Core Glossary
Core Glossary: Ephesians (KwabaseEfesu) — English/Greek → Ndebele
This glossary consolidates every load-bearing term identified in analysis/07_semantic_analysis.md, drawn from the entire book of Ephesians, chapters 1-6. It extends — and must never contradict — the baseline Romans translation_memory.json and bible_term_registry.json.
Section A lists terms already fixed in the baseline that recur in Ephesians; these renderings are reused exactly, with a note on any Ephesians-specific nuance.
Section B lists new terms introduced by Ephesians, organized by the chapter of first/primary occurrence, each with its proposed Ndebele rendering, risk tier, associated doctrine, and a grounded reason for the risk rating. These entries are proposed for addition to an updated translation_memory.json and bible_term_registry.json ahead of Phase 2.
Section A — Baseline Terms Reused Exactly in Ephesians
| Term | Ndebele (TM) | Risk (baseline) | Key Ephesians occurrences | Ephesians-specific note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| god | uNkulunkulu | Critical | 1:1-3,17; 2:4,8,10,19; 3:9,14,19; 4:6,24,32; 6:6,13,23 | Ephesians intensifies the baseline’s “direct access” concern via 2:18’s “access…to the Father” and 3:12’s “boldness and access.” |
| jesus | uJesu | Critical | throughout | No new nuance; standard proper name. |
| lord | iNkosi | Critical | 1:2-3,15,17; 2:21; 4:1,5,17; 5:8,10,17,19-20,22; 6:1,4,7-9,10,21,23-24 | Ephesians 6:5-9 creates a direct lexical tension between “the Lord” (Christ) and “masters” (κύριοι, human); see Section B, ch.6 entry “masters.” |
| son_of_god | iNdodana kaNkulunkulu | Critical | 4:13 | Appears once, in “the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” — full divine sonship, not honorary status. |
| holy_spirit | uMoya oNgcwele | Critical | 1:13; 2:18,22; 3:5,16; 4:3,4,30; 5:18; 6:17-18 | Ephesians’ “grieved” (4:30) and “filled with” (5:18) language make the Spirit’s full, personal divinity especially explicit; see Section B for both. |
| father | uBaba | High | 1:2,3,17; 2:18; 3:14-15; 4:6; 5:20; 6:23 | Must be kept distinct from “oyise” (human fathers, 6:4) — see Section B, ch.6. |
| grace | umusa | Critical | 1:2,6-7; 2:5,7-8; 3:2,7-8; 4:7,29; 6:24 | The doctrinal anchor of the core passage (2:5,8); reused with no modification. |
| faith | ukholo | High | 1:1,15; 2:8; 3:12,17; 4:5,13; 6:16,23 | 2:8’s “through faith” is the curriculum’s headline verse for Salvation by Grace through Faith. |
| salvation | usindiso | Critical | 1:13; 2:5,8; 6:17 | Also underlies new derivative terms uMsindisi (Savior, 5:23) and isivikelo sekhanda sosindiso (helmet of salvation, 6:17) — see Section B. |
| church | ibandla | Medium | 1:22-23; 3:10,21; 5:23-25,27,29,32 | Deepened throughout by the new “body of Christ” and “head” imagery — see Section B, ch.1. |
| saints | abangcwele | High | 1:1,15,18; 2:19; 3:8,18; 4:12; 5:3; 6:18 | Reused consistently as the corporate designation for all believers, including Gentile believers (2:19). |
| holy | -ngcwele | High | 1:1,4,13,15,18; 2:21; 3:5,8,18; 4:12,24,30; 5:3,27 | Underlies both “saints” and the new “holy temple” (2:21) and “new self…true holiness” (4:24) — see Section B. |
| sanctification | ukungcweliswa | High | 5:26 | Applied specifically to Christ’s sanctifying work for the church, tied to “washing of water with the word.” |
| adoption | ukutholwa njengomntwana | High | 1:5 | Directly paired with “predestined” (see Section B) — the strongest statement of this doctrine in either curriculum. |
| election | ukukhethwa | High | 1:4,11 | Verbal root (ἐξελέξατο, “he chose”) reused; paired throughout ch.1 with the new term “predestined.” |
| covenant | isivumelwano | High | 2:12 | ”Covenants of promise,” from which Gentiles were formerly excluded. |
| gentiles | abezizwe | Medium | 2:11; 3:1,6,8; 4:17 | Central to the Unity doctrine — no longer merely tolerated but “fellow heirs” (Section B, ch.3). |
| israel | uIsrayeli | Medium | 2:12 | ”Commonwealth of Israel,” the covenant community Gentiles were formerly alienated from. |
| glory | udumo | High | 1:6,12,14,17-18; 3:13,16,21 | Repeated refrain “to the praise of his glory” (1:6,12,14) structures the whole of ch.1’s doxology. |
| power_of_god | amandla kaNkulunkulu | High | 1:19,21; 3:7,16,20; 6:10 | Expanded into the stacked power-vocabulary of 1:19-21 and the armor-of-God section of ch.6 — see Section B. |
| apostle | umphostoli | Medium | 1:1; 2:20; 3:5; 4:11 | Also appears as a foundation-stone image (2:20) and a gift-office (4:11). |
| prophet | umphrofethi | High | 2:20; 3:5; 4:11 | Must remain sharply distinct from isangoma in all three occurrences, per baseline forbidden-substitution rule. |
| spiritual_gifts | izipho zoMoya | Medium | 4:7-13 (conceptually) | Ephesians’ specific gift-list (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers) is new vocabulary layered onto this existing doctrine — see Section B, ch.4. |
| peace | ukuthula | Medium | 1:2; 2:14-15,17; 4:3; 6:15,23 | Christ himself is “our peace” (2:14) who abolishes hostility — deepens the baseline sense considerably. |
| thanksgiving | ukubonga | Low | 1:16; 5:4,20 | No new nuance. |
| fellowship | ubudlelwano | Low | (conceptual, underlying 4:1-16) | Not a direct lexical occurrence but underlies the unity-of-the-body doctrine. |
| exhort | ukukhuthaza | Low | 4:1 (conceptually, “I urge/beseech you”) | Paul’s parakalō opening the ethical section. |
| sin | isono | High | 2:1 | Core passage’s “dead in trespasses and sins.” |
| law | umthetho | High | 2:15 | ”The law of commandments expressed in ordinances,” abolished in Christ’s flesh to create the one new man. |
| righteousness | ukulunga | Critical | 4:24; 5:9; 6:14 | Underlies “new self…created in righteousness,” “fruit of light,” and the “breastplate of righteousness” (Section B, ch.6). |
| messiah | uMesiya | Critical | (implicit; “Christ” throughout) | “uKristu” used interchangeably per baseline note. |
Section B — New Terms Introduced by Ephesians (by Chapter)
Chapter 1
| # | Term (English gloss) | Greek / Transliteration | Proposed Ndebele | Risk | Doctrine | Grounded Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | blessing | εὐλογία / eulogia | isibusiso | Low | Salvation by Grace | Standard term, low ambiguity. |
| 2 | before the foundation of the world | πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου / pro katabolēs kosmou | kusengakadalwa umhlaba | Medium | Election and Predestination | Must convey eternity-past, not vague antiquity. |
| 3 | holy and blameless | ἅγιος καὶ ἄμωμος / hagios kai amōmos | ongcwele longelasici | High | Election and Predestination; Sanctification | Forensic-and-moral purity granted in Christ, not achieved ritual purity. |
| 4 | predestined | προορίζω / proorizō | ukumiselwa ngaphambili | Critical | Election and Predestination in Christ | Collides with Ndebele traditional-religion concepts of destiny/calling fixed by ancestral or spiritual forces apart from personal will; must be taught as God’s personal, gracious, Christ-centered determination that includes rather than bypasses human faith-response (Eph 2:8). Mandatory theologian review every occurrence (1:5, 1:11). |
| 5 | good pleasure of his will | εὐδοκία τοῦ θελήματος / eudokia tou thelēmatos | intando yakhe enhle | Medium | Election and Predestination | God’s free, gracious choice, not arbitrary whim. |
| 6 | redemption | ἀπολύτρωσις / apolytrōsis | ukuhlengwa | High | Salvation by Grace | Must be a once-for-all price paid by Christ’s blood, not an ongoing debt requiring further appeasement or compensation payment (a risk given customary Ndebele compensatory-payment practice). |
| 7 | forgiveness | ἄφεσις / aphesis | intethelelo | High | Salvation by Grace | Must be understood as full, final release, not partial or ritually renewable. |
| 8 | mystery | μυστήριον / mystērion | imfihlo | High | The Mystery of Christ Revealed | Standard Nguni word for “mystery” risks resonance with secret ritual knowledge held by izangoma (diviners); Ephesians itself insists this mystery is now openly disclosed to all believers, the opposite of restricted spiritual knowledge. |
| 9 | stewardship / divine plan | οἰκονομία / oikonomia | icebo likaNkulunkulu | Medium | The Mystery of Christ Revealed | Must denote a deliberate divine plan, not vague providence. |
| 10 | fullness of time | πλήρωμα τῶν καιρῶν / plērōma tōn kairōn | ukugcwaliseka kwesikhathi | Medium | The Mystery of Christ Revealed | Appointed climactic moment, part of the recurring plērōma thread. |
| 11 | unite all things under one head | ἀνακεφαλαιόω / anakephalaioō | ukuhlanganisa konke ngaphansi kwenhloko eyodwa | High | The Mystery of Christ Revealed; Church as Body of Christ | Cosmic Christ-headship; must not be reduced to political unification given the weight “head/rule” language carries in Ndebele kingship history. |
| 12 | sealed | σφραγίζω / sphragizō | ukuphawulwa | High | Salvation by Grace; Holy Spirit’s work | Must denote a permanent divine mark of ownership by the Holy Spirit, not human ritual marking or a temporary protective charm. |
| 13 | guarantee / down payment | ἀρραβών / arrabōn | isibambiso | Medium | Salvation by Grace | Standard pledge term; preserve “already/not yet” force. |
| 14 | inheritance | κληρονομία / klēronomia | ilifa | High | Election and Predestination | Tied to adoption doctrine; family-inheritance concept, not generic reward. |
| 15 | power/working/might/strength (cluster) | δύναμις, ἐνέργεια, κράτος, ἰσχύς | amandla, ukusebenza kwamandla, amandla obukhulu, amandla | High | Sovereignty/Power of God | Must not be confused with power associated with izinyanga/izangoma; stacked Greek synonyms should be reflected with intensifying phrasing. |
| 16 | rule, authority, power, dominion (cosmic ranks) | ἀρχή, ἐξουσία, δύναμις, κυριότης | ubukhosi, amandla, amandla, ubunkosi | High | Spiritual Warfare (anticipatory); Lordship of Christ | κυριότης shares a root with κύριος (Lord); must not blur Christ’s exclusive supreme lordship. |
| 17 | head over all things to the church | κεφαλή / kephalē | inhloko | High | Church as the Body of Christ | Must be distinguished from socio-political chieftainship; emphasis on organic, life-giving headship. |
| 18 | body (of Christ) | σῶμα / sōma | umzimba | High | Church as the Body of Christ | Must be rendered identically at every occurrence across the book (1:23; 2:16; 3:6; 4:4,12,16; 5:23,30) to preserve one sustained metaphor. |
| 19 | fullness (of Christ/God) | πλήρωμα / plērōma | ukugcwala | High | Church as the Body of Christ; Mystery of Christ | Recurs 1:23, 3:19, 4:13; must not suggest the church supplies something Christ lacks. |
Chapter 2 (vv. 11-22; vv. 1-10 are the core passage, treated separately)
| # | Term (English gloss) | Greek / Transliteration | Proposed Ndebele | Risk | Doctrine | Grounded Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | far off / near | μακράν / ἐγγύς | khatshana / eduze | Medium | Unity of Jews and Gentiles | Relational, not merely spatial, distance from/nearness to God. |
| 21 | dividing wall of hostility | μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ, ἔχθρα / mesotoichon tou phragmou, echthra | udonga lokwahlukanisa lobutha | High | Unity of Jews and Gentiles | Handle carefully given Zimbabwe’s Ndebele-Shona historical context; keep focus on the Jew-Gentile referent. |
| 22 | one new man / humanity | καινὸς ἄνθρωπος (corporate) / kainos anthrōpos | umuntu omutsha oyedwa | High | Unity of Jews and Gentiles; New Humanity | Genuine new creation, not absorption of one group into the other. |
| 23 | reconcile | ἀποκαταλλάσσω / apokatallassō | ukubuyisana | High | Unity of Jews and Gentiles | Once-for-all divine act through the cross, not an ongoing ritual reconciliation process. |
| 24 | access | προσαγωγή / prosagōgē | ukusondela | Critical | Christ as Sole Mediator (extends baseline doctrine) | Direct restatement of the baseline’s most important doctrine for Ndebele audiences: direct access to the Father through Christ, no ancestral intermediary. Mandatory theologian review. |
| 25 | fellow citizens / household of God | συμπολῖται, οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ | izakhamizi kanye labangcwele; abendlu kaNkulunkulu | Medium | Unity of Jews and Gentiles | Full, not second-class, belonging for Gentile believers. |
| 26 | foundation | θεμέλιος / themelios | isisekelo | Low | Church as Body of Christ | Standard architectural metaphor. |
| 27 | cornerstone | ἀκρογωνιαῖος / akrogōniaios | ilitshe lekhoneni | Medium | Church as Body of Christ | Foundational, structurally decisive stone image for Christ. |
| 28 | holy temple | ναὸς ἅγιος / naos hagios | ithempeli elingcwele | Medium | Church as Body of Christ | Corporate church, not a physical building. |
Chapter 3
| # | Term (English gloss) | Greek / Transliteration | Proposed Ndebele | Risk | Doctrine | Grounded Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | fellow heirs / fellow body-members / fellow partakers | συγκληρονόμα, σύσσωμα, συμμέτοχα | abazuza ilifa kanye; abangxenye yomzimba munye; abahlanganyeli besithembiso kanye | High | Unity of Jews and Gentiles | The “syn-” pattern must convey full equality, no diminished Gentile share. |
| 30 | unsearchable riches | ἀνεξιχνίαστος πλοῦτος / anexichniaston ploutos | inotho engelakuhlolwa | Medium | Mystery of Christ Revealed | Inexhaustible riches of Christ available to all. |
| 31 | manifold wisdom of God | πολυποίκιλος σοφία / polypoikilos sophia | inhlakanipho enhlobonhlobo | Medium-High | Mystery of Christ Revealed; Spiritual Warfare (linked) | Must preserve that the church’s unity itself displays this wisdom to the cosmic powers of 6:12. |
| 32 | boldness / confidence | παρρησία / parrēsia | isibindi | High | Christ as Sole Mediator (extends) | Confident direct approach to God, not confidence via intermediary; recurs at 6:19-20. |
| 33 | rooted and grounded | ῥιζόω, θεμελιόω / rhizoō, themelioō | ukugxila lokusekwa | Low-Medium | Christian Identity in Christ | Stability in Christ’s love. |
| 34 | filled with all the fullness of God | πληρωθῆτε εἰς πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ θεοῦ | ukugcwaliswa ngokugcwala konke kukaNkulunkulu | High | Church as Body of Christ | Must connect to the plērōma thread of 1:23 and 4:13. |
Chapter 4
| # | Term (English gloss) | Greek / Transliteration | Proposed Ndebele | Risk | Doctrine | Grounded Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | unity of the Spirit | ἑνότης τοῦ πνεύματος / henotēs tou pneumatos | ubunye bukaMoya | High | Church as Body of Christ; Unity | Requires careful, text-focused framing given Ndebele-Shona historical sensitivity noted already in the baseline. |
| 36 | bond of peace | σύνδεσμος τῆς εἰρήνης / syndesmos tēs eirēnēs | isibopho sokuthula | Medium | Unity | Unity as something to be kept, not manufactured. |
| 37 | one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father | (sevenfold ἕν/μία/εἷς list) | umzimba munye, uMoya munye, ithemba linye, iNkosi yinye, ukholo lunye, ubhabhathizo lunye, uNkulunkulu loBaba munye | High | Unity; Lordship of Christ | Repeated “one” must fall on each noun; “iNkosi yinye” must be unmistakably exclusive. |
| 38 | baptism | βάπτισμα / baptisma | ubhabhathizo | Medium | Unity | Standard established loanword. |
| 39 | measure of Christ’s gift | μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ / metron tēs dōreas tou Christou | isilinganiso sesipho sikaKristu | Medium | Gifts for Building Up the Church | Christ’s own sovereign apportionment of grace/gifting. |
| 40 | apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers | ἀπόστολοι, προφῆται, εὐαγγελισταί, ποιμένες, διδάσκαλοι | abaphostoli, abaphrofethi, abavangeli, abelusi, abafundisi | High | Gifts for Building Up the Church | ”Umfundisi” is the everyday word for “pastor” generally, risking conflation of the shepherd (umelusi) and teacher (umfundisi) offices Ephesians names distinctly; umphrofethi must stay distinct from isangoma per baseline rule. |
| 41 | equipping | καταρτισμός / katartismos | ukulungiselelwa | Medium | Gifts for Building Up the Church | Preparing all saints for ministry, not merely training leaders. |
| 42 | building up the body of Christ | οἰκοδομὴ τοῦ σώματος / oikodomē tou sōmatos | ukwakhiwa komzimba kaKristu | Medium | Gifts for Building Up the Church | Corporate goal, not individual achievement. |
| 43 | mature man / fullness of Christ | ἀνὴρ τέλειος, μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ | indoda epheleleyo; ukugcwala kukaKristu | High | Gifts for Building Up the Church; Church as Body of Christ | Corporate maturity of the whole church, part of the plērōma thread. |
| 44 | old self | παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος / palaios anthrōpos | umuntu omdala | High | Walking in Newness of Life | An identity to be decisively “put off,” not merely bad habits. |
| 45 | renewed in the spirit of the mind | ἀνανεόω / ananeoō | ukuvuselelwa emoyeni wengqondo | Medium | Walking in Newness of Life | Ongoing inward transformation. |
| 46 | new self | καινὸς ἄνθρωπος (individual) / kainos anthrōpos | umuntu omutsha | High | Walking in Newness of Life | Must connect to 2:10’s “created” and 2:15’s “one new man.” |
| 47 | grieve the Holy Spirit | λυπέω τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον / lypeō to pneuma to hagion | ukudabukisa uMoya oNgcwele | Critical | Holy Spirit’s personal divinity | Direct extension of the baseline’s Critical Holy Spirit doctrine; grammar itself argues for the Spirit’s personhood against impersonal-force or amadlozi readings. Mandatory theologian review. |
| 48 | day of redemption | ἡμέρα ἀπολυτρώσεως / hēmera apolytrōseōs | usuku lokuhlengwa | Medium | Salvation by Grace | Eschatological completion of redemption, tied to ukuhlengwa. |
| 49 | vice list (bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, malice) | πικρία, θυμός, ὀργή, κραυγή, βλασφημία, κακία | ukubaba, intukuthelo, ulaka, ukuklabalala, ukuhlambalaza, ububi | Low-Medium | Walking in Newness of Life | Standard ethical vocabulary; low doctrinal ambiguity. |
| 50 | kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another | χρηστός, εὔσπλαγχνος, χαρίζομαι | -mnene, -lesihawu, ukuthethelelana | Medium | Walking in Newness of Life | Relational fruit mirroring God’s own forgiving character (charis). |
Chapter 5
| # | Term (English gloss) | Greek / Transliteration | Proposed Ndebele | Risk | Doctrine | Grounded Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | imitators of God | μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ / mimētai tou theou | abalingiseli bakaNkulunkulu | Medium | Walking in Newness of Life | Must retain “beloved children” framing (adoption/uBaba theme). |
| 52 | offering and sacrifice, fragrant aroma | προσφορά, θυσία, ὀσμὴ εὐωδίας | umnikelo, umhlatshelo, iphunga elimnandi | High | Walking in Newness of Life; Christ’s atoning work | Umhlatshelo is the standard term for ritual sacrifice offered to appease/honor amadlozi; must teach Christ’s sacrifice as unique, once-for-all, sufficient — ending rather than continuing the logic of appeasement sacrifice. |
| 53 | covetousness is idolatry | πλεονέκτης = εἰδωλολάτρης | isihwaba siyisikhonzi sezithombe | Medium | Walking in Newness of Life | Constructive teaching bridge against divided ultimate devotion, usable (with care) alongside broader syncretism warnings. |
| 54 | children of light / darkness | τέκνα φωτός / σκότος | abantwana bokukhanya / ubumnyama | Medium | Walking in Newness of Life | Extends the “enlightened eyes of the heart” theme from 1:18. |
| 55 | be filled with the Spirit | πληρόω ἐν πνεύματι / plēroō en pneumati | gcwaliswani nguMoya | High | Holy Spirit’s personal divinity; Walking in Newness of Life | Must denote the Spirit’s own personal filling/control, distinguished from spirit-possession phenomena associated with mediumship. |
| 56 | psalms, hymns, spiritual songs | ψαλμοί, ὕμνοι, ᾠδαὶ πνευματικαί | amahubo, amaculo, izingoma zomoya | Low | Walking in Newness of Life | Standard worship vocabulary. |
| 57 | submitting to one another | ὑποτασσόμενοι ἀλλήλοις / hypotassomenoi allēlois | ukuzithoba komunye lomunye | High | Household Codes | Mutual, reciprocal deference; must not be confused with unilateral deference owed to chief/elder/ancestor. |
| 58 | wife submits, husband as head (Christ-church analogy) | ὑποτάσσω, κεφαλή | ukuzithoba; inhloko | Critical | Household Codes; Church as Body of Christ | Must always be taught with vv.25-33’s self-sacrificial husband-love inseparable from v.22’s wife-submission, within the governing mutuality of v.21. |
| 59 | Savior of the body | σωτὴρ τοῦ σώματος / sōtēr tou sōmatos | uMsindisi womzimba | High | Salvation by Grace (extends) | Ties Christ’s headship to his saving, self-giving function. |
| 60 | sanctify, cleanse by washing of water with the word | ἁγιάζω, καθαρίζω, λουτρόν | ukungcwelisa; ukuhlanjululwa ngamanzi ngelizwi | High | Sanctification (extends) | Distinguish from ritual purification performed for the ancestors; accomplished by Christ through the gospel word. |
| 61 | present the church without spot or wrinkle | παρίστημι, σπίλος, ῥυτίς | ukuyimisa ibandla lingelabala kumbe umgobhozo | Medium | Church as Body of Christ | Eschatological perfection of the church. |
| 62 | great mystery: Christ and the church | μυστήριον μέγα / mystērion mega | imfihlo enkulu | High | Mystery of Christ Revealed | Same mystērion caution as chs. 1, 3; applied here to marriage, a culturally loaded institution. |
Chapter 6
| # | Term (English gloss) | Greek / Transliteration | Proposed Ndebele | Risk | Doctrine | Grounded Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63 | children obey parents (in the Lord) | ὑπακούω / hypakouō | ukulalela | Medium | Household Codes | Distinct verb from “submit” (ukuzithoba); Ephesians uses two different Greek verbs deliberately. |
| 64 | honor father and mother | τιμάω / timaō | ukuhlonipha | Medium | Household Codes | Resonates positively with Ndebele kinship-respect culture when kept anchored to the text. |
| 65 | fathers, do not provoke | πατέρες, παροργίζω | oyihlo, ukuthukuthelisa | High | Household Codes; Sonship/Fatherhood distinction | ”Oyise” (human fathers) must be used, never uBaba, which is reserved exclusively for God the Father. |
| 66 | discipline and instruction of the Lord | παιδεία, νουθεσία | ukuqondiswa lokulaywa kweNkosi | Medium | Household Codes | Positive, Christ-centered child-rearing standard. |
| 67 | bondservants / slaves | δοῦλος / doulos | izigqili / izinceku | Medium | Household Codes | Historically weighted vocabulary; neither Ndebele option is an exact match for first-century Roman slavery — requires explanatory framing. |
| 68 | masters (human, earthly) | κύριοι / kyrioi | abaphathi (recommended) — not amakhosi | High | Household Codes; Lordship of Christ | Direct Greek wordplay (same word for “Lord” and “masters”) risks blurring Christ’s exclusive lordship if rendered amakhosi; recommend abaphathi, reserving iNkosi for Christ alone, with translator’s note explaining the Greek wordplay. Mandatory theologian review. |
| 69 | no partiality | προσωπολημψία / prosōpolēmpsia | ukubandlulula | Medium | Household Codes | God’s impartial judgment of slave and free, master and servant. |
| 70 | be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might | ἐνδυναμόω, κράτος, ἰσχύς | qina eNkosini, emandleni obukhulu bakhe | High | Spiritual Warfare | Connects to the power-cluster of ch.1; spiritual battle-readiness is in Christ’s power alone. |
| 71 | whole armor of God | πανοπλία τοῦ θεοῦ / panoplia tou theou | izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu | Critical | Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God | Direct collision risk with protective charms/amulets obtained from an inyanga in traditional practice; must be taught as wholly spiritual realities supplied by God alone, appropriated by faith and prayer, with no ritual specialist or object involved. Mandatory theologian review every occurrence. |
| 72 | rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, spiritual forces of evil | ἀρχαί, ἐξουσίαι, κοσμοκράτορες, πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας | ababusi, izikhundla zamandla, ababusi balo mhlaba wobumnyama, imimoya yobubi endaweni zasezulwini | Critical | Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God | The doctrinal center of gravity for this curriculum, structurally parallel to the baseline’s treatment of intercession; must be taught as real but categorically different from amadlozi — hostile powers already defeated by Christ (1:21-22), never ancestors to be approached, never requiring a ritual specialist to counter. Mandatory theologian review every occurrence. |
| 73 | belt of truth | ζώνη τῆς ἀληθείας | ibhande leqiniso | Medium | Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God | Must reuse established “truth” vocabulary. |
| 74 | breastplate of righteousness | θώραξ τῆς δικαιοσύνης | isivikelo sesifuba sokulunga | High | Spiritual Warfare; Righteousness (reuses TM ukulunga) | Must reuse the fixed baseline term for righteousness, not a new synonym. |
| 75 | shoes of the gospel of peace | ἑτοιμασία τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς εἰρήνης | amanyathela okulungela ivangeli lokuthula | Medium | Spiritual Warfare | Reuses fixed gospel (ivangeli) and peace (ukuthula) terms. |
| 76 | shield of faith | θυρεὸς τῆς πίστεως | ihawu lokholo | High | Spiritual Warfare; Faith (reuses TM ukholo) | Must reuse the fixed baseline term for faith. |
| 77 | helmet of salvation | περικεφαλαία τοῦ σωτηρίου | isivikelo sekhanda sosindiso | High | Spiritual Warfare; Salvation (reuses TM usindiso) | Must reuse the fixed baseline term for salvation. |
| 78 | sword of the Spirit, word of God | μάχαιρα τοῦ πνεύματος, ῥῆμα θεοῦ | inkemba kaMoya, ilizwi likaNkulunkulu | High | Spiritual Warfare; Scripture’s authority | The only offensive weapon named; God’s proclaimed word wielded against the powers of v.12. |
| 79 | prayer and supplication in the Spirit | προσευχή, δέησις | umkhuleko lokuncenga kuMoya | High | Prayer; Christ as Sole Mediator (extends) | Reinforces baseline’s Critical intercession doctrine (ukuncengela); prayer addressed to God alone, in the Spirit, no ancestral intermediary. |
| 80 | ambassador in chains | πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει | isithunywa esisemaketaneni | Low-Medium | Mission/Proclamation | Paul’s self-description as Christ’s authorized representative even while imprisoned. |
| 81 | love incorruptible | ἀφθαρσία / aphtharsia | uthando olungabuboliyo | Medium | Salvation by Grace (closing benediction) | Eschatological note closing the letter; low ambiguity beyond standard vocabulary care. |
Cross-Reference Notes for Phase 2
- All Section A terms must be pulled from the existing
translation_memory.jsonwithout modification; do not re-derive or duplicate entries. - All Section B terms must be added as new entries to an updated
translation_memory.jsonandbible_term_registry.jsonbefore Phase 2 segment translation begins, each carrying the risk tier and doctrine tag recorded here. - Terms marked Critical in Section B (predestined; access; grieve the Holy Spirit; wife submits/husband as head; masters vs. Lord; whole armor of God; rulers/authorities/cosmic powers/spiritual forces of evil) must be added to the doctrine-risk registry’s “Human theologian review” routing list, extending the baseline’s existing Critical-tier list.
- The recurring metaphor terms — umzimba (body), inhloko (head), ukugcwala/plērōma (fullness), imfihlo (mystery), ukuhamba (walk) — must be flagged in the Phase 2 segment cache as consistency-locked terms: every occurrence across all six chapters must use the identical Ndebele rendering so readers recognize each as one sustained theological thread.
- Book name for citation: KwabaseEfesu (Ephesians), following the same convention as baseline’s KwabaseRoma (Romans); verse numbers remain Arabic numerals.
Critical Risk Terms
Grace
Approved rendering: umusa
Transliteration: umusa
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Inherited from Romans package. The doctrinal anchor of the core passage (Ephesians 2:5,8) and the letter’s opening and closing benediction (1:2; 6:24). Must not be softened into favor earned through correct ritual observance toward uNkulunkulu or the ancestors.
Righteousness
Approved rendering: ukulunga
Transliteration: ukulunga
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies the ‘new self…created in righteousness’ (4:24), the ‘fruit of light’ (5:9), and the breastplate of righteousness (6:14); must reuse this fixed term rather than a new synonym in each occurrence.
Salvation
Approved rendering: usindiso
Transliteration: usindiso
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Also underlies derivative Ephesians terms ‘uMsindisi’ (Savior, 5:23) and the helmet of salvation (6:17).
Resurrection
Approved rendering: ukuvuka kwabafileyo
Transliteration: ukuvuka kwabafileyo
Doctrine: Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Presupposed at Ephesians 1:20 (‘when he raised him from the dead’) and underlies the new union-with-Christ terms ‘made alive together with Christ’ and ‘raised together with Christ’ (2:5-6); must not be conflated with joining the amadlozi.
Lord
Approved rendering: iNkosi
Transliteration: iNkosi
Doctrine: The Exclusive Lordship of Jesus Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Ephesians 6:5-9 creates a direct lexical collision: the same Greek word (kyrios) names Christ and human slave-masters. ‘iNkosi’ must be reserved exclusively for Christ; human masters must be rendered ‘abaphathi’, never ‘amakhosi’.
Son Of God
Approved rendering: iNdodana kaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: iNdodana kaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Occurs once (Ephesians 4:13) in ‘the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God’ — full divine sonship, not honorary status.
Messiah
Approved rendering: uMesiya
Transliteration: uMesiya
Doctrine: The Exclusive Lordship of Jesus Christ
Inherited from Romans package. ‘uKristu’ used interchangeably per baseline note, throughout Ephesians.
Intercession
Approved rendering: ukuncengela
Transliteration: ukuncengela
Doctrine: Christ as Sole Mediator (Direct Access)
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies the doctrinal logic of Ephesians 6:18’s ‘prayer and supplication in the Spirit’ and reinforces 2:18/3:12’s direct-access teaching; no ancestral intermediary is ever in view.
Jesus
Approved rendering: uJesu
Transliteration: uJesu
Doctrine: The Exclusive Lordship of Jesus Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Standard proper name throughout Ephesians.
God
Approved rendering: uNkulunkulu
Transliteration: uNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Inherited from Romans package. Ephesians 2:18 and 3:12 intensify the baseline’s direct-access concern by explicitly naming ‘access…to the Father’ and ‘boldness and access’ in Christ.
Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: uMoya oNgcwele
Transliteration: uMoya oNgcwele
Doctrine: The Holy Spirit’s Personal Divinity
Inherited from Romans package. Ephesians 4:30 (‘grieve not the Holy Spirit’) and 5:18 (‘be filled with the Spirit’) make the Spirit’s personal divinity especially explicit; must not be read as amadlozi or a possessing spirit.
Made Alive Together With Christ
Approved rendering: ukuphiliswa kanye loKristu
Transliteration: ukuphiliswa kanye loKristu
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Rejected alternatives: ukuphila kutsha (generic revival, rejected)
Believers joined to Christ’s own resurrection life, not merely revived in general (Ephesians 2:5). Must preserve the ‘together with Christ’ union; a generic-revival rendering could be misheard as joining a spirit’s vitality, echoing the amadlozi framework rather than union with the risen Christ. Mandatory theologian review.
Raised Together With Christ
Approved rendering: ukuvuswa kanye loKristu
Transliteration: ukuvuswa kanye loKristu
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Believers’ union with Christ extending to his resurrection and exaltation, a present positional reality (Ephesians 2:6). Must not read as believers joining Christ among the amadlozi, but as sharing bodily-resurrection life and heavenly exaltation. Mandatory theologian review.
Works Excluded From Salvation
Approved rendering: imisebenzi
Transliteration: imisebenzi
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Human effort or moral/ritual performance explicitly excluded as a ground of salvation (Ephesians 2:9). Must not be blurred with ‘good works’ (v.10, positive), which are the fruit, not the ground, of salvation. Mandatory theologian review; always co-occur with explicit negation in context.
Good Works As Fruit
Approved rendering: imisebenzi emihle
Transliteration: imisebenzi emihle
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
The intended fruit of salvation, prepared beforehand by God (Ephesians 2:10). Same term root as v.9’s excluded ‘works’; the qualifier ‘good’ and surrounding grammar must make plain these are the result, never the cause, of salvation. Mandatory theologian review.
Predestined
Approved rendering: ukumiselwa ngaphambili
Transliteration: ukumiselwa ngaphambili
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
Rejected alternatives: ukumiselwa (bare root, rejected as too fate-adjacent)
God’s sovereign foreordaining that believers would be adopted as sons through Christ (Ephesians 1:5, 1:11). Collides with Ndebele traditional-religion concepts of destiny/calling (e.g. to mediumship) fixed by ancestral or spiritual forces apart from personal choice. Must be taught as God’s personal, gracious, Christ-centered determination including, not bypassing, the faith-response of 2:8. Mandatory theologian review at every occurrence.
Access
Approved rendering: ukusondela
Transliteration: ukusondela
Doctrine: Christ as Sole Mediator (Direct Access)
Direct approach to the Father through Christ, in one Spirit (Ephesians 2:18; 3:12). Ephesians’ clearest statement of the doctrine the baseline names as most important for Ndebele audiences — direct access to uNkulunkulu, with no ancestral intermediary. Requires the same mandatory theologian review the baseline assigns to Romans 8:34’s intercession.
Grieve The Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: ukudabukisa uMoya oNgcwele
Transliteration: ukudabukisa uMoya oNgcwele
Doctrine: The Holy Spirit’s Personal Divinity
Causing sorrow to the personal Holy Spirit through sin (Ephesians 4:30). A direct extension of the baseline’s Critical Holy Spirit doctrine; the verse’s own grammar argues against impersonal-force or amadlozi readings. Mandatory theologian review.
Wife Submits Husband Head
Approved rendering: ukuzithoba; inhloko
Transliteration: ukuzithoba; inhloko
Doctrine: Household Codes and Christ-Centered Relationships
Marriage as a living picture of Christ’s self-giving headship over the church (Ephesians 5:22-33). Must always be taught with vv.25-33’s self-sacrificial husband-love inseparable from v.22’s wife-submission, within the governing mutuality of v.21, so ‘inhloko’ is never detached from its self-giving content. Mandatory theologian review.
Masters Human Earthly
Approved rendering: abaphathi
Transliteration: abaphathi
Doctrine: The Exclusive Lordship of Jesus Christ
Rejected alternatives: amakhosi
Human slave-masters, addressed alongside their servants under one higher heavenly Master (Ephesians 6:5-9). The Greek text uses the same word (kyrios) for both Christ and human masters; rendering human masters as ‘amakhosi’ would dangerously blur Christ’s exclusive lordship. ‘Abaphathi’ is required, with a translator’s footnote explaining the wordplay. Mandatory theologian review.
Whole Armor Of God
Approved rendering: izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
The complete set of spiritual protection and weaponry supplied by God alone (Ephesians 6:11-17). The single most culturally sensitive image in the letter, colliding with protective charms/amulets obtained from an inyanga. Teaching must make explicit this armor is wholly spiritual, appropriated through faith and prayer, with no ritual specialist, charm, or medium involved. Mandatory theologian review at every occurrence.
Rulers Authorities Cosmic Powers
Approved rendering: ababusi, izikhundla zamandla, ababusi balo mhlaba wobumnyama, imimoya yobubi endaweni zasezulwini
Transliteration: ababusi, izikhundla zamandla, ababusi balo mhlaba wobumnyama, imimoya yobubi endaweni zasezulwini
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
Real, personal, organized hostile spiritual powers opposing believers, already defeated by Christ (Ephesians 6:12; cf. 1:21-22). The doctrinal center of gravity for this curriculum. Must be taught as categorically different from amadlozi — never ancestors to be approached, never requiring a ritual specialist to counter. Mandatory theologian review at every occurrence.
High Risk Terms
Gospel
Approved rendering: ivangeli
Transliteration: ivangeli
Doctrine: Gospel
Inherited from Romans package. In Ephesians occurs at 1:13 (‘word of truth, the gospel of your salvation’), 3:6, 6:15 (‘gospel of peace’), and 6:19 (‘mystery of the gospel’); reused with no modification.
Faith
Approved rendering: ukholo
Transliteration: ukholo
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Ephesians 2:8 is this curriculum’s headline verse; also reused in the shield-of-faith armor image (6:16) and the sevenfold unity confession (4:5).
Called
Approved rendering: obiziweyo
Transliteration: obiziweyo
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies the sense behind 4:1’s ‘the calling with which you were called,’ though Ephesians primarily uses the noun form (see ‘calling’).
Calling
Approved rendering: ubizo
Transliteration: ubizo
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Ephesians 4:1 opens the ethical section by tying conduct (‘walk worthy’) directly to this term; must be read as response to a prior sovereign summons, not a means of securing it.
Holy
Approved rendering: -ngcwele
Transliteration: -ngcwele
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies both ‘saints’ and new Ephesians compounds ‘holy temple’ (2:21) and ‘true holiness’ (4:24).
Saints
Approved rendering: abangcwele
Transliteration: abangcwele
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Applied explicitly to Gentile believers as full members in Ephesians 2:19, reinforcing the corporate, non-elite sense.
Sanctification
Approved rendering: ukungcweliswa
Transliteration: ukungcweliswa
Doctrine: Household Codes and Christ-Centered Relationships
Inherited from Romans package. Applied specifically to Christ’s sanctifying work for the church in Ephesians 5:26, tied to ‘washing of water with the word.‘
Adoption
Approved rendering: ukutholwa njengomntwana
Transliteration: ukutholwa njengomntwana
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Paired directly with ‘predestined’ in Ephesians 1:5 — the strongest statement of this doctrine in either curriculum.
Law
Approved rendering: umthetho
Transliteration: umthetho
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
Inherited from Romans package. ‘The law of commandments expressed in ordinances’ (2:15), abolished in Christ’s flesh to create the one new man.
Sin
Approved rendering: isono
Transliteration: isono
Doctrine: Humanity’s Sinfulness
Inherited from Romans package. Core passage’s ‘dead in trespasses and sins’ (Ephesians 2:1), deliberately paired with the new term ‘trespasses’ for rhetorical stacking.
Glory
Approved rendering: udumo
Transliteration: udumo
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Rejected alternatives: inkazimulo
Inherited from Romans package. The repeated refrain ‘to the praise of his glory’ (1:6,12,14) structures the whole of chapter 1’s doxology.
Power Of God
Approved rendering: amandla kaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: amandla kaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
Inherited from Romans package. Expanded into the stacked power-vocabulary of 1:19-21 and the armor-of-God section of chapter 6; must not be confused with power associated with izinyanga/izangoma.
Prophet
Approved rendering: umphrofethi
Transliteration: umphrofethi
Doctrine: Gifts for Building Up the Church
Rejected alternatives: isangoma
Inherited from Romans package. Must remain sharply distinct from ‘isangoma’ in all three Ephesians occurrences (2:20; 3:5; 4:11), per baseline forbidden-substitution rule.
Covenant
Approved rendering: isivumelwano
Transliteration: isivumelwano
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies the new compound ‘covenants of promise’ (Ephesians 2:12), from which Gentiles were formerly excluded.
Election
Approved rendering: ukukhethwa
Transliteration: ukukhethwa
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Verbal root (exelexato, ‘he chose’) paired throughout Ephesians 1 with the new term ‘predestined.‘
Father
Approved rendering: uBaba
Transliteration: uBaba
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Must be kept distinct from ‘oyihlo’ (human fathers, Ephesians 6:4); ‘uBaba’ is reserved exclusively for God the Father throughout the letter (1:2-3,17; 2:18; 3:14-15; 4:6; 5:20; 6:23).
Dead
Approved rendering: abafileyo
Transliteration: abafileyo
Doctrine: Humanity’s Sinfulness
Rejected alternatives: ababuthakathaka (weak)
Total spiritual incapacity before God prior to Christ’s intervention (Ephesians 2:1). Must not be softened to ‘sick’ or ‘weak,’ which would undercut the totality of the ‘made alive’ contrast in v.5, and must avoid overlap with ‘ukufa’ language used of a person becoming an idlozi (ancestral spirit) at death.
Ruler Of The Power Of The Air
Approved rendering: umbusi
Transliteration: umbusi
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
Satan as the governing spiritual authority over the present fallen order (Ephesians 2:2). Must be clearly identified as a hostile, personal, created spiritual being (linked to ‘udiyabhola’), not confused with amadlozi, which Ndebele tradition holds to be benevolent or ambivalent, not adversarial, powers.
Flesh
Approved rendering: inyama
Transliteration: inyama
Doctrine: Humanity’s Sinfulness
Fallen human nature opposed to the Spirit (Ephesians 2:3). Ndebele ‘inyama’ primarily denotes literal meat/body; risk of readers hearing only a physical reference. Requires consistent contextual reinforcement, especially where 5:29 uses the same word literally.
Children Of Wrath By Nature
Approved rendering: abantwana bolaka ngokwemvelo
Transliteration: abantwana bolaka ngokwemvelo
Doctrine: Humanity’s Sinfulness
The universal, inherited condition of humanity under God’s righteous judgment prior to grace (Ephesians 2:3). Must communicate an inborn, universal condition applying to Jew and Gentile alike, not a status earned only by especially wicked individuals, and must not be confused with generational curses transmitted by displeased ancestral spirits.
Rich In Mercy
Approved rendering: ocebileyo esihawini
Transliteration: ocebileyo esihawini
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
God’s own abundant compassion as the active cause of salvation (Ephesians 2:4). Must be framed as God’s own initiating character, not favor secured through proper ritual approach to uNkulunkulu or the ancestors.
Seated Together With Christ
Approved rendering: ukuhlaliswa kanye laye
Transliteration: ukuhlaliswa kanye laye
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
Believers sharing Christ’s position of honor and authority (Ephesians 2:6). Must convey authority/honor granted by union with Christ, not literal physical relocation; anticipates believers’ share in Christ’s victory over the powers of 6:12.
Heavenly Places
Approved rendering: izindawo zasezulwini
Transliteration: izindawo zasezulwini
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
The unseen spiritual realm where God’s throne, Christ’s exaltation, and hostile spiritual powers alike are located (1:3; 1:20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). Must be rendered identically at every occurrence — consistency-locked term.
Gift Of Salvation
Approved rendering: isipho
Transliteration: isipho
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Salvation as something given freely by God, not produced by the recipient (Ephesians 2:8). Must clearly denote something received, not earned; reinforces the grace-not-works contrast.
Workmanship
Approved rendering: isidalwa sikaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: isidalwa sikaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Believers as God’s own artistic creation in Christ (Ephesians 2:10). Must communicate that believers are the object made by God, not agents who made themselves.
Created In Christ
Approved rendering: ukudalwa
Transliteration: ukudalwa
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
The new-creation motif: salvation as a fresh divine creative act (Ephesians 2:10). Must retain the force of an entirely new creative act by God, not moral reformation; connects to the old-self/new-self vocabulary of 4:22-24.
Prepared Beforehand
Approved rendering: ukulungiselwa ngaphambili
Transliteration: ukulungiselwa ngaphambili
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
Divine foreordination of specific good works for believers to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). Must be read with the predestination vocabulary of 1:5,11 as one coherent doctrine; risk of readers hearing fatalistic predetermination rather than gracious provision.
Holy And Blameless
Approved rendering: ongcwele longelasici
Transliteration: ongcwele longelasici
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
The goal of God’s electing choice (Ephesians 1:4): moral and forensic purity. Must not collapse into ritual purity alone but forensic-and-moral purity granted in Christ.
Redemption
Approved rendering: ukuhlengwa
Transliteration: ukuhlengwa
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Christ’s blood as the price paid to release believers from sin’s bondage (Ephesians 1:7). Must be understood as accomplished once-for-all, not an ongoing debt requiring further payment or appeasement — a distinction important given customary Ndebele compensatory-payment practice (e.g., cattle).
Forgiveness
Approved rendering: intethelelo
Transliteration: intethelelo
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Full pardon and remission of trespasses (Ephesians 1:7). Must be received as full and final release, not partial or requiring ongoing ritual renewal.
Mystery
Approved rendering: imfihlo
Transliteration: imfihlo
Doctrine: The Mystery of Christ Revealed
God’s previously hidden redemptive plan, now openly disclosed in the gospel (1:9; 3:3-9; 5:32; 6:19). Risks resonance with the secret ritual knowledge held by izangoma, accessed only through initiation or spirit-possession. Every occurrence must be paired with disclosure language (‘kwembulwa,’ has been revealed) so the openness of the gospel mystery is never left unqualified.
Unite All Things Under One Head
Approved rendering: ukuhlanganisa konke ngaphansi kwenhloko eyodwa
Transliteration: ukuhlanganisa konke ngaphansi kwenhloko eyodwa
Doctrine: The Mystery of Christ Revealed
Cosmic unification of all things under Christ’s headship (Ephesians 1:10). Must not be reduced to political unification, given the historical weight ‘inhloko’/leadership language carries in Ndebele kingship structures.
Sealed
Approved rendering: ukuphawulwa
Transliteration: ukuphawulwa
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
The Holy Spirit as God’s mark of ownership and guarantee on believers (Ephesians 1:13). Must denote a permanent divine mark by the Holy Spirit himself, not human ritual marking (e.g. a diviner’s marking of a client) or a temporary protective charm.
Inheritance
Approved rendering: ilifa
Transliteration: ilifa
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
Believers’ guaranteed future possession as God’s children (Ephesians 1:14,18). Connects directly to adoption; must be kept as a family-inheritance concept, not a generic reward.
Divine Power Cluster
Approved rendering: amandla, ukusebenza kwamandla, amandla obukhulu, amandla
Transliteration: amandla, ukusebenza kwamandla, amandla obukhulu, amandla
Doctrine: Sovereignty of God
A deliberately stacked vocabulary of divine power demonstrating resurrection-power at work in believers (Ephesians 1:19-21). Must not be confused with spiritual power associated with izinyanga/izangoma; the stacked near-synonyms should be reflected with intensifying phrasing.
Cosmic Powers Rank
Approved rendering: ubukhosi, amandla, amandla, ubunkosi
Transliteration: ubukhosi, amandla, amandla, ubunkosi
Doctrine: The Exclusive Lordship of Jesus Christ
Ranked spiritual/cosmic powers, over which Christ is exalted (Ephesians 1:21). ‘κυριότης’ (dominion) shares a root with ‘κύριος’ (Lord); Ndebele rendering must ensure no cosmic power is elevated to the same status-word (‘iNkosi’) reserved exclusively for Christ.
Head Headship
Approved rendering: inhloko
Transliteration: inhloko
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
Christ’s supreme, life-giving headship over the church (1:22; 4:15; 5:23). Must be distinguished from the socio-political headship of a chief/king; emphasis must fall on organic, life-giving headship. Consistency-locked term.
Body Of Christ
Approved rendering: umzimba
Transliteration: umzimba
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
The church as Christ’s own living, organic body (1:23; 2:16; 3:6; 4:4,12,16; 5:23,30). Must be consistently rendered at every occurrence — consistency-locked term — deepening ‘ibandla’ (assembly).
Fullness Pleroma
Approved rendering: ukugcwala
Transliteration: ukugcwala
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
The church as the corporate display of Christ’s own fullness (1:23; 3:19; 4:13). A genuinely difficult phrase; must avoid suggesting the church adds something Christ otherwise lacks. Consistency-locked term.
Covenants Of Promise
Approved rendering: izivumelwano zesithembiso
Transliteration: izivumelwano zesithembiso
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
The Old Testament covenants made with Israel (Ephesians 2:12), from which Gentiles were formerly excluded. Reuses the baseline covenant term.
Dividing Wall Of Hostility
Approved rendering: udonga lokwahlukanisa lobutha
Transliteration: udonga lokwahlukanisa lobutha
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
The barrier separating Jew and Gentile, abolished by Christ’s death (Ephesians 2:14). Must be handled carefully given Zimbabwe’s Ndebele-Shona historical tension, keeping focus on the Jew-Gentile referent.
One New Man
Approved rendering: umuntu omutsha oyedwa
Transliteration: umuntu omutsha oyedwa
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
A genuinely new corporate humanity created from Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:15). Must avoid suggesting either group is absorbed into the other.
Reconcile
Approved rendering: ukubuyisana
Transliteration: ukubuyisana
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
Christ’s cross reconciling both Jew and Gentile to God and to each other (Ephesians 2:16). Must be an accomplished, once-for-all act, not an ongoing ritual reconciliation process performed through ancestral mediation.
Fellow Heirs Members Partakers
Approved rendering: abazuza ilifa kanye; abangxenye yomzimba munye; abahlanganyeli besithembiso kanye
Transliteration: abazuza ilifa kanye; abangxenye yomzimba munye; abahlanganyeli besithembiso kanye
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
Full, equal participation of Gentile believers with no distinction of rank (Ephesians 3:6). The ‘syn-’ prefix pattern must convey full equality plainly.
Manifold Wisdom Of God
Approved rendering: inhlakanipho enhlobonhlobo
Transliteration: inhlakanipho enhlobonhlobo
Doctrine: The Mystery of Christ Revealed
The church’s Jew-Gentile unity displaying God’s rich, multifaceted wisdom to the cosmic powers (Ephesians 3:10). Must preserve the connection to the ‘rulers and authorities in the heavenly places’ of 6:12.
Boldness Confidence
Approved rendering: isibindi
Transliteration: isibindi
Doctrine: Christ as Sole Mediator (Direct Access)
Confident, unashamed access and speech before God (Ephesians 3:12; 6:19-20). Must convey confident direct approach to God, not confidence gained through a human or spiritual intermediary.
Filled With All Fullness Of God
Approved rendering: ukugcwaliswa ngokugcwala konke kukaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: ukugcwaliswa ngokugcwala konke kukaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
Believers experientially filled with God’s own fullness (Ephesians 3:19). Must be consistent with the plērōma rendering used in 1:23 and 4:13.
Unity Of The Spirit
Approved rendering: ubunye bukaMoya
Transliteration: ubunye bukaMoya
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
The already-existing spiritual unity of the church, to be kept, not created (Ephesians 4:3). Given Zimbabwe’s Ndebele-Shona historical context, requires careful, text-focused framing so as not to be read as commentary on national ethnic politics.
Sevenfold Unity Confession
Approved rendering: umzimba munye, uMoya munye, ithemba linye, iNkosi yinye, ukholo lunye, ubhabhathizo lunye, uNkulunkulu loBaba munye
Transliteration: umzimba munye, uMoya munye, ithemba linye, iNkosi yinye, ukholo lunye, ubhabhathizo lunye, uNkulunkulu loBaba munye
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
The sevenfold creedal basis of Christian unity (Ephesians 4:4-6). The repeated ‘one’ (-nye) must fall on each noun consistently; ‘iNkosi yinye’ (one Lord) must be unmistakably exclusive, consistent with the Critical lordship doctrine.
Fivefold Ministry Gifts
Approved rendering: abaphostoli, abaphrofethi, abavangeli, abelusi, abafundisi
Transliteration: abaphostoli, abaphrofethi, abavangeli, abelusi, abafundisi
Doctrine: Gifts for Building Up the Church
The leadership gift-offices given by the ascended Christ (Ephesians 4:11). ‘Umfundisi’ (teacher) is also the everyday word for ‘pastor/reverend’ generally, risking conflation with ‘umelusi’ (shepherd/pastor), a distinct office. ‘Umphrofethi’ must remain distinct from isangoma.
Mature Man Fullness Of Christ
Approved rendering: indoda epheleleyo; ukugcwala kukaKristu
Transliteration: indoda epheleleyo; ukugcwala kukaKristu
Doctrine: Gifts for Building Up the Church
The church collectively growing to resemble Christ fully (Ephesians 4:13). Must be read corporately, connecting to the same plērōma thread as chapters 1 and 3.
Old Self
Approved rendering: umuntu omdala
Transliteration: umuntu omdala
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
The former, unregenerate identity, corrupted by deceitful desires (Ephesians 4:22). Must be understood as an identity, not merely habits, to be decisively ‘put off.‘
New Self
Approved rendering: umuntu omutsha
Transliteration: umuntu omutsha
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
The regenerate identity, created by God in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24). Must connect to the ‘created’ language of 2:10 and ‘one new man’ of 2:15.
Offering And Sacrifice Fragrant Aroma
Approved rendering: umnikelo lomhlatshelo; iphunga elimnandi
Transliteration: umnikelo lomhlatshelo; iphunga elimnandi
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
Christ’s self-giving death described in Old Testament sacrificial vocabulary (Ephesians 5:2). ‘Umhlatshelo’ is also the standard term for ritual sacrifice offered to appease/honor amadlozi. Teaching must make explicit that Christ’s self-offering is unique, once-for-all, and sufficient — ending, not continuing, the logic of appeasement.
Filled With The Spirit
Approved rendering: gcwaliswani nguMoya
Transliteration: gcwaliswani nguMoya
Doctrine: The Holy Spirit’s Personal Divinity
Ongoing, repeated saturation and control by the Holy Spirit’s own person (Ephesians 5:18). Must be clearly distinguished from spirit-possession phenomena associated with mediumship, which the surrounding contrast with drunkenness could otherwise wrongly suggest.
Submitting To One Another
Approved rendering: ukuzithoba komunye lomunye
Transliteration: ukuzithoba komunye lomunye
Doctrine: Household Codes and Christ-Centered Relationships
Mutual, voluntary deference governing the whole household-code section (Ephesians 5:21). Must not be confused with the unilateral deference customarily owed to a chief, elder, or ancestral spirit.
Savior Of The Body
Approved rendering: uMsindisi womzimba
Transliteration: uMsindisi womzimba
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Christ’s headship over the church exercised as saving, self-giving rescue (Ephesians 5:23). Must retain the connection to the established baseline salvation term.
Sanctify Cleanse By Washing
Approved rendering: ukungcwelisa; ukuhlanjululwa ngamanzi ngelizwi
Transliteration: ukungcwelisa; ukuhlanjululwa ngamanzi ngelizwi
Doctrine: Household Codes and Christ-Centered Relationships
Christ’s ongoing sanctifying and cleansing work for the church, tied to the proclaimed gospel word (Ephesians 5:26). Must be distinguished from ritual washing/purification rites performed for the ancestors.
Great Mystery Christ And Church
Approved rendering: imfihlo enkulu
Transliteration: imfihlo enkulu
Doctrine: The Mystery of Christ Revealed
Marriage’s deepest meaning as a living sign of Christ’s covenant love for his church (Ephesians 5:32). Same mystērion caution as chapters 1 and 3, here applied to a culturally loaded institution.
Fathers Do Not Provoke
Approved rendering: oyihlo, ukuthukuthelisa
Transliteration: oyihlo, ukuthukuthelisa
Doctrine: Household Codes and Christ-Centered Relationships
A check on parental power, balancing the preceding command to children (Ephesians 6:4). ‘Oyihlo’ (human fathers) must be used, never ‘uBaba,’ which is reserved exclusively for God the Father.
Be Strong In The Lord
Approved rendering: qina eNkosini, emandleni obukhulu bakhe
Transliteration: qina eNkosini, emandleni obukhulu bakhe
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
Dependence on Christ’s own power, not self-generated strength, as the ground of spiritual battle-readiness (Ephesians 6:10). Must connect back to the power-cluster of chapter 1.
Breastplate Of Righteousness
Approved rendering: isivikelo sesifuba sokulunga
Transliteration: isivikelo sesifuba sokulunga
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
The believer’s righteousness in Christ as protective equipment (Ephesians 6:14). Must reuse the fixed baseline term for righteousness (ukulunga).
Shield Of Faith
Approved rendering: ihawu lokholo
Transliteration: ihawu lokholo
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
Faith in Christ as the believer’s defense against the enemy’s attacks (Ephesians 6:16). Must reuse the fixed baseline term for faith (ukholo).
Helmet Of Salvation
Approved rendering: isivikelo sekhanda sosindiso
Transliteration: isivikelo sekhanda sosindiso
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
The believer’s salvation in Christ as protective headgear (Ephesians 6:17). Must reuse the fixed baseline term for salvation (usindiso).
Sword Of The Spirit Word Of God
Approved rendering: inkemba kaMoya, ilizwi likaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: inkemba kaMoya, ilizwi likaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
Scripture/the proclaimed gospel word as the believer’s only offensive weapon against the powers of v.12 (Ephesians 6:17). Never a ritual incantation or charm-formula.
Prayer And Supplication In The Spirit
Approved rendering: umkhuleko lokuncenga kuMoya
Transliteration: umkhuleko lokuncenga kuMoya
Doctrine: Christ as Sole Mediator (Direct Access)
Spirit-empowered, continual prayer as the sustaining practice of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:18). Connects directly to the baseline’s Critical intercession doctrine; prayer addressed to God alone, in the Spirit, with no ancestral intermediary.
Medium Risk Terms
Apostle
Approved rendering: umphostoli
Transliteration: umphostoli
Doctrine: Gifts for Building Up the Church
Inherited from Romans package. Appears as Paul’s office (1:1), a foundation-stone image (2:20), and one of the five gift-offices (4:11).
Peace
Approved rendering: ukuthula
Transliteration: ukuthula
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
Inherited from Romans package. Christ himself is ‘our peace’ (2:14) who abolishes hostility between Jew and Gentile — deepens the baseline sense considerably; also reused in the shoes-of-the-gospel-of-peace armor image (6:15).
Spiritual Gifts
Approved rendering: izipho zoMoya
Transliteration: izipho zoMoya
Doctrine: Gifts for Building Up the Church
Inherited from Romans package. Ephesians 4:7-13 supplies a specific gift-list (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers) layered onto this existing doctrine.
Church
Approved rendering: ibandla
Transliteration: ibandla
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
Rejected alternatives: isonto
Inherited from Romans package. Deepened throughout Ephesians by the new ‘body of Christ’ and ‘head’ imagery (1:22-23; 3:10,21; 5:23-32).
Gentiles
Approved rendering: abezizwe
Transliteration: abezizwe
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
Inherited from Romans package. Central to the Unity doctrine — no longer merely tolerated but ‘fellow heirs’ (Ephesians 3:6).
Prophecy
Approved rendering: isiphrofetho
Transliteration: isiphrofetho
Doctrine: Gifts for Building Up the Church
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies the prophetic office named in the fivefold ministry-gift list (4:11).
Israel
Approved rendering: uIsrayeli
Transliteration: uIsrayeli
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
Inherited from Romans package. Appears in ‘commonwealth of Israel’ (Ephesians 2:12), the covenant community Gentiles were formerly alienated from.
Trespasses
Approved rendering: iziphambeko
Transliteration: iziphambeko
Doctrine: Humanity’s Sinfulness
A concrete act of wrongdoing, distinct but overlapping with ‘isono’ (sin). Risk is collapsing the two into one word and losing Paul’s deliberate stacking of ‘trespasses and sins’ (Ephesians 2:1) for rhetorical weight.
Walk
Approved rendering: ukuhamba
Transliteration: ukuhamba
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
Rejected alternatives: ukuphila (to live, rejected to preserve the metaphor)
The governing metaphor for the whole ‘Walking in Newness of Life’ doctrine strand (2:2,10; 4:1,17; 5:2,8,15). Must be rendered with the identical verb root at every occurrence to preserve this unifying literary/theological thread, including the deliberate former-walk/new-walk inclusio of 2:2 and 2:10. Consistency-locked term.
Age Of This World
Approved rendering: isikhathi salumhlaba
Transliteration: isikhathi salumhlaba
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
The present, fallen world-order under hostile spiritual rule (Ephesians 2:2). Risk of flattening into a purely temporal or geographic sense, losing the moral-spiritual ‘system’ nuance distinguishing it from creation itself.
Sons Of Disobedience
Approved rendering: abantwana bokungalaleli
Transliteration: abantwana bokungalaleli
Doctrine: Humanity’s Sinfulness
Hebraic idiom for people characterized/ruled by disobedience (Ephesians 2:2); must avoid a wooden literal rendering that obscures the idiomatic sense.
Desires Of The Flesh
Approved rendering: inkanuko
Transliteration: inkanuko
Doctrine: Humanity’s Sinfulness
Disordered, sinful craving (Ephesians 2:3). Standard Nguni term; context must retain the moral-negative sense here, not neutral ‘wanting.‘
Love Of God
Approved rendering: uthando
Transliteration: uthando
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
God’s own unconditional, self-giving love as the ground of salvation (Ephesians 2:4). Must be distinguished from generic affection or reciprocal loyalty owed within kinship/ancestral relationships.
Surpassing Riches Of Grace
Approved rendering: inotho edlula konke
Transliteration: inotho edlula konke
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
God’s grace displayed as an inexhaustible, overflowing exhibit for all coming ages (Ephesians 2:7). Must retain the sense of superabundance, not merely ‘great’ wealth.
Kindness
Approved rendering: isisa
Transliteration: isisa
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
The practical, experienced quality of God’s grace toward believers (Ephesians 2:7). Must be kept distinct from ‘umusa’ (grace) so the text’s layered vocabulary is not flattened.
Boast
Approved rendering: ukuzincoma
Transliteration: ukuzincoma
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Illegitimate self-credit before God (Ephesians 2:9). Must retain the sense of illegitimate self-credit, not merely everyday pride.
Before The Foundation Of The World
Approved rendering: kusengakadalwa umhlaba
Transliteration: kusengakadalwa umhlaba
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
Eternity past, prior to creation (Ephesians 1:4). Must communicate eternity-past, not merely ‘a very long time ago,’ anchoring election outside of time and human merit.
Good Pleasure Of His Will
Approved rendering: intando yakhe enhle
Transliteration: intando yakhe enhle
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
God’s free, gracious choice (Ephesians 1:5,9). Must convey free, gracious choice, not arbitrary whim.
Stewardship Divine Plan
Approved rendering: icebo likaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: icebo likaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: The Mystery of Christ Revealed
God’s ordered plan for redemptive history (Ephesians 1:10; 3:9). Must convey a deliberate divine plan, not vague providence.
Fullness Of Time
Approved rendering: ukugcwaliseka kwesikhathi
Transliteration: ukugcwaliseka kwesikhathi
Doctrine: The Mystery of Christ Revealed
The appointed, complete moment for God’s unifying plan in Christ (Ephesians 1:10).
Guarantee Down Payment
Approved rendering: isibambiso
Transliteration: isibambiso
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
The Holy Spirit as the present guarantee of the believer’s future full inheritance (Ephesians 1:14). Standard commercial-pledge term; preserve the ‘already/not yet’ theological force.
Circumcision Uncircumcision
Approved rendering: ukusoka / ukungasoki
Transliteration: ukusoka / ukungasoki
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
The old ethnic-religious identity markers for Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:11). Must ensure the ethnic-identity sense (not merely medical/ritual procedure) is clear in context.
Alienated
Approved rendering: ukwehlukaniswa
Transliteration: ukwehlukaniswa
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
Gentiles’ former total exclusion from Israel’s covenant privileges (Ephesians 2:12).
Far Off Near
Approved rendering: khatshana / eduze
Transliteration: khatshana / eduze
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
Relational distance from and nearness to God through Christ (Ephesians 2:13,17). Must retain the relational, not merely geographic, sense.
Fellow Citizens Household Of God
Approved rendering: izakhamizi kanye labangcwele; abendlu kaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: izakhamizi kanye labangcwele; abendlu kaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity
Gentiles granted full belonging within God’s family and people (Ephesians 2:19).
Cornerstone
Approved rendering: ilitshe lekhoneni
Transliteration: ilitshe lekhoneni
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
Christ as the foundational stone that aligns and anchors the church (Ephesians 2:20).
Holy Temple
Approved rendering: ithempeli elingcwele
Transliteration: ithempeli elingcwele
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
The church as God’s dwelling place by the Spirit (Ephesians 2:21). Must be understood corporately, not of any single physical building.
Unsearchable Riches
Approved rendering: inotho engelakuhlolwa
Transliteration: inotho engelakuhlolwa
Doctrine: The Mystery of Christ Revealed
Christ’s inexhaustible riches available to all, Jew and Gentile alike (Ephesians 3:8).
Rooted And Grounded
Approved rendering: ukugxila lokusekwa
Transliteration: ukugxila lokusekwa
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
Firm establishment in Christ’s love, combining agricultural and architectural imagery (Ephesians 3:17).
Bond Of Peace
Approved rendering: isibopho sokuthula
Transliteration: isibopho sokuthula
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
The peace-bond that maintains the church’s Spirit-given unity (Ephesians 4:3).
Baptism
Approved rendering: ubhabhathizo
Transliteration: ubhabhathizo
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
The rite of Christian initiation uniting all believers regardless of ethnic origin (Ephesians 4:5). Standard established loanword.
Measure Of Christs Gift
Approved rendering: isilinganiso sesipho sikaKristu
Transliteration: isilinganiso sesipho sikaKristu
Doctrine: Gifts for Building Up the Church
Each believer’s gifting as Christ’s own sovereign apportionment (Ephesians 4:7).
Equipping
Approved rendering: ukulungiselelwa
Transliteration: ukulungiselelwa
Doctrine: Gifts for Building Up the Church
The purpose of leadership gifts: preparing all the saints, not just leaders, for ministry (Ephesians 4:12).
Building Up Body Of Christ
Approved rendering: ukwakhiwa komzimba kaKristu
Transliteration: ukwakhiwa komzimba kaKristu
Doctrine: Gifts for Building Up the Church
The corporate growth and strengthening of the whole church (Ephesians 4:12). Must retain the corporate goal, not individual achievement.
Renewed In Spirit Of Mind
Approved rendering: ukuvuselelwa emoyeni wengqondo
Transliteration: ukuvuselelwa emoyeni wengqondo
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
The ongoing, inward transformation of the believer’s thinking (Ephesians 4:23).
Day Of Redemption
Approved rendering: usuku lokuhlengwa
Transliteration: usuku lokuhlengwa
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
The future, final consummation of redemption begun at the cross (Ephesians 4:30). Must connect to ‘ukuhlengwa’ as established in chapter 1.
Kind Tenderhearted Forgiving
Approved rendering: -mnene, -lesihawu, ukuthethelelana
Transliteration: -mnene, -lesihawu, ukuthethelelana
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
Relational virtues modeled on God’s own forgiving character (Ephesians 4:32), echoing ‘charis’ (grace) itself.
Imitators Of God
Approved rendering: abalingiseli bakaNkulunkulu
Transliteration: abalingiseli bakaNkulunkulu
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
Believers as beloved children patterning their lives after their Father’s character (Ephesians 5:1). Must retain the ‘beloved children’ framing.
Covetousness Is Idolatry
Approved rendering: isihwaba siyisikhonzi sezithombe
Transliteration: isihwaba siyisikhonzi sezithombe
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
Greed named theologically as misplaced worship (Ephesians 5:5). A constructive teaching bridge against divided ultimate devotion, usable alongside broader syncretism warnings.
Children Of Light Darkness
Approved rendering: abantwana bokukhanya / ubumnyama
Transliteration: abantwana bokukhanya / ubumnyama
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
Believers’ new identity marked by moral/spiritual illumination, contrasted with former darkness (Ephesians 5:8). Extends the ‘enlightened eyes of the heart’ theme from 1:18.
Present Church Without Spot Or Wrinkle
Approved rendering: ukuyimisa ibandla lingelabala kumbe umgobhozo
Transliteration: ukuyimisa ibandla lingelabala kumbe umgobhozo
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
The eschatological goal of Christ’s sanctifying work: the church presented perfect and glorious (Ephesians 5:27).
Children Obey Parents
Approved rendering: ukulalela
Transliteration: ukulalela
Doctrine: Household Codes and Christ-Centered Relationships
Full, active compliance of children toward parents, grounded ‘in the Lord’ (Ephesians 6:1). Must retain ‘obey’ as distinct from ‘submit’ (ukuzithoba) used elsewhere.
Honor Father And Mother
Approved rendering: ukuhlonipha
Transliteration: ukuhlonipha
Doctrine: Household Codes and Christ-Centered Relationships
Direct citation of the fifth commandment applied to household ethics (Ephesians 6:2). Carries deep resonance in Ndebele kinship-respect culture when anchored to the text’s specific referent.
Discipline And Instruction Of The Lord
Approved rendering: ukuqondiswa lokulaywa kweNkosi
Transliteration: ukuqondiswa lokulaywa kweNkosi
Doctrine: Household Codes and Christ-Centered Relationships
Positive, Christ-centered child-rearing (Ephesians 6:4).
Bondservants Slaves
Approved rendering: izigqili / izinceku
Transliteration: izigqili / izinceku
Doctrine: Household Codes and Christ-Centered Relationships
A person legally bound to serve a master, addressed pastorally within the real Roman institution of slavery (Ephesians 6:5). Neither Ndebele option is an exact match for first-century Greco-Roman slavery; requires explanatory historical framing.
No Partiality
Approved rendering: ukubandlulula
Transliteration: ukubandlulula
Doctrine: Household Codes and Christ-Centered Relationships
God’s impartial judgment applying equally to slave and free, master and servant (Ephesians 6:9).
Belt Of Truth
Approved rendering: ibhande leqiniso
Transliteration: ibhande leqiniso
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
Truth as the believer’s stabilizing spiritual equipment (Ephesians 6:14). Must reuse established truth vocabulary.
Shoes Of Gospel Of Peace
Approved rendering: amanyathela okulungela ivangeli lokuthula
Transliteration: amanyathela okulungela ivangeli lokuthula
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God
Readiness to proclaim the gospel of peace as protective footwear (Ephesians 6:15). Reuses fixed gospel and peace terms.
Love Incorruptible
Approved rendering: uthando olungabuboliyo
Transliteration: uthando olungabuboliyo
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
An eschatological, undecaying love for Christ, closing the letter’s benediction (Ephesians 6:24). Closes the letter on the same grace with which it opened (1:2).
Low Risk Terms
Thanksgiving
Approved rendering: ukubonga
Transliteration: ukubonga
Doctrine: Christian Encouragement
Inherited from Romans package. No new nuance (Ephesians 1:16; 5:4,20).
Fellowship
Approved rendering: ubudlelwano
Transliteration: ubudlelwano
Doctrine: Fellowship of Believers
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies the unity-of-the-body doctrine of 4:1-16 conceptually, though not a direct lexical occurrence.
Exhort
Approved rendering: ukukhuthaza
Transliteration: ukukhuthaza
Doctrine: Christian Encouragement
Inherited from Romans package. Opens the ethical section of the letter (4:1, ‘I urge/beseech you’).
Blessing
Approved rendering: isibusiso
Transliteration: isibusiso
Doctrine: Election and Predestination in Christ
God’s gracious favor bestowed on believers (Ephesians 1:3). Standard term, low ambiguity.
Foundation
Approved rendering: isisekelo
Transliteration: isisekelo
Doctrine: The Church as the Body of Christ
The apostolic-prophetic foundation of the church, with Christ as cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20).
Vice List
Approved rendering: ukubaba, intukuthelo, ulaka, ukuklabalala, ukuhlambalaza, ububi
Transliteration: ukubaba, intukuthelo, ulaka, ukuklabalala, ukuhlambalaza, ububi
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
Relational sins to be put away as part of the old self (Ephesians 4:31). Standard ethical vocabulary.
Psalms Hymns Spiritual Songs
Approved rendering: amahubo, amaculo, izingoma zomoya
Transliteration: amahubo, amaculo, izingoma zomoya
Doctrine: Walking in Newness of Life
Standard corporate worship vocabulary (Ephesians 5:19).
Ambassador In Chains
Approved rendering: isithunywa esisemaketaneni
Transliteration: isithunywa esisemaketaneni
Doctrine: Gifts for Building Up the Church
Paul’s self-description as Christ’s authorized representative while imprisoned (Ephesians 6:20). Models the ‘boldness’ called for throughout the letter.
Referenced passages