stronger established Nguni Bible use. Herod’s failure to give glory to God (Acts 12:23) shows judgment on self-exaltation that displaces it.
Power Of God
Approved rendering: amandla kaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: amandla kaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: God’s Saving Power
Original: δύναμις θεοῦ
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. God’s power specifically for salvation and authenticating the gospel through apostolic miracles; keep distinct from spiritual power traditionally associated with izinyanga and izangoma.
Prophet
Approved rendering: umphrofethi
Transliteration: umphrofethi
Doctrine: Authority of Scripture
Rejected alternatives: isangoma
Original: προφήτης
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Must be sharply distinguished from isangoma (diviner) or inyanga (traditional healer). Recurs Acts 2:16-18 (Joel), 3:18-24, 7 (Moses/prophets), 11:27, 13:1, 15:32, 21:10 (Agabus).
Covenant
Approved rendering: isivumelwano
Transliteration: isivumelwano
Doctrine: God’s Calling and Election
Original: διαθήκη
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. A binding, relational agreement. Referenced in Stephen’s speech (Acts 7) regarding the covenant of circumcision.
Election
Approved rendering: ukukhethwa
Transliteration: ukukhethwa
Doctrine: God’s Calling and Election
Original: ἐκλογή
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. God’s sovereign, personal choice; must not be rendered with a term implying fate or destiny assigned impersonally by ancestral forces. Central to Acts 1:24-26, 9:15, 13:48, 22, 26.
Providence
Approved rendering: ukunakekela kukaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: ukunakekela kukaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Original: πρόνοια
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. God’s personal, purposive governance of all things; evident throughout the Areopagus speech (Acts 17) and the shipwreck narrative (Acts 27), and quietly present in Paul’s appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:11).
Father
Approved rendering: uBaba
Transliteration: uBaba
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Original: πατήρ
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. God as personal Father; referenced in Acts 1:4, 7 and 2:33. Must remain anchored to the specific Father-Son relationship, not a generic ancestral-elder figure.
Filled With The Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: ukugcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele
Transliteration: ukugcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele
Doctrine: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Original: ἐπλήσθησαν πνεύματος ἁγίου
Category: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Sudden, complete empowerment by the Holy Spirit’s personal indwelling presence (Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 9:17; 13:9). Must never be rendered with vocabulary describing a spirit-medium being ‘mounted’ or possessed by an idlozi; this is the personal, divine Holy Spirit indwelling a willing believer.
Pour Out The Spirit
Approved rendering: ukuthululwa koMoya
Transliteration: ukuthululwa koMoya
Doctrine: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Original: ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου
Category: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
God’s own sovereign, abundant bestowal of his Spirit (Acts 2:17-18, quoting Joel; Acts 10:45). Must not suggest a spirit ‘coming upon’ or ‘mounting’ a person as amadlozi are traditionally described doing through a medium.
Signs And Wonders
Approved rendering: izibonakaliso lezimangaliso
Transliteration: izibonakaliso lezimangaliso
Doctrine: Apostolic Authority and Miracles
Original: δυνάμεσι καὶ τέρασι καὶ σημείοις / σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα
Category: Church
Miraculous divine acts authenticating apostolic ministry (Acts 2:43; 4:30; 5:12; 6:8; 14:3; 15:12). Must be kept sharply distinct from wonder-working popularly attributed to izinyanga and izangoma.
Gods Determined Plan And Foreknowledge
Approved rendering: icebo likaNkulunkulu elimisiweyo lokwazi kwakhe ngaphambili
Transliteration: icebo likaNkulunkulu elimisiweyo lokwazi kwakhe ngaphambili
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Original: ὡρισμένῃ βουλῇ καὶ προγνώσει τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: God
God’s sovereign, pre-ordained purpose governing even Christ’s death (Acts 2:23). Must convey personal, purposive divine intention, not impersonal fate or ancestrally-attributed destiny.
Patriarch
Approved rendering: ukhokho
Transliteration: ukhokho
Doctrine: Christ as Sole Mediator
Original: πατριάρχης
Category: Covenant
David honored as revered forefather (Acts 2:29). ‘Ukhokho’ is the ordinary Ndebele word for a venerated ancestor, the very category (amadlozi) central to the traditional mediated-access system; David must be honored as a historical figure whose prophetic words point to Christ, never treated as a continuing spiritual intermediary.
Forgiveness Of Sins
Approved rendering: ukuthethelelwa kwezono
Transliteration: ukuthethelelwa kwezono
Doctrine: Repentance and Baptism
Original: ἄφεσις τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν
Category: Salvation
The judicial cancellation of sin’s guilt (Acts 2:38; 5:31; 10:43; 13:38; 26:18). Connects directly to justification doctrine; must retain a forensic, once-for-all cancellation sense, not merely felt relief or ritual absolution.
Gift Of The Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: isipho soMoya oNgcwele
Transliteration: isipho soMoya oNgcwele
Doctrine: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Original: δωρεὰ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος
Category: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
The Holy Spirit himself given as God’s free gift (Acts 2:38; 8:20; 10:45; 11:17). Must not be confused with ‘izipho zoMoya’ (spiritual gifts/abilities); here the ‘gift’ IS the person of the Spirit, never purchasable (cf. Simon Magus, Acts 8).
Witness
Approved rendering: umfakazi
Transliteration: umfakazi
Doctrine: Persecution and Bold Witness
Original: μάρτυς / μαρτυρία
Category: Church
Noun ‘ubufakazi’ for testimony. One who testifies from firsthand experience to the resurrection; the apostles’ controlling mandate (Acts 1:8, and throughout). Must remain truthful, evidentiary testimony to a historical event, not comparable to a diviner’s claimed spiritual insight.
Servant Title
Approved rendering: inceku (kaNkulunkulu)
Transliteration: inceku (kaNkulunkulu)
Doctrine: Sonship and Deity of Christ
Original: παῖς (θεοῦ)
Category: Christology
The Isaianic ‘Servant of God’ title applied to Jesus (Acts 3:13, 26). ‘Inceku’ is ordinary vocabulary for a household servant; must always appear alongside, not instead of, the higher Christological titles (iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, iNkosi).
Holy And Righteous One
Approved rendering: oNgcwele loLungileyo
Transliteration: oNgcwele loLungileyo
Doctrine: Sonship and Deity of Christ
Original: τὸν ἅγιον καὶ δίκαιον
Category: Christology
A title contrasting Christ’s innocence with the crowd’s choice of Barabbas (Acts 3:14). Compound of two independently High-risk baseline roots (-ngcwele, ukulunga); both connotations must be preserved together.
Author Of Life
Approved rendering: uMsunguli wokuphila
Transliteration: uMsunguli wokuphila
Doctrine: Sonship and Deity of Christ
Original: ἀρχηγὸν τῆς ζωῆς
Category: Christology
Christ as the sole founder/source of resurrection life (Acts 3:15). ‘Umsunguli’ (founder, e.g. of a clan or homestead) risks resonance with a lineage-founding ancestor from whom amadlozi descend; must be taught as the divine, directly-accessible source of life itself, not a founding-ancestor mediator.
Simony
Approved rendering: ukuthenga isipho sikaNkulunkulu ngemali
Transliteration: ukuthenga isipho sikaNkulunkulu ngemali
Doctrine: Grace
Original: ἀργύριον…ἵνα…λάβω τὸ πνεῦμα
Category: Salvation
Simon Magus’s attempt to purchase the Spirit’s power with money (Acts 8:18-19). Reinforces that the Spirit’s gift cannot be bought, earned, or transacted, directly illustrating umusa as unmerited.
Laying On Of Hands
Approved rendering: ukubekwa kwezandla
Transliteration: ukubekwa kwezandla
Doctrine: Apostolic Authority and Miracles
Original: ἐπίθεσις τῶν χειρῶν
Category: Church
The apostolic gesture accompanying impartation of the Spirit, commissioning, or healing (Acts 6, 8, 9, 13, 19). The physical gesture of touch closely resembles gestures used by izinyanga in traditional healing rites; teaching must make clear the power at work is God’s Spirit given through apostolic ministry, not a transferable personal or inherited spiritual force.
The Way
Approved rendering: iNdlela
Transliteration: iNdlela
Doctrine: The Church as Community
Original: ἡ ὁδός
Category: Church
Early self-designation of the Christian movement (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14). ‘Indlela’ is ordinary vocabulary for a path or customary way of doing things; must be capitalized/contextualized clearly as a proper title, not conflated with ‘traditional way/custom.‘
Vision
Approved rendering: umbono
Transliteration: umbono
Doctrine: Conversion of Paul
Original: ὅραμα
Category: Salvation
Direct divine revelatory experience given to Saul, Ananias, Cornelius, Peter, and Paul (Acts 9, 10, 16, 18, 26). Visions are also a significant traditionally diviner-mediated category; must be anchored as originating directly from Christ/the Spirit, requiring no diviner-interpreter.
Chosen Instrument
Approved rendering: isitsha esikhethiweyo
Transliteration: isitsha esikhethiweyo
Doctrine: God’s Calling and Election
Original: σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς
Category: Salvation
God’s sovereign designation of Paul as his chosen vessel for the Gentile mission (Acts 9:15). Reinforces baseline ‘ukukhethwa’ as God’s own personal, purposive choice, not impersonal fate.
Unclean Common
Approved rendering: okungcolileyo / okungahlambulukanga
Transliteration: okungcolileyo / okungahlambulukanga
Doctrine: Ritual Purity and Gentile Inclusion
Original: κοινός
Category: Church
Ritually ‘common’/defiled under Jewish purity law, abolished by God’s declaration (Acts 10:15; 11:9). Ndebele traditional religion has its own strong ritual-purity/taboo logic; this must be taught as God himself redefining purity around the gospel, not merely relaxing one culture’s taboos in favor of another’s.
Idols
Approved rendering: izithombe
Transliteration: izithombe
Doctrine: The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles
Original: εἴδωλα / μάταια
Category: Church
False gods, images, and the futile devotion given them, rejected at Lystra and Athens (Acts 14:15; 17:16, 29). While Ndebele traditional religion is not primarily idol-image-centered, the underlying issue — worship directed anywhere but to uNkulunkulu, including toward amadlozi or spiritual intermediaries — is directly relevant and must not be softened.
Elders
Approved rendering: abadala
Transliteration: abadala
Doctrine: The Church as Community
Original: πρεσβύτεροι
Category: Church
Appointed spiritual overseers of each local congregation (Acts 11:30; 14:23; 15:2; 20:17). ‘Abadala’ also names customary clan/community elders with real traditional ritual authority; church eldership must be clearly framed as a distinct, Spirit-appointed spiritual office concerned with gospel teaching and pastoral care, not a customary chieftaincy-adjacent role.
Circumcision
Approved rendering: ukusoka
Transliteration: ukusoka
Doctrine: Justification apart from the Law
Original: περιτομή
Category: Covenant
The Mosaic covenant sign debated at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1-5). Must be clearly framed as the specific Jewish covenant-sign under debate, not conflated with any Ndebele rite of passage; the council’s verdict that it is not required for salvation is essential to this doctrine.
In Him We Live And Move
Approved rendering: kuye siyaphila, siyanyakaza, siyakhona
Transliteration: kuye siyaphila, siyanyakaza, siyakhona
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Original: ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν
Category: God
God’s immediate, sustaining, universal presence (Acts 17:28). Reinforces baseline providence — God’s personal nearness to all people, not confined to shrines or mediated by other spirits.
Exorcists
Approved rendering: abakhipha imimoya emibi
Transliteration: abakhipha imimoya emibi
Doctrine: Confrontation with Occult and Spiritual Powers
Original: ἐξορκισταί
Category: Occult and Spiritual Powers
Itinerant practitioners who fail disastrously invoking Jesus’s name without genuine faith or authority (the sons of Sceva, Acts 19:13-16). Demonstrates that spiritual authority over evil spirits belongs to Christ alone and cannot be borrowed as a formula or technique.
Goddess Artemis
Approved rendering: inkosikazi u-Athemi wamaEfesu
Transliteration: inkosikazi u-Athemi wamaEfesu
Doctrine: The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles
Original: ἡ θεὰ Ἄρτεμις Ἐφεσίων
Category: Church
A major pagan fertility/protector goddess with a famous Ephesian temple and lucrative shrine-trade, whose devotees riot against Paul’s preaching (Acts 19:23-41). Illustrates that gospel proclamation directly confronts established religious systems with real social and economic power.
Exalted Right Hand
Approved rendering: ephakanyiselwe esandleni sokunene sikaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: ephakanyiselwe esandleni sokunene sikaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Sonship and Deity of Christ
Christ’s enthronement in heaven, from which he pours out the Spirit (Acts 2:33). Reinforces direct divine authority requiring no intermediary.
Promise Of The Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: isithembiso soMoya oNgcwele
Transliteration: isithembiso soMoya oNgcwele
Doctrine: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Confirms the Spirit’s outpouring as fulfillment of God’s own word (Acts 2:33), not human achievement.
Medium Risk Terms
Apostle
Approved rendering: umphostoli
Transliteration: umphostoli
Doctrine: Apostleship
Original: ἀπόστολος
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. Standard loanword; the New Testament office of one sent with delegated authority. Central identity term across Acts 1-16 especially.
Peace
Approved rendering: ukuthula
Transliteration: ukuthula
Doctrine: Grace and Peace
Original: εἰρήνη
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Relational peace with God through justification, not merely a settled household or absence of ancestral displeasure. Recurs Acts 9:31, 10:36, 15:33, 24:2.
Church
Approved rendering: ibandla
Transliteration: ibandla
Doctrine: The Church as Believers in Christ
Rejected alternatives: isonto
Original: ἐκκλησία
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. ‘Ibandla’ preferred over ‘isonto’ to keep emphasis on the gathered people. Central term across Acts 2, 5, 8, 9, 11-16, 18-20.
Kingdom Of God
Approved rendering: umbuso kaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: umbuso kaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: The Kingdom of God
Original: βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: Kingdom
Inherited from Romans package. God’s sovereign reign; distinguish from the historical Ndebele kingdom under Mzilikazi and Lobengula. Bookends Acts (1:3; 28:23-31), the content of Paul’s preaching throughout.
Gentiles
Approved rendering: abezizwe
Transliteration: abezizwe
Doctrine: Mission to the Gentiles
Original: ἔθνη
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. Non-Jewish nations/peoples. Central to the Cornelius narrative (Acts 10-11) and the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15).
Prophecy
Approved rendering: isiphrofetho
Transliteration: isiphrofetho
Doctrine: Authority of Scripture
Original: προφητεία
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. God-given declaration of his word; distinct from divination practiced through ancestral consultation. Joel’s citation is fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2:16-18).
Mission
Approved rendering: umsebenzi wokutshumayela
Transliteration: umsebenzi wokutshumayela
Doctrine: Proclamation of the Gospel
Original: ἀποστολή / πέμπω
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. Literally ‘the work of preaching.’ Structures Acts’ entire missionary-journey narrative (chs. 13, 15, 20).
Israel
Approved rendering: uIsrayeli
Transliteration: uIsrayeli
Doctrine: Universal Need for Salvation
Original: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Proper name; the covenant people. Recurs Acts 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13, 21, 28.
Seed Of David
Approved rendering: inzalo kaDavida
Transliteration: inzalo kaDavida
Doctrine: Messianic Promise
Original: σπέρμα Δαυίδ
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Physical descent from David, cited in Paul’s Antioch sermon (Acts 13:23).
Pentecost
Approved rendering: iPhentekoste
Transliteration: iPhentekoste
Doctrine: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Original: Πεντηκοστή
Category: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Transliterated loanword following Nguni Bible convention (cf. ivangeli). Must be taught as a unique, unrepeatable historical event (Acts 2), not an analog to a repeatable seasonal ancestral ceremony.
Other Tongues
Approved rendering: ezinye izilimi
Transliteration: ezinye izilimi
Doctrine: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Original: γλώσσαις ἑτέραις
Category: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Real, previously unlearned human languages miraculously spoken at Pentecost (Acts 2:4) and recurring at Acts 10:46 and 19:6. Must be rendered as actual known human languages in these narrative contexts, not private ecstatic utterance.
Last Days
Approved rendering: izinsuku zokucina
Transliteration: izinsuku zokucina
Doctrine: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Original: ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις
Category: Holy Spirit and Pentecost
The eschatological era inaugurated by the Spirit’s outpouring (Acts 2:17). Must not be flattened into vague future-only prophecy detached from the church age already begun.
Day Of The Lord
Approved rendering: usuku lweNkosi
Transliteration: usuku lweNkosi
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Original: ἡμέρα κυρίου
Category: God
The decisive day of God’s judgment and salvation (Acts 2:20). ‘iNkosi’ here must retain its supreme, exclusive sense, not be read as a chief’s or king’s ceremonial day.
Hades
Approved rendering: iHayidesi
Transliteration: iHayidesi
Doctrine: Eschatology
Original: ᾅδης
Category: Eschatology
The realm of the dead generally (Acts 2:27, 31, quoting Psalm 16), glossed as ‘indawo yabafileyo.’ Must not be rendered in a way suggesting the dead ‘become’ amadlozi in this realm; names simply the temporary state preceding Christ’s bodily resurrection.
Throne
Approved rendering: isihlalo sobukhosi
Transliteration: isihlalo sobukhosi
Doctrine: Messianic Promise
Original: θρόνος
Category: Christology
The Davidic royal seat, applied typologically to Christ’s eternal reign (Acts 2:30). Carries historical Ndebele royal weight; must be taught as Christ’s unique, eternal enthronement, exceeding any earthly throne.
Promise
Approved rendering: isithembiso
Transliteration: isithembiso
Doctrine: Messianic Promise
Original: ἐπαγγελία
Category: Covenant
God’s covenanted pledge (Acts 1:4; 2:33, 39; 7; 13; 26). Ensure consistent use across the Spirit’s promise, the Davidic promise, and the promise ‘to you and your children.‘
Souls Persons
Approved rendering: imiphefumulo
Transliteration: imiphefumulo
Doctrine: The Church as Community
Original: ψυχαί
Category: Church
Individual persons, ‘about three thousand souls’ (Acts 2:41; cf. 7; 27:37). Must be read as ‘persons/individuals,’ not as a claim about discrete spiritual essences separable as traditional belief separates a living person’s spirit from an ancestral one.
Ascension
Approved rendering: ukwenyukela ezulwini
Transliteration: ukwenyukela ezulwini
Doctrine: The Great Commission Fulfilled
Original: ἀνελήμφθη
Category: Christology
Christ’s visible, bodily departure to heaven (Acts 1:9-11). Must not be confused with a deceased ancestor’s spirit ‘ascending’ to join amadlozi; this is the unique, bodily glorification of the risen, still-embodied Christ.
Times Of Refreshing
Approved rendering: izikhathi zokuvuselelwa / ukubuyiselwa kwazo zonke izinto
Transliteration: izikhathi zokuvuselelwa / ukubuyiselwa kwazo zonke izinto
Doctrine: The Great Commission Fulfilled
Original: καιροὶ ἀναψύξεως / ἀποκατάστασις πάντων
Category: Kingdom
Eschatological renewal accompanying Christ’s return, tied to repentance now (Acts 3:19-21). Should be taught in continuity with the repentance doctrine already central to Acts 2:38.
Boldness
Approved rendering: isibindi
Transliteration: isibindi
Doctrine: Persecution and Bold Witness
Original: παρρησία
Category: Church
Confident, unashamed public speech granted by the Spirit under pressure (Acts 4:13, 29, 31; 9:27; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8; 26:26; 28:31). Must be distinguished from mere natural courage.
One Heart And Soul
Approved rendering: inhliziyo yinye lomphefumulo munye
Transliteration: inhliziyo yinye lomphefumulo munye
Doctrine: The Church as Community
Original: καρδία καὶ ψυχὴ μία / ἅπαντα κοινά
Category: Church
Radical communal sharing and unity of purpose among the earliest believers (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35). Sharing must be understood as voluntary and Spirit-motivated, not compulsory redistribution.
Great Fear
Approved rendering: ukwesaba okukhulu
Transliteration: ukwesaba okukhulu
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Original: ἐγένετο φόβος μέγας ἐφ’ ὅλην τὴν ἐκκλησίαν
Category: God
Reverent awe falling on the church after God’s judgment of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:11). Appropriate response to encountering the living God’s holiness directly, not fear of an offended ancestral spirit requiring appeasement.
Serve Tables
Approved rendering: ukukhonza etafuleni
Transliteration: ukukhonza etafuleni
Doctrine: The Church as Community
Original: διακονεῖν τραπέζαις / διακονία
Category: Church
Practical, appointed church service (Acts 6:1-6); office-holders ‘izikhonzi.’ Should be distinguished from ‘ukukhonza’ used for worship of God.
God Does Not Dwell In Hand Made Houses
Approved rendering: oPhezukonke kahlali ezindlini ezakhiwe ngezandla
Transliteration: oPhezukonke kahlali ezindlini ezakhiwe ngezandla
Doctrine: The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles
Original: ὁ ὕψιστος οὐκ ἐν χειροποιήτοις κατοικεῖ
Category: God
Stephen’s critique of localized, temple-bound conceptions of God (Acts 7:48). Background for later idol confrontations; God’s presence is not confined to any single physical structure or shrine.
Persecute
Approved rendering: ukuzingela / ukuhlukuluza
Transliteration: ukuzingela / ukuhlukuluza
Doctrine: Persecution and Bold Witness
Original: διώκειν
Category: Church
Active hostility and pursuit of harm against believers, especially by Saul before his conversion (Acts 9:4). Christ identifies himself directly with his suffering church.
God Shows No Partiality
Approved rendering: uNkulunkulu kakhethi buso
Transliteration: uNkulunkulu kakhethi buso
Doctrine: The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles
Original: οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολήμπτης ὁ θεός
Category: Church
God’s impartial welcome of both Jew and Gentile into salvation (Acts 10:34). Should be taught as active, equal welcome, not mere tolerance.
Christian
Approved rendering: umKristu / amaKristu
Transliteration: umKristu / amaKristu
Doctrine: The Church as Community
Original: Χριστιανοί
Category: Church
The new public identity label coined at Antioch (Acts 11:26). Must be understood as identity rooted specifically in allegiance to Christ, not merely a generic religious-affiliation label.
Angel
Approved rendering: ingilosi (yeNkosi)
Transliteration: ingilosi (yeNkosi)
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Original: ἄγγελος (κυρίου)
Category: God
A created heavenly being sent directly by God (Acts 5:19; 8:26; 10:3; 12:7-11; 27:23). Must be clearly distinguished from amadlozi (ancestral spirits, understood as the spirits of deceased humans); biblical angels are a distinct order of created heavenly beings who were never human.
Whole Counsel Of God
Approved rendering: icebo lonke likaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: icebo lonke likaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Authority of Scripture and Prophecy
Original: πᾶσαν τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: Covenant
The complete, undiluted apostolic teaching Paul claims to have delivered (Acts 20:27). Must convey the fullness of doctrine faithfully taught, not a truncated or syncretized message.
Overseers Shepherd
Approved rendering: ababonisi…ukwelusa ibandla
Transliteration: ababonisi…ukwelusa ibandla
Doctrine: The Church as Community
Original: ἐπισκόπους…ποιμαίνειν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν
Category: Church
Pastoral, protective spiritual oversight entrusted to elders (Acts 20:28). Reinforces ‘elders/abadala’ with a pastoral-care emphasis, protecting against ‘fierce wolves’ (false teachers).
Purification Rites
Approved rendering: ukuhlanjululwa
Transliteration: ukuhlanjululwa
Doctrine: Ritual Purity and Gentile Inclusion
Original: ἁγνισμός
Category: Covenant
Jewish ceremonial purification undertaken before temple entry, observed by Paul for the sake of gospel peace (Acts 21:24-26). Must be distinguished from traditional ritual cleansing performed to remove ancestral displeasure or restore taboo-breach standing; a temporary, culturally-situated Jewish practice, not a salvation requirement.
Sect
Approved rendering: iqembu
Transliteration: iqembu
Doctrine: The Church as Community
Original: αἵρεσις
Category: Church
Outsiders’ dismissive label for ‘the Way’ as merely one Jewish faction among others (Acts 24:5, 14; 28:22). Must not be allowed to imply the gospel is merely one optional religious faction among equally valid others; use only in reported-speech contexts, never in the narrator’s or apostles’ own voice.
Judgment To Come
Approved rendering: ukwahlulela okuzayo
Transliteration: ukwahlulela okuzayo
Doctrine: Authority of Scripture and Prophecy
Original: κρίμα τὸ μέλλον
Category: Covenant
The future divine reckoning Paul preaches before Felix (Acts 24:25). Reinforces accountability before God, connected to righteousness and self-control themes.
Preaching Kingdom Boldly Unhindered
Approved rendering: etshumayela umbuso kaNkulunkulu ngesibindi sonke, engavinjelwa muntu
Transliteration: etshumayela umbuso kaNkulunkulu ngesibindi sonke, engavinjelwa muntu
Doctrine: The Great Commission Fulfilled
Original: κηρύσσων τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ…μετὰ πάσης παρρησίας ἀκωλύτως
Category: Kingdom
Acts’ deliberately open-ended final verse (Acts 28:31). Should be taught as the triumphant, deliberate fulfillment of Acts 1:8’s ‘ends of the earth’ mandate; the ‘unhindered’ clause must be preserved intact.
Low Risk Terms
Thanksgiving
Approved rendering: ukubonga
Transliteration: ukubonga
Doctrine: Christian Encouragement
Original: εὐχαριστία
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Standard, low-ambiguity term. Seen at Acts 27:35 (Paul’s thanksgiving during the shipwreck voyage).
Fellowship
Approved rendering: ubudlelwano
Transliteration: ubudlelwano
Doctrine: Fellowship of Believers
Original: κοινωνία
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. Shared relationship/participation in Christ and with other believers. Foundational to Acts 2:42-47’s description of the earliest church.
David
Approved rendering: uDavida
Transliteration: uDavida
Doctrine: God’s Calling and Election
Original: דָּוִד
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Proper name. King David, through whose royal line the Messiah was promised (Acts 1, 2, 4, 7, 13, 15).
Exhort
Approved rendering: ukukhuthaza
Transliteration: ukukhuthaza
Doctrine: Christian Encouragement
Original: παρακαλέω
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. To encourage or urge; standard term, used across Acts 2, 11, 14, 15, 16, 20, 27.
Lots Casting
Approved rendering: inkatho
Transliteration: inkatho
Doctrine: God’s Calling and Election
Original: κλῆρος
Category: Salvation
The method discerning God’s choice of Matthias (Acts 1:26). Should be distinguished from divination (ukubhula) practiced by izangoma; a one-time apostolic-era practice submitted in prayer to God’s sovereignty, not an ongoing guidance method.
Office Ministry
Approved rendering: isikhundla senkonzo
Transliteration: isikhundla senkonzo
Doctrine: Apostolic Authority and Miracles
Original: ἐπισκοπή
Category: Church
The apostolic office/charge referenced regarding Judas’s replacement (Acts 1:20). Low ambiguity; standard administrative/ministerial vocabulary.
Sanhedrin
Approved rendering: iSanihedrini
Transliteration: iSanihedrini
Doctrine: Persecution and Bold Witness
Rejected alternatives: umkhandlu omkhulu wamaJuda
Original: τὸ συνέδριον
Category: Church
The highest Jewish ruling and judicial council opposing the apostles (Acts 4-6, 22-24). Primarily an institutional proper term; low doctrinal risk.
Hellenists Hebrews
Approved rendering: amaHelenisiti…amaHebheru
Transliteration: amaHelenisiti…amaHebheru
Doctrine: The Church as Community
Original: Ἑλληνισταί…Ἑβραῖοι
Category: Church
Greek-speaking and Aramaic/Hebrew-speaking Jewish subgroups within the early Jerusalem church (Acts 6:1).
God Fearer
Approved rendering: okwesaba uNkulunkulu
Transliteration: okwesaba uNkulunkulu
Doctrine: The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles
Original: φοβούμενος τὸν θεόν
Category: Church
A Gentile devoted to the God of Israel without full proselyte conversion, exemplified by Cornelius (Acts 10:2).
Household Baptism
Approved rendering: indlu
Transliteration: indlu
Doctrine: The Church as Community
Original: οἶκος
Category: Church
The extended household/family unit baptized together (Acts 16:15, 33; 18:8). Positive resonance with Ndebele extended-family (umuzi) structures; low doctrinal risk beyond ensuring the baptism act itself retains its Critical-tier meaning.
Vow
Approved rendering: isifungo
Transliteration: isifungo
Doctrine: Christian Encouragement
Original: εὐχή
Category: Faith
A voluntary Nazirite-style devotional vow undertaken by Paul and companions (Acts 18:18; 21:23). Distinct from a bargaining ritual with a spiritual power.
Roman Citizen
Approved rendering: isakhamuzi saseRoma
Transliteration: isakhamuzi saseRoma
Doctrine: The Great Commission Fulfilled
Original: πολίτης Ῥωμαῖος
Category: Church
Legal Roman citizenship status granting Paul specific civil protections (Acts 22:25-29). Civil-legal detail with low doctrinal freight.
Appeal To Caesar
Approved rendering: ukudlulisela kuKesari
Transliteration: ukudlulisela kuKesari
Doctrine: The Great Commission Fulfilled
Original: Καίσαρα ἐπικαλοῦμαι
Category: Church
Paul’s exercise of a Roman citizen’s legal right of appeal (Acts 25:11). Mainly civil-legal, though it quietly reinforces God’s providence working through ordinary legal processes to advance the gospel to Rome.
Acts Book Title
Approved rendering: ImiSebenzi yabaPhostoli
Transliteration: ImiSebenzi yabaPhostoli
Doctrine: N/A — Book Title Convention
The established Ndebele Bible tradition title for the book of Acts (‘The Works/Deeds of the Apostles’), matching the citation convention set by the baseline package for Romans (KwabaseRoma). All Phase 2 cross-references must use this form, e.g. ‘ImiSebenzi yabaPhostoli 2:38.’
Referenced passages