Doctrine Analysis
Doctrine Analysis — Acts — English → Nepali
This document executes PRD Phase 1 Step 4/5 doctrine mapping for the full book of Acts (chapters 1–28). It is fully consistent with assets/doctrine_risk_registry.json: doctrine names, risk tiers, and review routing below are reproduced unchanged from that registry. This document adds (a) a consolidated doctrine-first matrix with translation-risk commentary, and (b) a chapter-by-chapter coverage log confirming that every chapter of Acts has been reviewed, per the full-book-coverage mandate. Acts 2:1–41 (Pentecost and Peter’s sermon) is the curriculum’s theological anchor, not its scope — every other chapter receives full analytical treatment below.
Part 1 — Doctrine Matrix (Book-Wide)
| # | Doctrine (registry name) | Supporting Passages (Acts) | Risk | Translation Risk Summary | Review Routing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Holy Spirit and Pentecost | 1:5, 1:8, 2:1–4, 2:16–21, 2:33, 2:38, 10:44–46, 19:1–6 | Critical | पवित्र आत्मा must remain personal and divine; “other tongues” (अन्य भाषा) must read as intelligible Spirit-given human language for proclamation, never as dhami-jhankri trance-possession speech, a living hill/Himalayan shamanic phenomenon that could otherwise seem parallel. | Human theologian |
| 2 | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles | 2:39, 10:1–48, 11:1–18, 13:46–48, 15:1–29, 28:28 | Critical | The Cornelius narrative’s abolition of ceremonial exclusion must not be softened; κοινός must be split into अशुद्ध (ritual-impurity sense, now abolished) vs. साझा (shared-possessions sense) to avoid doctrinal collapse and unintended resonance with caste-linked jutho/purity codes from the Muluki Ain legacy. | Human theologian |
| 3 | Repentance and Baptism | 2:37–41, 3:19, 8:36–38, 16:30–33, 19:1–5, 22:16 | High | पश्चाताप (never प्रायश्चित्त, which frames sin as karmic debt requiring ritual expiation); बप्तिस्मा (never स्नान, Hindu ritual river-bathing, e.g. in the Bagmati). | Human theologian |
| 4 | The Church as Community | 2:42–47, 4:32–35, 6:1–6, 15:22–29, 20:17–35 | High | ”Breaking of bread” (रोटी भाँच्ने कार्य) must be sharply distinguished from प्रसाद (deity-offered, then-distributed temple food); office terms must avoid guru-veneration and karma-yoga merit-service resonance. | Human theologian |
| 5 | Apostolic Authority and Miracles | 2:43, 3:1–10, 4:29–31, 5:12–16, 8:9–24, 14:3, 19:11–20, 28:1–9 | High | चिन्ह र आश्चर्यकर्म authenticate a specific historical message about Jesus; must not be framed as competing on the same terms as सिद्धि (yogic/tantric attainment) or jhankri/dhami ritual healing displays. | Human theologian |
| 6 | Persecution and Bold Witness | 4:1–31, 5:17–42, 7:54–60, 12:1–19, 16:19–40, 21:27–40, 23:1–11 | High | साक्षी (witness) must not be assimilated to Vedantic साक्षी भाव (impersonal witness-consciousness); this is personal, historical, at-risk eyewitness testimony. Also carries live legal weight under the 2017 Muluki Criminal Code. | Human theologian |
| 7 | Conversion of Paul | 9:1–19, 22:3–16, 26:9–18 | Critical | दृश्य (never दर्शन, the Hindu devotional deity-beholding term) for the Damascus-road vision; “chosen instrument” (छानिएको पात्र) must preserve sovereign divine initiative against any merit-based-conversion reading. | Human theologian |
| 8 | Justification apart from the Law | 13:38–39, 15:1–11, 15:28–29, 16:3, 21:20–26 | Critical | Acts 13:38–39 must retain धर्मी ठहराइने कार्य and पापको क्षमा as two distinct, non-collapsible concepts; the Jerusalem Council’s grace-vs-merit contrast (15:11) must parallel the Romans baseline’s guard against Hindu/Buddhist karma-merit frameworks. | Human theologian |
| 9 | The Great Commission Fulfilled | 1:8, 13:47, 28:23–31 | High | निर्बाध रूपमा (28:31, “unhindered”) functions as Acts’ thesis-echo, comparable in cross-document weight to Romans 1:16–17; must be rendered with sovereign confidence while remaining pastorally aware of current proselytizing restrictions. | Human theologian |
| 10 | Lordship of Christ | 2:34–36, 10:36, 16:31, 17:31 | Critical | प्रभु र मसीह (2:36) is the Christological summit of Peter’s sermon; exclusive, supreme Lordship must never be softened toward one honorific among several religious or royal figures. | Human theologian |
| 11 | Deity of Christ | 3:14–15, 7:55–56, 9:20 | Critical | जीवनका प्रवर्तक and पवित्र र धर्मी जन must never be softened toward the avatar framework historically attached to Nepal’s monarchy, nor read as merely honorary great-teacher language. | Human theologian |
| 12 | Sonship of Christ | 9:20, 7:56 | Critical | Eternal, unique Sonship — never metaphorical, adoptive, or a reincarnate-lineage relationship such as the Tibetan Buddhist tulku tradition present in Nepal’s Himalayan communities. | Human theologian |
| 13 | Resurrection of Christ | 1:22, 2:24–32, 4:2/33, 13:30–37, 17:18/32, 23:6–8, 24:15/21, 26:23 | Critical | पुनरुत्थान, never पुनर्जन्म. Acts 23:6–8’s live Jewish resurrection debate must not become a bridge to Hindu rebirth, Buddhist six-realm rebirth, or the Himalayan tulku tradition. | Human theologian |
| 14 | Ascension and Exaltation of Christ | 1:9–11, 2:33, 5:31 | Critical | स्वर्गारोहण is Christ’s unique, once-for-all vindication/enthronement, not an attainable yogic or meditative feat comparable to legendary sage- or deity-ascension accounts. | Human theologian |
| 15 | Messianic Promise | 2:29–36, 3:18, 9:22, 13:22–23/32–37, 17:2–3, 26:22–23 | Critical | A specific Old Testament promise fulfilled exclusively in Jesus; the Lystra (14:11–13) and Malta (28:6) mistaken-for-a-god episodes sharpen the risk of a pantheon-collision misreading. | Human theologian |
| 16 | Divine Calling and Election | 2:39, 9:15, 13:48, 15:7 | High | God’s sovereign, personal call/choice (“appointed to eternal life,” 13:48) must be distinguished from karma-determined destiny and from भाग्य/किस्मत (impersonal fate). | Human theologian |
| 17 | Providence | 16:6–10, 18:9–10, 27:22–25 | High | God’s personal, purposive direction of missionary geography and deliverance — never भाग्य or कर्मको नियम (the law of karma). | Human theologian |
| 18 | Sanctification | 20:32, 21:24/26, 26:18 | High | पवित्रीकरण (the Spirit’s ongoing work) must be kept distinct from शुद्धीकरण (Paul’s ceremonial temple purification, 21:24–26) and from Hindu/Buddhist ritual or meditative self-purification. | Human theologian |
| 19 | Sainthood (Called to be Holy) | 9:13/32, 26:10 | High | पवित्र जन applies to ordinary believers under persecution, never सन्त/साधु, terms tied to the wandering-ascetic ideal honored at Pashupatinath and other national shrines. | Human theologian |
| 20 | Unity of Jews and Gentiles | 10:34–36, 11:17–18, 15:6–11 | High | Directly challenges caste-based spiritual hierarchy, legally enforced in Nepal until 1963 (Muluki Ain). The identical-Spirit-gift claim (11:17) must be rendered without qualification. | Human theologian |
| 21 | Inspiration of Scripture | 1:16, 17:2/11, 18:24/28 | High | पवित्रशास्त्र as God-breathed writing through human authors, distinct from Hindu shruti (sage-heard revelation) and the Buddhist sutra tradition. | Human theologian |
| 22 | Fulfillment of Prophecy | 2:16–21, 3:18/24, 13:27/33 | High | Linear, one-directional historical fulfillment (promise → event), not the cyclical cosmic frame of Hindu yuga cosmology or Buddhist rebirth cycles. | Human theologian |
| 23 | Grace | 4:33, 8:20, 11:23, 15:11, 20:24/32 | High | Simon’s attempt to purchase the Spirit’s gift (8:18–20) extends “apart from merit” to “apart from purchase” — both must contradict karma-merit accounting shared by Nepali Hindu and Buddhist frameworks. | Human theologian |
| 24 | Faith | 13:39, 15:9, 16:31, 26:18 | High | Personal trust in Christ specifically, distinguished from generalized श्रद्धा/भक्ति devotional reverence — an acute risk in Acts’ many cross-cultural preaching scenes (Lystra, Athens, Ephesus). | Human theologian |
| 25 | Forgiveness of Sins | 2:38, 3:19, 10:43, 13:38, 26:18 | High | पापको क्षमा must be held together with, never substituted for, धर्मी ठहराइने कार्य; collapsing the two into माफी alone erases the forensic dimension the baseline explicitly guards. | Human theologian |
| 26 | Exclusivity of Worship and Rejection of Idolatry | 7:41–43, 14:11–18, 17:16–31, 19:23–41 | Critical | मूर्ति and अज्ञात परमेश्वर sit at the sharpest culture-collision point in the book, given living murti-puja devotional practice; Paul’s Athens speech must not be read as perennialist affirmation that all paths worship one reality — 17:31’s exclusive claim must stand undiluted. | Human theologian |
| 27 | Spiritual Gifts and Tongues | 2:4/17–18/38, 8:18–20, 10:45–46, 19:6 | High | आत्मिक वरदान and अन्य भाषा as Spirit-given enablements for proclamation — never merit-earned tantric सिद्धि nor dhami-jhankri trance-possession phenomena. | Human theologian |
| 28 | Church Leadership and Office | 6:1–6, 14:23, 15:2/6/22–23, 20:17–28 | High | एल्डर must never become गुरु (disciple-devotion resonance); गोठालो (shepherd) applied to Christ/leaders needs care given Pashupatinath’s (“Lord of Animals/Herds”) Shaivite national prominence. | Human theologian |
| 29 | Christian Fellowship | 2:42/46, 4:32 | Low | सहभागिता carries lived weight as covenant community formed under past legal restriction, not mere social friendship. Low risk once Table A term is applied consistently. | Automated review |
| 30 | Mission to the Nations and Evangelism | 1:8, 8:4, 13:1–3, 16:9–10, 26:16–18 | High | Raised to High (matching the Romans baseline’s Evangelism escalation) given the 2017 Muluki Criminal Code’s live restrictions on religious conversion — this affects the entire missionary arc of Acts, not isolated verses. | Human theologian |
| 31 | Kingdom Mission | 1:3/6, 14:22, 28:23/31 | Medium | God’s reign advancing through the gospel, not a political/dynastic kingdom; the disciples’ own mistaken question (1:6) makes the distinction textually explicit. | Native speaker review |
| 32 | Deliverance from the Power of Darkness | 16:14, 26:18 | High | Conversion is a decisive transfer of dominion/allegiance by a personal God, not a gradual enlightenment attainment; “light” imagery must stay distinct from meditative-enlightenment concepts. | Human theologian |
| 33 | Sorcery and Occult Power | 8:9–24, 13:6–11, 19:11–20 | High | Occult power is explicitly renounced and shown powerless before the gospel — directly relevant given living Nepali Tantric, shamanic (jhankri/dhami), and astrological practice; handle pastorally, not with derision. | Human theologian |
Risk Summary (matches doctrine_risk_registry.json exactly): Critical: 11 · High: 20 · Medium: 1 · Low: 1 · Total requiring theologian review: 31 · Total requiring native speaker review: 1 · Total automated-only: 1
Part 2 — Full-Book Chapter-by-Chapter Coverage Log
Every chapter of Acts (1–28) is logged below. Chapters contributing no new doctrine-critical terms beyond those already tabulated are explicitly noted as reviewed, no new load-bearing content, per the full-coverage mandate — never silently omitted.
| Ch. | Narrative Focus | Doctrines Present (name — risk) | Key Passages | Chapter-Level Risk | Review Routing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ascension; replacing Judas | Ascension and Exaltation of Christ — Critical; Resurrection of Christ — Critical; The Great Commission Fulfilled — High; Kingdom Mission — Medium; Inspiration of Scripture — High | 1:3,6,8,9–11,16,22 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 2 | CORE PASSAGE. Pentecost; Peter’s sermon; 3,000 saved; church born | Holy Spirit and Pentecost — Critical; Messianic Promise — Critical; Lordship of Christ — Critical; Ascension and Exaltation — Critical; Resurrection of Christ — Critical; Fulfillment of Prophecy — High; Repentance and Baptism — High; Forgiveness of Sins — High; The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles — Critical; Divine Calling and Election — High; The Church as Community — High; Christian Fellowship — Low; Spiritual Gifts and Tongues — High | 2:1–41 (anchor), 2:42–47 | Critical | Human theologian (mandatory, highest priority) |
| 3 | Healing the lame man; Peter’s temple sermon | Repentance and Baptism — High; Apostolic Authority and Miracles — High; Deity of Christ — Critical; Messianic Promise — Critical; Fulfillment of Prophecy — High; Forgiveness of Sins — High | 3:1–10, 3:14–15, 3:18–19, 3:24 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 4 | Peter and John before the council; believers’ generosity | Persecution and Bold Witness — High; The Church as Community — High; Christian Fellowship — Low; Grace — High; Resurrection of Christ — Critical; Apostolic Authority and Miracles — High | 4:1–31, 4:32–35, 4:33 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 5 | Ananias and Sapphira; apostolic signs; second arrest | Persecution and Bold Witness — High; Apostolic Authority and Miracles — High; Ascension and Exaltation of Christ — Critical (5:31) | 5:1–16, 5:17–42, 5:31 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 6 | Appointing the Seven | The Church as Community — High; Church Leadership and Office — High | 6:1–6 | High | Human theologian |
| 7 | Stephen’s speech and martyrdom | Persecution and Bold Witness — High; Deity of Christ — Critical; Sonship of Christ — Critical; Exclusivity of Worship and Rejection of Idolatry — Critical | 7:41–43, 7:54–60, 7:55–56 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 8 | Philip in Samaria; Simon Magus; the Ethiopian eunuch | Apostolic Authority and Miracles — High; Sorcery and Occult Power — High; Repentance and Baptism — High; Grace — High; Spiritual Gifts and Tongues — High; Mission to the Nations and Evangelism — High | 8:4, 8:9–24, 8:36–38 | High | Human theologian |
| 9 | Saul’s conversion; Ananias; early ministry | Conversion of Paul — Critical; Deity of Christ — Critical; Sonship of Christ — Critical; Messianic Promise — Critical; Sainthood — High; Divine Calling and Election — High | 9:1–19, 9:13, 9:15, 9:20, 9:22, 9:32 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 10 | Cornelius; Peter’s vision; Gentiles receive the Spirit | Holy Spirit and Pentecost — Critical; The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles — Critical; Unity of Jews and Gentiles — High; Lordship of Christ — Critical; Forgiveness of Sins — High; Spiritual Gifts and Tongues — High | 10:1–48, 10:34–36, 10:43, 10:44–46 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 11 | Peter’s report to Jerusalem; church at Antioch named | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles — Critical; Unity of Jews and Gentiles — High; Grace — High; The Church as Community — High (Christian name, glossary #10) | 11:1–18, 11:17–18, 11:23, 11:26 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 12 | Peter’s imprisonment and deliverance; Herod’s death | Persecution and Bold Witness — High; Apostolic Authority and Miracles — High (angelic deliverance); Providence — High (implicit) | 12:1–19 | High | Human theologian |
| 13 | Commissioning at Antioch; Elymas; Pisidian Antioch sermon; justification statement | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles — Critical; Justification apart from the Law — Critical; Messianic Promise — Critical; Resurrection of Christ — Critical; Divine Calling and Election — High; The Great Commission Fulfilled — High; Fulfillment of Prophecy — High; Sorcery and Occult Power — High; Faith — High; Mission to the Nations and Evangelism — High | 13:1–3, 13:6–11, 13:22–23, 13:27, 13:30–39, 13:46–48 | Critical | Human theologian (mandatory, highest priority alongside ch. 2, 15) |
| 14 | Lystra healing; mistaken for gods; elders appointed | Apostolic Authority and Miracles — High; Exclusivity of Worship and Rejection of Idolatry — Critical; Church Leadership and Office — High; Kingdom Mission — Medium | 14:3, 14:11–18, 14:22, 14:23 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 15 | Jerusalem Council | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles — Critical; Justification apart from the Law — Critical; Unity of Jews and Gentiles — High; Divine Calling and Election — High; Grace — High; Faith — High; The Church as Community — High; Church Leadership and Office — High | 15:1–29 | Critical | Human theologian (mandatory, highest priority alongside ch. 2, 13) |
| 16 | Timothy circumcised; Macedonian call; Lydia; Philippian jailer; imprisonment | Providence — High; Deliverance from the Power of Darkness — High; Persecution and Bold Witness — High; Lordship of Christ — Critical; Faith — High; Repentance and Baptism — High; Justification apart from the Law — Critical; Mission to the Nations and Evangelism — High | 16:3, 16:6–10, 16:14, 16:19–40, 16:30–33 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 17 | Thessalonica; Berea; Areopagus/Athens speech | Lordship of Christ — Critical; Exclusivity of Worship and Rejection of Idolatry — Critical; Messianic Promise — Critical; Resurrection of Christ — Critical; Inspiration of Scripture — High | 17:2–3, 17:11, 17:16–31 | Critical | Human theologian (priority — “unknown god” collision point) |
| 18 | Corinth; vision to Paul; Apollos | Providence — High; Inspiration of Scripture — High | 18:9–10, 18:24, 18:28 | High | Human theologian |
| 19 | Ephesus; disciples receive the Spirit; Sons of Sceva; Artemis riot | Holy Spirit and Pentecost — Critical; Repentance and Baptism — High; Apostolic Authority and Miracles — High; Exclusivity of Worship and Rejection of Idolatry — Critical; Sorcery and Occult Power — High; Spiritual Gifts and Tongues — High | 19:1–6, 19:11–20, 19:23–41 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 20 | Miletus address to the Ephesian elders | The Church as Community — High; Church Leadership and Office — High; Grace — High; Sanctification — High | 20:17–35 | High | Human theologian |
| 21 | Return to Jerusalem; Paul’s vow/purification; arrest | Justification apart from the Law — Critical; Sanctification — High; Persecution and Bold Witness — High | 21:20–26, 21:27–40 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 22 | Paul’s defense; retelling his conversion | Conversion of Paul — Critical; Repentance and Baptism — High | 22:3–16, 22:16 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 23 | Sanhedrin hearing; resurrection debate; plot against Paul | Persecution and Bold Witness — High; Resurrection of Christ — Critical | 23:1–11, 23:6–8 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 24 | Before Felix; self-control and coming judgment | Resurrection of Christ — Critical; Faith / self-control (context of Justification apart from the Law) — High | 24:15, 24:21, 24:25 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 25 | Before Festus; appeal to Caesar | Reviewed — no new load-bearing terms. Continues Persecution and Bold Witness — High (legal-defense narrative arc; no distinct new registry entry cites this chapter, but the doctrine and its translation cautions apply identically to Paul’s hearing before Festus). | 25:1–12, 25:23–27 | High | Human theologian |
| 26 | Before Agrippa; third conversion account | Conversion of Paul — Critical; Resurrection of Christ — Critical; Sainthood — High; Sanctification — High; Forgiveness of Sins — High; Faith — High; Deliverance from the Power of Darkness — High; Mission to the Nations and Evangelism — High; Messianic Promise — Critical | 26:9–18, 26:10, 26:22–23, 26:23 | Critical | Human theologian |
| 27 | Shipwreck voyage to Rome | Providence — High; Thanksgiving — Low (glossary, minor) | 27:22–25 | High | Human theologian |
| 28 | Malta; arrival in Rome; unhindered proclamation | The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles — Critical; The Great Commission Fulfilled — High; Apostolic Authority and Miracles — High; Kingdom Mission — Medium; Exclusivity of Worship and Rejection of Idolatry — Critical (28:6, mistaken for a god) | 28:1–9, 28:23–31, 28:28 | Critical | Human theologian (capstone chapter; “unhindered” thesis-echo term) |
Coverage confirmation: All 28 chapters of Acts have been reviewed. No chapter was silently omitted. Chapter 25 is explicitly logged as contributing no new load-bearing doctrinal term while remaining within the High-risk Persecution and Bold Witness doctrine already tabulated in Part 1.
This document must be loaded alongside translation_memory.json, bible_term_registry.json, and doctrine_risk_registry.json before Phase 2 segment translation begins. See 08_core_glossary.md for term-level detail underlying the doctrine entries above.
Critical Risk Doctrines
The Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Nepali name: पवित्र आत्मा र पेन्तिकोस
Key terms: holy spirit, tongues, pentecost, poured out, filled with the Holy Spirit
Review routing: Human theologian
The personal, divine Holy Spirit poured out corporately must never be rendered with a term suggesting an impersonal life-force. The accompanying sign of tongues (अन्य भाषा) must be clearly framed as intelligible, Spirit-given human language for gospel proclamation, not the trance-possession speech of Nepal’s indigenous dhami-jhankri shamanic tradition, which is common in hill and Himalayan communities and could otherwise be read as a parallel phenomenon.
The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles
Nepali name: यहूदी र अन्यजातिहरूका निम्ति सुसमाचार
Key terms: gentiles, no partiality, unclean/common, circumcision, all who are far off
Review routing: Human theologian
The Cornelius narrative’s overturning of ceremonial exclusion directly parallels, and must not be softened against, Nepal’s own legally codified caste hierarchy under the Muluki Ain (in force until 1963). The Greek κοινός must be split into two distinct Nepali words (अशुद्ध for the abolished ritual-impurity sense, साझा for the unrelated ‘held in common’ sense) to prevent doctrinal collapse.
Conversion of Paul
Nepali name: पावलको धर्म-परिवर्तन
Key terms: light from heaven, vision, chosen instrument, scales fell from his eyes, the Way, darkness to light
Review routing: Human theologian
The narrative’s light/vision imagery (दृश्य, never दर्शन) must not be assimilated to Hindu/Buddhist meditative enlightenment-attainment traditions; this is an external, unwelcome, sovereignly-initiated divine disclosure to an active persecutor, not an inwardly cultivated insight. ‘Chosen instrument’ (छानिएको पात्र) must preserve God’s sovereign initiative against any merit-based conversion reading.
Justification apart from the Law
Nepali name: व्यवस्थाभन्दा बाहिर धर्मी ठहराइने कार्य
Key terms: justified, law, grace, circumcision, yoke, forgiveness of sins
Review routing: Human theologian
Acts 13:38-39 is the book’s single clearest justification statement and must retain both धर्मी ठहराइने कार्य (justification) and पापको क्षमा (forgiveness of sins) as distinct, non-collapsible concepts, per the baseline’s rule that माफी alone may never substitute for the forensic doctrine. The Jerusalem Council’s conclusion (15:11) directly parallels and must preserve the same grace-versus-merit contrast the baseline documents against Hindu and Buddhist karma-merit frameworks.
Lordship of Christ
Nepali name: ख्रीष्टको प्रभुत्व
Key terms: lord, lord and christ, lord of all, jesus is lord
Review routing: Human theologian
Acts 2:36’s climactic ‘both Lord and Christ’ (प्रभु र मसीह) is the Christological summit of Peter’s sermon and must be flagged for mandatory theologian review in every occurrence; exclusive, supreme Lordship must never be softened toward one honorific among several religious or royal figures.
Deity of Christ
Nepali name: ख्रीष्टको ईश्वरत्व
Key terms: son of god, son of man, author of life, exalted, holy and righteous one
Review routing: Human theologian
Christ’s co-equal divine nature, asserted through titles such as ‘Author of Life’ (जीवनका प्रवर्तक) and ‘the Holy and Righteous One’ (पवित्र र धर्मी जन), must never be softened toward the avatar framework historically attached to Nepal’s monarchy, nor toward a merely honorary great-teacher reading.
Sonship of Christ
Nepali name: ख्रीष्टको पुत्रत्व
Key terms: son of god, son of man
Review routing: Human theologian
Paul’s first post-conversion confession (9:20) and Stephen’s dying vision (7:56) both require the eternal, unique Sonship of Christ, never a metaphorical, adoptive, or reincarnate-lineage relationship such as the Tibetan Buddhist tulku tradition present in Nepal’s Himalayan communities.
Resurrection of Christ
Nepali name: ख्रीष्टको पुनरुत्थान
Key terms: raised, resurrection, from the dead
Review routing: Human theologian
पुनरुत्थान, never पुनर्जन्म. Acts 23:6-8’s live first-century Jewish debate over bodily resurrection must not be used as a bridge to, nor conflated with, Hindu rebirth or the Buddhist doctrine of karma-driven rebirth across six realms, nor the tulku recognized-reincarnation tradition of Himalayan Buddhism.
Ascension and Exaltation of Christ
Nepali name: ख्रीष्टको स्वर्गारोहण र उच्च पारिने कार्य
Key terms: ascension, taken up, exalted, right hand of God
Review routing: Human theologian
स्वर्गारोहण must be presented as Christ’s unique vindication and enthronement following his unique resurrection, not an attainable yogic or meditative feat comparable to legendary accounts of sages or deities ascending to a heavenly abode by their own spiritual attainment.
Messianic Promise
Nepali name: मसीही प्रतिज्ञा
Key terms: messiah, christ, seed of David, promised
Review routing: Human theologian
A specific Jewish Old Testament promise fulfilled exclusively in Jesus; the pantheon-collision episodes at Lystra (14:11-13) and Malta (28:6), where Paul is mistaken for a god, sharpen the risk that Nepali audiences read biblical messianic claims as one more figure within an existing pantheon rather than the exclusive fulfillment of a specific covenant promise.
Exclusivity of Worship and Rejection of Idolatry
Nepali name: मूर्तिपूजाको अस्वीकार र एकमात्र आराधना
Key terms: idols, unknown god, living god, turn from these vain things
Review routing: Human theologian
मूर्ति (idols) and अज्ञात परमेश्वर (unknown god) sit at the sharpest culture-collision point in the book, given the centrality of living murti-puja devotional practice and the risk that Paul’s Athens speech be misread as a perennialist affirmation that all paths worship the same reality. The text’s exclusive claim (17:31, resurrection and coming judgment through the one man God appointed) must be retained without dilution.
High Risk Doctrines
Repentance and Baptism
Nepali name: पश्चाताप र बप्तिस्मा
Key terms: repent, baptize, forgiveness of sins, cut to the heart, call upon the name of the Lord
Review routing: Human theologian
पश्चाताप (repentance) must never be rendered with प्रायश्चित्त, which frames wrongdoing as karmic debt requiring ritual expiation rather than Spirit-produced turning toward a personal God. बप्तिस्मा must never be conflated with स्नान, the Hindu ritual bathing/purification practiced in rivers such as the Bagmati.
The Church as Community
Nepali name: सामुदायिक मण्डली
Key terms: fellowship, breaking of bread, common possessions, elders, deacon
Review routing: Human theologian
The ‘breaking of bread’ (रोटी भाँच्ने कार्य) must be sharply distinguished from प्रसाद, food ritually offered to a deity and then distributed as blessed — a live, widespread devotional practice across Nepal’s Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Church office terms (सेवा/सेवक, एल्डर) must avoid collision with Hindu guru-veneration and karma-yoga merit-service concepts.
Apostolic Authority and Miracles
Nepali name: प्रेरितहरूको अधिकार र आश्चर्यकर्म
Key terms: signs and wonders, laying on of hands, apostle, power of God, sorcery
Review routing: Human theologian
Signs and wonders (चिन्ह र आश्चर्यकर्म) authenticate a specific historical message about Jesus and must not be presented as parallel to, or in competition on the same terms with, Hindu/Buddhist सिद्धि (yogic/tantric supernatural attainment) or jhankri/dhami ritual healing displays, which are living practices in Nepal today.
Persecution and Bold Witness
Nepali name: सतावट र निर्भीक साक्षी
Key terms: witness, boldness, stoning, suffer dishonor, clear conscience
Review routing: Human theologian
साक्षी (witness) must not be read through the lens of Vedantic ‘witness-consciousness’ (साक्षी भाव), an impersonal observer-self philosophical concept; biblical witness is personal, historical eyewitness testimony given at real risk. This doctrine’s bold public proclamation also carries current legal weight under Nepal’s 2017 Muluki Criminal Code provisions restricting religious conversion.
The Great Commission Fulfilled
Nepali name: महान् आज्ञाको पूर्ति
Key terms: witnesses, to the end of the earth, unhindered, kingdom of God, proclaiming
Review routing: Human theologian
Acts’ closing word ‘unhindered’ (निर्बाध रूपमा) functions as the book’s thesis-statement echo and must be treated with the same cross-document consistency discipline as Romans 1:16-17. Teaching material must frame this confidently in God’s sovereignty while remaining pastorally aware of Nepal’s current legal restrictions on proselytizing under the 2017 Muluki Criminal Code.
Divine Calling and Election
Nepali name: परमेश्वरको बोलावट र छनोट
Key terms: called, calling, election, chosen instrument, appointed to eternal life
Review routing: Human theologian
God’s sovereign call and choice, including ‘appointed to eternal life’ (13:48), must be distinguished from karma-determined destiny shared by both Nepali Hindu and Buddhist frameworks, and from भाग्य/किस्मत (impersonal fate); this is the personal, purposive choice of a personal God.
Providence
Nepali name: परमेश्वरको व्यवस्थापन
Key terms: Spirit did not allow, hand of the Lord, not one of you will perish, angel of the Lord
Review routing: Human theologian
God’s personal, purposive governance of missionary geography and physical deliverance must never be rendered with भाग्य (fate) or कर्मको नियम (the law of karma); the Spirit’s active, personal direction is the point, not an impersonal cosmic order.
Sanctification
Nepali name: पवित्रीकरण
Key terms: sanctified, inheritance among the sanctified, ceremonial purification
Review routing: Human theologian
पवित्रीकरण, the Spirit’s ongoing work of making believers holy, must be kept distinct from शुद्धीकरण (Paul’s ceremonial, temple-based purification under the still-culturally-observed Mosaic law in 21:24-26) and from Hindu ritual purification or Buddhist meditative self-purification through disciplined practice.
Sainthood (Called to be Holy)
Nepali name: पवित्र जनहरूको बोलावट
Key terms: saints, holy ones
Review routing: Human theologian
पवित्र जन applies to ordinary believers under threat of persecution, never सन्त/साधु, terms carrying vivid, nationally visible associations with the wandering-ascetic ideal honored at Pashupatinath and other national Hindu shrines.
Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Nepali name: यहूदी र अन्यजातिहरूको एकता
Key terms: no partiality, one body, Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit, Jerusalem Council decision
Review routing: Human theologian
Directly challenges caste-based spiritual hierarchy, a legally enforced structure in Nepal within living memory (the Muluki Ain, in force until 1963). The Jerusalem Council’s decision that Gentiles receive the identical Spirit-gift as Jews (11:17) must be rendered with full theological clarity, without qualification.
Inspiration of Scripture
Nepali name: पवित्रशास्त्रको प्रेरणा
Key terms: scriptures, it is written, David said by the Holy Spirit
Review routing: Human theologian
Distinguish God-breathed Scripture (पवित्रशास्त्र) from the Hindu concept of shruti (heard by sages) and the Buddhist sutra tradition, both understood very differently from divine authorship through human writers.
Fulfillment of Prophecy
Nepali name: अगमवाणीको पूर्ति
Key terms: this is that which was spoken, fulfilled, prophesied
Review routing: Human theologian
Linear historical fulfillment (Old Testament promise to New Testament event), not the cyclical cosmic frame shared by Hindu yuga cosmology and Buddhist cycles of rebirth.
Grace
Nepali name: अनुग्रह
Key terms: grace, the gift of God, saved through grace
Review routing: Human theologian
Simon’s attempt to purchase the Spirit’s gift with money (8:18-20) extends the baseline’s ‘apart from merit’ requirement to ‘apart from purchase’ as well; both must directly contradict the karma-merit accounting shared by Nepali Hindu and Buddhist ethical frameworks.
Faith
Nepali name: विश्वास
Key terms: faith, believe, believers
Review routing: Human theologian
Personal trust in Christ specifically; distinguish from generalized Hindu/Buddhist devotional reverence (श्रद्धा, भक्ति), a risk especially acute in Acts’ many cross-cultural preaching contexts (Lystra, Athens, Ephesus).
Forgiveness of Sins
Nepali name: पापको क्षमा
Key terms: forgiveness of sins, sins forgiven
Review routing: Human theologian
पापको क्षमा must be held together with, not substituted for, धर्मी ठहराइने कार्य (justification); collapsing the two into माफी alone erases the forensic dimension the baseline explicitly guards.
Spiritual Gifts and Tongues
Nepali name: आत्मिक वरदान र अन्य भाषा
Key terms: gift of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, tongues, prophesy
Review routing: Human theologian
आत्मिक वरदान and अन्य भाषा must be clearly framed as Spirit-given enablements for gospel proclamation, not merit-earned tantric siddhi (supernatural attainments carrying particular cultural currency in the Kathmandu Valley) and not dhami-jhankri trance-possession phenomena.
Church Leadership and Office
Nepali name: मण्डलीको अगुवाई र पद
Key terms: elders, overseers, deacons, shepherd, flock, laying on of hands
Review routing: Human theologian
एल्डर must never be rendered गुरु, given the Hindu/Buddhist guru-veneration tradition of personal disciple-devotion. गोठालो (shepherd) applied to Christ or church leaders must be handled carefully given Pashupatinath’s (‘Lord of Animals/Herds’) centrality as a Shaivite epithet in Nepal’s national religious landscape.
Mission to the Nations and Evangelism
Nepali name: जातिहरूका निम्ति मिसन र सुसमाचार प्रचार
Key terms: sent, preach, proclaim, witnesses to the ends of the earth, how will they hear
Review routing: Human theologian
Raised to High for Nepali specifically, matching the baseline’s Evangelism doctrine escalation: Nepal’s 2017 Muluki Criminal Code contains provisions restricting religious conversion and proselytizing, a live, current legal risk affecting the entire missionary narrative arc of Acts, not isolated verses.
Deliverance from the Power of Darkness
Nepali name: अन्धकारको अधिकारबाट उद्धार
Key terms: power of Satan, darkness to light, opened heart
Review routing: Human theologian
Conversion is a decisive transfer of dominion and allegiance secured by a personal God, not a gradual enlightenment attainment; ‘light’ imagery must be kept distinct from meditative-enlightenment concepts in Hindu/Buddhist traditions.
Sorcery and Occult Power
Nepali name: टोनामोना र तन्त्र-मन्त्रको शक्ति
Key terms: sorcery, magic, magic books burned
Review routing: Human theologian
Occult power is explicitly renounced and shown powerless before the gospel; directly relevant given living Nepali Tantric, shamanic (jhankri/dhami), and astrological practices. Teaching material must handle this doctrine with pastoral clarity toward practitioners and their communities, not derision.
Medium Risk Doctrines
Kingdom Mission
Nepali name: राज्यको मिसन
Key terms: kingdom of God, restoring the kingdom to Israel, proclaiming the kingdom
Review routing: Native speaker review
God’s reign advancing through the gospel, not a political or dynastic kingdom; the disciples’ own mistaken question about restoring an earthly kingdom to Israel (1:6) makes this distinction textually explicit and useful for translators.
Low Risk Doctrines
Christian Fellowship
Nepali name: मसीही सहभागिता
Key terms: fellowship, breaking of bread, one accord
Review routing: Automated review
Shared participation in Christ; given the recent history of restricted Christian practice in Nepal, सहभागिता carries lived weight as covenant community, not mere social friendship. Low doctrinal risk once the Table A term is applied consistently.
Referenced passages