Semantic Analysis: Ephesians (KwabaseEfesu) — Koine Greek → Ndebele

Methodology and Scope

This document fulfills PRD Phase 1 Step 1: full-book coverage of Ephesians in the original Koine Greek, chapter 1 through chapter 6, with the core passage (Ephesians 2:1-10) given exhaustive verse-by-verse treatment and every other chapter given chapter-level treatment of its load-bearing theological vocabulary.

Baseline compliance: Every term already recorded in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json / bible_term_registry.json is reused exactly as recorded there (e.g., grace = umusa, faith = ukholo, salvation = usindiso, church = ibandla, saints = abangcwele, glory = udumo, election = ukukhethwa, gentiles = abezizwe, holy = -ngcwele, adoption = ukutholwa njengomntwana). This document does not re-derive those terms; it notes where Ephesians reuses them and flags any new nuance Ephesians introduces to an existing term.

New terms: Ephesians introduces a large body of vocabulary not present in Romans (mystery, predestination, redemption, the body/head metaphor, the armor of God, household-code vocabulary, etc.). Each new term below is given: original Greek word, transliteration, literal meaning, semantic range, English variants (as found across major English versions), contextual theological meaning in Ephesians, and its Ndebele rendering with a translation-risk rating and grounded reason.

Risk tiers follow the baseline’s four-tier system: Critical / High / Medium / Low, as defined in doctrine_risk_registry.json.

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PART 1 — CORE PASSAGE: Ephesians 2:1-10 (Verse-by-Verse)

Ephesians 2:1

Greek: καὶ ὑμᾶς ὄντας νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
dead	νεκρούς	nekrous	corpse-like, lifeless	physical death; spiritual deadness; complete unresponsiveness	”dead,” “spiritually dead”	Total spiritual incapacity before God prior to Christ’s intervention — not sickness or weakness, but death.	abafileyo / lifile	High — must not be softened to “sick” or “weak,” which would undercut the totality of the “made alive” contrast in v.5; must also avoid overlap with ukufa language used of a person becoming an idlozi (ancestral spirit) at death.
trespasses	παραπτώμασιν	paraptōmasin	a false step, a fall beside the path	moral lapse, transgression, sin as a specific act	”trespasses,” “transgressions,” “sins”	Concrete acts of wrongdoing that constitute the “deadness” — distinguished from hamartia as ongoing sin-nature.	iziphambeko	Medium — a distinct but overlapping term from isono (sin); risk is collapsing the two into one word and losing Paul’s stacking of “trespasses and sins” for rhetorical weight.
sins	ἁμαρτίαις	hamartiais	missing the mark	moral transgression, sin-nature, sinful acts	”sins”	Reuses the Romans term; here paired with “trespasses” to describe the totality of the unregenerate condition.	isono (TM)	High (per baseline) — must remain moral transgression before a personal God, not ritual impurity or ancestral offense.

Ephesians 2:2

Greek: ἐν αἷς ποτε περιεπατήσατε κατὰ τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, κατὰ τὸν ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ ἀέρος, τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ νῦν ἐνεργοῦντος ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς τῆς ἀπειθείας

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
walked	περιεπατήσατε	periepatēsate	to walk about	lifestyle, habitual conduct, manner of life	”walked,” “lived,” “conducted yourselves”	The governing metaphor for the whole “Walking in Newness of Life” doctrine strand of Ephesians (recurs 4:1, 4:17, 5:2, 5:8, 5:15).	ukuhamba	Medium — must be consistently rendered across the whole book to preserve the “walk” motif as a unifying theological thread, not varied into unrelated synonyms per occurrence.
age of this world	τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου	ton aiōna tou kosmou toutou	the age of this world-order	the present, fallen world-system as opposed to the age to come	”the course of this world,” “the ways of this world”	The present fallen order under hostile spiritual rule, not simply “the world” as physical creation.	isikhathi salumhlaba	Medium — risk of flattening into a purely temporal or geographic sense, losing the moral-spiritual “system” nuance.
ruler	ἄρχοντα	archonta	one who rules first, a chief	prince, ruler, magistrate; here of a spiritual power	”prince,” “ruler”	Satan as the governing spiritual authority “of the power of the air” — first occurrence of the spiritual-powers vocabulary developed fully in ch.6.	umbusi	High — must be clearly identified as a hostile, personal, created spiritual being (linked to udiyabhola), not confused with the amadlozi (ancestral spirits), which Ndebele tradition holds to be benevolent or at least ambivalent intermediaries, not adversarial powers.
sons of disobedience	υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας	huious tēs apeitheias	sons characterized by disobedience	a Hebraic idiom for people defined/ruled by a quality	”sons of disobedience,” “those who are disobedient”	Describes humanity’s former condition under Satan’s dominion, prior to salvation.	abantwana bokungalaleli	Low-Medium — idiomatic Hebraism; must avoid a wooden literal rendering that obscures the meaning of “characterized by.”

Ephesians 2:3

Greek: ἐν οἷς καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἀνεστράφημέν ποτε ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν, ποιοῦντες τὰ θελήματα τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ τῶν διανοιῶν, καὶ ἤμεθα τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
desires/lusts	ἐπιθυμίαις	epithymiais	strong cravings	neutral desire or, usually, disordered/sinful desire	”lusts,” “desires,” “cravings”	Disordered desire of the flesh driving the former way of life.	inkanuko	Medium — standard Nguni term, but must retain moral-negative sense in this context, not neutral “wanting.”
flesh	σαρκός	sarkos	physical body/meat	the physical body; fallen human nature opposed to the Spirit	”flesh,” “sinful nature”	Paul’s technical term for fallen human nature as the seat of sin, distinct from the mere physical body.	inyama	High — Ndebele “inyama” primarily denotes literal meat/body; risk of readers hearing only a physical reference rather than Paul’s moral-theological sense of fallen human nature. Requires consistent contextual reinforcement across the epistle.
children of wrath by nature	τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς	tekna physei orgēs	children by nature of wrath	inherent condition, not merely acquired guilt	”children of wrath,” “objects of wrath,” “deserving of wrath”	Universal, inherited condition of all humanity under God’s righteous judgment prior to grace — foundational to the doctrine of humanity’s sinfulness already flagged High in the baseline.	abantwana bolaka ngokwemvelo	High — must communicate an inborn, universal condition applying to Jew and Gentile alike (v.3’s “we all”), not a status earned only by especially wicked individuals; also must not be confused with generational curses transmitted by displeased ancestral spirits, a live concept in Ndebele traditional religion.

Ephesians 2:4

Greek: ὁ δὲ θεὸς πλούσιος ὢν ἐν ἐλέει, διὰ τὴν πολλὴν ἀγάπην αὐτοῦ ἣν ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
rich in mercy	πλούσιος … ἐλέει	plousios … eleei	wealthy in compassion	abundance, generosity; eleos = pity/compassion toward the miserable	”rich in mercy,” “abounding in mercy”	God’s own character as the active cause of salvation — mercy shown to those under wrath (v.3), not mercy earned by any human approach to God.	ocebileyo esihawini	High — must be framed as God’s own initiating character, not as favor secured through proper approach to uNkulunkulu (e.g., via correct ancestral observance); ties directly to the baseline’s grace doctrine.
love	ἀγάπην	agapēn	selfless, committed love	God’s covenantal love; self-giving love	”love,” “great love”	God’s own unconditional love as the ground of salvation, prior to and independent of human merit.	uthando	Medium — standard term; risk only in failing to distinguish this active divine initiative from generic affection or the reciprocal loyalty owed within kinship/ancestral relationships.

Ephesians 2:5

Greek: καὶ ὄντας ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν συνεζωοποίησεν τῷ Χριστῷ — χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
made alive together with	συνεζωοποίησεν	synezōopoiēsen	co-made-alive	union with Christ’s own resurrection life	”made us alive together with,” “brought to life with”	Believers do not merely receive new life in general but are joined to Christ’s own resurrection life — union with Christ.	ukuphiliswa kanye loKristu	Critical — must preserve the “together with Christ” union; if rendered merely as generic revival (“coming back to life”), the passage loses its direct tie to Christ’s own bodily resurrection (already a Critical baseline doctrine) and could be misheard as joining a spirit’s vitality, echoing the amadlozi framework rather than union with the risen Christ.
grace	χάριτι	chariti	favor, gift	unmerited favor	”grace,” “by grace”	The instrumental means of salvation — reused from Romans; here paired explicitly with the perfect passive “have been saved.”	umusa (TM)	Critical (per baseline) — absolute enforcement; must not be softened into a reward for ritual correctness.
have been saved	σεσῳσμένοι	sesōsmenoi	rescued, delivered (perfect passive)	rescue, deliverance, wholeness	”saved,” “have been saved”	A completed, settled act with ongoing effect — salvation as an accomplished status, not an ongoing process of earning favor.	usindiso (verbal form: lisindisiwe) (TM root)	Critical (per baseline) — must not be reduced to physical rescue or deliverance from misfortune sought through ancestral appeasement; the perfect tense here (already accomplished) is theologically significant and should be preserved grammatically where Ndebele allows.

Ephesians 2:6

Greek: καὶ συνήγειρεν καὶ συνεκάθισεν ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
raised together with	συνήγειρεν	synēgeiren	co-raised	union with Christ’s resurrection, applied positionally to believers	”raised us up with him”	Believers’ union with Christ extends to his resurrection and exaltation — a present, positional reality, not merely a future hope.	ukuvuswa kanye loKristu	Critical — same resurrection-distinctiveness concern as Ephesians 2:5/baseline resurrection entry; must not read as believers joining Christ among the amadlozi, but as sharing bodily-resurrection life and heavenly exaltation.
seated together with	συνεκάθισεν	synekathisen	co-seated	enthronement, shared position of honor and authority	”seated us with him,” “made us sit with him”	Believers share Christ’s position of authority over the very “rulers and authorities” named later in 6:12 — an anticipatory statement of the spiritual-warfare doctrine.	ukuhlaliswa kanye laye	High — must convey a position of authority and honor granted by union with Christ, not literal physical relocation; also sets up the doctrine that believers already share Christ’s victory over the powers described in ch.6.
heavenly places	ἐπουρανίοις	epouraniois	the heavenly realms	the unseen spiritual realm where God’s throne, Christ’s exaltation, and hostile spiritual powers alike are located (cf. 1:3, 1:20, 3:10, 6:12)	“heavenly places,” “heavenly realms”	A key recurring Ephesians term denoting the spiritual realm where both Christ’s authority and the “rulers, authorities” of 6:12 operate — establishing the cosmic scope of the letter.	izindawo zasezulwini	High — this phrase becomes the stage for the entire spiritual-warfare doctrine in ch.6; must be rendered identically at every occurrence (1:3, 1:20, 2:6, 3:10, 6:12) so readers recognize it as one continuous theological location, not four unrelated phrases.

Ephesians 2:7

Greek: ἵνα ἐνδείξηται ἐν τοῖς αἰῶσιν τοῖς ἐπερχομένοις τὸ ὑπερβάλλον πλοῦτος τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ ἐν χρηστότητι ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
surpassing riches	ὑπερβάλλον πλοῦτος	hyperballon ploutos	overflowing/exceeding wealth	abundance beyond measure	”immeasurable riches,” “surpassing riches,” “exceeding riches”	God’s grace is displayed as an eternal, overflowing exhibit for all coming ages — grace as inexhaustible, not a limited transactional favor.	inotho edlula konke	Medium — must retain the sense of超-abundance (exceeding measure), not merely “great” wealth.
kindness	χρηστότητι	chrēstotēti	goodness, benevolence	moral goodness expressed practically toward another	”kindness,” “goodness”	The practical, experienced quality of God’s grace toward believers, distinct from charis itself.	isisa	Medium — must be kept distinct from umusa (grace) so the text’s layered vocabulary (grace expressed through kindness) is not flattened into a single repeated word.

Ephesians 2:8

Greek: τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι διὰ πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
through faith	διὰ πίστεως	dia pisteōs	through trust	the instrumental means by which grace is received	”through faith”	Faith as the receiving instrument of salvation, not its meritorious cause — the anchor verse for “Salvation by Grace through Faith,” this curriculum’s first listed doctrine.	ngokholo (TM root ukholo)	Critical — the single most doctrinally load-bearing verse in the letter; must not allow ukholo to be read as a meritorious human work that earns umusa, which the next clause (v.8b-9) explicitly denies.
gift	δῶρον	dōron	a thing given	a gift, present; something given freely	”gift”	Salvation itself (or, per one major interpretive tradition, faith itself) is God’s gift — not of human origin.	isipho	High — must clearly denote something received, not earned or produced by the recipient; reinforces the grace-not-works contrast central to this whole passage.

Ephesians 2:9

Greek: οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
works	ἔργων	ergōn	deeds, labor	human effort, moral or ritual performance	”works,” “deeds”	Explicitly excluded as a ground of salvation — a direct extension of the baseline’s justification/imputed-righteousness doctrine into Ephesians.	imisebenzi	Critical — must not be blurred with “good works” (v.10, positive), which are the fruit, not the ground, of salvation; conflating the two would collapse the entire grace/works distinction this curriculum names as its first doctrine.
boast	καυχήσηται	kauchēsētai	to glory in, to take pride	self-congratulation, taking credit	”boast,” “take credit,” “glory”	The theological purpose of excluding works: so that no one can claim salvation as self-achieved status before God or community.	ukuzincoma	Medium — must retain the sense of illegitimate self-credit before God, not merely everyday pride.

Ephesians 2:10

Greek: αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
workmanship	ποίημα	poiēma	a thing made, a work of art	craftsmanship, product of making	”workmanship,” “handiwork,” “masterpiece”	Believers are God’s own artistic creation in Christ — identity precedes and grounds ethical action.	isidalwa sikaNkulunkulu	High — must communicate that believers are the object made by God, not agents who made themselves; ties to the doctrine that new creation, not self-improvement, is the basis of the Christian life.
created	κτισθέντες	ktisthentes	brought into being	divine creative act	”created,” “made”	The new-creation motif: salvation is a fresh act of divine creation “in Christ Jesus,” paralleling Genesis creation language.	ukudalwa	High — must retain the force of an entirely new creative act by God, not mere moral reformation of the old self (this connects directly to the “old self / new self” vocabulary of 4:22-24).
good works	ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς	ergois agathois	good deeds	positive moral/practical action	”good works”	The intended fruit of salvation, prepared beforehand by God — must be distinguished sharply from the “works” excluded as a ground of salvation in v.9.	imisebenzi emihle	Critical — same term root as v.9’s “works”; translators must ensure the qualifier “good” and the surrounding grammar make plain these are the result, never the cause, of salvation, preserving the grace-to-obedience logic foundational to Ephesians as a whole (cf. “obedience of faith,” already High risk in the baseline).
prepared beforehand	προητοίμασεν	proētoimasen	made ready in advance	divine foreordination of specific acts	”prepared beforehand,” “planned in advance”	Extends the predestination theme of chapter 1 into ethical life: God did not just predestine salvation, but the very good works believers will walk in.	ukulungiselwa ngaphambili	High — must be read together with the predestination vocabulary of 1:5,11 as one coherent doctrine, not treated as an unrelated one-off phrase; risk of readers hearing fatalistic predetermination of specific deeds rather than gracious divine provision.
walk	περιπατήσωμεν	peripatēsōmen	to walk about	conduct, manner of life	”walk,” “live,” “do”	Closes the passage by returning to the “walk” motif of 2:2 (former walk in sin) — now a walk in the good works God prepared. Sets up the entire “Walking in Newness of Life” doctrinal thread developed across chs. 4-5.	sihambe (root ukuhamba)	Medium — same consistency requirement as 2:2; this verbal echo (walked in sin → walk in good works) is a deliberate literary inclusio that the Ndebele rendering must preserve by using the same verb root in both places.

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PART 2 — WHOLE-BOOK CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDY

Chapter 1 (Ephesians 1:1-23)

Chapter 1 introduces the doctrine of Election and Predestination in Christ and the cosmic Christology (Christ as head over all things) that undergirds the rest of the letter.

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
apostle	ἀπόστολος	apostolos	one sent	delegated authoritative messenger	”apostle”	Paul’s office as one sent by Christ’s own will.	umphostoli (TM)	Medium (per baseline).
saints	ἅγιοι	hagioi	set-apart ones	all believers	”saints,” “God’s holy people”	Corporate designation of all believers in Ephesus, not an elite class.	abangcwele (TM)	High (per baseline).
grace and peace	χάρις καὶ εἰρήνη	charis kai eirēnē	favor and peace	standard epistolary greeting	”grace and peace”	Reused salutation formula identical to Romans.	umusa lokuthula (TM)	Medium/High per baseline entries.
chose	ἐξελέξατο	exelexato	picked out, selected	sovereign selection	”chose,” “elected”	God’s sovereign choice of believers before creation — the verbal root of the baseline’s “election” noun.	wasikhetha (root ukukhethwa, TM)	High (per baseline “election” entry) — must not be rendered as impersonal fate or destiny assigned by ancestral forces.
before the foundation of the world	πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου	pro katabolēs kosmou	before the throwing-down of the world	eternity past, prior to creation	”before the foundation of the world,” “before the creation of the world”	Anchors election in eternity, outside of time and human merit.	kusengakadalwa umhlaba	Medium — must communicate eternity-past, not merely “a very long time ago.”
holy and blameless	ἅγιος καὶ ἄμωμος	hagios kai amōmos	set apart and without blemish	moral purity, often used of unblemished sacrificial offerings	”holy and blameless,” “holy and without fault”	The goal of God’s electing choice — believers set apart for a morally pure standing before him.	ongcwele longelasici	High — the “-ngcwele” root ties to the baseline’s sanctification doctrine; “blameless” must not collapse into ritual purity alone but forensic-and-moral purity granted in Christ.
predestined	προορίσας	proorisas	marked out beforehand	God’s sovereign foreordaining of a specific destiny	”predestined,” “foreordained,” “destined”	The doctrinal core of “Election and Predestination in Christ” — God’s prior determination that believers would be adopted as sons through Christ.	ukumiselwa ngaphambili	Critical — this term sits at the same fault line as the baseline’s “election” and “providence” entries but is more explicit and structurally central to Ephesians (1:5, 1:11) than anywhere in Romans. Ndebele traditional religion holds that a person’s destiny, including calling to become a spirit-medium, can be fixed by ancestral or spiritual forces apart from personal choice; “ukumiselwa ngaphambili” must be taught as God’s own personal, gracious, Christ-centered determination — not an impersonal fate assigned by amadlozi, and not a doctrine that removes human responsibility (cf. Eph 2:8’s “through faith”). Requires mandatory theologian review at every occurrence.
adoption as sons	υἱοθεσία	huiothesia	placement as a son	full inheritance-bearing sonship	”adoption,” “adoption as sons”	Identical Greek term to Romans 8:15,23 — full inheritance rights within God’s family, now explicitly grounded in predestination.	ukutholwa njengomntwana (TM)	High (per baseline) — reuse exactly; Ephesians’ pairing with “predestined” strengthens rather than changes the baseline’s sense.
redemption	ἀπολύτρωσις	apolytrōsis	a releasing by payment of a ransom	buying back from slavery/captivity through a price paid	”redemption”	Christ’s blood as the price paid to release believers from sin’s bondage.	ukuhlengwa	High — must be understood as accomplished once-for-all through Christ’s blood, not as an ongoing debt requiring further payment or appeasement (an important distinction given customary Ndebele practices of settling wrongs through compensatory payment, e.g., cattle, which could otherwise color this term as merely transactional).
forgiveness	ἄφεσις	aphesis	a sending away, a release	pardon, remission	”forgiveness”	Forgiveness of trespasses as a direct fruit of redemption through Christ’s blood.	intethelelo	High — must be received as full and final release, not partial or requiring ongoing ritual renewal.
mystery of his will	μυστήριον τοῦ θελήματος	mystērion tou thelēmatos	a secret disclosed only to initiates	a previously hidden divine plan now revealed to all who believe	”mystery,” “secret”	Central Ephesians doctrine (“The Mystery of Christ Revealed”) — God’s previously hidden plan to unite all things in Christ, now openly disclosed in the gospel, not restricted to an inner circle.	imfihlo	High — the standard Nguni Bible word for “mystery” risks resonance with the secret, restricted ritual knowledge held by izangoma (diviners) and accessed only through initiation or spirit-possession. Teaching must stress that this imfihlo is now openly proclaimed to all believers through the gospel (3:5-6, 3:9), the opposite of secret, exclusive spiritual knowledge.
stewardship / plan	οἰκονομία	oikonomia	household management	administration, plan, arrangement	”plan,” “dispensation,” “administration”	God’s ordered plan for redemptive history, climaxing in uniting all things in Christ.	icebo likaNkulunkulu	Medium — must convey a deliberate divine plan, not a vague sense of general providence.
fullness of time	πλήρωμα τῶν καιρῶν	plērōma tōn kairōn	the filling-up of the times	the appointed, complete moment for God’s plan	”fullness of time”	The climactic moment appointed by God for the unification of all things in Christ.	ukugcwaliseka kwesikhathi	Medium.
unite all things under one head	ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι	anakephalaiōsasthai	to sum up under one head	cosmic unification under Christ’s headship	”unite,” “sum up,” “bring together under one head”	The cosmic scope of redemption — Christ as head over all things, both heavenly and earthly.	ukuhlanganisa konke ngaphansi kwenhloko eyodwa	High — the “head” (κεφαλή) image recurs as a major structural metaphor (1:22, 4:15, 5:23); must be rendered consistently, and must not be reduced to a merely political “unification under one ruler,” given the historical weight “inhloko”/leadership language carries in Ndebele kingship structures.
sealed	ἐσφραγίσθητε	esphragisthēte	marked with a seal	ownership, authentication, security	”sealed,” “marked”	The Holy Spirit as God’s mark of ownership and guarantee on believers at the moment of belief.	ukuphawulwa	High — must denote a permanent divine mark of ownership by the Holy Spirit himself (a distinct divine Person, per the baseline’s holy_spirit entry), not a ritual marking performed by a human religious specialist (e.g., a diviner’s marking of a client) or a temporary charm of protection.
guarantee / down payment	ἀρραβών	arrabōn	a pledge, a first installment	a partial payment guaranteeing the full payment to come	”guarantee,” “down payment,” “pledge,” “deposit”	The Holy Spirit as the present guarantee of the believer’s future full inheritance.	isibambiso	Medium — standard commercial-pledge term; risk only in losing the “already/not yet” theological force if rendered as a completed transaction rather than an ongoing guarantee.
inheritance	κληρονομία	klēronomia	a portion received by lot/succession	property or right passed to an heir	”inheritance”	Believers’ guaranteed future possession as God’s children, tied to the adoption doctrine.	ilifa	High — connects directly to ukutholwa njengomntwana (adoption, TM); must be kept as a family-inheritance concept flowing from sonship, not a generic reward.
power (cluster: δύναμις, ἐνέργεια, κράτος, ἰσχύς)	δυνάμεως, ἐνέργειαν, κράτους, ἰσχύος	dynameōs, energeian, kratous, ischyos	power, working, might, strength	God’s active, exercised power, especially in raising Christ from the dead	”power,” “working,” “might,” “strength”	A deliberately stacked vocabulary of divine power (1:19-21) demonstrating the same power that raised Christ is at work in believers — extends the baseline’s “power_of_god” (amandla kaNkulunkulu) doctrine.	amandla kaNkulunkulu (TM base) + descriptive expansion	High — must not be confused with spiritual power associated with izinyanga/izangoma; the stacking of near-synonyms in Greek should be reflected with intensifying Ndebele phrasing rather than one flat repeated word.
rule, authority, power, dominion	ἀρχῆς, ἐξουσίας, δυνάμεως, κυριότητος	archēs, exousias, dynameōs, kyriotētos	rule, authority, power, lordship	ranked spiritual/cosmic powers, whether good or evil	”rule and authority and power and dominion”	Christ is exalted far above every cosmic power, named or unnamed — first appearance of the “rulers and authorities” vocabulary developed fully in the spiritual warfare doctrine of ch. 6.	ubukhosi, amandla obukhulu, lobunkosi	High — “κυριότης” (dominion/lordship) shares a root with “κύριος” (Lord); Ndebele must take care that Christ’s supremacy over all such powers is unmistakable, and that no rendering here accidentally elevates a cosmic power to the same status-word as iNkosi used of Christ.
head over all things to the church	κεφαλὴν ὑπὲρ πάντα τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ	kephalēn hyper panta tē ekklēsia	head over all things, for the church	Christ’s supreme headship exercised specifically for the church’s benefit	”head over everything for the church”	Introduces the “Church as the Body of Christ” doctrine — Christ’s headship is not remote but exercised for the church’s good.	inhloko phezu kwakho konke ebandleni	High — “inhloko” (head) applied to Christ over the church must be distinguished from the socio-political headship of a chief/king (already a live tension around iNkosi per baseline); the emphasis must fall on organic, life-giving headship, not merely hierarchical rule.
body	σῶμα	sōma	physical body	a living organism; corporate identity	”body”	The church as Christ’s own body — organically united to him, the controlling image of Ephesians’ ecclesiology (recurs 2:16, 3:6, 4:4,12,16, 5:23,30).	umzimba	High — must be consistently rendered across every occurrence so readers recognize one sustained metaphor; must be taught as living, organic union with Christ, not merely institutional membership (cf. baseline’s ibandla = assembly, which the “body” image now deepens).
fullness	πλήρωμα	plērōma	that which fills, completeness	totality, completion; “that which fills” or “that which completes"	"fullness”	Enigmatic and theologically dense: the church as the “fullness of him who fills all in all” — Christ’s presence finding full expression in the church.	ukugcwala	High — a genuinely difficult phrase in any language; must avoid suggesting the church adds something Christ otherwise lacks, while still conveying that the church is where his fullness is corporately displayed.

Chapter 2 (Ephesians 2:11-22) — continuing beyond the core passage

Verses 1-10 are treated exhaustively above as the core passage. Verses 11-22 introduce the doctrine of the Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity.

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
circumcision / uncircumcision	περιτομή / ἀκροβυστία	peritomē / akrobystia	cutting-around / foreskin	ethnic-religious identity markers for Jew and Gentile	”circumcision,” “uncircumcision”	The old ethnic dividing line God has abolished in Christ.	ukusoka / ukungasoki	Medium — standard terms; low ambiguity beyond ensuring the ethnic-identity sense (not merely a medical/ritual procedure) is clear in context.
alienated	ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι	apēllotriōmenoi	made foreign, estranged	exclusion from a community or covenant relationship	”alienated,” “excluded,” “strangers”	Gentiles’ former total exclusion from Israel’s covenant privileges.	ukwehlukaniswa	Medium.
covenants of promise	διαθῆκαι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας	diathēkai tēs epangelias	agreements of promise	the Old Testament covenants made with Israel	”covenants of promise”	Reuses the baseline covenant term for the specific Old Testament covenants from which Gentiles were formerly excluded.	izivumelwano zesithembiso (TM covenant root: isivumelwano)	High (per baseline covenant entry).
far off / near	μακράν / ἐγγύς	makran / engys	far away / close	spatial-relational metaphor for covenant distance/closeness to God	”far off / near,” “far away / brought near”	Describes the Gentiles’ former distance from God and Israel’s covenant, now abolished in Christ.	khatshana / eduze	Medium — must retain the relational (not merely geographic) sense: distance from and nearness to God himself.
dividing wall of hostility	τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ … τὴν ἔχθραν	to mesotoichon tou phragmou … tēn echthran	the middle wall of the fence … the enmity	a barrier of separation; likely alluding to the temple’s dividing wall separating Gentile and Jewish courts	”dividing wall of hostility,” “wall of separation”	Christ’s death has torn down the literal and figurative barrier separating Jew and Gentile — grounds the whole “one new humanity” doctrine.	udonga lokwahlukanisa lobutha	High — the strongest available image for the reconciliation doctrine; must be handled carefully in Zimbabwe’s specific context of historical Ndebele-Shona tension (per the baseline’s note on Romans 9-11), keeping focus on the Jew-Gentile referent of the text rather than inviting direct application to local ethnic relations without deliberate, careful teaching framing.
one new man / humanity	ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον	hena kainon anthrōpon	one new person	a genuinely new corporate humanity, not a merger of the old two	”one new man,” “one new humanity,” “one new person”	The two former groups (Jew, Gentile) are not merely combined but re-created into a single new corporate humanity in Christ.	umuntu omutsha oyedwa	High — must avoid suggesting either group is absorbed into the other (e.g., Gentiles becoming honorary Jews); this is a genuinely new creation, paralleling the new-self language of 4:24.
reconcile	ἀποκαταλλάξῃ	apokatallaxē	to change back fully, to restore to favor	full restoration of a broken relationship	”reconcile”	Christ’s cross reconciles both Jew and Gentile to God in one body, and to each other.	ukubuyisana	High — must be understood as an accomplished, once-for-all act of God through the cross, not an ongoing ritual process of restoring relationship such as customary reconciliation rites performed with or through ancestral mediation.
access	προσαγωγή	prosagōgē	a bringing-to, an introduction	the privilege of approaching a person of high status, especially a king	”access”	Both Jew and Gentile now have direct access to the Father in one Spirit — this is the Ephesians restatement of the baseline’s Critical “Christ as Sole Mediator” doctrine.	ukusondela	Critical — this is Ephesians’ clearest statement of the doctrine the baseline names as the single most important for Ndebele audiences. Access to uNkulunkulu (here explicitly “the Father,” uBaba) is direct, through Christ and in the Spirit — with no ancestral intermediary required or permitted. Must receive the same mandatory theologian review the baseline assigns to Romans 8:34’s ukuncengela (intercession).
fellow citizens / members of God’s household	συμπολῖται … οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ	sympolitai … oikeioi tou theou	co-citizens … household members	full civic/family belonging	”fellow citizens,” “members of the household of God”	Gentiles are granted full belonging, not second-class status, within God’s family and people.	izakhamizi kanye labangcwele / abendlu kaNkulunkulu	Medium.
cornerstone	ἀκρογωνιαῖος	akrogōniaios	the topmost/chief corner stone	the foundational stone that aligns and anchors an entire building	”cornerstone,” “chief cornerstone”	Christ himself as the stone that holds the whole new temple (the church) together and in alignment.	ilitshe lekhoneni	Medium — must retain the sense of a foundational, load-bearing, structurally decisive stone.
holy temple	ναὸν ἅγιον	naon hagion	a holy sanctuary	the place of God’s dwelling presence	”holy temple”	The church, not a physical building, as God’s dwelling place by the Spirit — extends the sanctuary/holiness vocabulary (-ngcwele, TM) into ecclesiology.	ithempeli elingcwele	Medium — must be understood corporately (the whole church), not of any single physical church building.

Chapter 3 (Ephesians 3:1-21)

Chapter 3 develops The Mystery of Christ Revealed and closes with a doxology on God’s power at work in believers.

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
mystery	μυστήριον	mystērion	hidden secret now disclosed	(as ch.1)	“mystery”	Explicitly defined here (3:6): Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, fellow partakers of the promise — the content of the mystery is the unity doctrine of ch.2.	imfihlo	High — same caution as ch.1; here the text itself defines the “mystery” as now fully disclosed to all, which is the strongest possible corrective to any lingering association with secret/initiatory knowledge.
fellow heirs, fellow members, fellow partakers	συγκληρονόμα, σύσσωμα, συμμέτοχα	synklēronoma, syssōma, symmetocha	co-heirs, co-body-members, co-partakers	full, equal participation with no distinction of rank	”fellow heirs…members…partakers”	The threefold “syn-” (co-/fellow-) vocabulary is the theological center of the unity doctrine — full equality, not a lesser Gentile share.	abazuza ilifa kanye, abangxenye yomzimba munye, abahlanganyeli besithembiso kanye	High — the “syn-” prefix pattern must be rendered so as to convey full equality plainly, resisting any reading that Gentiles receive a diminished share compared to Jewish believers.
unsearchable riches	ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος	anexichniaston ploutos	riches that cannot be tracked out	inexhaustible, beyond full comprehension	”unsearchable riches,” “boundless riches”	Christ’s riches available to all, Jew and Gentile alike, without limit.	inotho engelakuhlolwa	Medium.
manifold wisdom of God	πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ	polypoikilos sophia tou theou	many-colored/many-patterned wisdom	rich, multifaceted divine wisdom displayed through the church	”manifold wisdom,” “many-sided wisdom”	The church’s very existence as a unified new humanity displays God’s wisdom to the “rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” — ties ecclesiology directly to the spiritual-warfare/cosmic-powers theme of ch.6.	inhlakanipho enhlobonhlobo	Medium-High — must preserve the connection that the church itself, in its Jew-Gentile unity, is the display of this wisdom to the spiritual powers named in 6:12; this is a distinctive Ephesians argument that must not be lost in translation.
boldness / confidence	παρρησία	parrēsia	freedom of speech, openness	confident, unashamed access and speech	”boldness,” “confidence,” “freedom”	The confident access believers now have to God through faith in Christ — reinforces the “access” doctrine of 2:18 and anticipates 6:19-20.	isibindi	High — ties to the Critical “Christ as Sole Mediator” doctrine; must convey confident direct approach to God, not confidence gained through a human or spiritual intermediary.
rooted and grounded	ἐρριζωμένοι καὶ τεθεμελιωμένοι	errizōmenoi kai tethemeliōmenoi	having been rooted and founded	firm establishment, agricultural (root) and architectural (foundation) imagery combined	”rooted and grounded,” “rooted and established”	Believers’ stability in love as the basis for comprehending Christ’s love.	ukugxila lokusekwa	Low-Medium.
filled with all the fullness of God	πληρωθῆτε εἰς πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ θεοῦ	plērōthēte eis pan to plērōma tou theou	be filled to all the fullness of God	the goal of Christian maturity — the same “fullness” vocabulary as 1:23	”filled with all the fullness of God”	The prayer’s climax: believers experientially filled with God’s own fullness, not merely informed about him.	ukugcwaliswa ngokugcwala konke kukaNkulunkulu	High — must be consistent with the plērōma rendering used in 1:23 and 4:13 so the reader connects all three occurrences as one developing theme.

Chapter 4 (Ephesians 4:1-32)

Chapter 4 opens the practical section of the letter: unity of the church, gifts for building up the church, and the old-self/new-self contrast central to “Walking in Newness of Life.”

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
walk worthy of the calling	περιπατῆσαι ἀξίως τῆς κλήσεως	peripatēsai axiōs tēs klēseōs	to walk in a manner worthy of the calling	conduct fitting one’s God-given status	”walk worthy of the calling,” “live a life worthy of your calling”	Opens the ethical section by tying conduct directly to the doctrine of calling/election from ch.1 — reuses the baseline’s “calling” term.	ukuhamba ngokufanele ubizo (TM: ubizo)	High (per baseline “calling” entry) — must be read as a response flowing from God’s prior calling, not a means of earning or securing it.
unity of the Spirit	ἑνότητα τοῦ πνεύματος	henotēta tou pneumatos	oneness of the Spirit	the already-existing spiritual unity believers must maintain, not create	”unity of the Spirit”	The unity of the church is a Spirit-given reality to be kept, not manufactured — foundational to the “Church as the Body of Christ” doctrine.	ubunye bukaMoya	High — given Zimbabwe’s Ndebele-Shona historical context (already flagged in the baseline regarding Romans 9-11), this doctrine requires especially careful, text-focused framing so as not to be read as commentary on national ethnic politics rather than the church’s Spirit-given unity in Christ.
one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father	ἓν σῶμα, ἓν πνεῦμα, μία ἐλπίς, εἷς κύριος, μία πίστις, ἓν βάπτισμα, εἷς θεός	hen sōma, hen pneuma, mia elpis, heis kyrios, mia pistis, hen baptisma, heis theos	(as glossed)	a sevenfold confession of the singular basis of Christian unity	”one body…one God and Father of all”	The doctrinal creed underlying church unity — each item reuses established baseline terms except “baptism,” which is new.	umzimba munye, uMoya munye, ithemba linye, iNkosi yinye, ukholo lunye, ubhabhathizo lunye, uNkulunkulu loBaba munye	High — the repeated “one” (-nye) must fall on each noun consistently in Ndebele to preserve the rhetorical force of the sevenfold confession; “iNkosi yinye” (one Lord) must be unmistakably exclusive, consistent with the baseline’s Critical lordship_of_christ doctrine.
baptism	βάπτισμα	baptisma	immersion, dipping	the rite of Christian initiation	”baptism”	The one baptism uniting all believers regardless of ethnic origin.	ubhabhathizo	Medium — standard established loanword; low ambiguity.
measure of Christ’s gift	μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ	metron tēs dōreas tou Christou	the measure of the gift	grace apportioned individually by Christ for ministry	”measure of Christ’s gift”	Introduces the doctrine of “Gifts for Building Up the Church” — each believer’s gifting is Christ’s own sovereign apportionment.	isilinganiso sesipho sikaKristu	Medium.
apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers	ἀποστόλους, προφήτας, εὐαγγελιστάς, ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους	apostolous, prophētas, euangelistas, poimenas kai didaskalous	the sent ones, spokespersons, good-news-announcers, shepherds and teachers	the leadership gifts Christ gives the church	”apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers”	The gift-offices given by the ascended Christ for the equipping and building up of the church.	abaphostoli, abaphrofethi, abavangeli, abelusi, labafundisi	High — “umfundisi” (teacher) is also the everyday Ndebele word commonly used for “pastor/reverend” in general church usage; translators must ensure “umelusi” (shepherd/pastor) and “umfundisi” (teacher) are not read as interchangeable or reversed, since Ephesians names them as two distinct gift-offices. “Umphrofethi” must, as throughout the baseline, remain sharply distinguished from isangoma (diviner).
equipping	καταρτισμόν	katartismon	preparation, outfitting, mending	making fully fit and functional for a task	”equipping,” “training,” “perfecting”	The purpose of the leadership gifts: to prepare all the saints (not just leaders) for ministry.	ukulungiselelwa	Medium.
building up the body of Christ	οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ	oikodomēn tou sōmatos tou Christou	construction of the body of Christ	corporate growth and strengthening, architectural metaphor	”building up the body of Christ”	The goal of every gift and ministry: the growth and health of the whole church, not individual status.	ukwakhiwa komzimba kaKristu	Medium — must retain the corporate, communal goal (the whole body), not individual spiritual achievement.
mature man / fullness of Christ	ἄνδρα τέλειον … τὸ μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ	andra teleion … to metron hēlikias tou plērōmatos tou Christou	a complete/perfect man … the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ	corporate maturity — the church collectively growing to resemble Christ fully	”mature manhood…the fullness of Christ”	The goal of church unity and gifting is corporate Christlike maturity, again drawing on the “fullness” (plērōma) vocabulary from 1:23 and 3:19.	indoda epheleleyo / ukugcwala kukaKristu	High — must be read corporately (the whole church growing together), not as an individual believer’s personal perfection, and must connect to the same plērōma thread as chs. 1 and 3.
tossed by every wind of doctrine, craftiness	κλυδωνιζόμενοι … πανουργίᾳ	klydōnizomenoi … panourgia	wave-tossed … craftiness	instability caused by deceptive teaching	”tossed to and fro…craftiness and deceitful scheming”	The danger of doctrinal instability that church unity and maturity guard against.	ukuzunguzeka … ubuqili	Medium.
old self	παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος	palaios anthrōpos	the old person	the former, unregenerate identity, corrupted by deceitful desires	”old self,” “old man,” “former self”	The identity believers are to put off — corresponds structurally to the “walked” of 2:2/4:17 as the old way of life.	umuntu omdala	High — must be understood as an identity, not merely a set of habits, to be decisively “put off” (aorist imperative), paired with the equally decisive “put on” of the new self.
renewed in the spirit of your mind	ἀνανεοῦσθαι τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ νοὸς ὑμῶν	ananeousthai tō pneumati tou noos hymōn	to be made new in the spirit of the mind	ongoing inward transformation	”renewed in the spirit of your mind,” “renewed in your thinking”	The ongoing (present tense) process of transformation between putting off the old and putting on the new.	ukuvuselelwa emoyeni wengqondo	Medium.
new self	καινὸς ἄνθρωπος	kainos anthrōpos	the new person	the regenerate identity, created in righteousness and true holiness	”new self,” “new man”	The identity believers are to put on, created by God (echoing the new-creation and new-humanity language of 2:10 and 2:15).	umuntu omutsha	High — must be clearly connected to the “created” (ktizō) language of 2:10 and the “one new man” (kainos anthrōpos) of 2:15, so readers see these as one coherent theological thread, not separate ideas.
grieve the Holy Spirit	μὴ λυπεῖτε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον	mē lypeite to pneuma to hagion	do not sadden/pain the Holy Spirit	causing sorrow to a person, applied to the Spirit	”grieve the Holy Spirit,” “do not bring sorrow to God’s Spirit”	Assumes and reinforces the Holy Spirit’s full, personal divinity (per the baseline’s Critical holy_spirit entry) — one does not “grieve” an impersonal force.	ukudabukisa uMoya oNgcwele	Critical — a direct extension of the baseline’s Critical “Holy Spirit” doctrine; the verse’s very grammar (a personal Spirit capable of being grieved) is itself an argument against treating the Spirit as an impersonal force, a possessing spirit, or one among the amadlozi. Must be flagged for mandatory theologian review, consistent with the baseline’s escalation rule for “any segment naming or describing the Holy Spirit’s work.”
day of redemption	ἡμέρα ἀπολυτρώσεως	hēmera apolytrōseōs	the day of the ransom-release	the future, final consummation of redemption	”day of redemption”	The eschatological completion of the redemption begun at the cross and sealed by the Spirit (cf. 1:7,13-14).	usuku lokuhlengwa	Medium — must connect to ukuhlengwa (redemption) as established in ch.1.
kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another	χρηστοί, εὔσπλαγχνοι, χαριζόμενοι	chrēstoi, eusplanchnoi, charizomenoi	kind, good-bowelled (compassionate), gracious/forgiving	practical relational virtues modeled on God’s own character toward believers	”kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another”	The relational fruit of the gospel — believers forgive as God in Christ forgave them, directly mirroring charis (grace) itself.	-mnene, -lesihawu, ukuthethelelana	Medium.

Chapter 5 (Ephesians 5:1-33)

Chapter 5 continues “Walking in Newness of Life” (walking in love, walking as children of light, walking in wisdom) and opens the Household Codes with the husband-wife relationship as a picture of Christ and the church.

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
imitators of God	μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ	mimētai tou theou	copiers/imitators of God	pattern one’s life after another’s example	”imitators of God,” “followers of God”	The ethical foundation of ch.5: believers as beloved children imitating their Father’s character, especially in forgiving love.	abalingiseli bakaNkulunkulu	Medium — must retain the “beloved children” framing (continuing the adoption/uBaba theme), not a generic call to religious performance.
offering and sacrifice, fragrant aroma	προσφορὰν καὶ θυσίαν … εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας	prosphoran kai thysian … eis osmēn euōdias	offering and sacrifice … for a fragrance of sweet smell	Old Testament sacrificial-cultic language applied to Christ’s self-giving death	”offering and sacrifice, a fragrant offering”	Christ’s death described in the vocabulary of the Old Testament sacrificial system — the pattern believers are to imitate in self-giving love.	umnikelo lomhlatshelo … iphunga elimnandi	High — umhlatshelo is also the standard Ndebele term for a ritual sacrifice/slaughter offered to appease or honor the amadlozi (ancestral spirits) or to mark significant life events. Teaching must make explicit that Christ’s self-offering is a unique, once-for-all, sufficient sacrifice to God the Father — not one sacrifice among an ongoing series, and not a payment to appease ancestral displeasure, but the very act that ends the need for such appeasement.
covetousness is idolatry	πλεονέκτης, ὅ ἐστιν εἰδωλολάτρης	pleonektēs, ho estin eidōlolatrēs	a greedy person, who is an idol-worshipper	greed identified theologically as misplaced worship	”the covetous person, who is an idolater”	Names greed as a form of worship directed at created things instead of God — an important teaching point that can be used constructively to address any lingering syncretism, since it defines idolatry broadly as any displaced ultimate devotion.	isihwaba siyisikhonzi sezithombe	Medium — a useful, not merely risky, term: the equation of greed with idol-worship gives a natural teaching bridge to broader warnings against divided devotion, including to amadlozi, without needing to name traditional practice directly in the text itself.
children of light	τέκνα φωτός	tekna phōtos	children characterized by light	new identity marked by moral/spiritual illumination	”children of light”	Believers’ new identity, contrasted with their former “darkness” (5:8) — extends the light/darkness contrast introduced in 1:18 (“eyes of your heart enlightened”).	abantwana bokukhanya	Medium.
be filled with the Spirit	πληροῦσθε ἐν πνεύματι	plērousthe en pneumati	be being filled in/by the Spirit	ongoing, repeated saturation and control by the Holy Spirit	”be filled with the Spirit”	A present-tense command for continual Spirit-filling as the source of worship, submission, and household conduct — connects to the “fullness” (plērōma) thread and to the Spirit’s personal divine agency.	gcwaliswani nguMoya	High — must denote the Holy Spirit’s own personal filling and control (consistent with the baseline’s Critical holy_spirit entry), not an impersonal spiritual force, and must be clearly distinguished from spirit-possession phenomena associated with mediumship, which the surrounding contrast with drunkenness (a loss of self-control) could otherwise wrongly suggest.
submitting to one another	ὑποτασσόμενοι ἀλλήλοις	hypotassomenoi allēlois	ranking/ordering oneself under one another	mutual, voluntary deference	”submitting to one another,” “submit to one another”	The governing principle for the entire household code section (wives-husbands, children-parents, servants-masters): mutual submission “in the fear/reverence of Christ.”	ukuzithoba komunye lomunye	High — this reciprocal instruction must be translated so its mutuality is not lost before the specific instructions to wives (5:22) are reached; must not be confused with the unilateral deference customarily owed to a chief, elder, or ancestral spirit.
wife submit to husband as to the Lord; husband as head of wife as Christ is head of the church	γυναῖκες … ὑποτασσέσθωσαν … ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ, ὅτι ἀνήρ ἐστιν κεφαλὴ τῆς γυναικός ὡς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς κεφαλὴ τῆς ἐκκλησίας	gynaikes … hypotassesthōsan … hōs tō kyriō, hoti anēr estin kephalē tēs gynaikos hōs kai ho Christos kephalē tēs ekklēsias	(as glossed)	marital relationship interpreted through the Christ-church analogy	”wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord…husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the church”	The theological heart of the household code: marriage as a living picture of Christ’s self-giving headship over the church, not mere social hierarchy.	ukuzithoba / inhloko (reuse)	Critical — one of the most culturally sensitive passages in the whole book. Must be taught with the full force of vv. 25-33 (the husband’s self-sacrificial, Christ-like love) inseparable from v.22 (the wife’s submission), so that “inhloko” here is never detached from its defining, self-giving content and misapplied as license for domineering authority; equally, “ukuzithoba” must not be flattened into blanket subordination detached from the “one another” mutuality of v.21. Given the weight Ndebele household and marriage custom already places on structured roles, this passage requires the same careful, Christ-centered framing the baseline requires for iNkosi (lordship) generally.
Savior of the body	σωτὴρ τοῦ σώματος	sōtēr tou sōmatos	rescuer/deliverer of the body	Christ’s saving headship over the church specifically	”Savior of the body”	Ties Christ’s headship directly to his saving, not merely ruling, function — headship exercised in self-giving rescue.	uMsindisi womzimba (root: usindiso, TM)	High — must retain the connection to the established baseline term for salvation, reinforcing that Christ’s headship is fundamentally a saving, self-giving headship, not a bare authority claim.
sanctify, cleansing by the washing of water with the word	ἁγιάσῃ καθαρίσας τῷ λουτρῷ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν ῥήματι	hagiasē katharisas tō loutrō tou hydatos en rhēmati	make holy, having cleansed by the washing of water in a word	Christ’s ongoing sanctifying and cleansing work for the church, associated with baptism and the proclaimed word	”sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of water with the word”	Extends the baseline sanctification doctrine (ukungcweliswa) specifically to the church’s corporate identity as Christ’s bride, tied to the proclaimed word of the gospel.	ukungcwelisa (TM root) + ukuhlanjululwa ngamanzi ngelizwi	High (per baseline sanctification entry) — must be distinguished from ritual washing/purification rites performed for the ancestors; this cleansing is accomplished by Christ through the gospel word, not by human ritual action.
present the church without spot or wrinkle	παραστήσῃ … ἔνδοξον … μὴ ἔχουσαν σπίλον ἢ ῥυτίδα	parastēsē … endoxon … mē echousan spilon ē rhytida	present … glorious … having no stain or wrinkle	the future, perfected presentation of the church to Christ, bridal imagery	”present her to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle”	Eschatological goal of Christ’s sanctifying work — the church presented perfect and glorious.	ukuyimisa ibandla lingelabala kumbe umgobhozo	Medium.
great mystery: Christ and the church	τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστίν … εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν	to mystērion touto mega estin … eis Christon kai eis tēn ekklēsian	this mystery is great … regarding Christ and the church	marriage itself interpreted as a living picture (mystery) of the Christ-church relationship	”this mystery is profound…I am speaking of Christ and the church”	Marriage’s deepest meaning is theological — a living, ongoing sign of Christ’s covenant love for his church.	imfihlo enkulu	High — same mystērion caution as chs. 1 and 3, here applied to a very concrete, culturally loaded institution (marriage); must be handled so readers do not read “mystery” as some secret ritual truth about marriage accessible only to specially initiated people.

Chapter 6 (Ephesians 6:1-24)

Chapter 6 completes the household codes (children-parents; slaves-masters) and delivers the letter’s climactic doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God.

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Ndebele Rendering	Risk
children obey your parents in the Lord	τὰ τέκνα, ὑπακούετε τοῖς γονεῦσιν ὑμῶν ἐν κυρίῳ	ta tekna, hypakouete tois goneusin hymōn en kyriō	children, obey your parents in the Lord	full, active compliance, distinct from the mutual “submission” of 5:21	”children, obey your parents in the Lord”	Household obedience grounded “in the Lord” — an act of obedience to Christ himself, not mere social custom.	abantwana kabalalele abazali babo eNkosini	Medium — must retain “obey” (ukulalela) as distinct from “submit” (ukuzithoba) used elsewhere, since Ephesians uses two different Greek verbs deliberately.
honor your father and mother	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα	tima ton patera sou kai tēn mētera	honor your father and mother	direct citation of the fifth commandment, applied to household ethics	”honor your father and mother”	Grounds household ethics in the Mosaic Law’s abiding moral core, with an attached promise.	hlonipha uyihlo lonyoko	Medium — “hlonipha” (honor/respect) carries deep resonance in Ndebele kinship-respect culture, an asset here when kept anchored to the text’s specific parent-child referent.
fathers, do not provoke your children	οἱ πατέρες, μὴ παροργίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν	hoi pateres, mē parorgizete ta tekna hymōn	fathers, do not anger your children	balances parental authority with responsibility, checking abuse	”fathers, do not provoke your children to anger”	Balances the preceding command to children with an explicit check on parental power — mutual, not one-sided, household ethics.	oyihlo, lingabathukuthelisi abantwana benu	High — “oyise” (human fathers) must be used here rather than uBaba, which the baseline and TM reserve exclusively for God the Father; conflating the two terms would blur the crucial theological distinction between God’s fatherhood and human fatherhood that the whole letter (esp. ch.1, ch.3, ch.5) carefully maintains.
discipline and instruction of the Lord	παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ κυρίου	paideia kai nouthesia kyriou	training/discipline and admonition of the Lord	formative, Christ-centered child-rearing	”discipline and instruction of the Lord”	Positive alternative to provoking children: formation centered on Christ’s own character and teaching.	ukuqondiswa lokulaywa kweNkosi	Medium.
bondservants, slaves	δοῦλοι	douloi	slaves, bondservants	a person legally owned by and bound to serve a master; in Paul, also a positive image of devoted service to Christ	”bondservants,” “slaves,” “servants”	Addresses the real institution of slavery within the Roman world, instructing enslaved believers on Christ-centered conduct — not an endorsement of slavery as an institution, but pastoral instruction within it.	izigqili / izinceku	Medium — “izigqili” denotes chattel slaves, historically weighted vocabulary; “izinceku” more often denotes royal or household attendants/servants, a role of some social standing in Ndebele royal tradition. Translators must choose deliberately and note the choice, since either word imports specific cultural connotations not identical to first-century Greco-Roman slavery; teaching material should clarify the historical Roman institutional background so as not to be read as either endorsing chattel slavery or elevating it to royal-servant status.
serve as to the Lord, not to men; masters, do the same	δουλεύοντες, ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις … οἱ κύριοι, τὰ αὐτὰ ποιεῖτε πρὸς αὐτούς	douleuontes hōs tō kyriō kai ouk anthrōpois … hoi kyrioi, ta auta poieite pros autous	serving as to the Lord and not to men … masters, do the same to them	reciprocal Christ-centered ethic that relativizes the master-slave hierarchy under Christ’s own higher lordship	”serve…as to the Lord…masters, do the same to them”	Both slave and master stand under one higher Master in heaven who shows no partiality — relativizes worldly social hierarchy under Christ’s own lordship.	iNkosi (for Christ) vs. amakhosi/abaphathi (for human masters)	High — a direct lexical collision: the Greek uses the same word, κύριος, for both Christ (“the Lord”) and the human slave-master (“masters”), and the baseline’s established Ndebele term for the Lord Jesus Christ is iNkosi. If human masters are also rendered amakhosi (plural of iNkosi), the text’s own wordplay (there is one true kyrios in heaven, over both) could be preserved usefully — OR could dangerously blur the line the baseline insists on keeping absolute (Christ’s exclusive, supreme lordship, never “a lord among lords”). Recommend rendering the human “masters” as abaphathi (bosses/overseers) rather than amakhosi, reserving iNkosi exclusively for Christ throughout, while a translator’s footnote may explain the deliberate Greek wordplay Paul is making. Requires mandatory theologian review.
no partiality	προσωπολημψία οὐκ ἔστιν	prosōpolēmpsia ouk estin	there is no receiving-of-face	favoritism based on external status	”no partiality,” “no favoritism”	God’s impartial judgment applies equally to slave and free, master and servant.	ukubandlulula	Medium.
be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might	ἐνδυναμοῦσθε ἐν κυρίῳ καὶ ἐν τῷ κράτει τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ	endynamousthe en kyriō kai en tō kratei tēs ischyos autou	be empowered in the Lord and in the might of his strength	dependence on Christ’s own power, not self-generated strength	”be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power”	Introduces the armor-of-God section by grounding all spiritual battle-readiness in Christ’s power, reusing the power-vocabulary cluster from 1:19-21.	qinani eNkosini, emandleni obukhulu bakhe	High — must connect back to the amandla kaNkulunkulu (power_of_god, TM) and the power-cluster of ch.1, so readers see spiritual warfare as fought in Christ’s power alone, never in power sourced from a diviner, healer, or protective charm.
whole armor of God	πανοπλίαν τοῦ θεοῦ	panoplian tou theou	the full/complete armor	a soldier’s entire set of weapons and protective gear	”whole armor of God,” “full armor of God”	The controlling image of the “Spiritual Warfare” doctrine — God himself, not human ritual objects, supplies every piece of the believer’s spiritual protection and weaponry.	izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu	Critical — the single most culturally sensitive image in the letter for a Ndebele audience. Traditional Ndebele religious practice includes protective charms, amulets, and ritual objects (often obtained from an inyanga) worn or carried for protection against evil spirits or misfortune. Teaching must make unmistakably explicit that this “armor” is not a set of physical or ritual objects at all, but wholly spiritual realities (truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the word of God) supplied directly by God himself and appropriated through faith and prayer — with no role whatsoever for a human ritual specialist, charm, or medium. Mandatory theologian review at every occurrence.
our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, spiritual forces of evil	οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχάς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις	ouk estin hēmin hē palē pros haima kai sarka, alla pros tas archas, pros tas exousias, pros tous kosmokratoras tou skotous toutou, pros ta pneumatika tēs ponērias en tois epouraniois	our wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against rulers, against authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual things of evil in the heavenly places	names an unseen hierarchy of personal, hostile spiritual beings actively opposing believers	”our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”	The theological climax of the whole letter’s cosmic Christology (introduced in 1:21): believers are engaged in real spiritual conflict against personal, organized, hostile spiritual powers — not against other human beings.	umzabalazo wethu kawusiwo owegazi lenyama, kodwa ngokumelana lababusi, lezikhundla zamandla, lababusi balo mhlaba wobumnyama, lemimoya yobubi endaweni zasezulwini	Critical — this is the doctrinal center of gravity for the entire Ephesians curriculum in a Ndebele context, structurally parallel to the baseline’s treatment of intercession in Romans. Ndebele traditional cosmology recognizes a populated spirit-world (amadlozi, territorial/nature spirits, and spirits channeled through izangoma) that must be engaged, appeased, or consulted through ritual specialists. Ephesians 6:12 must be taught as naming real but categorically different hostile spiritual powers than the amadlozi — powers that are consistently described in Scripture as opposed to God and defeated by Christ (cf. 1:21-22), never as ancestors to be approached for help, and never as forces requiring a human ritual specialist to counter. The correct response modeled by the passage is standing firm in Christ’s finished power and prayer, never ritual appeasement, divination, or protective charms. Mandatory theologian review at every occurrence, matching the baseline’s escalation rule structure.
belt of truth / breastplate of righteousness / shoes of the gospel of peace / shield of faith / helmet of salvation / sword of the Spirit	ζώνην … ἀληθείᾳ / θώρακα τῆς δικαιοσύνης / ὑποδησάμενοι … ἑτοιμασίᾳ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς εἰρήνης / θυρεὸν τῆς πίστεως / περικεφαλαίαν τοῦ σωτηρίου / μάχαιραν τοῦ πνεύματος, ὅ ἐστιν ῥῆμα θεοῦ	zōnē alētheia / thōrax dikaiosynēs / hypodēsamenoi hetoimasia tou euangeliou tēs eirēnēs / thyreos pisteōs / perikephalaia sōtēriou / machaira pneumatos, rhēma theou	(as glossed, each)	each piece of Roman military equipment mapped onto a specific gospel reality already established in the letter (truth, righteousness/justification, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the word of God)	“belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit”	Each weapon/armor piece is not a magical object but a named gospel reality already taught earlier in Ephesians (righteousness = ch.2’s justification theme; salvation = usindiso; faith = ukholo) — the armor is, in effect, the gospel itself worn and wielded.	ibhande leqiniso; isivikelo sesifuba sokulunga; amanyathela okulungela ivangeli lokuthula; ihawu lokholo; isivikelo sekhanda sosindiso; inkemba kaMoya, okuyilizwi likaNkulunkulu	High (each piece) — every rendering must reuse the baseline terms already fixed for righteousness (ukulunga), salvation (usindiso), faith (ukholo), and gospel (ivangeli) rather than inventing new synonyms for the sake of the military metaphor, so learners recognize these as the same doctrines taught throughout the letter, now pictured as protective and offensive equipment supplied entirely by God.
word of God	ῥῆμα θεοῦ	rhēma theou	a spoken utterance of God	God’s spoken/proclaimed word, here specifically as the “sword"	"word of God”	The only offensive weapon in the list — Scripture/the proclaimed gospel as the believer’s active weapon against the powers named in v.12.	ilizwi likaNkulunkulu	Medium — must be distinguished, where the distinction matters pastorally, from logos (God’s eternal Word); here it denotes the spoken, applied, proclaimed word used in the moment of spiritual conflict.
prayer and supplication in the Spirit	προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως … ἐν πνεύματι	proseuchēs kai deēseōs … en pneumati	prayer and petition … in the Spirit	Spirit-empowered, continual prayer as the sustaining practice of spiritual warfare	”prayer and supplication…in the Spirit”	Prayer, not ritual, is the sustaining practice of spiritual warfare and mission — reinforces the baseline’s doctrine of prayer/intercession, here applied congregationally (“for all the saints”) and for Paul’s own bold gospel proclamation.	umkhuleko lokuncenga kuMoya	High — connects directly to the baseline’s Critical intercession doctrine (ukuncengela); prayer here is addressed to God alone, in the Spirit, with no ancestral intermediary, even while interceding for others — the same doctrinal point the baseline establishes for Romans 8:26-27, 34.
ambassador in chains	πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει	presbeuō en halysei	I act as an elder-envoy in a chain	one who represents a sovereign authority, here while imprisoned	”ambassador in chains,” “ambassador in bonds”	Paul’s self-description while imprisoned — he remains Christ’s authorized representative even in chains, modeling the “boldness” (parrēsia) called for throughout the letter.	isithunywa esisemaketaneni	Low-Medium.
grace … with love incorruptible	ἡ χάρις … ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ	hē charis … en aphtharsia	grace … in incorruptibility	grace attending an eternal, undecaying love for Christ	”grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible”	Closing benediction: grace (umusa, TM) attending a love for Christ that will never decay or fail — an eschatological note closing the letter on the same grace with which it opened (1:2).	umusa (TM) + uthando olungabuboliyo	Medium.

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All Greek text is drawn from the standard critical text tradition (NA/UBS) as commonly reflected in major English Bible versions. All Ndebele renderings marked “(TM)” reuse the baseline Romans translation_memory.json exactly and are not new coinages. All other renderings are proposed here for the first time in this Ephesians package and must be entered into an updated translation_memory.json before Phase 2 begins.