Core Glossary
Core Glossary: Gospel of John — Punjabi Destination Language
This glossary consolidates every load-bearing theological term identified in analysis/07_semantic_analysis.md, drawn from all 21 chapters of John. Terms already fixed in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json are marked (established) and MUST be reused exactly as recorded there; they are listed here for completeness and cross-reference only, not for re-derivation. New terms proposed for this curriculum are marked (new) and are candidates for addition to translation_memory.json before Phase 2 begins.
Risk tiers follow the baseline’s doctrine_risk_registry.json definitions: Critical (human theologian review, every occurrence) / High (human theologian review) / Medium (native speaker review) / Low (automated review).
A. Terms Reused Exactly from the Baseline Romans Translation Memory
| Term | Punjabi | Risk | Key John references | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| God | ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ | Critical | 1:1, 1:18, 3:16-17, 20:28 | established |
| Jesus | ਯਿਸੂ | Critical | throughout | established |
| Lord | ਪ੍ਰਭੂ | Critical | 20:28; 21 | established |
| Son of God | ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ | Critical | 1:34, 1:49, 3:16-18, 11:27, 20:31 | established |
| Holy Spirit | ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਆਤਮਾ | Critical | 1:32-33; 3:5-8; 7:39; 14:26; 20:22 | established |
| Father | ਪਿਤਾ | Critical | throughout, esp. chs. 14, 17 | established |
| Incarnation | ਦੇਹਧਾਰਨ | Critical | 1:14 | established |
| Resurrection | ਪੁਨਰ-ਉਥਾਨ | Critical | 5:28-29; 11:25; ch. 20 | established |
| Messiah/Christ | ਮਸੀਹ | Critical | 1:41; 4:25-26; 11:27; 20:31 | established |
| Righteousness | ਧਾਰਮਿਕਤਾ | Critical | 16:8, 10 | established |
| Salvation | ਮੁਕਤੀ | Critical | 3:17; 4:22 | established |
| Faith / Believe | ਨਿਹਚਾ / ਨਿਹਚਾ ਕਰਨਾ | High | throughout | established |
| Grace | ਕਿਰਪਾ | High | 1:14, 1:16-17 | established |
| Sin | ਪਾਪ | High | 1:29; 8:34; 9; 16:8-9 | established |
| Kingdom of God | ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦਾ ਰਾਜ | Medium | 3:3, 3:5; 18:36 | established |
| Peace | ਸ਼ਾਂਤੀ | Medium | 14:27; 20:19, 21, 26 | established |
| Israel | ਇਸਰਾਏਲ | Medium | 1:49; 3:10 | established |
| Sanctification | ਪਵਿੱਤਰੀਕਰਨ | High | 17:17, 19 | established |
| Adoption | ਦੱਤਕ ਪੁੱਤਰਤਾ | High | (Pauline metaphor; NOT to be substituted for John’s τέκνα θεοῦ, see new term below) | established |
| Glory | ਮਹਿਮਾ | High | 1:14; 2:11; 11:4, 40; 12:23, 41; 17:1, 5, 22, 24 | established |
| Law | ਬਿਵਸਥਾ | High | 1:17; 7:19; 8:5 | established |
| Fellowship | ਸੰਗਤ | Low | (thematic, not a distinct John term, but relevant to community passages) | established |
| Prophet | ਨਬੀ | Low | 1:21, 25; 4:19; 9:17 | established |
| Intercession | ਵਿਚੋਲਗੀ | Medium | (distinct from ਸਹਾਇਕ/Paraclete, see new term below) | established |
| David | ਦਾਊਦ | Low | 7:42 | established |
| Election | ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦੀ ਚੋਣ | High | 6:44 (draw), 15:16, 15:19 | established |
B. New Terms for This Curriculum (John-specific)
| Term | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Punjabi rendering | Rejected alternatives | Risk | Doctrine | Key references | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Word (Logos) | λόγος | logos | ਬਚਨ | ਸ਼ਬਦ, ਕਲਾਮ | Critical | Deity/Pre-existence of Christ | 1:1, 1:14 | REJECT ਸ਼ਬਦ: ties to Sikh doctrine “ਸ਼ਬਦ ਗੁਰੂ” (the Shabad is the Guru); REJECT ਕਲਾਮ: Islamic/Shahmukhi register. |
| The Word was God | θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος | theos ēn ho logos | ਸ਼ਬਦ ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਸੀ (using ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ for θεός) | “a god”/ਇੱਕ ਦੇਵਤਾ | Critical | Deity of Christ | 1:1 | Anarthrous θεός is qualitative, not indefinite; never render as “a god.” |
| Only begotten/only Son | μονογενής | monogenēs | ਇਕਲੌਤਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ | — | Critical | Sonship/Deity of Christ | 1:14, 1:18, 3:16, 3:18 | Must pair with ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ to assert both deity and uniqueness. |
| Children of God | τέκνα θεοῦ | tekna theou | ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦੇ ਬੱਚੇ | ਦੱਤਕ ਪੁੱਤਰਤਾ (reserved for Pauline adoption) | High | New Birth/Regeneration | 1:12-13 | Birth-metaphor, distinct register from Paul’s legal-adoption metaphor. |
| Born again / born from above | γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν | gennēthē anōthen | ਨਵੇਂ ਸਿਰਿਓਂ ਜਨਮ ਲਵੇ | ਪੁਨਰ-ਜਨਮ, ਆਵਾਗਵਣ | Critical | New Birth and Regeneration | 3:3, 3:7 | NEVER reincarnation vocabulary. ἄνωθεν’s again/from-above double meaning drives Nicodemus’s confusion; requires translator note. |
| Born of water and the Spirit | γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος | gennēthē ex hydatos kai pneumatos | ਪਾਣੀ ਅਤੇ ਆਤਮਾ ਤੋਂ ਜਨਮ | — | High | New Birth and Regeneration | 3:5 | Preserve exegetical openness; do not silently resolve to one interpretive tradition. |
| Flesh (human nature) | σάρξ | sarx | ਸਰੀਰ | — | Medium | New Birth; Incarnation | 3:6; 1:14 | Distinct from ਮਾਸ (literal flesh/meat, ch. 6); flesh ≠ evil body in this Gospel. |
| Wind/Spirit wordplay | πνεῦμα | pneuma | ਹਵਾ (wind) / ਆਤਮਾ (Spirit) | — | Medium | New Birth and Regeneration | 3:8 | Untranslatable pun; mandatory translator note. |
| Lifted up | ὑψωθῆναι | hypsōthēnai | ਉੱਚਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਣਾ | — | Critical | Substitutionary Death; Deity of Christ | 3:14; 8:28; 12:32-34 | Double meaning: crucifixion = exaltation/glorification. Requires Numbers 21 background. |
| Eternal life | ζωὴ αἰώνιος | zōē aiōnios | ਸਦੀਵੀ ਜੀਵਨ | — | Critical | Eternal Life through Faith in Christ | 3:15-16; 5:24; 6:68; 17:3; 20:31 | Same category of mandatory clarifying gloss as baseline ਮੁਕਤੀ: relational, decisive, Christ-given, not gradual liberation from a rebirth cycle. Defined explicitly at 17:3. |
| Perish | ἀπόλλυμι | apollymi | ਨਾਸ ਹੋਣਾ | — | Medium | Judgment and Belief/Unbelief | 3:16 | Binary contrast with eternal life; preserve stark either/or. |
| World (Johannine κόσμος) | κόσμος | kosmos | ਸੰਸਾਰ | — | High | God’s Love for the World | 3:16-17; 1:10; 15:18-19 | Cognate with Hindu/Sikh saṃsāra (rebirth cycle); context must clarify “humanity/created order,” not the Samsara-cycle. |
| Love (agape) | ἀγαπάω / ἀγάπη | agapaō/agapē | ਪਿਆਰ | ਭਗਤੀ-only framing | High | God’s Love for the World | 3:16; 13:34; 15:13 | Genuine bridge to bhakti/Sufi devotional warmth, but direction of movement (God-initiated, sacrificial) must stay clear, unlike devotee-initiated bhakti. |
| Believe (verb, directional) | πιστεύω εἰς | pisteuō eis | ਨਿਹਚਾ ਕਰਨਾ…ਵਿੱਚ / ਉੱਤੇ | — | High | Faith (John) | 3:15-16, 18, 36; throughout | εἰς-construction = whole-person trust INTO Christ, stronger than propositional assent (ὅτι-clauses). |
| Condemn / judgment | κρίνω / κρίσις | krinō/krisis | ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਠਹਿਰਾਉਣਾ / ਨਿਆਂ | — | Medium–High | Judgment and Belief/Unbelief | 3:17-19; 5:24, 27-29; 16:8, 11 | ਨਿਆਂ here names forensic judgment; distinct usage from baseline’s rejection of ਨਿਆਂ for “righteousness” — no conflict, but keep entries separate. |
| Name (believing in his name) | ὄνομα | onoma | ਨਾਮ | — | High | Judgment and Belief/Unbelief; Eternal Life | 1:12; 3:18; 20:31 | ਨਾਮ is central to Sikh Naam-simran doctrine; context must show personal trust in Christ’s revealed identity, not meditative Name-repetition practice. |
| Light | φῶς | phōs | ਚਾਨਣ | ਜੋਤ | Critical | Judgment and Belief/Unbelief; Deity of Christ | 3:19-21; 1:4-9; 8:12; 9:5; 12:35-36, 46 | REJECT ਜੋਤ: Sikh Guru-lineage light-transmission doctrine (ਸ਼ਬਦ ਗੁਰੂ/ਜੋਤ). |
| Darkness | σκότος/σκοτία | skotos/skotia | ਹਨੇਰਾ | — | Low | Judgment and Belief/Unbelief | 3:19; 1:5 | Keep binary contrast with light sharp. |
| Truth | ἀλήθεια | alētheia | ਸਚਾਈ | — | High | multiple (esp. Holy Spirit, “I Am” #6) | 1:14, 17; 3:21; 4:23-24; 8:32; 14:6; 16:13; 17:17; 18:38 | Genuine resonance with Sikh Sat/Satnam doctrine; must stay personal/christological (John 14:6), not abstract attribute approached via Naam-simran. |
| Expose/convict | ἐλέγχω | elenchō | ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਠਹਿਰਾਉਣਾ (3:20) / ਕਾਇਲ ਕਰਨਾ (16:8) | — | Medium–Critical | Judgment; Holy Spirit as Counselor | 3:20; 16:8-11 | Same Greek root, two Punjabi renderings depending on forensic vs. inward-conviction sense; 16:8 usage is Critical because object includes ਧਾਰਮਿਕਤਾ. |
| Rabbi / Teacher (of Jesus) | ῥαββί / διδάσκαλος | rhabbi/didaskalos | ਰੱਬੀ (transliteration) / ਉਸਤਾਦ | ਗੁਰੂ | Critical | Apostleship-adjacent (Teaching Authority) | 1:38; 3:2, 10; 4:31; 6:25; 9:2; 11:8; 20:16 | NEVER ਗੁਰੂ for Jesus. Extends baseline’s apostle/ਗੁਰੂ prohibition; new forbidden-substitution for this curriculum. |
| Sign | σημεῖον | sēmeion | ਚਿੰਨ੍ਹ | ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨ | Medium | Deity of Christ (evidentiary) | 2:11, 18, 23; 3:2; 4:54; 6:2, 14, 26, 30; 9:16; 11:47; 12:18, 37; 20:30 | REJECT ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨ: collides with Nishan Sahib (Sikh Gurdwara flag) institutional association. |
| Testimony/witness | μαρτυρία / μαρτυρέω | martyria/martyreō | ਗਵਾਹੀ / ਗਵਾਹੀ ਦੇਣਾ | — | Medium | Fulfillment/Confirmation | 1:7-8, 15, 19, 32, 34; 3:11, 32-33; 5:31-39; 8:14, 18; 15:26-27 | Structuring category across the whole Gospel; render consistently. |
| Lamb of God | ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ | amnos tou theou | ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦਾ ਲੇਲਾ | — | Critical | Substitutionary Death | 1:29, 36 | Requires Passover/Isaiah 53 OT-background note, parallel to baseline’s seed_of_david handling. |
| Wrath of God | ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ | orgē tou theou | ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦਾ ਗੁੱਸਾ | — | High | Judgment and Belief/Unbelief | 3:36 | Judicial, not capricious/emotional; distinct from impersonal karmic consequence. |
| Living water | ὕδωρ ζῶν | hydōr zōn | ਜੀਵਨ ਦਾ ਪਾਣੀ | — | Medium | Eternal Life | 4:10-14; 7:38-39 | Connects to eternal life doctrine’s Critical gloss requirement. |
| Worship | προσκυνέω | proskyneō | ਉਪਾਸਨਾ | ਭਗਤੀ | High | Unity of Father/Son; Deity of Christ | 4:20-24; 9:38; 12:20 | REJECT ਭਗਤੀ as primary term (implies specific devotional-path/bhakti-marga practice); 9:38 shows worship rightly directed TO Jesus. |
| Temple | ἱερόν / ναός | hieron/naos | ਹੈਕਲ | ਮੰਦਰ | Medium | (background) | 2:14-21; 5:14; 7:14, 28; 8:20, 59; 10:23 | REJECT ਮੰਦਰ (Hindu temple association), consistent with baseline church entry. |
| Equal with God | ἴσος τῷ θεῷ | isos tō theō | ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦੇ ਬਰਾਬਰ | — | Critical | Deity of Christ | 5:18 | Do not soften “equal” toward “God-like” or “favored.” |
| Absolute “I Am” | ἐγώ εἰμι | egō eimi | ਮੈਂ ਹਾਂ | — | Critical | Deity/Pre-existence of Christ | 8:58; 13:19; 18:5-6, 8 | Invokes Exodus 3:14 divine self-naming; mandatory theologian review every occurrence. |
| Bread of life | ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς | artos tēs zōēs | ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਰੋਟੀ | — | High | Eternal Life (“I Am” #1) | 6:35, 48, 51 | See consolidated “I Am” table. |
| Eat flesh / drink blood | φαγεῖν τὴν σάρκα / πιεῖν τὸ αἷμα | phagein tēn sarka / piein to haima | ਮਾਸ ਖਾਣਾ / ਲਹੂ ਪੀਣਾ | — | High | Substitutionary Death (sacramental) | 6:53-56 | Distinct ਮਾਸ (literal flesh/meat) from ਸਰੀਰ (ch. 3 nature-sense); needs strong symbolic-not-literal framing given vegetarian/purity sensibilities. |
| Draw | ἑλκύω | helkyō | ਖਿੱਚਣਾ | — | High | Divine Calling/Election (extended) | 6:44 | Sovereign initiative without coercion; never ਕਿਸਮਤ. |
| Freedom / set free | ἐλευθερόω | eleutheroō | ਆਜ਼ਾਦ ਕਰਨਾ | — | Medium | Judgment and Belief/Unbelief | 8:32, 36 | Positive linguistic fit; ensure not reduced to political/social freedom alone. |
| Slave of sin | δοῦλος τῆς ἁμαρτίας | doulos tēs hamartias | ਪਾਪ ਦਾ ਗੁਲਾਮ | — | Medium | Universal Human Accountability (extended) | 8:34 | — |
| Good Shepherd / Door | ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός / ἡ θύρα | ho poimēn ho kalos / hē thyra | ਚੰਗਾ ਅਯਾਲੀ / ਦਰਵਾਜ਼ਾ | — | Medium | (“I Am” #3, #4) | 10:7, 9, 11, 14 | See consolidated “I Am” table. |
| Lay down life | τίθημι τὴν ψυχήν | tithēmi tēn psychēn | ਆਪਣੀ ਜਾਨ ਦੇਣਾ | — | High | Substitutionary Death | 10:11, 15, 17-18 | Explicitly voluntary and self-authorized, guards against accidental-death misreading. |
| I and the Father are one | ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν | egō kai ho patēr hen esmen | ਮੈਂ ਅਤੇ ਪਿਤਾ ਇੱਕ ਹਾਂ | — | Critical | Unity of the Father and the Son | 10:30; cf. 14:10-11, 20; 17:11, 21-22 | Primary textual anchor for this curriculum’s named unity doctrine; mandatory theologian review. |
| Resurrection and the life | ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή | hē anastasis kai hē zōē | ਪੁਨਰ-ਉਥਾਨ ਅਤੇ ਜੀਵਨ | — | Critical | Resurrection (“I Am” #5) | 11:25 | Reuses established ਪੁਨਰ-ਉਥਾਨ; term-distinction note required. |
| Died for the people (substitution) | ὑπέρ + ἀποθνῄσκω | hyper + apothnēskō | …ਦੇ ਬਦਲੇ / …ਦੀ ਖ਼ਾਤਰ ਮਰਨਾ | — | High | Substitutionary Death | 11:49-52; 15:13 | Preserve substitutionary force of ὑπέρ; do not dilute to “died along with” or coincidental death. |
| Ruler of this world | ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου | ho archōn tou kosmou toutou | ਇਸ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦਾ ਹਾਕਮ | — | Medium | Judgment (cosmic dimension) | 12:31; 14:30; 16:11 | Frame as defeated, subordinate usurper, not a co-equal rival deity. |
| New commandment | ἐντολὴ καινή | entolē kainē | ਨਵਾਂ ਹੁਕਮ | — | Medium | Mutual Edification (extended) | 13:34-35 | ਹੁਕਮ acceptable here (everyday sense); keep separate from baseline’s providence-related Hukam caution. |
| Way, truth, and life | ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή | hē hodos kai hē alētheia kai hē zōē | ਰਾਹ, ਸਚਾਈ ਅਤੇ ਜੀਵਨ | — | Critical | Eternal Life; exclusivity (“I Am” #6) | 14:6 | Unqualified exclusivity claim (“no one comes to the Father except through me”); never soften for religious-pluralism comfort. |
| Counselor/Advocate/Helper | παράκλητος | paraklētos | ਸਹਾਇਕ | — | Critical | The Holy Spirit as Counselor | 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7 | No single Punjabi word covers full legal-advocate/comforter/teacher range; mandatory explanatory translator note every occurrence. Distinct from established intercession (ਵਿਚੋਲਗੀ). |
| Spirit of truth | τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας | to pneuma tēs alētheias | ਸਚਾਈ ਦਾ ਆਤਮਾ | — | Critical | Holy Spirit as Counselor | 14:17; 15:26; 16:13 | Combines two Critical/High terms. |
| Abide/remain | μένω | menō | ਬਣੇ ਰਹਿਣਾ | — | High | Christian Identity in Christ (extended) | 15:4-10 (×11) | Keep rendering identical across all 11 occurrences in ch. 15. |
| True vine | ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή | hē ampelos hē alēthinē | ਸੱਚੀ ਅੰਗੂਰ ਦੀ ਵੇਲ | — | Medium | (“I Am” #7) | 15:1, 5 | See consolidated “I Am” table. |
| Convict (Spirit’s ministry) | ἐλέγξει | elenxei | ਕਾਇਲ ਕਰਨਾ | — | Critical | Holy Spirit as Counselor | 16:8-11 | Object includes ਧਾਰਮਿਕਤਾ (established Critical term) in a new grammatical role; requires careful unpacking distinct from justification-by-faith sense. |
| Overcome the world | νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον | nenikēka ton kosmon | ਸੰਸਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਜਿੱਤ ਲਿਆ ਹੈ | — | High | Assurance (extended) | 16:33 | Completed-past-act force (“HAVE overcome”), not future hope only. |
| Know (relational, eternal life defined) | γινώσκω | ginōskō | ਜਾਣਨਾ | — | Critical | Eternal Life through Faith in Christ | 17:3 | Gospel’s own definitional anchor for ਸਦੀਵੀ ਜੀਵਨ; use as cross-reference for every other eternal-life occurrence. |
| Unity (of believers) | ἓν ὦσιν | hen ōsin | ਏਕਤਾ / ਸਾਰੇ ਇੱਕ ਹੋਣ | — | High | Unity of the Father and the Son (extended) | 17:11, 21-22 | Relational/communal unity modeled on Trinity, not ontological absorption/merger (cf. Sikh mukti-as-merger caution in baseline). |
| My kingdom is not of this world | ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου | hē basileia hē emē ouk estin ek tou kosmou toutou | ਮੇਰਾ ਰਾਜ ਇਸ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ | — | High | Kingdom Mission (extended) | 18:36 | Primary proof-text for baseline’s existing Khalsa-Raj political-sovereignty caution on kingdom_of_god. |
| It is finished | τετέλεσται | tetelestai | ਪੂਰਾ ਹੋਇਆ | — | Critical | Christ’s Substitutionary Death | 19:30 | Triumphant completion, not mere cessation/defeat. |
| Blood and water | αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ | haima kai hydōr | ਲਹੂ ਅਤੇ ਪਾਣੀ | — | Medium | Humanity of Christ (extended) | 19:34-35 | Anchors genuine bodily death against docetic misreading. |
| My Lord and my God | ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ὁ θεός μου | ho kyrios mou kai ho theos mou | ਮੇਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਅਤੇ ਮੇਰਾ ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ | — | Critical | Deity of Christ (climactic) | 20:28 | Forms inclusio with 1:1; core confessional triad with John 1:1 and Romans 10:9. |
| Gospel purpose statement | ἵνα πιστεύσητε…ζωὴν ἔχητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ | hina pisteusēte…zōēn echēte en tō onomati autou | …ਤਾਂ ਜੋ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਨਿਹਚਾ ਕਰੋ…ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਨਾਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਜੀਵਨ ਪਾਓ | — | Critical | (summary of curriculum doctrines) | 20:31 | Recommended capstone cross-reference for the whole curriculum. |
| Love (agape/phileo wordplay) | ἀγαπάω / φιλέω | agapaō/phileō | ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਨਾ (single verb for both) | — | Medium | (pastoral restoration) | 21:15-17 | Greek two-verb nuance flattened in Punjabi; translator note recommended. |
| Feed/tend (pastoral commission) | βόσκε / ποίμαινε | boske/poimaine | ਚਾਰਾ ਦੇਹ / ਦੇਖਭਾਲ ਕਰ | — | Low–Medium | (Good Shepherd extended) | 21:15-17 | Reuses ch. 10 shepherd imagery. |
| Samaritan(s) | Σαμαρίτης/Σαμαρῖται | Samaritēs/Samaritai | ਸਾਮਰੀ | — | Medium | Universal Scope of the Gospel (extended) | ch. 4 | Requires Jewish-Samaritan historical-hostility background note. |
| Jews / Jewish leaders (contextual) | οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι | hoi Ioudaioi | ਯਹੂਦੀ / (contextually) ਯਹੂਦੀ ਆਗੂ | — | Medium | (background sensitivity) | throughout, esp. 5, 7-9, 18-19 | Context-sensitive rendering required to avoid anti-Jewish misreading; flag for native-speaker review at each recurrence. |
| Zeal | ζῆλος | zēlos | ਅਣਖ | — | Low | (background) | 2:17 | — |
| Sabbath | σάββατον | sabbaton | ਸਬਤ | — | Low | (background) | 5:9-18; 9:14 | Requires Jewish-Sabbath-law background note. |
| Grain of wheat | ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου | ho kokkos tou sitou | ਕਣਕ ਦਾ ਦਾਣਾ | — | Low–Medium | Substitutionary Death (extended) | 12:24 | Positive agrarian-Punjab fit; tie clearly to Christ’s death, not generalized nature-cycle. |
C. Cross-Reference Notes for Phase 2
- Mandatory glosses inherited from baseline and extended in John: ਮੁਕਤੀ (salvation) and now also ਸਦੀਵੀ ਜੀਵਨ (eternal life) both require the same category of mandatory Sikh/Christian distinguishing note on every doctrinally load-bearing occurrence. John 17:3 is the definitional anchor text for the latter.
- New forbidden substitutions specific to John, to be added to the AI Translation Requirements document (
12_ai_translation_requirements.md) in Phase 1 Step 9:- Word (Logos): NEVER ਸ਼ਬਦ or ਕਲਾਮ — always ਬਚਨ
- Light: NEVER ਜੋਤ — always ਚਾਨਣ
- Rabbi/Teacher (applied to Jesus): NEVER ਗੁਰੂ — always ਰੱਬੀ / ਉਸਤਾਦ
- Sign: prefer ਚਿੰਨ੍ਹ over ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨ
- Worship: prefer ਉਪਾਸਨਾ over ਭਗਤੀ
- Born again: NEVER ਪੁਨਰ-ਜਨਮ or ਆਵਾਗਵਣ — always ਨਵੇਂ ਸਿਰਿਓਂ ਜਨਮ
- Temple: NEVER ਮੰਦਰ — always ਹੈਕਲ
- Terms requiring mandatory translator notes for lost wordplay: ἄνωθεν (again/from above, John 3:3-7), πνεῦμα (wind/Spirit, John 3:8), ἀγαπάω/φιλέω (John 21:15-17).
- The Seven “I Am” statements should be treated as a single consistency unit across all Phase 2 documents, per the consolidated table in
07_semantic_analysis.md. - All terms in this glossary should be merged into an updated
translation_memory.json(version increment) before Phase 2 segment translation begins, per the baseline’s Translation Memory Load and Enforcement Instructions.
Critical Risk Terms
God
Approved rendering: ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ
Transliteration: Parmeshar
Doctrine: Deity of Christ / God
Rejected alternatives: ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ, ਭਗਵਾਨ
Original: θεός
Category: God
NEVER ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ or ਭਗਵਾਨ. Governs John 1:1’s ‘the Word was God’ — must render unqualified, never ‘ਇੱਕ ਦੇਵਤਾ’ (a god/deity). [Inherited from Romans package.]
Jesus
Approved rendering: ਯਿਸੂ
Transliteration: Yisu
Doctrine: Lordship / Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਈਸਾ
Original: Ἰησοῦς
Category: Christology
NEVER ਈਸਾ (Islamic/Shahmukhi Christology). [Inherited from Romans package.]
Lord
Approved rendering: ਪ੍ਰਭੂ
Transliteration: prabhu
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਮਾਲਕ, ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ
Original: κύριος
Category: Christology
NEVER ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ. Anchors John 20:28’s ‘My Lord and my God.’ [Inherited from Romans package.]
Son Of God
Approved rendering: ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ
Transliteration: Parmeshar da Puttar
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਦੇਵ-ਪੁਰਸ਼
Original: υἱὸς θεοῦ
Category: Christology
Full phrase required; must always pair with ਇਕਲੌਤਾ (only-begotten) where μονογενής co-occurs (1:14,18; 3:16,18). [Inherited from Romans package.]
Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਆਤਮਾ
Transliteration: Pavittar Atma
Doctrine: The Holy Spirit as Counselor
Rejected alternatives: ਬ੍ਰਹਮ, ਜੋਤ
Original: πνεῦμα ἅγιον
Category: God
NEVER ਬ੍ਰਹਮ; distinguish from Sikh ਜੋਤ (transmitted Guru-light doctrine). Governs 1:32-33; 3:5-8; 7:39; 14:26; 20:22. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Father
Approved rendering: ਪਿਤਾ
Transliteration: Pita
Doctrine: Unity of the Father and the Son
Original: πατήρ
Category: God
God as personal Father; central to chs. 14 and 17. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Incarnation
Approved rendering: ਦੇਹਧਾਰਨ
Transliteration: dehdharan
Doctrine: Incarnation
Rejected alternatives: ਅਵਤਾਰ
Original: ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο
Category: Christology
NEVER ਅਵਤਾਰ. John 1:14 urgently triggers the required theological bridge for Sikh-background readers (unique, once-for-all self-disclosure, not incompatible with ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ). [Inherited from Romans package.]
Resurrection
Approved rendering: ਪੁਨਰ-ਉਥਾਨ
Transliteration: punar-uthan
Doctrine: Resurrection of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਪੁਨਰ-ਜਨਮ, ਆਵਾਗਵਣ
NEVER ਪੁਨਰ-ਜਨਮ or ਆਵਾਗਵਣ. Governs 5:28-29; 11:25; ch. 20; intensified in John by 11:25’s personal title ‘I am the resurrection.’ [Inherited from Romans package.]
Messiah
Approved rendering: ਮਸੀਹ
Transliteration: Masih
Doctrine: Messianic Promise
Original: Χριστός / Μεσσίας
Category: Christology
Governs 1:41; 4:25-26; 11:27; 20:31. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Righteousness
Approved rendering: ਧਾਰਮਿਕਤਾ
Transliteration: dharmikta
Doctrine: Righteousness
Rejected alternatives: ਧਰਮ, ਨਿਆਂ
Original: δικαιοσύνη
Category: Salvation
NEVER ਧਰਮ. Appears in a new grammatical role at John 16:8,10 (the Spirit convicting the world concerning righteousness); requires careful unpacking distinct from the justification-by-faith sense. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Salvation
Approved rendering: ਮੁਕਤੀ
Transliteration: mukti
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: ਨਿਰਵਾਣ, ਮੋਖ, ਛੁਟਕਾਰਾ
Original: σωτηρία / σῴζω
Category: Salvation
Every doctrinally load-bearing occurrence (3:17; 4:22) requires the mandatory Sikh/Christian mukti-distinction gloss. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Word Logos
Approved rendering: ਬਚਨ
Transliteration: bachan
Doctrine: Deity and Pre-existence of Christ (the Word)
Rejected alternatives: ਸ਼ਬਦ, ਕਲਾਮ
Original: λόγος
Category: Christology
NEVER ਸ਼ਬਦ: ties to Sikh doctrine ਸ਼ਬਦ ਗੁਰੂ (the Shabad is the Guru), a closed scriptural-transmission structure incompatible with a personal, eternal, pre-existent divine Person. NEVER ਕਲਾਮ: Islamic/Shahmukhi register, not this Gurmukhi Christian curriculum. Governs John 1:1, 1:14. Single highest-stakes new lexical decision this curriculum makes.
Word Was God
Approved rendering: ਬਚਨ ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਸੀ
Transliteration: bachan Parmeshar si
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਬਚਨ ਇੱਕ ਦੇਵਤਾ ਸੀ (a god)
Original: θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος
Category: Christology
Anarthrous θεός is qualitative, not indefinite. Must use unqualified ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ; never render as ‘a god/deity,’ which would suggest one deity among many in Punjab’s Hindu devotional landscape.
Only Begotten
Approved rendering: ਇਕਲੌਤਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ
Transliteration: iklauta puttar
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Original: μονογενής
Category: Christology
Governs 1:14, 1:18, 3:16, 3:18. Must always pair with ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ to assert both full deity and unrepeatable uniqueness, guarding against Hindu avatar-among-many or Sikh Guru-succession misreadings.
Equal With God
Approved rendering: ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦੇ ਬਰਾਬਰ
Transliteration: Parmeshar de barabar
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਵਰਗਾ (God-like, an understating softening)
Original: ἴσος τῷ θεῷ
Category: Christology
John 5:18: the Jewish leaders’ own hostile-but-accurate perception of Jesus’s claim. Never soften ਬਰਾਬਰ (equal) to ਵਰਗਾ (like/resembling).
Absolute I Am
Approved rendering: ਮੈਂ ਹਾਂ
Transliteration: main haan
Doctrine: Deity and Pre-existence of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਮੈਂ ਸਦਾ ਤੋਂ ਹਾਂ (over-translated paraphrase resolving intended ambiguity)
Original: ἐγώ εἰμι
Category: Christology
Unpredicated ἐγώ εἰμι at 8:58; 13:19; 18:5-6,8, invoking Exodus 3:14. Render literally and identically at every occurrence, without qualification; mandatory theologian review every time.
I Am Light Of World
Approved rendering: ਮੈਂ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦਾ ਚਾਨਣ ਹਾਂ
Transliteration: main sansar da chanan haan
Doctrine: The Seven ‘I Am’ Statements / Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਜੋਤ (Sikh Guru-lineage light-transmission doctrine)
Original: ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου
Category: Christology
Second I Am statement (8:12; 9:5). NEVER ਜੋਤ for the light element.
I Am Resurrection And Life
Approved rendering: ਮੈਂ ਪੁਨਰ-ਉਥਾਨ ਅਤੇ ਜੀਵਨ ਹਾਂ
Transliteration: main punar-uthan ate jivan haan
Doctrine: Resurrection of Christ / The Seven ‘I Am’ Statements
Original: ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή
Category: Christology
Fifth I Am statement (11:25). Reuses established ਪੁਨਰ-ਉਥਾਨ; requires the same term-distinction note (never ਪੁਨਰ-ਜਨਮ/ਆਵਾਗਵਣ) at every occurrence.
I Am Way Truth Life
Approved rendering: ਮੈਂ ਰਾਹ, ਸਚਾਈ ਅਤੇ ਜੀਵਨ ਹਾਂ
Transliteration: main raah, sachai ate jivan haan
Doctrine: The Seven ‘I Am’ Statements / Eternal Life through Faith in Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਮੇਰੇ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਆਉਣਾ ਬਿਹਤਰ ਹੈ (softened, non-exclusive rendering)
Original: ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή
Category: Christology
Sixth I Am statement (14:6), the Gospel’s most explicit exclusivity claim. NEVER soften ‘no one comes to the Father except through me’ for religious-pluralism comfort; mandatory theologian review, parallel to Romans 10:9.
Father Son One
Approved rendering: ਮੈਂ ਅਤੇ ਪਿਤਾ ਇੱਕ ਹਾਂ
Transliteration: main ate pita ikk haan
Doctrine: Unity of the Father and the Son
Rejected alternatives: ਮੈਂ ਅਤੇ ਪਿਤਾ ਇੱਕ ਮਨ ਹਾਂ (unity-of-purpose-only softening)
Original: ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν
Category: Christology
John 10:30, this curriculum’s primary textual anchor for its named Unity doctrine. Never soften toward mere moral/purpose unity; the leaders’ blasphemy accusation (10:33) proves an ontological claim.
My Lord My God
Approved rendering: ਮੇਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਅਤੇ ਮੇਰਾ ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ
Transliteration: mera prabhu ate mera Parmeshar
Doctrine: Deity of Christ / Lordship of Christ
Original: ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ὁ θεός μου
Category: Christology
Thomas’s climactic confession (20:28), forming an inclusio with 1:1. Core deity-of-Christ confessional triad with John 1:1 and Romans 10:9. Render both titles fully, unqualified.
Lamb Of God
Approved rendering: ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦਾ ਲੇਲਾ
Transliteration: Parmeshar da lela
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Death
Original: ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: Salvation
John 1:29,36. Requires the same category of OT-background bridging as seed_of_david: no Sikh/Hindu equivalent substitutionary-sacrifice concept; supply Passover/Isaiah 53 background.
Rabbi Teacher
Approved rendering: ਰੱਬੀ / ਉਸਤਾਦ
Transliteration: rabbi / ustad
Doctrine: Deity of Christ (teaching-authority-adjacent)
Rejected alternatives: ਗੁਰੂ
Original: ῥαββί / διδάσκαλος
Category: Christology
Governs 1:38; 3:2,10; 4:31; 6:25; 9:2; 11:8; 20:16. NEVER ਗੁਰੂ for Jesus — a new forbidden substitution this curriculum introduces (Paul was never called ‘Rabbi’ in Romans). ਰੱਬੀ transliterates ‘Rabbi’; ਉਸਤਾਦ (naturalized Perso-Arabic loanword, no Sikh guru-lineage association) renders ‘teacher.‘
Lifted Up
Approved rendering: ਉੱਚਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਣਾ
Transliteration: ucha kita jana
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Death / Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਸਲੀਬ ਤੇ ਚੜ੍ਹਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ (flattened crucifixion-only rendering)
Original: ὑψωθῆναι
Category: Christology
Governs 3:14; 8:28; 12:32-34. Deliberate double meaning (crucifixion = exaltation) must be preserved; requires Numbers 21:4-9 background.
Eternal Life
Approved rendering: ਸਦੀਵੀ ਜੀਵਨ
Transliteration: sadivi jivan
Doctrine: Eternal Life through Faith in Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਅਨੰਤ ਜੀਵਨ (Hindu/Vedantic infinity connotation), ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾ ਦੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ (colloquially flat, durational-only)
Original: ζωὴ αἰώνιος
Category: Salvation
Governs 3:15-16; 5:24; 6:68; 17:3; 20:31 (~17 occurrences). Requires the SAME mandatory clarifying gloss the baseline requires for ਮੁਕਤੀ: decisive, relational, Christ-given life received now, not gradual liberation from a rebirth cycle. John 17:3 is the Gospel’s own definitional anchor.
Born Again
Approved rendering: ਨਵੇਂ ਸਿਰਿਓਂ ਜਨਮ ਲਵੇ
Transliteration: nave sirion janam lave
Doctrine: The New Birth and Regeneration by the Spirit
Rejected alternatives: ਪੁਨਰ-ਜਨਮ, ਆਵਾਗਵਣ, ਦੁਬਾਰਾ ਜਨਮ (too close in surface form to ਪੁਨਰ-ਜਨਮ)
Original: γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν
Category: Salvation
Governs John 3:3, 3:7. NEVER ਪੁਨਰ-ਜਨਮ or ਆਵਾਗਵਣ. ἄνωθεν’s again/from-above double meaning drives Nicodemus’s confusion; mandatory bridge-note required at every occurrence.
Know Ginosko
Approved rendering: ਜਾਣਨਾ
Transliteration: janna
Doctrine: Eternal Life through Faith in Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਪਛਾਣਨਾ (under-translates relational depth), ਜਾਣ-ਪਛਾਣ ਹੋਣੀ (too weak/social)
Original: γινώσκω
Category: Salvation
John 17:3, the Gospel’s own definitional anchor for eternal life (‘this is eternal life, that they know you’). Use as cross-reference for every other eternal-life occurrence.
Spirit Of Truth
Approved rendering: ਸਚਾਈ ਦਾ ਆਤਮਾ
Transliteration: sachai da atma
Doctrine: The Holy Spirit as Counselor
Original: τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας
Category: God
Governs 14:17; 15:26; 16:13. Compounds two Critical/High terms; keep personal, christological framing distinct from Sikh Sat/Satnam abstract-Truth doctrine.
Counselor Paraclete
Approved rendering: ਸਹਾਇਕ
Transliteration: sahayak
Doctrine: The Holy Spirit as Counselor
Rejected alternatives: ਵਕੀਲ (too narrowly forensic), ਦਿਲਾਸਾ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲਾ (too narrowly emotional), ਸਲਾਹਕਾਰ (too narrowly cognitive)
Original: παράκλητος
Category: God
Governs 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7. No single Punjabi word spans the legal-advocate/comforter/teacher range of παράκλητος. Mandatory explanatory translator note at every occurrence; keep distinct from ਵਿਚੋਲਗੀ (intercession) and from Sikh ਜੋਤ.
Convict Spirit
Approved rendering: ਕਾਇਲ ਕਰਨਾ
Transliteration: kail karna
Doctrine: The Holy Spirit as Counselor
Rejected alternatives: ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਠਹਿਰਾਉਣਾ (overstates as a final legal verdict here)
Original: ἐλέγξει
Category: God
John 16:8-11. Object includes the already-Critical ਧਾਰਮਿਕਤਾ in a new grammatical role requiring careful unpacking distinct from the justification-by-faith sense.
Light
Approved rendering: ਚਾਨਣ
Transliteration: chanan
Doctrine: Light and Darkness / Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਜੋਤ
Original: φῶς
Category: Christology
Governs 1:4-9; 3:19-21; 8:12; 9:5; 12:35-36,46. REJECT ਜੋਤ absolutely: names the Sikh doctrine of divine light transmitted through the Ten Gurus into the Guru Granth Sahib. Using it here would collapse Christ’s unique self-disclosure into that closed succession structure.
It Is Finished
Approved rendering: ਪੂਰਾ ਹੋਇਆ
Transliteration: pura hoya
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Death
Rejected alternatives: ਖ਼ਤਮ ਹੋਇਆ (mere cessation/defeat, badly undertranslates)
Original: τετέλεσται
Category: Salvation
John 19:30. Must convey triumphant completion/accomplishment, the climactic declaration of the whole doctrine.
High Risk Terms
Faith
Approved rendering: ਨਿਹਚਾ
Transliteration: nihcha
Doctrine: Faith
Rejected alternatives: ਸ਼ਰਧਾ, ਸਿਦਕ
Original: πίστις / πιστεύω
Category: Faith
Verb form ਨਿਹਚਾ ਕਰਨਾ used throughout John; see also new entry believe_directional for the εἰς-construction. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Grace
Approved rendering: ਕਿਰਪਾ
Transliteration: kirpa
Doctrine: Grace
Rejected alternatives: ਮੇਹਰ, ਕਰਮ ਦਾ ਫਲ
Original: χάρις
Category: Salvation
Paired with truth at John 1:14,16-17, contrasted with the Law; must preserve grace-versus-merit distinction. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Sin
Approved rendering: ਪਾਪ
Transliteration: pap
Doctrine: Sin
Rejected alternatives: ਅਧਰਮ
Original: ἁμαρτία
Category: Sin
Governs 1:29; 8:34; ch. 9; 16:8-9. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Sanctification
Approved rendering: ਪਵਿੱਤਰੀਕਰਨ
Transliteration: pavittarikaran
Doctrine: Sanctification
Rejected alternatives: ਸ਼ੁੱਧੀਕਰਨ
Original: ἁγιάζω / ἁγιασμός
Category: Sanctification
Governs John 17:17, 19, Christ’s prayer for believers’ sanctification. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Adoption
Approved rendering: ਦੱਤਕ ਪੁੱਤਰਤਾ
Transliteration: dattak putrata
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Rejected alternatives: ਗੋਦ ਲੈਣਾ
Original: υἱοθεσία (Pauline term, cross-referenced)
Category: Salvation
Pauline legal-adoption metaphor; must NOT be substituted for John’s own birth-metaphor τέκνα θεοῦ (see new entry children_of_god), which is lexically distinct. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Glory
Approved rendering: ਮਹਿਮਾ
Transliteration: mahima
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਜੋਤ
Original: δόξα
Category: God
Governs 1:14; 2:11; 11:4,40; 12:23,41; 17:1,5,22,24. Avoid ਜੋਤ, reinforced by the new light entry’s identical caution. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Law
Approved rendering: ਬਿਵਸਥਾ
Transliteration: bivastha
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Prophecy
Rejected alternatives: ਧਰਮ, ਸ਼ਰੀਅਤ
Original: νόμος
Category: Covenant
Governs 1:17; 7:19; 8:5, contrasted with grace and truth. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Election
Approved rendering: ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦੀ ਚੋਣ
Transliteration: Parmeshar di chon
Doctrine: Election and Effectual Calling
Rejected alternatives: ਕਿਸਮਤ
Original: ἐκλογή (thematic: ἐξελεξάμην, ἔδωκας)
Category: Salvation
Governs 6:37,44,65; 15:16,19; 17:2,6,9. Extended in John by new entry draw (ἑλκύω). Never ਕਿਸਮਤ. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Apostle
Approved rendering: ਰਸੂਲ
Transliteration: rasul
Doctrine: Apostleship
Rejected alternatives: ਗੁਰੂ, ਦੂਤ
NEVER ਗੁਰੂ. John extends this same prohibition to Rabbi/Teacher titles applied to Jesus (see new entry rabbi_teacher) — a risk not present in Romans. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Covenant
Approved rendering: ਨੇਮ
Transliteration: nem
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Rejected alternatives: ਸਮਝੌਤਾ
Background for John 7:42’s Davidic-lineage debate. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Seed Of David
Approved rendering: ਦਾਊਦ ਦੀ ਅੰਸ
Transliteration: Daud di ans
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Background context for John 7:42’s crowd debate over messianic Davidic lineage. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Children Of God
Approved rendering: ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦੇ ਬੱਚੇ
Transliteration: Parmeshar de bacche
Doctrine: The New Birth and Regeneration by the Spirit
Rejected alternatives: ਦੱਤਕ ਪੁੱਤਰਤਾ (reserved for the Pauline adoption metaphor)
Original: τέκνα θεοῦ
Category: Salvation
Governs 1:12-13. John’s birth-metaphor register (organic, born-of-God identity) is distinct from Paul’s legal-adoption metaphor and must be kept lexically separate.
I Am Bread Of Life
Approved rendering: ਮੈਂ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਰੋਟੀ ਹਾਂ
Transliteration: main jivan di roti haan
Doctrine: The Seven ‘I Am’ Statements
Original: ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς
Category: Christology
First of seven formal I Am statements (6:35,48,51); part of the fixed consistency unit.
Born Of Water And Spirit
Approved rendering: ਪਾਣੀ ਅਤੇ ਆਤਮਾ ਤੋਂ ਜਨਮ
Transliteration: pani ate atma ton janam
Doctrine: The New Birth and Regeneration by the Spirit
Rejected alternatives: ਬਪਤਿਸਮੇ ਦੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਤੋਂ ਜਨਮ (imports an unwarranted, specific baptismal reading)
Original: γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος
Category: Salvation
John 3:5. Preserve exegetical openness of the Greek; do not silently commit to one interpretive tradition. Flag for theologian review.
Draw
Approved rendering: ਖਿੱਚਣਾ
Transliteration: khichna
Doctrine: Election and Effectual Calling
Rejected alternatives: ਕਿਸਮਤ (fate)
Original: ἑλκύω
Category: Salvation
John 6:44. God’s sovereign initiative without coercion against the will; extends baseline election caution into new Johannine vocabulary.
Believe Directional
Approved rendering: ਨਿਹਚਾ ਕਰਨਾ…ਵਿੱਚ / ਉੱਤੇ
Transliteration: nihcha karna…vich / utte
Doctrine: Eternal Life through Faith in Christ / Faith
Original: πιστεύω εἰς
Category: Faith
Where the Greek uses πιστεύειν εἰς (‘believe INTO,’ 3:15-16,18,36 and throughout), prefer this directional construction to preserve whole-person trust placed IN Christ, stronger than propositional ὅτι-assent.
Name Onoma
Approved rendering: ਨਾਮ
Transliteration: naam
Doctrine: Believing in Christ’s Name
Original: ὄνομα
Category: Faith
Governs 1:12; 3:18; 20:31. ਨਾਮ is one of the most theologically loaded words in Sikh doctrine (Naam Japna/Naam-simran). Context must make unmistakable that ‘believing in his name’ is personal trust in Christ’s revealed person, NOT meditative Name-repetition for merit.
Wrath Of God
Approved rendering: ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦਾ ਗੁੱਸਾ
Transliteration: Parmeshar da gussa
Doctrine: Judgment and Belief/Unbelief
Rejected alternatives: ਕਰੋਪ / ਕ੍ਰੋਧ (classical/Sanskritic register, suggests temper or impersonal karmic backlash)
Original: ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: Judgment
John 3:36. Must be framed as God’s settled, judicial response to unbelief, not an impersonal karmic consequence or fickle temper.
Truth
Approved rendering: ਸਚਾਈ
Transliteration: sachai
Doctrine: Truth Revealed in Christ
Original: ἀλήθεια
Category: Faith
Governs 1:14,17; 3:21; 4:23-24; 8:32; 14:6; 16:13; 17:17; 18:37-38. Genuine bridge to Sikh Sat/Satnam doctrine, but must stay personal/christological (14:6), disclosed once in Christ, not an abstract attribute approached via Naam-simran.
Abide
Approved rendering: ਬਣੇ ਰਹਿਣਾ
Transliteration: bane rehna
Doctrine: Abiding in Christ
Original: μένω
Category: Church
John 15:4-10, used 11 times. Keep rendering identical across all 11 occurrences to preserve rhetorical structure; parallels Paul’s ‘in Christ’ union language.
Unity Of Believers
Approved rendering: ਏਕਤਾ / ਸਾਰੇ ਇੱਕ ਹੋਣ
Transliteration: ekta / sare ikk hona
Doctrine: Unity of the Father and the Son (extended to believers)
Original: ἵνα πάντες ἓν ὦσιν
Category: Church
John 17:11,21-22. Must be relational/communal, modeled on Trinitarian relationship, never ontological merger/absorption (cf. Sikh mukti-as-merger caution).
Worship
Approved rendering: ਉਪਾਸਨਾ
Transliteration: upasana
Doctrine: Worship Rightly Directed to Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਭਗਤੀ (a specific devotional path/practice, bhakti-marga)
Original: προσκυνέω
Category: God
Governs 4:20-24; 9:38; 12:20. 9:38 (worship directed to and accepted by Jesus without correction) is a distinct deity-of-Christ data point.
Kingdom Not Of World
Approved rendering: ਮੇਰਾ ਰਾਜ ਇਸ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ
Transliteration: mera raj is sansar da nahi hai
Doctrine: Kingdom Mission Is Not Political Sovereignty
Original: ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου
Category: Kingdom
John 18:36. Primary proof-text extending the baseline’s Khalsa-Raj political-sovereignty caution on ਰਾਜ.
Lay Down Life
Approved rendering: ਮੈਂ ਆਪਣੀ ਜਾਨ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹਾਂ
Transliteration: main apni jaan dinda haan
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Death
Rejected alternatives: ਉਸ ਦੀ ਜਾਨ ਚਲੀ ਗਈ (passive, implies accidental/externally imposed death)
Original: τίθημι τὴν ψυχήν
Category: Salvation
Governs 10:11,15,17-18. Explicitly voluntary and self-authorized; preserve active voice.
Died For People
Approved rendering: …ਦੇ ਬਦਲੇ / …ਦੀ ਖ਼ਾਤਰ ਮਰਨਾ
Transliteration: …de badle / …di khatir marna
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Death
Original: ὑπέρ + ἀποθνῄσκω
Category: Salvation
Governs 11:49-52 (Caiaphas’s unwitting prophecy); 15:13. Preserve the substitutionary force of ὑπέρ; do not dilute to coincidental or merely exemplary death.
Eat Flesh Drink Blood
Approved rendering: ਮਾਸ ਖਾਣਾ / ਲਹੂ ਪੀਣਾ
Transliteration: maas khana / lahu pina
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Death (sacramental)
Original: φαγεῖν τὴν σάρκα / πιεῖν τὸ αἷμα
Category: Salvation
John 6:53-56. Uses ਮਾਸ (literal flesh/meat), deliberately distinct from ਸਰੀਰ (see flesh_human_nature). Requires strong symbolic-not-literal framing given vegetarian sensibility and blood-purity concerns.
World Kosmos
Approved rendering: ਸੰਸਾਰ
Transliteration: sansar
Doctrine: God’s Love for the World
Rejected alternatives: ਦੁਨੀਆ (too casual/secular), ਜਗਤ (classical-literary, equally samsara-adjacent)
Original: κόσμος
Category: God
Governs 3:16-17; 1:10; 15:18-19 (κόσμος occurs 78 times). Cognate with saṃsāra (Hindu/Sikh rebirth cycle); context must anchor ‘world’ as humanity/created order, not the Samsara-cycle.
Love Agape
Approved rendering: ਪਿਆਰ
Transliteration: piar
Doctrine: God’s Love for the World
Rejected alternatives: ਭਗਤੀ (devotee-initiated love straining toward the divine — reverse movement), ਇਸ਼ਕ (Sufi devotional-poetic register)
Original: ἀγαπάω / ἀγάπη
Category: God
Governs 3:16; 13:34; 15:13. Genuine bridge to Punjabi devotional vocabulary, but direction of movement (God-initiated, sacrificial) must be actively taught.
Overcome World
Approved rendering: ਸੰਸਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਜਿੱਤ ਲਿਆ ਹੈ
Transliteration: sansar nu jit lia hai
Doctrine: Assurance of Salvation and Victory in Christ
Original: νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον
Category: Salvation
John 16:33. Preserve completed-past-act force (‘I HAVE overcome’), not future hope only.
Son Of Man
Approved rendering: ਮਨੁੱਖ ਦਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ
Transliteration: manukkh da puttar
Doctrine: Deity and Pre-existence of Christ / Messianic Promise
John 3:13 and throughout. Daniel 7:13-14 background required or the deliberate paradox (humility + highest divine authority) will be missed. Must be kept lexically distinct from ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ (Son of God) — John uses both titles with distinct theological freight.
Medium Risk Terms
Kingdom Of God
Approved rendering: ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦਾ ਰਾਜ
Transliteration: Parmeshar da Raj
Doctrine: Kingdom Mission
Original: βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: Kingdom
Governs John 3:3, 3:5 (entered only by new birth) and 18:36 (‘my kingdom is not of this world’ — see new entry kingdom_not_of_world). Khalsa-Raj political resonance caution applies. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Peace
Approved rendering: ਸ਼ਾਂਤੀ
Transliteration: shanti
Doctrine: Peace with God
Rejected alternatives: ਸਹਿਜ
Original: εἰρήνη
Category: Salvation
Governs John 14:27; 20:19,21,26. Never ਸਹਿਜ (Sikh meditative equipoise). [Inherited from Romans package.]
Israel
Approved rendering: ਇਸਰਾਏਲ
Transliteration: Israel
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Original: Ἰσραήλ
Category: Covenant
Governs 1:49; 3:10 (‘the teacher of Israel’). [Inherited from Romans package.]
Gentiles
Approved rendering: ਪਰਾਈਆਂ ਕੌਮਾਂ
Transliteration: paraiyan kaumaan
Doctrine: Universal Scope of the Gospel
Rejected alternatives: ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ੀ
Relevant to John 10:16 (‘other sheep’) and 12:20-32 (Greeks seeking Jesus). Ensure not misread as reference to a specific qaum-identity group. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Abba
Approved rendering: ਅੱਬਾ
Transliteration: Abba
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Aramaic intimacy term; retained per baseline convention should it recur in John-adjacent teaching material. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Intercession
Approved rendering: ਵਿਚੋਲਗੀ
Transliteration: vicholgi
Doctrine: Prayer and Intercession
Original: ἔντευξις (thematic: ch. 17 prayer)
Category: Faith
Modeled in Christ’s High Priestly Prayer, ch. 17. Must be kept distinct from the new entry counselor_paraclete (ਸਹਾਇਕ) — the Paraclete is a continuously present Person, not merely an act of mediating prayer. [Inherited from Romans package.]
I Am Door Of Sheep
Approved rendering: ਮੈਂ ਭੇਡਾਂ ਦਾ ਦਰਵਾਜ਼ਾ ਹਾਂ
Transliteration: main bhedan da darvaza haan
Doctrine: The Seven ‘I Am’ Statements
Original: ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ θύρα τῶν προβάτων
Category: Christology
Third I Am statement (10:7,9); culturally accessible, low collision risk.
I Am Good Shepherd
Approved rendering: ਮੈਂ ਚੰਗਾ ਅਯਾਲੀ ਹਾਂ
Transliteration: main changa ayali haan
Doctrine: The Seven ‘I Am’ Statements
Original: ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός
Category: Christology
Fourth I Am statement (10:11,14); agrarian image natural to Punjab, low collision risk.
I Am True Vine
Approved rendering: ਮੈਂ ਸੱਚੀ ਅੰਗੂਰ ਦੀ ਵੇਲ ਹਾਂ
Transliteration: main sachi angoor di vel haan
Doctrine: The Seven ‘I Am’ Statements
Original: ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή
Category: Christology
Seventh and final I Am statement (15:1,5); agricultural metaphor, low collision risk.
Perish
Approved rendering: ਨਾਸ ਹੋਣਾ
Transliteration: nash hona
Doctrine: Judgment and Belief/Unbelief
Rejected alternatives: ਖ਼ਤਮ ਹੋਣਾ (too weak, cessation only), ਬਰਬਾਦ ਹੋਣਾ (too colloquial for this register)
Original: ἀπόλλυμι
Category: Judgment
John 3:16’s binary opposite of eternal life; preserve stark either/or force.
Freedom Set Free
Approved rendering: ਆਜ਼ਾਦ ਕਰਨਾ
Transliteration: azad karna
Doctrine: Sin as Bondage and Universal Condition
Original: ἐλευθερόω
Category: Judgment
John 8:32,36. Strong secular-political resonance in Punjab; anchor explicitly to freedom from sin’s bondage (8:34), not political/social liberation.
Slave Of Sin
Approved rendering: ਪਾਪ ਦਾ ਗੁਲਾਮ
Transliteration: paap da gulam
Doctrine: Sin as Bondage and Universal Condition
Original: δοῦλος τῆς ἁμαρτίας
Category: Sin
John 8:34.
Wind Spirit Wordplay
Approved rendering: ਹਵਾ (wind) / ਆਤਮਾ (Spirit)
Transliteration: hawa / atma
Doctrine: The New Birth and Regeneration by the Spirit
Original: πνεῦμα
Category: God
John 3:8. Untranslatable single-word Greek/Hebrew pun (πνεῦμα/ruach = both wind and Spirit); Punjabi has two separate lexemes. Mandatory translator’s note required at every occurrence.
Condemn Judgment
Approved rendering: ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਠਹਿਰਾਉਣਾ / ਨਿਆਂ
Transliteration: doshi thehrauna / nyay
Doctrine: Judgment and Belief/Unbelief
Rejected alternatives: ਸਜ਼ਾ (anticipates the sentence rather than naming the judicial act)
Original: κρίνω / κρίσις
Category: Judgment
Governs 3:17-19; 5:24,27-29. ਨਿਆਂ here names forensic judgment, a distinct usage from the baseline’s rejection of ਨਿਆਂ as a substitute for ‘righteousness’; keep the two uses conceptually separate.
Ruler Of This World
Approved rendering: ਇਸ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦਾ ਹਾਕਮ
Transliteration: is sansar da hakam
Doctrine: Judgment and Belief/Unbelief (cosmic dimension)
Original: ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου
Category: Judgment
Governs 12:31; 14:30; 16:11. Frame as a defeated, subordinate usurper, never a rival co-equal cosmic deity.
New Commandment
Approved rendering: ਨਵਾਂ ਹੁਕਮ
Transliteration: nava hukam
Doctrine: Mutual Love as the New Commandment
Original: ἐντολὴ καινή
Category: Church
John 13:34-35. ਹੁਕਮ acceptable in this everyday ethical-command sense; keep separate from ਹੁਕਮ’s much more loaded technical Sikh sense (submission to Waheguru’s impersonal Divine Order), governed by the baseline’s providence caution.
Testimony Witness
Approved rendering: ਗਵਾਹੀ / ਗਵਾਹੀ ਦੇਣਾ
Transliteration: gawahi / gawahi dena
Doctrine: Testimony and Witness to Christ
Original: μαρτυρία / μαρτυρέω
Category: Faith
Major structuring category across the whole Gospel (John the Baptist, Jesus’s works, the Father, the Scriptures, the Spirit). Render consistently throughout.
Temple
Approved rendering: ਹੈਕਲ
Transliteration: haikal
Doctrine: background (Church-adjacent)
Rejected alternatives: ਮੰਦਰ
Original: ἱερόν / ναός
Category: Church
Governs 2:14-21; 5:14; 7:14,28; 8:20,59; 10:23. NEVER ਮੰਦਰ, consistent with baseline church. 2:21’s body-as-temple wordplay needs a clarifying phrase.
Sign
Approved rendering: ਚਿੰਨ੍ਹ
Transliteration: chinh
Doctrine: Signs as Evidence Pointing to Christ
Rejected alternatives: ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨ (Nishan Sahib institutional association)
Original: σημεῖον
Category: Christology
Governs 2:11,18,23; 4:54; 6:2,14,26,30; 9:16; 11:47; 12:18,37; 20:30.
Samaritan
Approved rendering: ਸਾਮਰੀ
Transliteration: samri
Doctrine: Universal Scope of the Gospel
Original: Σαμαρίτης / Σαμαρῖται
Category: Church
Ch. 4. Requires cultural-historical background note on Jewish-Samaritan hostility, without which the narrative’s scandal will not register.
Jews Jewish Leaders
Approved rendering: ਯਹੂਦੀ / ਯਹੂਦੀ ਆਗੂ
Transliteration: yahudi / yahudi agu
Doctrine: background sensitivity
Original: οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι
Category: Church
οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι throughout, esp. chs. 5, 7-9, 18-19. Context-sensitive rendering required; use ਯਹੂਦੀ ਆਗੂ where the hostile leadership specifically is meant, to avoid anti-Jewish misreading. Flag for native-speaker review at each recurrence.
Blood And Water
Approved rendering: ਲਹੂ ਅਤੇ ਪਾਣੀ
Transliteration: lahu ate pani
Doctrine: Humanity of Christ
Original: αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ
Category: Christology
John 19:34-35. Anchors genuine bodily death against any docetic misreading.
Flesh Human Nature
Approved rendering: ਸਰੀਰ
Transliteration: sarir
Doctrine: The New Birth and Regeneration by the Spirit / Incarnation
Original: σάρξ
Category: Christology
John 3:6; 1:14. Reserve ਮਾਸ for the graphic sacramental language of John 6. Must not suggest the body itself is evil.
Love Agape Phileo Wordplay
Approved rendering: ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਨਾ
Transliteration: piar karna
Doctrine: Pastoral Restoration and Commissioning
Original: ἀγαπάω / φιλέω
Category: God
John 21:15-17. Punjabi has a single verb for both ἀγαπάω and φιλέω; the Greek two-verb nuance is unavoidably flattened. Translator’s note recommended.
King Of Israel
Approved rendering: ਇਸਰਾਏਲ ਦਾ ਰਾਜਾ
Transliteration: Israel da raja
Doctrine: Messianic Promise / Kingdom Mission
John 1:49, Nathanael’s confession. Ties Davidic/messianic kingship expectation to Jesus; connects to kingdom_of_god’s political-sovereignty caution.
Low Risk Terms
Prophet
Approved rendering: ਨਬੀ
Transliteration: nabi
Doctrine: Inspiration of Scripture
Original: προφήτης
Category: Covenant
Governs 1:21,25; 4:19; 9:17. [Inherited from Romans package.]
David
Approved rendering: ਦਾਊਦ
Transliteration: Daud
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Original: Δαυίδ
Category: Covenant
Governs 7:42. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Fellowship
Approved rendering: ਸੰਗਤ
Transliteration: sangat
Doctrine: Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: ਦੋਸਤੀ
Original: κοινωνία (thematic)
Category: Church
OPPORTUNITY term; relevant to John’s community-formation passages though not a distinct Johannine lexeme. [Inherited from Romans package.]
Darkness
Approved rendering: ਹਨੇਰਾ
Transliteration: hanera
Doctrine: Light and Darkness
Original: σκότος / σκοτία
Category: Judgment
Governs 1:5; 3:19. Always paired with the light entry; keep the binary contrast sharp.
Sabbath
Approved rendering: ਸਬਤ
Transliteration: sabat
Doctrine: background
Original: σάββατον
Category: Covenant
Governs 5:9-18; 9:14. Requires background explanation of Jewish Sabbath law.
Feed Tend Sheep
Approved rendering: ਚਾਰਾ ਦੇਹ / ਦੇਖਭਾਲ ਕਰ
Transliteration: chara deh / dekhbhal kar
Doctrine: Pastoral Restoration and Commissioning
Original: βόσκε / ποίμαινε
Category: Church
John 21:15-17. Reuses ch. 10’s Good Shepherd imagery.
Zeal
Approved rendering: ਅਣਖ
Transliteration: anakh
Doctrine: background
Original: ζῆλος
Category: Church
John 2:17, quoting Psalm 69:9.
Grain Of Wheat
Approved rendering: ਕਣਕ ਦਾ ਦਾਣਾ
Transliteration: kanak da dana
Doctrine: Christ’s Substitutionary Death (extended)
Original: ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου
Category: Salvation
John 12:24. Positive agrarian-Punjab fit; tie clearly to Christ’s own death, not a generalized nature-cycle.
Pharisee
Approved rendering: ਫ਼ਰੀਸੀ
Transliteration: Farisi
Doctrine: background (core passage)
John 3:1 and throughout. Requires brief Second Temple Judaism background gloss, similar to seed_of_david’s OT-background handling.
Nicodemus
Approved rendering: ਨਿਕੁਦੇਮੁਸ
Transliteration: Nikudemus
Doctrine: background (core passage proper name)
John 3:1 and following; established Punjabi Bible proper-name transliteration.
Referenced passages