Core Glossary
Core Glossary: 3 John (English → Odia)
This glossary consolidates every load-bearing term identified in analysis/07_semantic_analysis.md, spanning the whole book (3 John 1:1–14, the entirety of the letter). Terms marked REUSED are already fixed in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json / bible_term_registry.json and MUST be used exactly as recorded there — no alternative renderings are permitted. Terms marked NEW are proposed for this curriculum and are candidates for addition to translation memory.
| English Term | Greek (translit.) | Odia Rendering | Odia Transliteration | Risk Tier | Doctrine Link | Status | Alternatives Rejected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| elder (church office) | πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros) | ପ୍ରାଚୀନ | prācīna | High | Church Leadership and Pride | NEW | ଗୁରୁ | Avoid ଗୁରୁ (self-attained teaching authority) and hereditary panda/sevayat framing; this is a delegated, pastorally-accountable office, contrasted with Diotrephes’ self-seeking leadership. |
| beloved | ἀγαπητός (agapētos) | ପ୍ରିୟ | priya | Low | Truth and Christian Fellowship | NEW | ବନ୍ଧୁ | Keep distinct from ବନ୍ଧୁ (“friend,” v.14); pastoral/familial warmth. |
| love (verb/noun) | ἀγαπάω / ἀγάπη (agapaō / agapē) | ପ୍ରେମ | prema | High | Truth and Christian Fellowship; Hospitality | NEW | ଭକ୍ତି | Guard against collision with Odisha’s madhura bhakti (Radha-Krishna romantic-devotional love) tradition; this is self-giving, covenantal love “in truth,” not erotic/devotional longing. |
| truth | ἀλήθεια (alētheia) | ସତ୍ୟ | satya | High | Truth and Christian Fellowship; all doctrines (governing term) | NEW | — | Anchor to the specific historical gospel truth about Christ; guard against diffuse cosmic-truth or Satyanarayan-vrata-style narrative “truth” associations. |
| soul / inner life | ψυχή (psychē) | ପ୍ରାଣ | prāṇa | Medium | (supporting; general well-being) | NEW | ଆତ୍ମା | ଆତ୍ମା reserved for ପବିତ୍ର ଆତ୍ମା (Holy Spirit, Romans TM); ପ୍ରାଣ avoids Vedantic ātman/Paramātman collision. |
| prosper / go well | εὐοδόω (euodoō) | ଉନ୍ନତି ହେବା | unnati hebā | Medium | (supporting) | NEW | — | Guard against prosperity-gospel misreading; outward flourishing is measured by prior soul-flourishing. |
| rejoice / joy | χαίρω / χαρά (chairō / chara) | ଆନନ୍ଦିତ ହେବା / ଆନନ୍ଦ | ānandita hebā / ānanda | Medium | Truth and Christian Fellowship | NEW | ଖୁସି | Distinguish relational, gospel-centered joy from Vedantic saccidānanda bliss or Ānanda Bazaar festival associations. |
| children (spiritual) | τέκνα (tekna) | ସନ୍ତାନ | santāna | Medium | Truth and Christian Fellowship | NEW | ଶିଷ୍ୟ | Spiritual fatherhood, not guru-śiṣya hierarchical discipleship. |
| brothers (fellow believers) | ἀδελφοί (adelphoi) | ଭାଇମାନେ | bhāimāne | Medium | Hospitality; Truth and Fellowship | NEW | — | Spiritual-family sense; distinguish from generic social “brother” or caste-community usage. |
| walk / conduct oneself | περιπατέω (peripateō) | ଆଚରଣ କରିବା / ଚାଲିବା | ācaraṇa karibā / cālibā | Low-Medium | Truth and Christian Fellowship | NEW | — | Standard biblical lifestyle-conduct idiom already naturalized in Odia usage. |
| faithful (act/deed) | πιστόν (piston, adj.) | ବିଶ୍ୱାସନୀୟ (କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ) | biśwāsanīya (kārya) | Medium | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | NEW | ବିଶ୍ୱାସ (noun alone) | Adjectival “trustworthy deed” sense; do not collapse into the noun ବିଶ୍ୱାସ, already fixed for “faith.” |
| strangers / guests | ξένοι (xenoi) | ଅତିଥି | atithi | High | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | NEW | ବିଦେଶୀ | ”Atithi Devo Bhava” convergence noted; ground hospitality in gospel partnership “for the Name,” not guest-as-divine folk theology. |
| send on one’s journey / support for travel | προπέμπω (propempō) | ଯାତ୍ରାରେ ସାହାଯ୍ୟ କରିବା | yātrāre sāhāyya karibā | Medium-High | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | NEW | ତୀର୍ଥଯାତ୍ରା ପାଣ୍ଠି ଦେବା | Distinguish from Puri pilgrimage-sponsorship-for-merit custom; support given because recipients already serve the gospel. |
| worthy of God | ἀξίως τοῦ θεοῦ (axiōs tou theou) | ପରମେଶ୍ୱରଙ୍କ ଯୋଗ୍ୟ ଭାବରେ | Parameśwaraṅka yogya bhābare | Medium | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | NEW | — | θεοῦ portion reuses ପରମେଶ୍ୱର (Romans TM). |
| the Name (of Christ) | τὸ ὄνομα (to onoma) | ନାମ (ଖ୍ରୀଷ୍ଟଙ୍କ ନାମ ପାଇଁ) | nāma (Khrīṣṭaṅka nāma pāiṅ) | High | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | NEW | — | Distinguish from Odisha’s nāma-japa/nāma-saṅkīrtana devotional chanting tradition; here “the Name” = Christ’s own person/authority/mission, not an incantatory practice. |
| ordinary “name” (v.14, non-technical) | ὄνομα (onoma) | ନାମ | nāma | Low | (contrast case for above) | NEW | — | Same lexeme as “the Name” in v.7 but ordinary sense (“greet by name”); keep senses distinct in teaching notes. |
| unbelievers / outsiders (non-Christian, general) | ἐθνικοί (ethnikoi) | ଅବିଶ୍ୱାସୀ | abiśwāsī | High | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | NEW | ଅନ୍ୟଜାତି | Distinct sense from Romans TM’s ଅନ୍ୟଜାତି (ethnic Jew/Gentile covenantal category); here = generic non-Christian outsiders from whom missionaries take no support. |
| ought / obligated | ὀφείλω (opheilō) | କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ / ଆବଶ୍ୟକ | kartabya / ābaśyaka | Medium-High | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | NEW | ଧର୍ମ | Avoid ଧର୍ମ (caste-linked cosmic duty), per baseline “law” precedent; this is gospel-partnership obligation. |
| receive / support (hospitably) | ὑπολαμβάνω (hypolambanō) | ଗ୍ରହଣ କରି ସାହାଯ୍ୟ କରିବା | grahaṇa kari sāhāyya karibā | Medium | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | NEW | — | Active material + relational support, not mere polite welcome. |
| fellow worker(s) | συνεργός / συνεργοί (synergos/synergoi) | ସହକର୍ମୀ | sahakarmī | Low | Hospitality; Truth and Fellowship | NEW | — | Gospel-partnership sense. |
| church | ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia) | ମଣ୍ଡଳୀ | maṇḍaḷī | Medium | Church Leadership and Pride | REUSED (Romans TM) | ମନ୍ଦିର, ଦେଉଳ | Never ମନ୍ଦିର/ଦେଉଳ (Puri temple names). |
| loving to be first / desiring preeminence | φιλοπρωτεύων (philoprōteuōn) | ପ୍ରାଧାନ୍ୟ ଚାହୁଁଥିବା | prādhānya cāhuṅthibā | High | Church Leadership and Pride | NEW | ଅଗ୍ରଗଣ୍ୟ ହେବାକୁ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କରୁଥିବା | Precise diagnostic term for Diotrephes’ sin; culturally resonant with (but not endorsing) historical sevayat-precedence disputes at Puri. |
| receive / welcome / accept (authority) | ἐπιδέχομαι (epidechomai) | ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବା | grahaṇa karibā | Medium | Church Leadership and Pride | NEW | — | Context-sensitive: hospitable welcome vs. acceptance of authority (vv.9-10). |
| slander with evil words | λόγοις πονηροῖς φλυαρῶν (logois ponērois phlyarōn) | ମନ୍ଦ କଥାରେ ଅପବାଦ ଦେବା | mandā kathāre apabāda debā | Medium | Church Leadership and Pride | NEW | — | Malicious, baseless verbal accusation; abuse of leadership power. |
| forbid / hinder | κωλύω (kōlyō) | ବାରଣ କରିବା | bāraṇa karibā | Medium | Church Leadership and Pride | NEW | — | Active obstruction of others’ faithful hospitality. |
| cast out / expel (from church) | ἐκβάλλω (ekballō) | ମଣ୍ଡଳୀରୁ ବାହାର କରିଦେବା | maṇḍaḷīru bāhāra karidebā | High | Church Leadership and Pride | NEW | — | Distinguish from jāti bahiṣkāra caste-expulsion; presented in 3 John as a condemned abuse, not a model. |
| imitate | μιμέομαι (mimeomai) | ଅନୁକରଣ କରିବା | anukaraṇa karibā | Low-Medium | Imitating Good rather than Evil | NEW | — | Direct imperative; core verb of the doctrine. |
| good (moral) | ἀγαθόν (agathon) | ଉତ୍ତମ | uttama | Low | Imitating Good rather than Evil | NEW | ଭଲ | ଉତ୍ତମ preferred for formal register consistency. |
| evil (moral) | κακόν (kakon) | ମନ୍ଦ | mandā | Low | Imitating Good rather than Evil | NEW | ଅଧର୍ମ | Avoid ଅଧର୍ମ per baseline “sin” precedent (personal moral category, not caste/ritual). |
| do good / do evil (habitual) | ἀγαθοποιέω / κακοποιέω (agathopoieō / kakopoieō) | ଉତ୍ତମ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରିବା / ମନ୍ଦ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରିବା | uttama kārya karibā / mandā kārya karibā | Low-Medium | Imitating Good rather than Evil | NEW | — | Habitual moral characterization by action. |
| has not seen God | οὐχ ἑώρακεν τὸν θεόν (ouch heōraken ton theon) | ପରମେଶ୍ୱରଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖି ନାହାନ୍ତି | Parameśwaraṅku dekhi nāhānti | Medium-High | Imitating Good rather than Evil | NEW | — | Relational/moral knowledge of God, not ritual darśana (temple viewing of a deity’s image). |
| testify / bear witness | μαρτυρέω (martyreō) | ସାକ୍ଷ୍ୟ ଦେବା | sākṣya debā | Medium | Commendation of Faithful Witness; Truth and Fellowship | NEW | — | Firsthand, verifiable testimony; used of both Gaius (v.3,6) and Demetrius (v.12). |
| testimony | μαρτυρία (martyria) | ସାକ୍ଷ୍ୟ | sākṣya | Medium | Commendation of Faithful Witness | NEW | — | Noun form; corroborated, standing testimony (Demetrius). |
| true | ἀληθής (alēthēs) | ସତ୍ୟ | satya | High | Commendation of Faithful Witness | NEW | — | Shares risk profile with ἀλήθεια/ସତ୍ୟ above. |
| write | γράφω (graphō) | ଲେଖିବା | lekhibā | Low | (supporting) | NEW | — | No doctrinal weight. |
| ink and pen | μέλας καὶ κάλαμος (melas kai kalamos) | କାଳି ଓ କଲମ | kāḷi o kalama | Low | (supporting) | NEW | — | Literary/cultural detail only. |
| hope | ἐλπίζω (elpizō) | ଆଶା କରିବା | āśā karibā | Low | (supporting) | NEW | — | Confident expectation. |
| face to face | στόμα πρὸς στόμα (stoma pros stoma) | ମୁହଁକୁ ମୁହଁ | muhāṅku muhāṅ | Low | Truth and Christian Fellowship | NEW | ମୁଖକୁ ମୁଖ (literal calque) | Natural Odia idiom preferred over literal “mouth to mouth” calque. |
| peace | εἰρήνη (eirēnē) | ଶାନ୍ତି | śānti | Medium | Truth and Christian Fellowship | REUSED (Romans TM) | ମନ ଶାନ୍ତି | Relational peace/blessing, not devotional-ritual calm. |
| friend(s) | φίλος / φίλοι (philos / philoi) | ବନ୍ଧୁ | bandhu | Low-Medium | Truth and Christian Fellowship | NEW | ଭାଇ | Keep distinct from ଭାଇ (ἀδελφός, spiritual-family sense) — both categories appear together in v.14. |
| God | θεός (theos) | ପରମେଶ୍ୱର | Parameśwara | Critical | Imitating Good rather than Evil; all doctrines | REUSED (Romans TM) | ଠାକୁର, ଭଗବାନ | Never ଠାକୁର/ଭଗବାନ, per Romans baseline. |
| Gaius (proper name) | Γάϊος (Gaios) | ଗାୟ | Gāya | Low | — | NEW (proper name) | — | Established Odia Bible transliteration convention for Greek proper names. |
| Diotrephes (proper name) | Διοτρέφης (Diotrephēs) | ଦିୟତ୍ରେଫି | Diyatrephi | Low | Church Leadership and Pride | NEW (proper name) | — | Negative example figure. |
| Demetrius (proper name) | Δημήτριος (Dēmētrios) | ଦୀମୀତ୍ରିୟ | Dīmītriya | Low | Commendation of Faithful Witness | NEW (proper name) | — | Positive example figure. |
Summary of Risk Tiers
| Risk Tier | Count | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | 1 | God (ପରମେଶ୍ୱର — reused) |
| High | 10 | love/ἀγάπη, truth/ἀλήθεια (and ἀληθής), strangers/ξένοι, the Name/τὸ ὄνομα, unbelievers/ἐθνικοί, ought/ὀφείλω, elder/πρεσβύτερος, loving-to-be-first/φιλοπρωτεύων, cast-out/ἐκβάλλω, has-not-seen-God |
| Medium–High | 3 | faithful (act), send-on-journey/προπέμπω, has-not-seen-God (dual-listed with High) |
| Medium | 14 | soul, prosper, joy, children, brothers, receive/support, receive-welcome, slander, forbid, testify, testimony, worthy-of-God, church (reused), peace (reused) |
| Low–Medium | 6 | walk/conduct, faithful-act cross-ref, strangers cross-ref, imitate, do-good/do-evil, friend(s) |
| Low | 9 | rejoice/joy (baseline pairing), write, ink-and-pen, hope, face-to-face, good, evil, ordinary “name,” proper names (Gaius, Diotrephes, Demetrius) |
All NEW terms above are candidates for formal addition to translation_memory.json and bible_term_registry.json in a subsequent Phase 1 step; all REUSED terms must be applied exactly as already fixed in the baseline Romans Language Package.
Critical Risk Terms
God
Approved rendering: ପରମେଶ୍ୱର
Transliteration: Parameśwara
Doctrine: Deity of Christ / Relational Knowledge of God Evidenced by Conduct
Rejected alternatives: ଠାକୁର, ଭଗବାନ
Original: θεός
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly. CRITICAL: never ଠାକୁର (the everyday devotional name for Jagannath) or ଭଗବାନ (generic-deity term). In 3 John this term governs v.6 (‘worthy of God’), v.9-10 (context of the church under God), and v.11 (‘has not seen God’/‘is of God’) — the relational, not ritual-visual (darśana), sense of knowing God must be preserved wherever this term appears.
High Risk Terms
Faith
Approved rendering: ବିଶ୍ୱାସ
Transliteration: biśwāsa
Doctrine: Faith
Rejected alternatives: ଭକ୍ତି
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly. IMPORTANT SENSE-BOUNDARY NOTE FOR 3 JOHN: the noun ବିଶ୍ୱାସ must remain reserved for the noun ‘faith.’ In 3 John 1:5, πιστόν is an ADJECTIVAL use (‘you are doing a faithful/trustworthy thing’) and must be rendered with the distinct new term faithful_act (ବିଶ୍ୱାସନୀୟ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ), not by reusing this noun alone, or the ‘trustworthy action’ sense of the Greek is lost.
Elder
Approved rendering: ପ୍ରାଚୀନ
Transliteration: prācīna
Doctrine: Eldership and Pastoral Authority
Rejected alternatives: ଗୁରୁ
Original: πρεσβύτερος
Category: Church Leadership
New term for 3 John 1:1, the Elder’s self-designation. Established Indian Christian term for the church office of elder. Never ଗୁରୁ (self-attained, personally-charismatic teaching authority). Also avoid any phrasing evoking the hereditary, caste-linked ପାଣ୍ଡା/ସେବକ (panda/sevaka) temple-functionary roles at Puri, which are inherited ritual offices rather than a commissioned, accountable pastoral ministry — this office is the positive counter-example to Diotrephes’ self-seeking leadership.
Love
Approved rendering: ପ୍ରେମ
Transliteration: prema
Doctrine: Love Grounded in Truth
Rejected alternatives: ଭକ୍ତି
Original: ἀγαπάω / ἀγάπη
Category: Fellowship
New term for 3 John 1:1, 1:6. CAUTION: ପ୍ରେମ is heavily associated in Odia usage with madhura bhakti — the Radha-Krishna romantic-devotional love tradition central to Chaitanya-influenced Odia Vaishnav (Jagannath) devotional literature. Must always be anchored, by co-occurring context, to self-giving, covenantal love ‘in truth’ and demonstrated in concrete action (hospitality), never devotional longing (viraha) for a distant deity.
Truth
Approved rendering: ସତ୍ୟ
Transliteration: satya
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: ἀλήθεια / ἀληθής
Category: Truth
New term; the governing theme-word of 3 John, occurring at vv.1,3,3,4,6,8,12,12. CAUTION: ସତ୍ୟ carries heavy independent weight in pan-Indian religious/philosophical vocabulary (cosmic Truth, Satyayuga) and specifically the Odisha Satyanarayan Puja vrata tradition invoking Vishnu as ‘the True Lord.’ Must be anchored throughout to the specific, historical gospel truth about Christ and to holy living consistent with it, never left as a diffuse cosmic-truth principle or ritual-narrative ‘truth.’ Shares this rendering and risk profile with the adjective ‘true’ (ἀληθής, v.12).
True
Approved rendering: ସତ୍ୟ
Transliteration: satya
Doctrine: Commendation of Faithful Witness
Original: ἀληθής
Category: Witness
New term for 3 John 1:12 (ἀληθής, describing the Elder’s testimony about Demetrius, and ‘the truth itself’ bearing witness). Shares ସତ୍ୟ’s full risk profile with the noun ‘truth’ above; anchor to specific, verifiable, gospel-consistent truthfulness, never generic praise or diffuse philosophical Truth.
Strangers Guests
Approved rendering: ଅତିଥି
Transliteration: atithi
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Rejected alternatives: ବିଦେଶୀ
Original: ξένοι
Category: Hospitality
New term for 3 John 1:5 (ξένοι, traveling gospel workers unknown to Gaius). CAUTION: ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (the guest is like God) offers real cultural convergence but different theological ground — biblical hospitality here is gospel partnership ‘for the sake of the Name’ (v.7) toward fellow gospel workers specifically, not a general household duty owed to any guest as quasi-divine. Always co-occur with a gospel-partnership qualifier where possible.
Send On Journey
Approved rendering: ଯାତ୍ରାରେ ସାହାଯ୍ୟ କରିବା
Transliteration: yātrāre sāhāyya karibā
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Rejected alternatives: ତୀର୍ଥଯାତ୍ରା ପାଣ୍ଠି ଦେବା
Original: προπέμπω
Category: Hospitality
New term for 3 John 1:6 (προπέμπω, escort/equip/provision for onward gospel travel). Distinguish sharply from the Odisha custom of sponsoring another’s pilgrimage to Puri to accrue devotional merit for the sponsor; here support is given because the travelers already serve the gospel ‘for the Name’ (v.7), not to accrue merit for the giver.
The Name
Approved rendering: ନାମ (ଖ୍ରୀଷ୍ଟଙ୍କ ନାମ ପାଇଁ)
Transliteration: nāma (Khrīṣṭaṅka nāma pāiṅ)
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Rejected alternatives: bare ନାମ without expansion
Original: τὸ ὄνομα
Category: Christology
New term for 3 John 1:7 (τὸ ὄνομα, absolute NT use = Christ himself, his authority and mission). CAUTION: repetition/invocation of a divine ‘Name’ (nāma-japa, nāma-saṅkīrtana) is a major devotional category in Odisha’s Chaitanya-influenced Vaishnav bhakti tradition. Must always be spelled out in full as ଖ୍ରୀଷ୍ଟଙ୍କ ନାମ ପାଇଁ, never left as bare ନାମ, to keep the referent Christ’s own person/authority/mission rather than an incantatory chanting practice.
Unbelievers Outsiders
Approved rendering: ଅବିଶ୍ୱାସୀ
Transliteration: abiśwāsī
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Rejected alternatives: ଅନ୍ୟଜାତି
Original: ἐθνικοί
Category: Hospitality
New term for 3 John 1:7 (ἐθνικῶν, non-Christian outsiders in general, from whom the missionaries refused support). Do NOT default to the Romans TM’s ଅନ୍ୟଜାତି, which is anchored to the Jew/Gentile covenantal-unity doctrine of Romans and would wrongly import that covenantal frame here; this is simply believer/non-believer in a funding-source context.
Ought Obligated
Approved rendering: କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ / ଆବଶ୍ୟକ
Transliteration: kartabya / ābaśyaka
Doctrine: Gospel Partnership and the Obligation to Support Gospel Workers
Rejected alternatives: ଧର୍ମ
Original: ὀφείλω
Category: Hospitality
New term for 3 John 1:8 (ὀφείλομεν, ‘we ought’). CAUTION, paralleling the Romans baseline’s ban on ଧର୍ମ for ‘law’: avoid any construction reading as caste-linked cosmic duty (svadharma). This obligation flows from gospel partnership and love, not inherited social-ritual duty.
Loving To Be First
Approved rendering: ପ୍ରାଧାନ୍ୟ ଚାହୁଁଥିବା
Transliteration: prādhānya cāhuṅthibā
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride
Rejected alternatives: ଅଗ୍ରଗଣ୍ୟ ହେବାକୁ ଭଲ ପାଉଥିବା
Original: φιλοπρωτεύων
Category: Church Leadership
New term for 3 John 1:9 (φιλοπρωτεύων, NT hapax legomenon). The precise diagnostic term for Diotrephes’ sin — craving preeminent status for its own sake. CAUTION: maps concretely onto historically-documented status/precedence disputes among competing hereditary sevayat family groups at the Puri Jagannath temple over ritual rank; use only with framing that keeps Diotrephes’ conduct condemned, never presented as an admirable or normal model.
Cast Out Expel
Approved rendering: ମଣ୍ଡଳୀରୁ ବାହାର କରିଦେବା
Transliteration: maṇḍaḷīru bāhāra karidebā
Doctrine: Wrongful Exclusion from the Church
Original: ἐκβάλλω (ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας)
Category: Church Leadership
New term for 3 John 1:10 (ἐκβάλλει ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας). CAUTION: distinguish sharply from the socially-respected regional institution of jāti bahiṣkāra (caste-community expulsion/social boycott). The text presents this act as a condemned pastoral abuse, never a legitimate or admirable disciplinary model; never analogize approvingly to a socially-sanctioned exclusion custom.
Has Not Seen God
Approved rendering: ପରମେଶ୍ୱରଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖି ନାହାନ୍ତି
Transliteration: Parameśwaraṅku dekhi nāhānti
Doctrine: Relational Knowledge of God Evidenced by Conduct
Original: οὐχ ἑώρακεν τὸν θεόν
Category: Ethics
New term for 3 John 1:11 (οὐχ ἑώρακεν τὸν θεόν). CAUTION: guard against conflation with the ritual-visual category of darśana (auspicious ‘viewing’ of Jagannath’s image, where pilgrims travel specifically ‘to see’ the deity at Puri). This is relational/moral knowledge of God evidenced by conduct, not a visual, ritual, temple-based encounter; requires a mandatory translator note at every occurrence.
Medium Risk Terms
Church
Approved rendering: ମଣ୍ଡଳୀ
Transliteration: maṇḍaḷī
Doctrine: Church as God’s People / Church Leadership and Pride
Rejected alternatives: ମନ୍ଦିର, ଦେଉଳ
Original: ἐκκλησία
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly. Never ମନ୍ଦିର or ଦେଉଳ (the latter names the Puri Jagannath temple itself). In 3 John this is the congregation referenced in vv.6, 9, 10 — the body before which testimony is given (v.6) and from which Diotrephes wrongfully expels believers (v.10); never render the expulsion sense through this term in a way that legitimizes it.
Peace
Approved rendering: ଶାନ୍ତି
Transliteration: śānti
Doctrine: Peace with God / Truth and Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: ମନ ଶାନ୍ତି
Original: εἰρήνη
Category: Fellowship
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly. Relational peace/blessing, not devotional-ritual calm sought through darshan or pilgrimage. Used in 3 John’s closing benediction (v.14, ‘Peace to you’).
Gentiles
Approved rendering: ଅନ୍ୟଜାତି
Transliteration: anyajāti
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Rejected alternatives: ବିଦେଶୀ
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly. IMPORTANT SENSE-BOUNDARY NOTE FOR 3 JOHN: ἐθνικῶν in 3 John 1:7 (‘accepting nothing from the ἐθνικῶν’) does NOT carry the Jew/Gentile covenantal-unity sense this term is anchored to in Romans. Do NOT reuse ଅନ୍ୟଜାତି to translate 3 John 1:7; use the distinct new term unbelievers_outsiders (ଅବିଶ୍ୱାସୀ) instead. This entry is retained here only so translators can see, and avoid, the false-friend substitution.
Soul
Approved rendering: ପ୍ରାଣ
Transliteration: prāṇa
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: ଆତ୍ମା
Original: ψυχή
Category: Faith
New term for 3 John 1:2 (ψυχή, the standard by which Gaius’s outward prosperity is measured). NOT ଆତ୍ମା, which is reserved for ପବିତ୍ର ଆତ୍ମା (Holy Spirit) in the Romans baseline and additionally risks Vedantic collision with ātman/Paramātman. ପ୍ରାଣ keeps this the believer’s personal inner life without importing that monistic frame.
Prosper
Approved rendering: ଉନ୍ନତି ହେବା
Transliteration: unnati hebā
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: εὐοδόω
Category: Fellowship
New term for 3 John 1:2 (εὐοδόω). Guard against a prosperity-gospel misreading; outward flourishing is explicitly measured by, and subordinate to, prior soul-flourishing in the verse.
Rejoice Joy
Approved rendering: ଆନନ୍ଦ
Transliteration: ānanda
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: ଖୁସି
Original: χαίρω / χαρά
Category: Fellowship
New term for 3 John 1:3-4 (χαίρω/χαρά). CAUTION: ଆନନ୍ଦ carries associations with Vedantic bliss (saccidānanda) and with Puri’s own ‘Ānanda Bazaar’ market/festival tradition. Must read as relational, gospel-centered joy over a brother’s faithfulness, never impersonal cosmic bliss or festival merriment.
Children Spiritual
Approved rendering: ସନ୍ତାନ
Transliteration: santāna
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: ଶିଷ୍ୟ
Original: τέκνα
Category: Fellowship
New term for 3 John 1:4 (τέκνα, the Elder’s spiritual children). Familial/paternal spiritual care, not a guru-śiṣya (teacher-disciple) hierarchical discipleship framework.
Brothers
Approved rendering: ଭାଇମାନେ
Transliteration: bhāimāne
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers / Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: ἀδελφοί
Category: Church
New term for 3 John 1:3, 1:5, 1:10 (ἀδελφοί, fellow believers, especially the traveling gospel workers). Ensure the spiritual-family sense is clear from context (add ‘ବିଶ୍ୱାସୀ ଭାଇ’ where needed) so it is not read as merely biological kinship or caste-community ‘brotherhood.‘
Walk Conduct
Approved rendering: ଆଚରଣ କରିବା
Transliteration: ācaraṇa karibā
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: περιπατέω
Category: Truth
New term for 3 John 1:3-4 (περιπατέω, NT idiom for habitual manner of life). Must convey a whole, consistent life pattern shaped by gospel truth, not a single act.
Faithful Act
Approved rendering: ବିଶ୍ୱାସନୀୟ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ
Transliteration: biśwāsanīya kārya
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Rejected alternatives: ବିଶ୍ୱାସ (noun alone)
Original: πιστόν (adj.)
Category: Hospitality
New term for 3 John 1:5 (πιστόν, adjectival use commending Gaius’s hospitality as a trustworthy deed). Do not collapse into the noun ବିଶ୍ୱାସ, already fixed in the Romans TM for ‘faith’; that would lose the ‘trustworthy action’ sense.
Worthy Of God
Approved rendering: ପରମେଶ୍ୱରଙ୍କ ଯୋଗ୍ୟ ଭାବରେ
Transliteration: Parameśwaraṅka yogya bhābare
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Original: ἀξίως τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: Hospitality
New term for 3 John 1:6 (ἀξίως τοῦ θεοῦ). θεός portion reuses ପରମେଶ୍ୱର exactly from the Romans TM. The standard for hospitality is God’s own honor and character, not social custom or reciprocal obligation.
Receive Support
Approved rendering: ଗ୍ରହଣ କରି ସାହାଯ୍ୟ କରିବା
Transliteration: grahaṇa kari sāhāyya karibā
Doctrine: Gospel Partnership and the Obligation to Support Gospel Workers
Original: ὑπολαμβάνω
Category: Hospitality
New term for 3 John 1:8 (ὑπολαμβάνειν). Active material and relational support of traveling ministers, broader than mere polite welcome.
Receive Welcome Accept
Approved rendering: ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବା
Transliteration: grahaṇa karibā
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride
Original: ἐπιδέχομαι
Category: Church Leadership
New term for 3 John 1:9-10 (ἐπιδέχεται). Context-sensitive: hospitable welcome vs. acceptance of delegated authority; Diotrephes refuses even to receive the Elder’s messengers.
Slander
Approved rendering: ମନ୍ଦ କଥାରେ ଅପବାଦ ଦେବା
Transliteration: mandā kathāre apabāda debā
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride
Original: λόγοις πονηροῖς φλυαρῶν
Category: Church Leadership
New term for 3 John 1:10 (λόγοις πονηροῖς φλυαρῶν). Malicious, baseless verbal accusation — Diotrephes’ abuse of leadership power against the Elder and his associates.
Forbid Hinder
Approved rendering: ବାରଣ କରିବା
Transliteration: bāraṇa karibā
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride
Original: κωλύω
Category: Church Leadership
New term for 3 John 1:10 (κωλύει). Active obstruction: Diotrephes forbids other believers who want to host traveling gospel workers from doing so.
Imitate
Approved rendering: ଅନୁକରଣ କରିବା
Transliteration: anukaraṇa karibā
Doctrine: Imitating Good rather than Evil
Original: μιμέομαι
Category: Ethics
New term for 3 John 1:11 (μιμοῦ, direct imperative). Core verb of the doctrine: Gaius must model his conduct on Demetrius (good), not Diotrephes (evil).
Do Good Do Evil
Approved rendering: ଉତ୍ତମ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରିବା / ମନ୍ଦ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରିବା
Transliteration: uttama kārya karibā / mandā kārya karibā
Doctrine: Relational Knowledge of God Evidenced by Conduct
Original: ἀγαθοποιέω / κακοποιέω
Category: Ethics
New term for 3 John 1:11 (ἀγαθοποιῶν / κακοποιῶν). Habitual moral characterization by action: one’s true relationship to God is revealed by the consistent pattern of one’s deeds.
Testify
Approved rendering: ସାକ୍ଷ୍ୟ ଦେବା
Transliteration: sākṣya debā
Doctrine: Commendation of Faithful Witness
Original: μαρτυρέω
Category: Witness
New term for 3 John 1:3, 1:6, 1:12 (μαρτυρέω). Firsthand, verifiable testimony; used of both Gaius (vv.3,6) and Demetrius (v.12) — keep consistent so the letter’s parallel structure is visible in Odia.
Testimony
Approved rendering: ସାକ୍ଷ୍ୟ
Transliteration: sākṣya
Doctrine: Commendation of Faithful Witness
Original: μαρτυρία
Category: Witness
New term for 3 John 1:12 (μαρτυρία, noun form). A settled, corroborated report about someone’s character — Demetrius’s good testimony, the exact opposite of Diotrephes’ slander.
Friends
Approved rendering: ବନ୍ଧୁ
Transliteration: bandhu
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: ଭାଇ
Original: φίλος / φίλοι
Category: Fellowship
New term for 3 John 1:14 (φίλοι). Keep distinct from ଭାଇ (ἀδελφός, spiritual-family sense) — both categories appear together in v.14; do not collapse the Greek’s philos/adelphos distinction into one Odia word.
Low Risk Terms
Beloved
Approved rendering: ପ୍ରିୟ
Transliteration: priya
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: ବନ୍ଧୁ
Original: ἀγαπητός
Category: Fellowship
New term for 3 John 1:1 (and repeated address, e.g. v.2, v.5, v.11). Pastoral/familial warmth; keep distinct from ବନ୍ଧୁ (‘friend,’ used for φίλος in v.14).
Ordinary Name
Approved rendering: ନାମ
Transliteration: nāma
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: ὄνομα (v.14, non-technical)
Category: Fellowship
New term for 3 John 1:14 (ὄνομα, ordinary non-technical sense: greeting friends individually ‘by name’). Same Greek lexeme as the_name (v.7) but a mundane sense; flag for translator awareness so v.7’s weighty Christological ‘the Name’ is not diluted by association.
Fellow Worker
Approved rendering: ସହକର୍ମୀ
Transliteration: sahakarmī
Doctrine: Gospel Partnership and the Obligation to Support Gospel Workers
Original: συνεργός / συνεργοί
Category: Hospitality
New term for 3 John 1:8 (συνεργοί). Supporting missionaries makes the supporting church an active gospel partner, not a passive donor.
Good Moral
Approved rendering: ଉତ୍ତମ
Transliteration: uttama
Doctrine: Imitating Good rather than Evil
Rejected alternatives: ଭଲ
Original: τὸ ἀγαθόν
Category: Ethics
New term for 3 John 1:11 (τὸ ἀγαθόν). ଉତ୍ତମ preferred over ଭଲ for formal register consistency; applied concretely to Demetrius as the pattern to imitate.
Evil Moral
Approved rendering: ମନ୍ଦ
Transliteration: mandā
Doctrine: Imitating Good rather than Evil
Rejected alternatives: ଅଧର୍ମ
Original: τὸ κακόν
Category: Ethics
New term for 3 John 1:11 (τὸ κακόν). Avoid ଅଧର୍ମ per the Romans baseline’s precedent for ‘sin’ — this is a personal moral category, not a caste/ritual one; applied concretely to Diotrephes.
Write
Approved rendering: ଲେଖିବା
Transliteration: lekhibā
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: γράφω
Category: Epistolary
New term for 3 John 1:9, 1:13 (γράφω). Ordinary act of writing; no significant doctrinal weight.
Ink And Pen
Approved rendering: କାଳି ଓ କଲମ
Transliteration: kāḷi o kalama
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: μέλας καὶ κάλαμος
Category: Epistolary
New term for 3 John 1:13 (μέλας καὶ κάλαμος). Literary/cultural detail only, no doctrinal weight.
Hope
Approved rendering: ଆଶା କରିବା
Transliteration: āśā karibā
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: ἐλπίζω
Category: Fellowship
New term for 3 John 1:14 (ἐλπίζω). Confident, near-term expectation of a personal visit.
Face To Face
Approved rendering: ମୁହଁକୁ ମୁହଁ
Transliteration: muhāṅku muhāṅ
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: ମୁଖକୁ ମୁଖ (literal calque)
Original: στόμα πρὸς στόμα
Category: Fellowship
New term for 3 John 1:14 (στόμα πρὸς στόμα, literally ‘mouth to mouth’). Natural Odia idiom preferred over a literal calque, per baseline idiom-handling guidance (preserve meaning over literal wording).
Gaius
Approved rendering: ଗାୟ
Transliteration: Gāya
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Original: Γάϊος
Category: Proper Name
Proper name (Γάϊος), the letter’s addressee. Transliterate per established Odia Bible proper-name convention.
Diotrephes
Approved rendering: ଦିୟତ୍ରେଫି
Transliteration: Diyatrephi
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride
Original: Διοτρέφης
Category: Proper Name
Proper name (Διοτρέφης), the negative example of prideful, self-serving church leadership. Transliterate per established Indian-language Bible convention for Greek proper names.
Demetrius
Approved rendering: ଦୀମୀତ୍ରିୟ
Transliteration: Dīmītriya
Doctrine: Commendation of Faithful Witness
Original: Δημήτριος
Category: Proper Name
Proper name (Δημήτριος), the positive counter-example to Diotrephes. Transliterate per established Indian-language Bible convention for Greek proper names.
Referenced passages