Cross-Reference Analysis
Cross-Reference and Theme Analysis — Acts (Full Book) — English → Nepali
Methodology and Citation Conventions
This document catalogs every Old Testament quotation and allusion, every messianic reference, every typological pattern, and every parallel to the Romans Language Package curriculum found across Acts 1–28. It extends — and never contradicts — 07_semantic_analysis.md and 08_core_glossary.md.
Citation format: <Book> <chapter>:<verse> in normalizable English style (e.g., Acts 2:21, Genesis 15:6, Psalm 118:22, Habakkuk 1:5). This format must remain machine-normalizable for Phase 2 tooling; do not insert Nepali numerals into citation strings.
Nepali book-name reference (for in-document display only, per established Nepali Bible convention; citation keys remain English-normalized):
| English Book | Nepali Name |
|---|---|
| Acts | प्रेरितहरूका काम |
| Genesis | उत्पत्ति |
| Exodus | प्रस्थान |
| Numbers | गन्ती |
| Deuteronomy | व्यवस्था |
| Joshua | यहोशू |
| 1 Samuel / 2 Samuel | १ शमूएल / २ शमूएल |
| 1 Kings | १ राजा |
| 2 Chronicles | २ इतिहास |
| Nehemiah | नहेम्याह |
| Psalms | भजनसंग्रह |
| Isaiah | यशैया |
| Jeremiah | यर्मिया |
| Daniel | दानियल |
| Amos | आमोस |
| Habakkuk | हबकूक |
| Joel | योएल |
⚠ Versification caution (flag for Phase 2 confirmation): English Bibles number Joel 2:28–32; several non-English Bible traditions follow the Hebrew Masoretic chapter division, where the same material is Joel 3:1–5. Before finalizing any citation of the Acts 2:17-21 quotation, confirm which versification the Nepali Bible Society text in use follows. If it follows Hebrew numbering, all cross-references to “Joel 2:28-32” in teaching material must display the Nepali-correct verse numbers alongside the English-normalized citation key, to avoid readers being unable to locate the passage in their own Bible.
⚠ Book-name/doctrine-term collision (flag): The Nepali name for the book of Deuteronomy is व्यवस्था — identical to the established baseline rendering of the doctrinal term law (νόμος). Acts 3:22 and 7:37 both quote Deuteronomy 18:15, and the surrounding narrative in Acts 7 also discusses “the law” (νόμος) given at Sinai. Translators must ensure a citation such as “व्यवस्था १८:१५” (the book) is not misread by learners as a reference to “the Law” (the doctrine) generically. Recommend supplying the citation in the English-normalized key form (Deuteronomy 18:15) alongside any Nepali display text, with a footnote clarifying book-title vs. doctrine-term usage where both occur in close proximity (as in Acts 7).
Cross-Reference Matrix — Chapter by Chapter
Columns: Acts Passage | OT / Other Source | Theme | Related Character(s) | OT→NT Connection | Translation Sensitivity
Chapter 1
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 1:8 | Isaiah 49:6 (allusion) | Great Commission Fulfilled | Jesus, apostles | The Servant’s light-to-the-nations mission reissued as the apostles’ mandate (“Jerusalem… Judea and Samaria… the end of the earth”) | Frame “witness” (साक्षी) as Spirit-empowered proclamation, not self-generated missionary ambition; avoid language reading as state-defiant “recruitment” per Nepal’s 2017 Muluki Criminal Code sensitivities (see doctrine registry, Evangelism). |
| Acts 1:20a | Psalm 69:25 (quoted) | Apostolic Authority and Miracles (office/replacement) | Judas | Imprecatory psalm applied typologically to Judas’s fate and vacated office | Low risk; historical-legal application of a psalm, not a general judgment formula for translators to generalize. |
| Acts 1:20b | Psalm 109:8 (quoted) | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | Judas, Matthias | Same office-succession argument; establishes Scripture-warranted process for filling the apostolic office | Low risk. |
Chapter 2 (Core Passage, Acts 2:1-41, plus 2:42-47)
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 2:17-21 | Joel 2:28-32 (quoted in full) | The Holy Spirit and Pentecost | Peter, “all flesh” | Joel’s promised universal outpouring of the Spirit — on sons/daughters, young/old, menservants/maidservants — is declared fulfilled at Pentecost | High. The universality clause must not be softened; directly confronts caste- and gender-based access restrictions historically encoded in Nepali social and legal structures (Muluki Ain). See baseline Universal Scope of the Gospel doctrine. |
| Acts 2:21 | Joel 2:32 (quoted) | Repentance and Baptism; Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | — | “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” — the salvation-confession formula reused verbatim at Romans 10:13 | Critical, cross-document. MUST be rendered identically to whatever final wording is locked for Romans 10:13. See Rendering-Consistency Rule 1 below. |
| Acts 2:25-28, 2:31 | Psalm 16:8-11 (quoted) | Resurrection of Christ | David (as prophetic speaker), Christ | David’s words concerning “not abandoned to Hades… not see corruption” applied to Christ’s bodily resurrection, since David himself died and was buried | Critical. Must reinforce Christ’s bodily, non-decaying resurrection (पुनरुत्थान); never पुनर्जन्म. Reused again at Acts 13:35 — ensure identical Nepali wording both places. |
| Acts 2:30 | 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 132:11 (allusion) | Davidic Covenant | David | God’s oath to David that his descendant would sit on his throne — background for the Messiah’s Davidic descent | High; reuse baseline Davidic Covenant doctrine notes; requires OT background explanation for readers unfamiliar with 2 Samuel. |
| Acts 2:34-35 | Psalm 110:1 (quoted) | Lordship of Christ; Deity of Christ | David, “my Lord” | Peter’s climactic proof that David’s own psalm distinguishes Yahweh from “my Lord,” whom Peter identifies as the risen, enthroned Jesus | Critical. Both occurrences of κύριος render as प्रभु; distinction between the two referents (God the Father, the Messiah) carried by context only, exactly as in established Nepali Bible practice — do not use two different Nepali words. |
| Acts 2:39 | Isaiah 57:19; Joel 2:32 (allusion) | Gospel to Jews and Gentiles; Divine Calling | — | “All who are far off” anticipates Gentile inclusion, fulfilled fully in Acts 10-15 | High; first Gentile-inclusion signal in Acts, in Peter’s very first sermon. |
| Acts 2:42-47 | (no direct OT quotation) | The Church as Community | earliest believers | Reviewed — no new OT citation; theological content (shared possessions, breaking of bread, daily growth) is treated fully in 07_semantic_analysis.md and 08_core_glossary.md. | — |
Chapter 3
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 3:13 | Exodus 3:6, 15 (allusion) | Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | Abraham, Isaac, Jacob | Covenant-God self-identification formula, grounding Peter’s appeal in Israel’s own patriarchal history | Medium; requires OT patriarchal background. |
| Acts 3:13, 3:18 | Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (allusion, “his servant… glorified”; “the prophets… foretold these sufferings of the Christ”) | Messianic Promise; Resurrection of Christ | Jesus as the Servant | The Suffering Servant pattern applied directly to Jesus’ rejection, death, and glorification | Critical. Foundational Servant-Christology; see full treatment at Acts 8:32-33 below. |
| Acts 3:22-23 | Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19 (quoted) | Messianic Promise | Moses, Jesus | Moses’ own prophecy of a coming prophet like himself, applied to Jesus | High. Repeated at Acts 7:37 — render identically both places: मोशाजस्तै एक अगमवक्ता. |
| Acts 3:25 | Genesis 22:18; Genesis 12:3 (allusion) | Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant; Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | Abraham | ”In your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed” — the Abrahamic covenant’s Gentile-inclusive scope, fulfilled through Christ | High; direct doctrinal bridge to Romans 4 (Abraham) and Romans 9-11 (Israel and the nations). |
Chapter 4
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 4:11 | Psalm 118:22 (quoted) | Apostolic Authority and Miracles; Persecution and Bold Witness | Jesus (the “stone”), the Sanhedrin (“builders”) | The rejected stone become the cornerstone — the very leaders who rejected Jesus fulfill this rejection-then-vindication pattern | High; related to but textually distinct from Romans 9:33’s conflated Isaiah 8:14/28:16 “stone” citation — do NOT merge these two distinct OT sources under one Nepali gloss; keep citations separate. |
| Acts 4:24 | Exodus 20:11; Psalm 146:6 (allusion) | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | the gathered church | ”Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea” — creational sovereignty grounding the church’s bold prayer | Low-Medium. |
| Acts 4:25-26 | Psalm 2:1-2 (quoted) | Persecution and Bold Witness; Messianic Promise | ”kings… rulers,” “his Anointed” | Applied to the coalition of Herod, Pilate, Jews, and Gentiles against Jesus | High; same psalm quoted again at Acts 13:33 (v.7) — see Rendering-Consistency Rule 2. |
Chapter 5
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 5:30 | Deuteronomy 21:22-23 (allusion) | Resurrection of Christ; Persecution and Bold Witness | Jesus | ”Whom you killed by hanging on a tree” — echoes the OT category of a cursed death, which Christ bore | Medium; do not soften “you killed,” per baseline’s caution against blame-diffusion (see 07_semantic_analysis.md, Acts 2:22-24 note). |
Chapter 6
Reviewed — no OT quotation or messianic allusion in Acts 6. The chapter narrates the appointment of the Seven and reuses the Church as Community and Apostolic Authority doctrines already documented; no new cross-reference entries required.
Chapter 7 (Stephen’s Speech — dense OT survey)
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 7:2-3 | Genesis 12:1 (allusion) | Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | Abraham | God’s call of Abraham out of Mesopotamia — the covenant story’s beginning | Low. |
| Acts 7:5 | Genesis 17:8 (allusion) | Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant | Abraham | Land promise, as yet unfulfilled in Abraham’s own lifetime — a pattern of promise preceding fulfillment | Medium; reinforces linear, not cyclical, redemptive history — cross-reference baseline’s Fulfillment of Prophecy doctrine note against Hindu yuga/Buddhist cyclical cosmology. |
| Acts 7:6-7 | Genesis 15:13-14 (allusion) | Fulfillment of Prophecy | Abraham | 400-years-slavery prophecy, later fulfilled precisely in Exodus | Medium. |
| Acts 7:8 | Genesis 17:10-14; 21:2-4 (allusion) | Justification apart from the Law (background) | Abraham, Isaac | Circumcision as covenant sign predates the Mosaic Law by centuries — relevant background for the Jerusalem Council’s later circumcision debate (Acts 15) | High; establishes that circumcision was originally an Abrahamic covenant sign, not merely “the Law,” sharpening the Acts 15 justification-apart-from-law argument. |
| Acts 7:9-16 | Genesis 37, 39-46, 50 (allusion) | Typology of Christ (Joseph) | Joseph | Joseph — rejected and sold by his own brothers, yet exalted to become their deliverer and provider — a recognized Christ-type; see Typology section below | High; typological teaching material should make the Joseph-Christ parallel explicit without implying Joseph himself is worshipped or venerated as a devotional figure (a risk given devotional-figure veneration patterns in the broader religious environment). |
| Acts 7:18 | Exodus 1:8 (allusion) | — | — | Background narration. | Low. |
| Acts 7:20-29 | Exodus 2:2-15 (allusion, incl. quoted v.27-28 from Exodus 2:14) | Typology of Christ (Moses) | Moses | Moses rejected by his own people at first (“Who made you a ruler and judge over us?”), later established as deliverer — echoed at Acts 7:35, and paralleling Israel’s initial rejection of Jesus | High; see Typology section below. |
| Acts 7:30-34 | Exodus 3:2-10 (quoted) | Fulfillment of Prophecy | Moses, God | The burning-bush commissioning; God’s self-revelation and promise of deliverance | Medium. |
| Acts 7:37 | Deuteronomy 18:15 (quoted, repeats Acts 3:22) | Messianic Promise | Moses, Jesus | Second occurrence of the “prophet like Moses” prophecy — must render identically to Acts 3:22 | High, cross-reference required — see Rendering-Consistency Rule 3. |
| Acts 7:40 | Exodus 32:1 (quoted) | Universal Human Accountability (background) | Israel at Sinai | The golden-calf idolatry request — Israel’s paradigmatic act of covenant unfaithfulness | High; ties to Idol(s) glossary entry (Critical risk), directly relevant given living murti-puja devotional practice in the destination culture. |
| Acts 7:42-43 | Amos 5:25-27 (quoted) | Universal Human Accountability | Israel | God’s judgment on Israel’s idolatry, resulting in exile — Stephen’s argument that Israel has always resisted God’s messengers | High. |
| Acts 7:49-50 | Isaiah 66:1-2 (quoted) | Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | God, Solomon’s Temple | God’s transcendence over any single physical temple, anticipating the gospel’s move beyond the Jerusalem Temple to all nations | Medium; useful bridge for teaching material addressing temple-centered religious geography (e.g., Pashupatinath) — God’s presence is not architecturally confined. |
| Acts 7:51 | Isaiah 63:10; Exodus 32:9 (allusion) | Persecution and Bold Witness | Stephen’s accusers | ”You always resist the Holy Spirit” — indictment paralleling Israel’s wilderness stubbornness | High; reinforces the Holy Spirit’s personhood (a being who can be resisted or grieved), a point of contrast with impersonal spirit/life-force concepts. |
Chapter 8
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 8:32-33 | Isaiah 53:7-8 (quoted) | Messianic Promise; Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | Jesus (the Servant), the Ethiopian eunuch | The Suffering Servant passage read aloud and directly identified with Jesus by Philip — the clearest, most explicit Servant-Christology moment in Acts | Critical. Anchors the Servant typology introduced at Acts 3:13/18; must be rendered with full doctrinal weight — this is not one suffering sage among others but the unique, prophesied atoning Servant. Cross-reference Romans 4:25 (“delivered up for our trespasses”), which echoes the same Isaiah 53 background conceptually without directly quoting it. |
Chapter 9
Reviewed — no direct OT quotation. Paul’s Damascus-road conversion narrative echoes (by literary pattern, not citation) OT prophetic call-narratives such as Isaiah 6:1-8 and Jeremiah 1:4-10 (divine confrontation, commissioning despite unworthiness/opposition). No new citation entry required; flag this literary-pattern allusion only for teaching-material background, not for glossary action. Doctrine: Conversion of Paul.
Chapter 10
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 10:34-35 | Deuteronomy 10:17-18; 2 Chronicles 19:7 (allusion) | Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | Peter, Cornelius | God’s impartiality, already declared in the Law and Writings, now extended explicitly and climactically to Gentile inclusion in the gospel | High. Same allusion recurs at Romans 2:11 (“God shows no partiality”) — see Rendering-Consistency Rule 4. |
Chapter 11
Reviewed — no new OT citation. Reuses the no-partiality theme (Acts 10) as Peter defends his actions to the Jerusalem church; Gentile inclusion doctrine extended narratively, not by new quotation.
Chapter 12
Reviewed — no OT quotation. Herod’s judgment-death (Acts 12:23, struck by an angel of the Lord for accepting worship due to God alone) echoes, by pattern rather than citation, the OT motif of divine judgment on prideful rulers (cf. Daniel 4-5, not directly quoted). No glossary action required beyond the existing Angel of the Lord entry.
Chapter 13
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 13:17-22 | Exodus 1, 6; Deuteronomy 1:31; Joshua; 1 Samuel 8-13 (allusion, historical summary) | Fulfillment of Prophecy | Israel’s history, Saul, David | Paul’s synagogue sermon retraces Israel’s history as the run-up to David and, through David, to Jesus | Medium; requires substantial OT narrative literacy — flag for teaching-material background support given this curriculum’s stated audience of readers with low prior OT narrative literacy. |
| Acts 13:22 | 1 Samuel 13:14; Psalm 89:20 (allusion) | Davidic Covenant | David | ”A man after my heart” | Low-Medium. |
| Acts 13:33 | Psalm 2:7 (quoted) | Sonship of Christ; Resurrection of Christ | Jesus | ”You are my Son, today I have begotten you” — applied to the resurrection as God’s decisive act of Sonship-vindication | Critical. Directly parallels Romans 1:4 (“declared to be the Son of God in power… by his resurrection from the dead”) — see Rendering-Consistency Rule 2. |
| Acts 13:34 | Isaiah 55:3 (quoted) | Davidic Covenant | David, Jesus | ”The holy and sure blessings of David” — guaranteed, unlike ordinary mortal decay | Medium. |
| Acts 13:35 | Psalm 16:10 (quoted, repeats Acts 2:27/31) | Resurrection of Christ | Jesus | Second occurrence of the “will not let your Holy One see corruption” citation | Critical, cross-reference required — see Rendering-Consistency Rule 5. |
| Acts 13:38-39 | (no single OT quotation; doctrinal statement) | Justification apart from the Law | Jesus | ”Everyone who believes is freed from everything from which the law of Moses could not free you” — the clearest Acts statement of justification apart from law-keeping | Critical. Direct parallel to Romans 3:20, 28. See Rendering-Consistency Rule 6. |
| Acts 13:41 | Habakkuk 1:5 (quoted) | Persecution and Bold Witness (warning form) | scoffers | ”Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish” — warning against unbelief at the message | High; do not confuse with Habakkuk 2:4, quoted at Romans 1:17 (“the righteous shall live by faith”) — two distinct Habakkuk citations serving two distinct doctrinal purposes. See Rendering-Consistency Rule 7. |
| Acts 13:47 | Isaiah 49:6 (quoted) | Gospel to Jews and Gentiles; Great Commission Fulfilled | Paul, Barnabas | ”A light for the Gentiles… salvation to the ends of the earth” — Servant-mission language now applied to the apostles’ own Gentile mission | High; reuse baseline Universal Scope of the Gospel doctrine; reused again allusively at Acts 26:23. |
Chapter 14
Reviewed — no direct OT quotation. The Lystra episode (Paul and Barnabas mistaken for Zeus and Hermes, 14:11-13) is a cultural-collision narrative rather than an OT citation; it is fully treated under the Living God and Idol(s) glossary entries. “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (14:22) reuses the baseline Kingdom of God doctrine without new OT sourcing.
Chapter 15
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 15:16-18 | Amos 9:11-12 (quoted, LXX form) | Gospel to Jews and Gentiles; Unity of Jews and Gentiles | James, “David’s tent” | The restoration of “David’s fallen tent” reinterpreted as the ingathering of Gentiles alongside Israel — the Jerusalem Council’s scriptural warrant for Gentile inclusion without circumcision | High. Directly parallel to Romans 11’s argument for Gentile inclusion within God’s ongoing covenant purpose for Israel (olive tree, remnant); no shared direct quotation, but shared doctrinal structure — see Rendering-Consistency Rule 8. |
Chapter 16
Reviewed — no direct OT quotation. Lydia’s “the Lord opened her heart” (16:14) echoes, by theological pattern rather than citation, the OT new-heart/opened-heart motif (cf. Jeremiah 31:33, Deuteronomy 30:6) but does not quote it; treated fully under the Opened Heart glossary entry. “What must I do to be saved?” (16:30) is a narrative confession-question, not an OT citation, but must be rendered consistently with the parallel confession-question at Acts 22:10 and with the salvation vocabulary elsewhere.
Chapter 17
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 17:24-25 | Isaiah 42:5; Psalm 50:9-12 (allusion) | Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | Paul, Athenian audience | God as Creator who needs nothing from human hands — polemic against temple-bound, service-dependent deity concepts | High; directly relevant to devotional-offering (पूजा/भोग) practices in the destination culture; must be taught as contrast, not affirmation of an existing “unknown but shared” deity concept. |
| Acts 17:26-27 | Genesis 1:28; Deuteronomy 32:8; Deuteronomy 4:7 (allusion) | Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | all nations | One human race, from one origin, with God near to all — undercuts ethnic/caste-based spiritual hierarchy | High; ties to baseline’s Unity of Jews and Gentiles and Universal Human Accountability doctrines. |
| Acts 17:28 | Not OT — quotation of Greek poets (Epimenides; Aratus/Cleanthes): “In him we live and move and have our being”; “we are his offspring” | Gospel to Jews and Gentiles (rhetorical bridge) | Paul, Athenian philosophers | Paul uses pagan literary quotations as a rhetorical bridge, not as an endorsement of the poets’ theology | Flag distinctly as non-biblical, classical-literary quotation, not an OT cross-reference; teaching material must not present this as “Scripture agreeing with Greek philosophy” but as Paul’s missiological method of finding a point of contact before proclaiming the distinct, exclusive gospel (17:30-31). Relevant methodological parallel for engaging Nepali Hindu/Buddhist philosophical vocabulary without implying doctrinal equivalence. |
| Acts 17:31 | Psalm 9:8; 96:13 (allusion) | Resurrection of Christ; final judgment | Jesus (the appointed judge) | God’s judgment of the world in righteousness through the man he has appointed, vindicated by resurrection | High. |
Chapter 18
Reviewed — no OT quotation. Apollos described as “mighty in the Scriptures” (18:24, γραφαί) reuses the Scriptures glossary entry without new citation. Gallio’s ruling on “the Jews’ own law” is a civil-legal, not theological, use of νόμος; flag only to avoid conflation with the doctrinal व्यवस्था term (see baseline caution, extended in 07_semantic_analysis.md Chapter 18 note).
Chapter 19
Reviewed — no OT quotation. The public burning of occult scrolls (19:19) and the Artemis temple riot (19:23-41) reuse the Sorcery/Magic and Idol(s) glossary entries; no new OT citation.
Chapter 20
Reviewed — no OT quotation. Acts 20:35 quotes an unwritten saying attributed to Jesus (“It is more blessed to give than to receive”) — an agraphon, a dominical saying not recorded in any Gospel. Flag distinctly: this is a New Testament oral-tradition citation, not an OT cross-reference; do not attempt to locate or cite an OT source for it.
Chapter 21
Reviewed — no direct OT quotation. The Nazirite vow episode (21:23-26) alludes to Numbers 6:1-21 (the Nazirite-vow law) without quoting it directly; treated under the Nazirite Vow glossary entry (High risk, व्रत/भाकल caution).
Chapter 22
Reviewed — no new OT quotation. Retells the Damascus-road conversion; reuses all Chapter 9 cross-references.
Chapter 23
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 23:5 | Exodus 22:28 (quoted) | Persecution and Bold Witness | Paul, the high priest | ”You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people” — Paul’s self-correcting citation after rebuking the high priest | Low; a civil-respect citation, not a doctrinal one, though relevant to the Government/Authority sensitivity flag inherited from the Romans baseline (Romans 13:1-7). |
Chapter 24
Reviewed — no OT quotation. Paul’s defense before Felix reuses Faith, Righteousness, and Self-Control glossary entries without new OT sourcing.
Chapter 25
Reviewed — no OT quotation, confirmed in 07_semantic_analysis.md. Narrates Roman legal proceedings using non-theological legal vocabulary.
Chapter 26
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 26:23 | Isaiah 42:6; 49:6 (allusion) | Gospel to Jews and Gentiles; Great Commission Fulfilled | Jesus (the light) | “The Christ must suffer… and rise… proclaiming light both to Jews and to Gentiles” — reprises the Servant “light to the nations” theme first quoted directly at Acts 13:47 | High; render consistently with Acts 13:47’s Isaiah 49:6 language where both appear in the same teaching unit. |
| Acts 26:14 | Not OT — Greek proverbial idiom (“kick against the goads”) | Conversion of Paul | Paul | A common Greco-Roman proverb for futile resistance, not a biblical citation | Low; flag as idiom, not Scripture — translate to a natural Nepali idiom of futile resistance rather than a literal farming-goad image unfamiliar to most readers, per the baseline’s Idiom Handling rule. |
Chapter 27
Reviewed — no OT quotation. The shipwreck narrative reuses the Providence and Angel of the Lord entries; the informal meal-breaking (27:35) is explicitly distinguished in 07_semantic_analysis.md from the covenantal “breaking of bread” of Acts 2:42.
Chapter 28
| Acts Passage | Source | Theme | Character(s) | Connection | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 28:26-27 | Isaiah 6:9-10 (quoted) | The Great Commission Fulfilled; judicial hardening | Isaiah, unbelieving hearers | Paul’s closing citation of Isaiah’s hardening prophecy explains ongoing Jewish unbelief while the gospel advances “unhindered” to the nations | High. Must not be rendered in a way that suggests corporate or ethnic condemnation of Jewish people generally; the text’s own argument (cf. Romans 11) holds Israel’s partial, temporary hardening together with future hope — teaching material should cross-reference Romans 11 rather than treat Acts 28:26-27 in isolation. |
Messianic Typology Summary
| Type / Figure | OT Basis | Fulfillment Pattern | Acts References | Nepali Rendering Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prophet like Moses | Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19 | A future prophet-deliverer whom Israel must heed | Acts 3:22-23; 7:37 | मोशाजस्तै अगमवक्ता — render identically at both occurrences. |
| Davidic King, enthroned Son | 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 2:7; Psalm 16:10; Psalm 110:1; Psalm 132:11 | The promised royal descendant of David, vindicated by resurrection and enthronement | Acts 2:25-35; 13:22-37 | Ties directly to baseline Critical doctrines Sonship of Christ, Resurrection of Christ, Lordship of Christ; consistent रेण्डरिंग required across all cited psalms. |
| Suffering Servant | Isaiah 52:13-53:12 | The innocent, rejected Servant whose suffering accomplishes atonement, followed by exaltation | Acts 3:13, 3:18; 8:32-35 | Critical. This is the strongest direct Servant-Christology material in Acts; teaching notes should connect forward to Romans 4:25 and 5:6-8 without requiring a new glossary term — Servant language is carried by existing holy / righteousness / glory baseline terms in combination. |
| Light to the Nations | Isaiah 42:6; 49:6 | The Servant’s mission extends salvation beyond Israel to all peoples | Acts 13:47; 26:23 | Reinforces Universal Scope of the Gospel; must retain unqualified universality. |
| Rejected Cornerstone | Psalm 118:22 | The stone rejected by builders becomes the foundation stone | Acts 4:11 | Distinct textual source from Romans 9:33’s Isaiah 8:14/28:16 conflation — keep citations separate though thematically related. |
| Joseph (typological figure) | Genesis 37, 39-46, 50 | Rejected and sold by his own brothers; later exalted to become their deliverer, provider, and reconciler | Acts 7:9-16 | Present as a recognized biblical type illustrating the rejection-then-exaltation pattern fulfilled climactically in Christ; do not present Joseph himself as an object of devotion. |
| Moses (typological figure) | Exodus 2-3 | Rejected by his own people at first (“Who made you ruler and judge?”), later established by God as deliverer | Acts 7:23-29, 35 | Same rejection-then-vindication pattern as Joseph and, climactically, Christ; useful teaching bridge for Stephen’s speech as a whole. |
| Restorer of David’s Tent | Amos 9:11-12 | The eschatological rebuilding of David’s dynasty, reinterpreted to include Gentile ingathering | Acts 15:16-18 | Direct scriptural warrant cited at the Jerusalem Council for Gentile inclusion without circumcision — key doctrinal anchor for Justification apart from the Law and Unity of Jews and Gentiles. |
Parallels to Romans and Rendering-Consistency Rules
The following rules govern segments where Acts and Romans cite, quote, or closely echo the same Old Testament material, or teach the same doctrine using closely parallel language. These rules bind Phase 2 translation across both curricula sharing this Language Package.
Rule 1 — Joel 2:32 / Acts 2:21 ↔ Romans 10:13 (BLOCKING — highest priority)
Both passages quote the identical Greek clause: “πᾶς ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου σωθήσεται” (“everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”). The Nepali rendering must be verbatim identical in both curricula. Proposed standard wording (per 07_semantic_analysis.md): “जसले प्रभुको नाउँ पुकारला, त्यो बचाइनेछ।” If the Romans curriculum’s Phase 2 output has already finalized a different exact wording for Romans 10:13, that wording takes precedence and Acts 2:21 must be updated to match — flag as blocking until confirmed. Risk: Critical. Mandatory theologian review for both curricula whenever either verse is retranslated.
Rule 2 — Psalm 2:7 / Acts 13:33 ↔ Romans 1:4
Both passages join Davidic Sonship declaration to Christ’s resurrection (“You are my Son, today I have begotten you” / “declared to be the Son of God in power… by his resurrection from the dead”). While the Greek wording differs (direct quotation in Acts vs. Paul’s own doctrinal formulation in Romans), the underlying doctrine — resurrection as the decisive act of Sonship-vindication — must be taught with identical theological vocabulary: परमेश्वरका पुत्र (Son of God, Critical) and पुनरुत्थान (resurrection, Critical). Do not render one passage in a way that suggests Sonship began or was created at the resurrection; both must convey Christ’s eternal Sonship being publicly declared/vindicated, not newly conferred.
Rule 3 — Deuteronomy 18:15 / Acts 3:22 and Acts 7:37 (internal Acts consistency)
Both Acts occurrences of the “prophet like Moses” citation must use identical Nepali wording. Recommended: “परमप्रभु परमेश्वरले तिमीहरूका निम्ति तिमीहरूका दाजुभाइहरूबाट मोशाजस्तै एक अगमवक्ता उठाउनुहुनेछ।“
Rule 4 — Deuteronomy 10:17-18 (allusion) / Acts 10:34-35 ↔ Romans 2:11
Both passages assert “God shows no partiality.” Acts 10:34-35 uses the glossary term established in 08_core_glossary.md: परमेश्वर पक्षपात नगर्नुहुने हुनुहुन्छ. Confirm whether Romans 2:11 in the finalized Romans Phase 2 output uses this same construction; if Romans 2:11 uses different wording, align Acts 10:34-35 to match, since both restate the identical theological claim (impartial divine judgment/acceptance across ethnic lines) central to both books’ arguments against caste-linked spiritual hierarchy.
Rule 5 — Psalm 16:10 / Acts 2:27, 2:31 and Acts 13:35 (internal Acts consistency)
Both Acts occurrences of “you will not let your Holy One see corruption” must use identical Nepali wording, reinforcing bodily, non-decaying resurrection (पुनरुत्थान).
Rule 6 — Acts 13:38-39 ↔ Romans 3:20, 28
“Freed from everything from which the law of Moses could not free you” and “no one will be justified by the law… apart from the law” both teach Justification apart from the Law. Render justification as धर्मी ठहराइने कार्य (never abbreviated to माफी alone, per baseline note) and law as व्यवस्था in both passages, consistently.
Rule 7 — Habakkuk 1:5 (Acts 13:41) vs. Habakkuk 2:4 (Romans 1:17) — DO NOT CONFLATE
These are two distinct citations from the same OT prophet serving two distinct rhetorical purposes: Acts 13:41 is a warning against scoffing unbelief; Romans 1:17 is the positive thesis-statement declaration that “the righteous shall live by faith.” Ensure translators and reviewers cite the correct chapter and verse for each; do not allow either citation’s Nepali wording to bleed into the other.
Rule 8 — Amos 9:11-12 (Acts 15:16-18) ↔ Romans 11 (olive tree, remnant, “so all Israel will be saved”)
No shared direct quotation, but both passages make the identical theological argument: Gentile inclusion does not abandon but rather fulfills God’s covenant purpose for Israel. Teaching material accompanying either passage should cross-reference the other, and both should reuse the baseline Unity of Jews and Gentiles doctrine language without variation.
Rule 9 — Psalm 118:22 (Acts 4:11) vs. Isaiah 8:14 / 28:16 (Romans 9:33) — related but distinct
Both are “stone” Christological texts but draw on different OT sources conflated differently by each author. Keep citations distinct; do not present Acts 4:11 as though it were quoting the same verses as Romans 9:33.
Rule 10 — Acts 2:38 (baptism, repentance, forgiveness) ↔ Romans 6:3-4 (baptism into Christ’s death)
Both use बप्तिस्मा. Acts presents baptism as the response-rite following gospel proclamation and repentance; Romans presents its theological meaning (union with Christ’s death and resurrection). These are complementary, not contradictory, teachings — accompanying material should present Acts 2:38 as the what/when and Romans 6 as the why/what-it-means, using identical baptismal vocabulary throughout.
End of cross-reference analysis. See 10_biblical_theme_map.md for the consolidated thematic structure of Acts and its scriptural connections. See 08_core_glossary.md for full term-level glossary entries referenced throughout this document.