Semantic Analysis
Semantic Analysis — Luke 1–24 (Koine Greek Source Text)
Purpose
This document provides the Phase 1 Step 1 semantic analysis of the entire Gospel of Luke in the original Koine Greek, chapter 1 through chapter 24, in preparation for Nepali translation requirements. The core passage, Luke 4:16–21 (Jesus’ inaugural sermon at Nazareth), receives full verse-by-verse treatment. Every other chapter receives a chapter-level study of its load-bearing theological terms.
Baseline enforcement: Any term already recorded in the Romans translation_memory.json and bible_term_registry.json (e.g., gospel = सुसमाचार, salvation = उद्धार, holy_spirit = पवित्र आत्मा, law = व्यवस्था, lord = प्रभु, son_of_god = परमेश्वरका पुत्र, repentance-adjacent sin = पाप, grace = अनुग्रह, faith = विश्वास, righteousness = धार्मिकता, justification = धर्मी ठहराइने कार्य, covenant = करार, messiah = मसीह, kingdom_of_god = परमेश्वरको राज्य, church = मण्डली, called/calling = बोलाइएका/बोलावट, glory = महिमा, power_of_god = परमेश्वरको सामर्थ्य, father = पिता, abba = अब्बा, prophet/prophecy = अगमवक्ता/अगमवाणी, israel/david = इस्राएल/दाऊद, jesus/god = येशू/परमेश्वर, fellowship = सहभागिता, saints = पवित्र जन, gentiles = अन्यजाति, resurrection = पुनरुत्थान, incarnation = देहधारण) is reused exactly as recorded and is not re-analyzed in full below — it is simply noted where it recurs, per chapter, so full coverage is preserved without duplicating the baseline record. New terms required for Luke’s specific vocabulary and doctrines are given complete treatment (original word, transliteration, literal meaning, semantic range, English variants, contextual theological meaning, Nepali rendering, and risk).
PART 1 — CORE PASSAGE: Luke 4:16–21 (Verse-by-Verse)
Jesus’ reading of Isaiah 61:1–2 and 58:6 in the Nazareth synagogue is the programmatic, thesis-setting passage of Luke’s Gospel (parallel in weight to Romans 1:16–17 in the Romans package), announcing Jesus’ identity, the Spirit’s empowerment, and the scope of his mission to the poor, captive, blind, and oppressed. Every term below is load-bearing for the curriculum’s eight doctrines, especially Good News to the Poor and Marginalized, The Holy Spirit’s Work in Salvation History, and The Kingdom of God Present and Future.
Luke 4:16 — “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom, and stood up to read.”
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabbath σάββατον sabbaton the seventh day, day of rest | weekly holy day of rest and worship, from Hebrew shabbat Sabbath, the Sabbath day | Establishes Jesus as a faithful, Torah-observant Jew acting within Israel’s covenant life, not a religious innovator detached from Scripture | शबाथ (transliterated, established Nepali Bible term) | Medium |
| synagogue συναγωγή synagōgē a gathering, assembly place | local Jewish congregation and its meeting building, distinct from the Jerusalem temple synagogue, meeting place | The ordinary local venue of Scripture reading and teaching in Jewish town life; site chosen for Jesus’ mission announcement | सभाघर | Low |
| custom ἔθος ethos habit, established practice | recurring practice, personal or communal custom, habit, was accustomed | Signals Jesus’ regular, ongoing participation in the synagogue’s Scripture-reading life, not a one-time act | प्रचलन / रीति | Low |
| brought up ἀνατρέφω (ἀνετράφη) anetraphē to nourish, rear, raise (a child) | upbringing, childhood formation brought up, raised, grew up | Roots Jesus’ identity in real, verifiable human history — Nazareth, a known place, real childhood — reinforcing the historicity central to incarnation and humanity_of_christ | हुर्केका (हुर्किएका ठाउँ) | Low |
Luke 4:17 — “And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,“
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scroll βιβλίον biblion small book, roll of writing material | any written document; here specifically the Isaiah scroll scroll, book | Physical, historical Scripture, handled and read publicly — grounding the inspiration_of_scripture doctrine in a concrete, verifiable text | (पवित्रशास्त्रको) पुस्तक/लेख | Low |
| prophet προφήτης prophētēs one who speaks forth | God’s inspired spokesperson (baseline reuse) prophet | Isaiah as a genuine, God-sent voice whose specific words Jesus now claims to fulfill in person | अगमवक्ता (baseline reuse) | Low (baseline) |
| it was written γέγραπται gegraptai it stands written (perfect tense) | formulaic citation marker introducing an authoritative, abiding written text it is written, as it is written | The perfect tense signals a fixed, permanently authoritative text — not an oral prophecy subject to reinterpretation or fresh revelation each generation | लेखिएको छ | Medium |
Luke 4:18 — “‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,‘“
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit of the Lord Πνεῦμα Κυρίου Pneuma Kyriou the Spirit belonging to/of the Lord | the personal, divine Holy Spirit in active empowering relation to God’s anointed servant Spirit of the Lord, the Lord’s Spirit | Names the Holy Spirit’s direct empowerment of Jesus’ mission — the hinge for the Holy Spirit’s Work in Salvation History doctrine | परमप्रभुको आत्मा (पवित्र आत्मा, baseline reuse of आत्मा-root) | Critical (baseline holy_spirit applies) |
| anointed ἔχρισέν (χρίω) echrisen (chriō) to smear/rub with oil; to consecrate by anointing | ritual consecration for a divinely appointed office (king, priest, prophet); root of Christos/Messiah anointed, has anointed | Identifies Jesus as the promised Anointed One (Messiah) commissioned by the Spirit, not merely inspired but formally set apart for a saving mission | अभिषेक गर्नु / अभिषिक्त पार्नु | High — अभिषेक is the established Nepali Christian rendering (also the root sense behind मसीह/Messiah), but it is simultaneously the standard term for ritual anointing/consecration in Hindu practice, historically including the coronation-anointing of Nepal’s Shah kings. Context must make explicit this is the Spirit’s unique saving commission on Jesus, not a repeatable royal or priestly consecration ritual. |
| proclaim good news εὐαγγελίσασθαι (εὐαγγελίζω) euangelisasthai to announce good news | verbal form of gospel (εὐαγγέλιον, baseline reuse) to preach the gospel, to bring good news, to evangelize | The verbal action of gospel-proclamation, here specifically directed to the poor — establishing Good News to the Poor and Marginalized as a core, not peripheral, gospel theme | सुसमाचार सुनाउनु (baseline सुसमाचार + verb) | High (baseline gospel applies) |
| poor πτωχοῖς (πτωχός) ptōchois (ptōchos) one who crouches, a beggar; utterly destitute | both the literally economically destitute and, by extension, those without power, status, or resource — the socially marginalized the poor, the destitute | Luke’s programmatic identification of Jesus’ mission target: those without social, economic, or religious standing — directly relevant given caste-linked economic hierarchy historically embedded in Nepali society | गरीब | High — must retain both economic and social-marginalization force; avoid a purely spiritualized softening (“poor in spirit only”) that would blunt Luke’s material concern, while also not excluding the doctrine’s spiritual dimension developed later in Luke 6:20 |
| sent ἀπέσταλκέν (ἀποστέλλω) apestalken (apostellō) to send off with a commission | authoritative sending with delegated purpose; root of apostle (baseline reuse) has sent, sent me | Jesus himself is the Sent One of the Father, the pattern for all later apostolic sending in Luke–Acts | पठाउनुभएको छ | Medium |
| proclaim liberty κηρύξαι ἄφεσιν kēryxai aphesin to herald release/freedom | κηρύσσω = to announce as a herald; ἄφεσις = release, freedom, forgiveness to proclaim release, to preach freedom, to proclaim forgiveness | ἄφεσις here carries the double sense used throughout Luke for both social/Jubilee release (debt, captivity) and forgiveness of sins — establishing the term’s dual theological weight | छुटकारा घोषणा गर्नु | High — छुटकारा (deliverance/release) must be used rather than मुक्ति (rejected baseline term for salvation, tied to the Hindu rebirth-liberation frame); the same Greek root (ἄφεσις) reappears as “forgiveness of sins” in Luke 1:77, 3:3, 24:47 and must be rendered consistently within its context |
| captives αἰχμαλώτοις (αἰχμάλωτος) aichmalōtois (aichmalōtos) one taken by the spear; a prisoner of war | literal captivity/exile; extended metaphorically to bondage to sin and oppression captives, prisoners | Echoes Israel’s exile and points forward to spiritual captivity to sin, from which Jesus delivers | कैदी / बन्दी | Medium |
| recovering of sight ἀνάβλεψιν (ἀνάβλεψις) anablepsin seeing again, regaining sight | literal restoration of physical eyesight; used by Luke elsewhere as a figure for spiritual perception recovery of sight, sight | Literal healing ministry (cf. Luke 7:21–22; 18:35–43) that also symbolizes the opening of spiritually blind eyes to recognize the Messiah | दृष्टि फेरि पाउने | Low |
| blind τυφλοῖς (τυφλός) typhlois (typhlos) sightless | literal blindness; figurative spiritual blindness the blind | Both classes of blindness are in view across Luke’s narrative | दृष्टिविहीन / अन्धा | Low |
| set at liberty ἀποστεῖλαι ἐν ἀφέσει aposteilai en aphesei to send away in release | to release, discharge, set free to set free, to release | Reinforces the Jubilee-release theme; ties social, economic, and spiritual liberation together in a single saving act | स्वतन्त्र पार्नु / छुटकारा दिनु | High — same caution as “proclaim liberty” above: never रेन्डर as मुक्त पार्नु in a way that could be heard through the Hindu मुक्ति/मोक्ष liberation-from-rebirth lens; the liberty in view is deliverance by a personal God into covenant relationship, not escape from an impersonal cycle |
| oppressed τεθραυσμένους (θραύω) tethrausmenous shattered, broken, crushed | those crushed by hardship, oppression, or affliction the oppressed, the brokenhearted, the bruised | Names those crushed by social, economic, or physical affliction as objects of Jesus’ saving mission | थिचोमिचोमा परेका / कुल्चिएका | Medium |
Luke 4:19 — “‘to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’”
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year of the Lord’s favor ἐνιαυτὸν Κυρίου δεκτόν eniauton Kyriou dekton an acceptable/welcome year of the Lord | echoes the Levitical Jubilee year (Leviticus 25) of debt-release, land-rest, and freedom for slaves; δεκτός = acceptable, favorably received the acceptable year of the Lord, the year of the Lord’s favor, the year of jubilee | Jesus announces that the long-promised Jubilee reality — God’s decisive, favorable intervention to release, restore, and forgive — has arrived in his person and ministry; core to The Kingdom of God Present and Future | परमप्रभुको अनुग्रहको वर्ष | High — must be tied to अनुग्रह (baseline grace term, unmerited favor) rather than to पुण्य वर्ष (a “meritorious year” framed in Hindu almanac/festival terms as an auspicious period earned or determined astrologically); the acceptability here is God’s initiative, not a calendrically auspicious moment |
Luke 4:20 — “And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.”
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| attendant ὑπηρέτῃ (ὑπηρέτης) hypēretē (hypēretēs) under-rower, servant, assistant | synagogue officer responsible for the scrolls attendant, assistant, minister | A minor detail preserving the historical, procedural realism of the scene | सेवक | Low |
| sat down ἐκάθισεν (καθίζω) ekathisen to sit down | the customary teaching posture of a Jewish rabbi after the reading sat down, took his seat | Signals Jesus is about to teach with recognized rabbinic authority | बस्नुभयो | Low |
| eyes…fixed οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ…ἀτενίζοντες (ἀτενίζω) atenizontes to gaze intently, stare fixedly | sustained, focused attention were fixed on, gazed intently at | Builds dramatic tension before Jesus’ climactic claim in v.21 | नजर लगाइरहेका थिए | Low |
Luke 4:21 — “And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’”
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today σήμερον sēmeron this very day | Luke’s signature adverb of the present, decisive arrival of God’s saving action (cf. 2:11; 19:9; 23:43) today, this day, now | Announces that the long-awaited fulfillment is not a future hope or a past memory but a present, historical reality breaking in now — the “already” pole of The Kingdom of God Present and Future | आज | Medium — a small word carrying large theological weight across Luke; must be flagged wherever it functions as this technical marker of present eschatological arrival, not merely a calendar reference |
| this Scripture ἡ γραφὴ αὕτη hē graphē hautē this writing | the specific Isaiah passage just read, standing for the whole prophetic Scripture it represents this Scripture, this passage | Ties fulfillment to a specific, identifiable, written text — reinforcing linear, historical fulfillment rather than a cyclical or ever-renewing revelation pattern | यो धर्मशास्त्र / यो पवित्रशास्त्रको वचन | Medium (ties to baseline inspiration_of_scripture / fulfillment_of_prophecy) |
| has been fulfilled πεπλήρωται (πληρόω) peplērōtai has been filled up, completed | perfect tense: a completed action with continuing present effect; fulfillment of prophetic expectation is fulfilled, has been fulfilled, has come true | The decisive theological claim of the whole passage: God’s ancient, specific promise through Isaiah has now, historically and irreversibly, been accomplished in Jesus — the linear fulfillment pattern central to fulfillment_of_prophecy, contrasted with cyclical yuga/rebirth cosmologies | पूरा भएको छ | High — must retain the perfect-tense sense of a completed, once-for-all accomplishment (not an ongoing or repeatable fulfillment), consistent with baseline’s linear-history framing against cyclical cosmological alternatives |
| in your hearing ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶν ὑμῶν en tois ōsin hymōn in your ears | idiom for “as you have just heard it read aloud” in your hearing, as you have heard | Grounds the fulfillment claim in the immediate, verifiable, shared experience of the congregation present that day | तिमीहरूले सुन्दै गर्दा | Low |
PART 2 — CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER ANALYSIS, LUKE 1–24
Chapter 1 — Birth Announcements (Gabriel, Elizabeth, Mary, Zechariah)
Reused baseline terms present: god, holy_spirit, lord, father, covenant, prophet/prophecy, messiah (implicit), david, israel, glory, calling.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| angel ἄγγελος angelos messenger | a heavenly messenger sent by God; can also mean a human messenger angel, messenger | Gabriel as a personal, sent, subordinate messenger of God — never an independent divine being | स्वर्गदूत | Medium — must be distinguished from देवता (a lesser Hindu deity/demigod); rejected alternative: देवता |
| virgin παρθένος parthenos an unmarried woman who has not had sexual relations | virgin, chaste young woman virgin, maiden | Establishes the miraculous, non-ordinary conception of Jesus — foundational to the incarnation doctrine | कुमारी | Critical — कुमारी is also the title of the Kathmandu Valley’s living virgin goddess (the Kumari Devi), a highly visible, historically state-linked religious institution (the Kumari legitimated royal authority and still appears at major national festivals). Context must make unmistakably clear that Mary is a historical human woman receiving a unique divine act, never implying any parallel to a living incarnate-goddess tradition. This risk is at least as concrete as अवतार in the baseline and requires the same level of theologian review. |
| highly favored / full of grace κεχαριτωμένη (χαριτόω) kecharitōmenē one who has been graced, favored | to be shown grace/favor; passive perfect participle of χαρίζομαι/χάρις root favored one, full of grace, one who has received grace | Mary’s favored status is itself an act of unmerited divine grace (baseline अनुग्रह), not a reward for personal merit or ritual purity | अनुग्रह पाएकी | High (baseline grace applies) — must not be rendered in a way suggesting merit earned by Mary’s piety |
| overshadow ἐπισκιάζω (ἐπισκιάσει) episkiasei to cast a shadow upon, envelop in shadow | divine presence covering/enveloping (cf. the cloud over the tabernacle, Exodus 40:35) overshadow, come upon | The Holy Spirit’s non-sexual, non-physical, divine creative act producing Jesus’ conception — must not resemble Greco-Roman or Hindu myths of gods physically fathering children with mortal women | छाया पर्नु | High — explicitly guard against any reading implying a divine-mortal sexual union myth pattern (a real risk given the prevalence of such narratives, e.g. divine paternity stories, in South Asian mythological tradition) |
| Most High Ὕψιστος Hypsistos highest | a title for God emphasizing supremacy over all the Most High, the Highest | A name/title for the one true God (YHWH), not “supreme” within a ranked pantheon (as in Hindu conceptions of a supreme god among many, e.g. the ishta-devata system) | सर्वोच्च (परमेश्वर) | Medium |
| Savior σωτῆρι (σωτήρ) sōtēri (sōtēr) one who saves, deliverer | the one who accomplishes salvation (baseline उद्धार is the noun; this is the personal agent-title) Savior | Mary’s Magnificat names God himself as “my Savior” — establishing σωτήρ/Savior as a personal title fulfilled supremely in Jesus (2:11) | उद्धारकर्ता | Critical — ties directly to baseline salvation (उद्धार); NEVER मुक्तिदाता (liberator, evokes moksha) or त्राता alone (a generic protector-deity title used broadly in Hindu devotional contexts) |
| redemption / visited ἐπεσκέψατο (ἐπισκέπτομαι) epeskepsato to look upon, visit, attend to | divine visitation to intervene savingly in history has visited, has come to help | Names God’s decisive historical intervention in salvation history — core to The Holy Spirit’s Work in Salvation History | भेट गर्नुभयो / याद गर्नुभयो | Medium |
| horn of salvation / mercy ἔλεος eleos pity, compassion shown to one in need | God’s covenant faithfulness expressed in compassionate action mercy, lovingkindness | Distinct from अनुग्रह (unmerited favor granting salvation) — mercy here is compassion shown toward those in distress, consistent with covenant loyalty | दया | Medium |
Chapter 2 — Birth of Jesus, Shepherds, Simeon, Anna
Reused baseline terms present: lord, glory, peace, gentiles, holy_spirit, prophet, salvation.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savior σωτήρ sōtēr deliverer | (see Ch.1) Savior | The angel’s announcement: “a Savior is born” — Jesus is now explicitly identified as the one bearing the title used of God in the Magnificat | उद्धारकर्ता | Critical (see Ch.1 entry) |
| Christ the Lord Χριστὸς Κύριος Christos Kyrios Anointed [one], Lord | combines Messiah (मसीह, baseline) and exclusive Lordship (प्रभु, baseline) Christ the Lord, Messiah the Lord | The birth announcement to shepherds identifies the infant with the two highest baseline Christological titles simultaneously | ख्रीष्ट प्रभु | Critical (baseline messiah + lord apply jointly) |
| manger φάτνη phatnē feeding trough | animal feeding trough, used as an improvised cradle manger | Emphasizes the humility and lowliness of the incarnation — God’s Savior born among animals, not royal splendor | गोठ / नाद | Low |
| shepherds ποιμήν (ποιμένες) poimenes one who tends sheep | a low-status, itinerant occupation in first-century Judea shepherds | The gospel is announced first to socially marginal shepherds, not to elites — an early instance of Good News to the Poor and Marginalized | गोठाला | Low–Medium |
| temple ἱερόν hieron sacred place | the Jerusalem Temple complex (distinct from συναγωγή) temple | Refers to the literal historical Jerusalem Temple (Jesus presented as an infant, and later teaching there) | मन्दिर | Medium — मन्दिर is used only for the literal historical Jerusalem Temple building throughout this analysis; it must never be substituted for मण्डली (baseline “church”), which remains the exclusive rendering for the doctrinal Church |
| consolation of Israel παράκλησις paraklēsis comfort, encouragement, appeal | the hoped-for divine comfort/restoration of Israel consolation, comfort | Simeon’s hope names the long-awaited divine comfort now arriving in the infant Jesus | सान्त्वना | Low |
| redemption λύτρωσις lytrōsis a buying back, ransoming | deliverance secured through a payment/ransom; echoes Exodus redemption typology redemption | Anna’s proclamation of “the redemption of Jerusalem” ties Jesus’ coming to Israel’s whole redemptive story | छुटकारा | High — same term family as ἄφεσις in 4:18; must not be rendered with a word implying mere generic release without the covenantal, costly-deliverance sense |
Chapter 3 — John the Baptist’s Ministry
Reused baseline terms present: holy_spirit, sin, son_of_god (genealogy), covenant (implicit).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| repentance μετάνοια metanoia a change of mind, turning around | a decisive moral and spiritual reorientation toward God, away from sin repentance, turning | The necessary human response preparing for the Lord’s coming; central to Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins | पश्चाताप | High — NEVER प्रायश्चित्त (the Hindu concept of ritual expiation/penance performed to remove the effects of sin through austerity, pilgrimage, or ritual acts, which implies self-achieved merit rather than a Spirit-wrought change of heart granted through grace) |
| baptism βάπτισμα baptisma immersion, dipping | a ritual washing signifying repentance and cleansing in preparation for the Messiah baptism | John’s baptism of repentance, distinct from later Christian baptism, but establishing the pattern of an outward sign of an inward turning | बप्तिस्मा | Medium |
| forgiveness of sins ἄφεσις ἁμαρτιῶν aphesis hamartiōn release of sins | the removal/pardon of moral guilt before God (baseline sin = पाप) forgiveness of sins, remission of sins | The promised outcome of repentance and baptism, distinct from a ritual purification that merely addresses ceremonial impurity | पापको क्षमा | High — क्षमा (pardon/forgiveness) paired with baseline पाप; must not be reduced to माफी (a weaker, everyday-pardon word already flagged in baseline as insufficient for justification) |
| tax collectors τελῶναι (τελώνης) telōnai (telōnēs) tax/toll collector | a despised, socially marginal occupation associated with collaboration and extortion tax collectors, publicans | Repeatedly named among those to whom John’s — and later Jesus’ — good news comes; key to Good News to the Poor and Marginalized and Table Fellowship with Sinners | महसुल असुल गर्ने | Medium |
| wrath ὀργή orgē anger, settled indignation | God’s righteous judgment against sin wrath, coming wrath | The judgment repentance turns a person away from; must retain real judicial seriousness | क्रोध (परमेश्वरको क्रोध) | Medium |
Chapter 4 — Temptation, Nazareth Sermon (core passage above), Early Ministry
Luke 4:16–21 is treated fully in Part 1 above. This section covers the remainder of the chapter: the temptation narrative (vv.1–13) and the Capernaum ministry (vv.22–44).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| devil διάβολος diabolos slanderer, accuser | the personal, evil spiritual adversary devil, the accuser | A real, personal spiritual opponent, not a mythological trickster-figure or impersonal evil force | दियाबल / शैतान | Medium |
| worship προσκυνέω proskyneō to bow down, prostrate in homage | reverent homage due to God alone worship | Jesus refuses to give proskyneō to Satan, reserving it exclusively for God — reinforces exclusive monotheistic worship against any syncretistic accommodation | आराधना गर्नु | High — must retain the sense of homage reserved exclusively for God, not homage that could be extended to other spiritual or ritual objects of devotion |
| synagogue συναγωγή synagōgē (see 4:16) | — — | Recurs at Capernaum (4:33) | सभाघर | Low |
| unclean spirit / demon πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον / δαιμόνιον pneuma akatharton / daimonion unclean spirit / lesser deity, evil spirit | a personal, malevolent spiritual being causing affliction/possession unclean spirit, demon | Real spiritual affliction, not merely psychological illness, requiring Jesus’ unique authority to expel | अशुद्ध आत्मा / भूत | High — given Nepal’s widespread shamanic (jhankri) and folk-spirit frameworks (bhut-pret, masan) for possession and exorcism, biblical accounts of Jesus’ authoritative, word-based deliverance must be clearly distinguished from indigenous ritual exorcism (jhar-phuk) practice, which typically involves negotiation with or appeasement of spirits rather than a sovereign command of expulsion |
Chapter 5 — Call of Disciples, Healing, Forgiveness of Sins
Reused baseline terms present: sin, faith (implicit).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sinners ἁμαρτωλοί (ἁμαρτωλός) hamartōloi (hamartōlos) sinful ones | those recognized as morally/socially outside covenant respectability sinners | Levi’s tax-collector associates and others whom Jesus deliberately seeks out — central to Jesus’ Compassion and Table Fellowship with Sinners | पापी | Medium |
| disciples μαθηταί (μαθητής) mathētai (mathētēs) learners, students | committed followers who learn from and follow a teacher disciples | Simon, James, and John leave everything to follow Jesus — the paradigm for The Cost and Joy of Discipleship | चेला | Medium–High — चेला is the established Nepali Bible term but is also the standard word for a guru’s disciple in Hindu/Buddhist guru-parampara tradition; teaching materials should note that discipleship to Jesus is covenantal allegiance to the divine Lord, not an apprenticeship to one teacher among many equally valid spiritual masters |
| eating with sinners συνανάκειμαι synanakeimai to recline at table together | shared table fellowship, a marker of social/religious acceptance in the ancient Mediterranean world to eat/recline with, table fellowship | Jesus’ scandalous willingness to share meals with tax collectors and sinners embodies Table Fellowship with Sinners | सँगै खाना खाने / सहभोजन गर्नु | High — directly and concretely subverts caste-based commensality rules, historically codified restrictions on shared eating across caste lines under Nepal’s Muluki Ain; this is a specific, grounded point of cultural collision and theological power worth foregrounding |
| fasting νηστεύω nēsteuō to abstain from food | a voluntary spiritual discipline tied to prayer, mourning, or repentance fasting | Jesus’ teaching on new-wine/new-wineskins reframes fasting around his own presence, not fixed ritual obligation | उपवास | Medium — उपवास is shared vocabulary with Hindu ascetic/devotional practice (a major means of accruing merit or fulfilling vows); biblical fasting must be framed as free, Spirit-led discipline, not merit-earning austerity (तप) |
| cleansed (leprosy) καθαρίζω (ἐκαθαρίσθη) katharizō to cleanse, purify | healing of a serious skin disease with attendant ritual/social exclusion cleansed, made clean | Jesus removes both the physical disease and the social-religious exclusion attached to it | शुद्ध पारियो | Medium — here (unlike baseline’s caution against शुद्ध for “holy”) शुद्ध is appropriate since this is a literal physical/ritual-purity healing context, not moral sanctification; must not be confused with पवित्र (holy) in this specific medical-ritual sense |
Chapter 6 — Sabbath Controversies, the Twelve, the Sermon on the Plain
Reused baseline terms present: law (implicit re: Sabbath disputes).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| blessed μακάριος makarios happy, fortunate, blessed | a state of divine favor and flourishing, often paradoxically located among the poor/suffering in Luke blessed, happy | Luke’s Beatitudes pronounce the poor, hungry, weeping, and hated as blessed — the sharpest statement of Good News to the Poor and Marginalized | धन्य | Medium — must be distinguished from भाग्यशाली (“lucky/fortunate,” a fate-based term already implicitly rejected by baseline’s caution against भाग्य for providence/election); blessedness here is God’s sovereign favor, not luck or accumulated merit |
| woe οὐαί ouai alas, woe! | an interjection of lament/judgment woe, alas | Luke’s paired “woe to the rich” reverses conventional social valuation, reinforcing the doctrine’s edge | धिक्कार | Medium |
| mercy ἔλεος eleos (see Ch.1) | — — | “Be merciful, as your Father is merciful” | दया | Medium |
| Sabbath σάββατον sabbaton (see 4:16) | — — | Two Sabbath controversies test whether mercy or rigid rule-keeping defines true Sabbath-observance | शबाथ | Medium |
Chapter 7 — Raising the Widow’s Son, John’s Question, the Sinful Woman
Reused baseline terms present: faith, peace, prophet, sin.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| compassion ἐσπλαγχνίσθη (σπλαγχνίζομαι) esplanchnisthē to be moved in one’s inner organs, gut-level compassion | deep, visceral, personal pity moving one to action had compassion, was moved with compassion | Jesus’ compassion for the grieving widow of Nain is personal and active, immediately issuing in a raising from death — central to Jesus’ Compassion | दयाभाव राख्नु | High — the more common Nepali term करुणा must be avoided here as the primary rendering, since करुणा is the central term of Buddhist ethical/meditative virtue (one of the four sublime states, associated above all with the bodhisattva ideal, e.g. Avalokiteśvara/Karunamaya, a major devotional figure in the Kathmandu Valley), typically framed as detached universal benevolence flowing from enlightenment rather than the personal, visceral, particular compassion Jesus shows to this specific grieving mother |
| anointed (with ointment) ἀλείφω / μυρίζω aleiphō / myrizō to rub with oil/perfume | an everyday act of hospitality or devotion, distinct from χρίω’s consecratory sense anointed, poured perfume on | The sinful woman’s act of devotion at Jesus’ feet; must be distinguished terminologically from χρίω (the Spirit’s consecrating anointing in 4:18) | तेल दल्नु / अत्तर लगाउनु | Low — deliberately kept distinct from अभिषेक (used for χρίω) to avoid collapsing two different Greek concepts into one Nepali word |
| your faith has saved you ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε hē pistis sou sesōken se your faith has saved/healed you | σῴζω can mean physical healing or spiritual salvation, often both simultaneously in Luke your faith has made you well, your faith has saved you | Luke deliberately uses salvation-vocabulary (σῴζω, cf. baseline उद्धार) for physical healing, binding bodily restoration to the larger saving mission | तिम्रो विश्वासले तिमीलाई बचायो | High (baseline faith + salvation both apply) — must preserve the deliberate ambiguity/overlap between “made well” and “saved,” reflecting Luke’s holistic view of salvation |
Chapter 8 — Parables of the Kingdom, Calming the Storm, Healings
Reused baseline terms present: kingdom_of_god, faith.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| parable παραβολή parabolē a placing beside, comparison | a short illustrative story conveying spiritual truth, often concealing meaning from the unresponsive parable | Jesus’ primary teaching method for the mysteries of the Kingdom of God | दृष्टान्त | Medium — दृष्टान्त is the established Nepali term but is also used generically in Hindu religious teaching literature for illustrative moral tales; the specifically kingdom-revealing/concealing function of Jesus’ parables should be noted in teaching materials |
| word of God ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ho logos tou Theou the word/message of God | God’s revealed, spoken/written message, here specifically the seed in the sower parable word of God, the message | The seed of the sower parable; ties directly to inspiration_of_scripture and the Spirit’s ongoing work through proclaimed Scripture | परमेश्वरको वचन | High (ties to baseline scripture/prophecy doctrines) |
| unclean spirit / legion πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον / λεγιών pneuma akatharton / legiōn (see Ch.4) / a Roman military unit (c. 6,000 soldiers) | severe demonic affliction and possession unclean spirit, Legion | Demonstrates the scope of Jesus’ authority over even massed spiritual evil | अशुद्ध आत्मा / लेजिओन | High (see Ch.4 entry) |
Chapter 9 — Sending the Twelve, Transfiguration, the Way to Jerusalem Begins
Reused baseline terms present: kingdom_of_god, glory, son_of_god.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Son of Man ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ho huios tou anthrōpou the son of the man | Jesus’ preferred self-designation, drawing on Daniel 7’s exalted eschatological figure while also carrying a sense of full, humble humanity Son of Man | Combines suffering (“the Son of Man must suffer many things,” 9:22) and future glory/authority — a distinctly Lukan Christological title requiring its own careful treatment alongside son_of_god | मानिसका पुत्र | Critical — must not be softened into a merely generic “human being” reading, nor collapsed into परमेश्वरका पुत्र (Son of God); the two titles are related but distinct and both require full theological weight |
| cross σταυρός stauros an execution stake/cross | the Roman instrument of execution; by extension, self-denying, costly discipleship cross | ”Take up his cross daily” (9:23) introduces the cost of discipleship theme central to The Cost and Joy of Discipleship, prior to the literal crucifixion narrative in ch.23 | क्रुस | Critical |
| glory δόξα doxa (baseline reuse) | — — | The Transfiguration reveals Jesus’ divine glory to Peter, James, and John | महिमा (baseline reuse) | Critical (baseline) |
Chapter 10 — The Seventy Sent, the Good Samaritan, Mary and Martha
Reused baseline terms present: law, kingdom_of_god, joy (implicit).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samaritan Σαμαρίτης Samaritēs inhabitant of Samaria | an ethnic-religious group despised and considered ritually/religiously compromised by Jews Samaritan | The “Good Samaritan” is deliberately the ethnic-religious outsider who acts rightly, subverting expected boundaries of who counts as “neighbor” — a powerful parallel to caste-outsider (Dalit) status in the Nepali context, directly relevant to Jesus as Savior for All Nations and All People | सामरी | Medium–High — teaching materials should draw the explicit cultural parallel between first-century Jewish-Samaritan boundary-crossing and Nepal’s own history of caste-based social exclusion |
| neighbor πλησίον plēsion one who is near | anyone in proximity in need, deliberately redefined by Jesus to erase ethnic/religious boundary lines neighbor | The parable’s climax redefines “neighbor” as an active, boundary-crossing category, not a fixed in-group identity | छिमेकी | Medium |
| eternal life ζωὴ αἰώνιος zōē aiōnios unending life, life of the age [to come] | life in permanent, personal relationship with God, beginning now and continuing beyond death eternal life, everlasting life | The lawyer’s opening question (“what must I do to inherit eternal life?”) frames the whole Good Samaritan exchange | अनन्त जीवन | High — must be distinguished from both मोक्ष (liberation from an endless cycle of rebirth) and निर्वाण (extinguishing of self/craving); अनन्त जीवन is unending personal, relational life with a personal God, not release from or cessation of individual existence |
Chapter 11 — Teaching on Prayer, Controversy with Pharisees
Reused baseline terms present: kingdom_of_god, holy_spirit, sin.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| prayer προσευχή proseuchē prayer, request | direct, dependent communication addressed to God prayer | The Lord’s Prayer (11:2–4) models Prayer and Dependence on God as the pattern for all disciples | प्रार्थना | Medium — direct personal address to a personal Father must be distinguished from ritual puja invocation of, or petitionary offering to, a deity through prescribed formulas/priestly mediation |
| debt (forgive us our sins) ὀφείλημα opheilēma that which is owed, a debt | used metaphorically for moral debt/sin owed to God debts, trespasses, sins | Frames forgiveness of sin using an economic-debt metaphor, reinforced by the parallel command to forgive others’ debts | ऋण (पाप) | Low — baseline पाप retained as the primary term, with ऋण used only to preserve the debt-image where the source text specifically uses it |
| hypocrisy ὑπόκρισις hypokrisis play-acting, pretense | outward religious performance without corresponding inward reality hypocrisy | Jesus’ woes against the Pharisees for external ritual precision (tithing herbs) without inward justice and love of God | पाखण्ड | Medium — relevant caution: this critique targets outward religiosity divorced from inward reality in general, and must not be read as a specific polemic against any one contemporary Nepali religious community, but as Jesus’ own critique within his first-century Jewish context |
Chapter 12 — Warnings about Anxiety, Wealth, and Watchfulness
Reused baseline terms present: son_of_god (Son of Man), peace (contrast), providence (implicit).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Son of Man (coming) ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ho huios tou anthrōpou (see Ch.9) | — — | Here in its future, eschatological-judgment sense — the “not yet” pole of The Kingdom of God Present and Future | मानिसका पुत्र | Critical (see Ch.9) |
| rich fool / treasure in heaven θησαυρός thēsauros treasure, storehouse | wealth stored for security; contrasted with treasure secured with God treasure | Warns against trusting accumulated wealth as ultimate security — reinforces Good News to the Poor by critiquing wealth’s spiritual danger | धन-सम्पत्ति (खजाना) | Medium |
| division (not peace) διαμερισμός diamerismos division, split | the social/familial rupture that following Jesus can provoke division | Deliberately contrasted with the baseline शान्ति (peace with God); Jesus’ coming brings ultimate peace with God even while provoking temporal division within households — a real cost within The Cost and Joy of Discipleship | विभाजन | Medium |
Chapter 13 — Call to Repentance, Kingdom Parables, Lament over Jerusalem
Reused baseline terms present: repentance (reuse Ch.3), kingdom_of_god, Sabbath (reuse).
Chapter 13 introduces no new theological vocabulary beyond terms already established in Chapters 3, 6, and 8–9 (repentance, kingdom of God growth parables — mustard seed/leaven, Sabbath healing controversy). Reviewed; no new terms recorded.
Chapter 14 — Banquet Teaching, Cost of Discipleship
Reused baseline terms present: kingdom_of_god, cross (reuse Ch.9).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| humble (himself) ταπεινόω tapeinoō to lower, make humble | voluntary self-lowering in status humble oneself, be humbled | The banquet-seating teaching: “whoever humbles himself will be exalted” — models the reversal-of-status theology central to Good News to the Poor and Marginalized | नम्र हुनु / होच्याइनु | Medium |
| exalted ὑψόω hypsoō to lift up, raise high | being given honor/high status, often by God’s action rather than self-promotion be exalted, be lifted up | The counterpart reversal — God, not social convention, determines true honor | उच्च पारिनु | Medium |
| count the cost ψηφίζω (τὴν δαπάνην) psēphizō (tēn dapanēn) to calculate, reckon (the expense) | careful, deliberate calculation before a costly commitment count the cost, calculate the expense | Jesus’ explicit call for disciples to reckon soberly with the total cost of following him — direct textual anchor for The Cost and Joy of Discipleship | लगानी (मूल्य) गन्नु | Medium |
Chapter 15 — The Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Prodigal Son
Reused baseline terms present: repentance, sinners (reuse Ch.5), compassion (reuse Ch.7).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lost ἀπολωλός (ἀπόλλυμι) apolōlos perishing, destroyed, lost | a state of being separated/estranged and in danger of ruin, from which one can be found/restored lost, perishing | The organizing image of all three parables in ch.15 — sinners as lost, sought, and joyfully restored | हराएको | Medium |
| joy (in heaven) χαρά chara gladness, joy | deep gladness, here specifically heaven’s response to a sinner’s repentance joy, rejoicing | ”There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents” — links repentance directly to divine, celebratory joy, reinforcing The Cost and Joy of Discipleship | आनन्द | Medium |
| compassion (father ran) ἐσπλαγχνίσθη esplanchnisthē (see Ch.7) | — — | The father’s compassionate run to meet the returning son is the emotional and theological center of the parable | दयाभाव राख्नु | High (see Ch.7 entry) |
Chapter 16 — The Unjust Steward, Rich Man and Lazarus
Reused baseline terms present: law/prophets (reuse).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mammon / wealth μαμωνᾶς mamōnas wealth, riches (Aramaic loanword) | material wealth personified as a rival power/master competing for ultimate allegiance mammon, money, wealth | ”You cannot serve God and mammon” — wealth as a spiritual rival, not neutral | धन | Medium |
| Hades ᾍδης Hadēs the underworld, abode of the dead | the intermediate place/state of the dead awaiting final resurrection and judgment Hades, hell | The rich man in Hades experiences conscious torment while awaiting final judgment — an intermediate state, not a stage within an ongoing cycle of rebirth | पातालपुरी | High — must NEVER be rendered नरक in a way that assimilates it to the Hindu/Buddhist conception of a temporary hell-realm endured before an eventual rebirth into a new existence; Hades/the rich man’s torment is part of a linear, one-time judgment narrative, not a station within samsara |
Chapter 17 — Forgiveness, Faith, the Ten Lepers, the Coming Kingdom
Reused baseline terms present: faith, kingdom_of_god, cleansed (reuse Ch.5).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kingdom of God is among you ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστίν hē basileia tou Theou entos hymōn estin the kingdom of God is within/among you | ἐντός can mean “inside [individually]” or “in the midst of [the group]“ the kingdom of God is within you / is in your midst / is among you | Best read as “in your midst” — Jesus himself, present among them, is the kingdom’s arrival, not an inward mystical state to be individually cultivated | तिमीहरूको माझमा | High — must NOT be rendered “भित्र” (within, individually) in a way that would assimilate the kingdom of God to a Buddhist inner-enlightenment attainment or a Hindu antaryāmin (inner-divine-spark) concept; the corporate, Christ-centered “in your midst” sense should be the controlling rendering |
| your faith has made you well ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε hē pistis sou sesōken se (see Ch.7) | — — | The one leper (a Samaritan) who returns to give thanks receives this pronouncement, again binding physical healing and salvation | तिम्रो विश्वासले तिमीलाई बचायो | High (see Ch.7) |
Chapter 18 — Persistent Widow, Pharisee and Tax Collector, Rich Young Ruler, Blind Bartimaeus
Reused baseline terms present: justification (धर्मी ठहराइने कार्य), eternal life (reuse Ch.10), faith, davidic covenant (Son of David).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vindication / justice ἐκδίκησις ekdikēsis vengeance, vindication, justice rendered | God’s righteous act of setting right a wrong on behalf of the wronged justice, vindication, avenge | The persistent widow parable teaches confident Prayer and Dependence on God for God’s certain, if seemingly delayed, vindication | न्याय | Medium |
| justified δεδικαιωμένος (δικαιόω) dedikaiōmenos having been declared righteous | forensic declaration of righteous standing (baseline justification term family) justified | The tax collector, not the self-righteous Pharisee, “went down to his house justified” — a direct, load-bearing occurrence of the baseline justification doctrine | धर्मी ठहराइने कार्य (धर्मी ठहरियो) | Critical — direct reuse of baseline term; this is one of Luke’s clearest justification-by-faith-not-works texts and must render with the exact baseline compound phrase, never abbreviated to माफी |
| Son of David υἱὸς Δαυίδ huios Dauid son of David | Messianic title claiming Davidic royal lineage and covenant fulfillment Son of David | Blind Bartimaeus’s cry recognizes Jesus’ Messianic identity through this Davidic-covenant title (baseline seed_of_david/davidic_covenant apply) | दाऊदका पुत्र | High (baseline davidic covenant applies) |
Chapter 19 — Zacchaeus, the Parable of the Minas, Triumphal Entry, Temple Cleansing
Reused baseline terms present: salvation, lost (reuse Ch.15), lord, temple (reuse Ch.2).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| today salvation has come σήμερον σωτηρία…ἐγένετο sēmeron sōtēria egeneto today salvation has happened | combines Luke’s “today” marker (see 4:21) with baseline salvation today salvation has come | Zacchaeus, a despised tax collector, receives salvation into his very household — a paradigm case of Jesus as Savior for All Nations and All People reaching the socially marginalized rich | आज यस घरमा उद्धार आएको छ | Critical (baseline salvation + today marker both apply) |
| Son of Man came to seek and save the lost ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἦλθεν ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός ho huios tou anthrōpou ēlthen zētēsai kai sōsai to apolōlos the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost [thing/one] | mission-defining statement summarizing Jesus’ entire purpose in Luke Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost | This single verse (19:10) may be regarded as Luke’s own thesis statement, parallel in weight to Romans 1:16–17 | मानिसका पुत्र हराएकालाई खोज्न र बचाउन आउनुभयो | Critical |
| den of robbers / house of prayer οἶκος προσευχῆς / σπήλαιον λῃστῶν oikos proseuchēs / spēlaion lēstōn house of prayer / cave of robbers | contrast between the temple’s intended purpose and its corrupted practice house of prayer, den of robbers/thieves | Jesus’ temple-cleansing act asserts the temple’s true purpose as access to God through prayer, not commercial exploitation | प्रार्थनाको घर / लुटेराहरूको ओडार | Medium |
Chapter 20 — Questions of Authority, the Resurrection Debate, Tribute to Caesar
Reused baseline terms present: resurrection, davidic covenant, lord.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| authority ἐξουσία exousia delegated right/power to act | legitimate authority, whether divine, civil, or religious authority | ”By what authority do you do these things?” — the question underlying Jesus’ whole ministry, and touching on the government/authority theme flagged in the baseline for Romans 13 | अधिकार | Medium — relevant to the baseline’s noted sensitivity around government/authority passages, requiring native-speaker cultural review |
| cornerstone κεφαλὴ γωνίας kephalē gōnias head of the corner | the foundational stone determining a building’s structural integrity cornerstone, the stone the builders rejected | A Messianic image (citing Psalm 118): Jesus, rejected by the religious establishment, becomes the foundation of God’s true building — ties to unity_of_jews_and_gentiles themes carried over from Romans | कुनाको मुख्य ढुङ्गा | Medium |
| render to Caesar ἀπόδοτε τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι apodote ta Kaisaros Kaisari give back Caesar’s things to Caesar | distinguishing legitimate civil obligation from ultimate allegiance to God render/give to Caesar what is Caesar’s | Establishes a distinction between civil obedience and ultimate allegiance owed only to God — relevant given the baseline’s flag on government/authority sensitivities | कैसरको हक कैसरलाई देऊ | Medium |
Chapter 21 — The Widow’s Offering, Signs of the End, Destruction of the Temple
Reused baseline terms present: kingdom_of_god, Son of Man (reuse), temple (reuse).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| signs σημεῖον sēmeion sign, token | an event pointing to a deeper spiritual/eschatological reality signs | Eschatological signs preceding the Son of Man’s coming — must be distinguished from omen-reading or astrological sign interpretation | चिन्ह | Medium — चिन्ह must be distinguished from ज्योतिषीय शकुन/संकेत (astrological omens), a widespread element of Nepali folk practice; the biblical signs are historically anchored, Christ-centered markers, not a system for personal fortune-divination |
| endurance ὑπομονή hypomonē patient endurance under trial | steadfast perseverance through suffering/persecution endurance, patience | ”By your endurance you will gain your lives” — the disciple’s posture through coming tribulation | सहनशीलता / धैर्य | Low–Medium |
Chapter 22 — The Last Supper, Gethsemane, Betrayal and Arrest
Reused baseline terms present: covenant, kingdom_of_god.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passover πάσχα pascha Passover (from Hebrew pesach) | the annual feast commemorating Israel’s deliverance from Egypt Passover | The Last Supper’s setting; ties Jesus’ death directly to Israel’s foundational deliverance narrative | निस्तार चाड | Medium |
| new covenant καινὴ διαθήκη kainē diathēkē new covenant | God’s promised new covenant relationship (Jeremiah 31), now established through Jesus’ blood (baseline करार applies) new covenant | ”This cup is the new covenant in my blood” — the direct institution of the new covenant, the theological climax of Luke’s covenant theme | नयाँ करार | Critical — direct extension of baseline करार; must be rendered exactly as नयाँ करार, consistent with established New Testament (नयाँ करार) usage |
| body / blood σῶμα / αἷμα sōma / haima body / blood | Jesus’ physical body given, and blood poured out, as a sacrificial offering securing the new covenant body, blood | The words of institution; establishes the one, sufficient, once-for-all sacrificial offering | शरीर / रगत | High — must be clearly framed as commemorating a completed, once-for-all sacrifice, not a repeated ritual blood-offering; Nepal’s living tradition of animal blood sacrifice (bali) at temples such as Dakshinkali makes this distinction pastorally and doctrinally important |
| agony (Gethsemane) ἀγωνία agōnia intense struggle, anguish | severe inward distress, here specifically before the cross agony, anguish | Reveals the full weight of Jesus’ voluntary suffering, reinforcing the humanity_of_christ doctrine from the baseline | पीडा / वेदना | Medium |
Chapter 23 — Trial, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial
Reused baseline terms present: righteousness (implicit — centurion’s confession), cross (reuse Ch.9).
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| paradise παράδεισος paradeisos a walled garden/park (Persian loanword); by NT usage, the immediate, blessed dwelling of the righteous dead with God | the intermediate heavenly state of blessing in God’s presence following death paradise | ”Today you will be with me in paradise” — the dying criminal’s immediate entrance into conscious fellowship with Christ, another instance of Luke’s “today” marker | स्वर्ग | High — the established rendering, but must be clearly distinguished from a temporary heavenly way-station within an ongoing rebirth cycle (a real risk given shared Hindu/Buddhist cosmological frameworks in which even heavenly realms are ultimately impermanent stages preceding further rebirth); paradise here is permanent, personal presence with the risen Christ |
| curtain (of the temple) torn τὸ καταπέτασμα…ἐσχίσθη to katapetasma eschisthē the veil was torn | the barrier separating the Holy of Holies from ordinary access the temple curtain was torn | Symbolizes the removal of the ritual-purity barrier separating people from God’s presence — theologically resonant with the doctrine of unity_of_jews_and_gentiles and the abolition of exclusionary access barriers | मन्दिरको पर्दा च्यातियो | Medium |
| righteous man δίκαιος dikaios righteous, just | (baseline righteousness family) righteous man | The centurion’s confession — even a Gentile Roman officer recognizes Jesus’ innocence/righteousness, foreshadowing the gospel’s reach to all nations | धर्मी मानिस | High (baseline righteousness family applies) |
Chapter 24 — Resurrection, the Emmaus Road, the Ascension
Reused baseline terms present: resurrection, fulfilled (reuse 4:21), joy (reuse Ch.15), power_of_god.
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Nepali Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| witnesses μάρτυρες (μάρτυς) martyres (martys) those who testify, witnesses | eyewitness testifiers commissioned to declare what they have seen witnesses | ”You are witnesses of these things” (24:48) — the commissioning statement grounding the church’s mission, directly relevant to the baseline’s flagged evangelism risk given Nepal’s current legal restrictions on proselytizing | साक्षी | High — must be framed as truthful eyewitness testimony, distinguished from active recruitment-style proselytizing language, consistent with the baseline’s caution on Nepal’s 2017 Muluki Criminal Code provisions restricting religious conversion |
| power from on high δύναμις ἐξ ὕψους dynamis ex hypsous power from [the] height | the promised empowering presence of the Holy Spirit for mission power from on high | Directly reuses the baseline’s power_of_god principle: सामर्थ्य must be used, never शक्ति | सामर्थ्य | Critical (baseline power_of_god applies exactly) |
| ascension ἀνελήμφθη (ἀναλαμβάνω) anelēmphthē was taken up | Jesus’ unique, historical, bodily departure to heavenly enthronement was carried up, ascended | The unique, one-time, bodily ascension of the risen and glorified Christ, not a repeatable mystical/yogic ascent motif or an apotheosis narrative of a figure being elevated to join a pantheon | स्वर्गारोहण | High — must retain a unique, historical, bodily event, not a generic spiritual-ascent or yogic-siddhi attainment motif, nor an apotheosis (a mortal being elevated to join the ranks of the gods), a narrative pattern present in some regional mythological traditions |
| opened their minds διήνοιξεν τὸν νοῦν diēnoixen ton noun opened the mind/understanding | divine enabling of right comprehension of Scripture opened their minds, opened their understanding | Jesus’ post-resurrection teaching that all Scripture points to himself — the climactic statement of fulfillment_of_prophecy for the whole book | तिनीहरूको मन खोलिदिनुभयो | Medium |
Summary Notes for Phase 1 Step 2 and Beyond
- Every chapter of Luke (1–24) has been reviewed. Chapter 13 introduced no new theological vocabulary beyond terms already treated in earlier chapters and is explicitly noted as reviewed above.
- Several terms carry risk profiles distinct from and, in a few cases, more concrete than comparable Romans terms — most notably virgin (कुमारी), which intersects with a living, visible national religious institution (the Kumari Devi) in a way with no exact Romans-package parallel, and compassion (दयाभाव, rejecting करुणा), which intersects with Buddhist devotional vocabulary not directly engaged by the Romans baseline.
- All Critical and High risk terms identified here should be carried forward into
08_core_glossary.mdand subsequently into an updatedtranslation_memory.jsonanddoctrine_risk_registry.jsonextension for the Luke curriculum.