Semantic Analysis
Acts — Semantic Analysis (Phase 1, Step 1)
Scope and Method
This document analyzes the entire book of Acts (chapters 1–28) in the original Koine Greek for the purpose of extending the existing Romans Language Package (romanian) to the Acts curriculum. Where a term already exists in the baseline translation_memory.json / bible_term_registry.json, the recorded Romanian rendering is reused exactly and is marked “(reused from Romans TM).” New terms introduced by Acts receive full first-time analysis and a proposed risk tier consistent with the baseline’s risk framework (Critical/High/Medium/Low) and its documented Romanian-Orthodox-majority cultural collision pattern.
Part 1 treats the core passage, Acts 2:1–41, verse by verse. Part 2 treats every chapter of Acts from 1 to 28 in canonical order, chapter by chapter, noting either new load-bearing terms or explicitly stating that a chapter reuses prior vocabulary without introducing new terms.
PART 1 — Core Passage: Acts 2:1–41 (Verse by Verse)
Acts 2:1–3 — The Spirit descends
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pentecost | πεντηκοστή | pentēkostē | ”fiftieth [day]“ | The Jewish harvest feast (Shavuot/Feast of Weeks), 50 days after Passover; by metonymy, the day itself | Pentecost, Feast of Weeks | The feast on which the Spirit is poured out, fulfilling the pattern of Passover→Firstfruits→Pentecost; inaugurates the church’s mission | Cincizecime (as in “ziua Cincizecimii”). Risk: Critical. Romanian popular and even some liturgical usage names this feast “Rusaliile,” a term historically entangled with pre-Christian Romanian folk belief in rusalii — supernatural nymph-like spirits believed active during Pentecost week, associated with folk-magical taboos (not working, wearing wormwood for protection, etc.). Using “Rusalii” risks activating this folk-syncretistic association instead of the biblical event. This curriculum standardizes on the transparent Scriptural calque “Cincizecime” (as Cornilescu and the Synodal text both do in Acts 2:1), reserving “Rusalii” only for liturgical-calendar cross-reference notes, never as the primary term. |
| filled with the Holy Spirit | ἐπλήσθησαν … πνεύματος ἁγίου | eplēsthēsan pneumatos hagiou | ”were filled … of Holy Spirit” | Complete filling/control, distinct from mere presence or influence | filled, were filled | The defining Pentecost event: the Spirit takes full possession of the gathered believers | umpluți de Duhul Sfânt. “Duhul Sfânt” reused from Romans TM (holy_spirit, Critical). Risk: Critical — must convey personal indwelling/empowerment, not a vague “spiritual atmosphere.” |
| tongues as of fire | γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός | glōssai hōsei pyros | ”tongues as-if of fire” | A visible, tongue-shaped flame resting on each person; symbolic of divine presence/purification (cf. burning bush, refiner’s fire) | tongues of fire, flames | Visible sign of the Spirit’s arrival and empowerment for speech | limbi ca de foc. Risk: Medium. Must not be flattened into a merely decorative image; the theophanic (fire = divine presence) resonance should be retained, which is well-supported by Orthodox iconographic tradition of the Pentecost icon. |
| a sound like a mighty rushing wind | ἦχος ὥσπερ φερομένης πνοῆς βιαίας | ēchos hōsper pheromenēs pnoēs biaias | ”a sound as of a violent/forceful blowing” | πνοή relates to πνεῦμα (Spirit/breath/wind) — a deliberate wordplay | rushing wind, mighty wind | The Spirit’s arrival is auditory and forceful, echoing OT theophanies (e.g., 1 Kings 19) | vuiet ca de vânt puternic. Risk: Low. Standard rendering; the wind/Spirit wordplay (πνοή/πνεῦμα) is largely untranslatable but should be flagged in a translator note so teaching material can explain it explicitly, since Romanian “duh/vânt” does not preserve the pun. |
Acts 2:4 — Speaking in other tongues
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| other tongues | ἑτέραις γλώσσαις | heterais glōssais | ”other/different tongues” | Real, identifiable human languages (confirmed by v. 6-11, “each one heard them speaking in his own language”), not ecstatic unintelligible speech | other tongues, other languages | Reversal of Babel (Genesis 11): the Spirit unites nations through comprehensible proclamation rather than confusing speech | alte limbi. Risk: Medium. Must be distinguished in teaching notes from the Corinthian glossolalia debate (unintelligible utterance requiring interpretation); Acts 2 describes xenolalia — known human languages understood by hearers. Charismatic/Pentecostal and cessationist Romanian readers may import assumptions from 1 Corinthians 14; a translator note should anchor this occurrence to its own context. |
| as the Spirit gave them utterance | καθὼς τὸ πνεῦμα ἐδίδου ἀποφθέγγεσθαι αὐτοῖς | kathōs to pneuma edidou apophthengesthai autois | ”as the Spirit was giving to them to declare/utter” | ἀποφθέγγομαι = to speak out with clarity/authority, often of solemn or inspired utterance | gave them utterance, enabled them to speak | The speech is Spirit-caused and Spirit-empowered, not self-generated performance | precum le dădea Duhul să vorbească. Risk: Medium. Preserve divine agency (the Spirit “gives,” they receive) rather than framing this as a human skill or achievement. |
Acts 2:5–13 — The crowd’s reaction
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| devout men | ἄνδρες εὐλαβεῖς | andres eulabeis | ”reverent/circumspect men” | Devout, God-fearing observant Jews | devout men, God-fearing men | The audience is not pagan but Torah-observant diaspora Jews gathered for the feast — establishes the “to the Jew first” pattern | oameni evlavioși/temători de Dumnezeu. Risk: Low. Standard term. |
| confounded/bewildered | συνεχύθη | synechythē | ”was confused/thrown into confusion” | Bewilderment produced by an event exceeding normal categories | confounded, bewildered, amazed | Structural echo/reversal of Babel’s “confusion” (σύγχυσις, Genesis 11 LXX) — here confusion arises from unity of understanding, not division of language | s-a tulburat/a rămas uluită [mulțimea]. Risk: Low. A translator note may flag the Babel-reversal literary echo for teaching purposes even though the Romanian word itself will not carry it. |
| the mighty works of God | τὰ μεγαλεῖα τοῦ θεοῦ | ta megaleia tou theou | ”the great things/deeds of God” | God’s great redemptive acts, often used of the Exodus and comparable saving acts (LXX usage) | mighty works, wonderful works, great things | The content of the Spirit-given speech is doxology/proclamation of God’s saving acts, not mere ecstatic sound | lucrările mărețe ale lui Dumnezeu. Risk: Low. |
Acts 2:14–21 — Peter’s sermon begins: the Joel citation
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| in the last days | ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις | en tais eschatais hēmerais | ”in the last/final days” | Eschatological age inaugurated by the Messiah’s coming, not necessarily the immediate end of history | last days, latter days | Pentecost marks the dawning of the promised messianic/eschatological age | în zilele din urmă. Risk: Medium. Must be taught as an already-inaugurated era (the age between Christ’s first and second coming), not exclusively a future end-times countdown, a common folk-eschatology misreading. |
| I will pour out my Spirit | ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου | ekcheō apo tou pneumatos mou | ”I will pour out from my Spirit” | Abundant, decisive, divinely-initiated outpouring, echoing OT sacrificial “pouring out” language | pour out my Spirit | The universal (not merely priestly/prophetic-elite) distribution of the Spirit across sons/daughters, young/old, male/female slaves — a democratization of prophetic empowerment | voi turna din Duhul Meu. “Duhul” reused (Critical). Risk: High. Must retain the universal scope (“upon all flesh,” πᾶσαν σάρκα) without narrowing to a spiritual elite — directly relevant to the doctrine of Holy Spirit and Pentecost. |
| prophesy | προφητεύσουσιν | prophēteusousin | ”they will prophesy” | Spirit-inspired declaration of God’s word/purposes | prophesy | Sign that the Spirit-filled community, not a priestly caste, now bears the prophetic gift | vor proroci. Reused root of prophecy/prophet from Romans TM (Low). Risk: Medium in this context specifically because of its universal (all flesh, sons and daughters) scope, which should not be re-narrowed to clergy alone. |
| signs … and wonders | σημεῖα … καὶ τέρατα | sēmeia kai terata | ”signs and wonders/portents” | Miraculous, attention-arresting divine acts that point beyond themselves to God’s activity | signs and wonders, miraculous signs | Cosmic and earthly signs accompanying the “day of the Lord”; also becomes a recurring Acts formula for apostolic miracles (3:1-10; 4:30; 5:12; 14:3; 15:12) | semne și minuni. Risk: Medium. New term for this curriculum; central to the doctrine “Apostolic Authority and Miracles.” Must be taught as attesting signs subordinate to the proclaimed word, not as independent displays of power. |
| the great and glorious day of the Lord | ἡμέραν κυρίου τὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἐπιφανῆ | hēmeran kyriou tēn megalēn kai epiphanē | ”the great and manifest/glorious day of [the] Lord” | The decisive eschatological day of divine visitation, judgment, and salvation | the day of the Lord | Peter applies this OT day-of-the-LORD language to the present inbreaking of the messianic age at Pentecost | ziua cea mare și strălucită a Domnului. “Domnul” reused (Critical). Risk: Medium. |
| whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved | πᾶς ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται | pas hos an epikalesētai to onoma kyriou sōthēsetai | ”everyone who calls upon the name of [the] Lord will be saved” | Calling on the name = invoking, confessing allegiance to, and depending on for rescue | call on the name of the Lord | Foundational universal-salvation-offer text, echoed again in Romans 10:13 (same OT citation, Joel 2:32) | oricine va chema Numele Domnului va fi mântuit. “mântuire/mântuit” reused (Critical); this exact phrase must match the Romans 10:13 rendering per the baseline’s cross-document consistency rule. Risk: Critical. Universal (“oricine,” whoever) must never be qualified or narrowed. |
Acts 2:22–24 — Jesus of Nazareth: attested, delivered, raised
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a man attested by God | ἄνδρα ἀποδεδειγμένον ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ | andra apodedeigmenon apo tou theou | ”a man demonstrated/proven from God” | Publicly certified/validated | attested, accredited, certified | Jesus’ full humanity is affirmed alongside divine endorsement — important for later Christological precision | un om adeverit de Dumnezeu [prin minuni, semne și puteri]. Risk: High. Must preserve both real humanity (om) and the divine source of the attestation, avoiding a docetic softening of “om.” |
| mighty works and wonders and signs | δυνάμεσι καὶ τέρασι καὶ σημείοις | dynamesi kai terasi kai sēmeiois | ”powers/miracles and wonders and signs” | δύναμις = power/miracle; overlaps with power_of_god (Romans TM) | miracles, mighty works | Threefold vocabulary for the same category of divine-attesting acts | puteri, minuni și semne. “puterea lui Dumnezeu” root reused (Medium, Romans TM). Risk: Medium. |
| the definite plan and foreknowledge of God | τῇ ὡρισμένῃ βουλῇ καὶ προγνώσει τοῦ θεοῦ | tē hōrismenē boulē kai prognōsei tou theou | ”the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God” | God’s sovereign, pre-determined saving purpose | God’s plan, purpose, foreknowledge | The crucifixion, though a human crime, occurred within God’s sovereign redemptive design — a providence statement | planul hotărât și mai dinainte cunoscut al lui Dumnezeu. Overlaps conceptually with providence (Medium, Romans TM: “pronia lui Dumnezeu”). Risk: High. Must hold together divine sovereignty and genuine human culpability (v. 23b) without collapsing into fatalism (“soartă/destin,” explicitly rejected in the baseline providence entry) or into denial of divine sovereignty. |
| you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men | διὰ χειρὸς ἀνόμων προσπήξαντες ἀνείλατε | dia cheiros anomōn prospēxantes aneilate | ”through [the] hand of lawless [men], having fastened, you killed” | ἄνομος = “without law,” i.e., Gentiles (Roman executioners) acting outside Torah | lawless men, wicked men | Assigns real historical and moral responsibility for the crucifixion while under God’s sovereign plan | prin mâna celor fărădelege, l-ați răstignit și l-ați omorât. Risk: Medium. |
| God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death | ὁ θεὸς ἀνέστησεν, λύσας τὰς ὠδῖνας τοῦ θανάτου | ho theos anestēsen, lysas tas ōdinas tou thanatou | ”God raised [him] up, having loosed the birth-pangs/pains of death” | ὠδίν = labor pains; death is pictured as a womb from which Christ is delivered, or a snare/cord that is loosed | raised him up, loosed the pangs/agony of death | Bodily, historical resurrection; death’s grip is broken, not merely death’s “sting” softened | Dumnezeu l-a înviat, dezlegând legăturile morții (or “durerile morții”). “a înviat/înviere” reused (Critical, Romans TM). Risk: Critical, though — as the baseline notes for the resurrection term generally — this is also a major cultural asset given Romanian Orthodox Easter’s centrality; precision, not persuasion, is the task. |
Acts 2:25–31 — David’s prophecy of the resurrection
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| patriarch David | πατριάρχου Δαυίδ | patriarchou Dauid | ”patriarch David” | Honored ancestor/founding figure | patriarch David | Establishes David’s authoritative, ancestral status, grounding the Davidic-covenant argument | patriarhul David. “David” reused (Low, Romans TM). Risk: Low. |
| God had sworn with an oath | ὅρκῳ ὤμοσεν αὐτῷ ὁ θεός | horkō ōmosen autō ho theos | ”with an oath God swore to him” | Binding divine self-commitment (cf. Psalm 132:11; 2 Samuel 7) | swore with an oath, promised | Grounds the resurrection argument in God’s covenant faithfulness to David — connects directly to davidic_covenant (Medium, Romans TM) | Dumnezeu i-a jurat cu jurământ. Risk: Medium. Requires the same OT covenant background (2 Samuel 7) the baseline registry flags for davidic_covenant/seed_of_david. |
| foreseeing, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ | προϊδὼν ἐλάλησεν περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τοῦ Χριστοῦ | proidōn elalēsen peri tēs anastaseōs tou Christou | ”having foreseen, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ” | Prophetic foresight fulfilled specifically and literally | foreseeing, foretelling | Ties Psalm 16 typologically/prophetically to the bodily resurrection of the Messiah, not David himself (who “saw corruption”) | prevăzând, a vorbit despre învierea lui Hristos. “înviere,” “Hristos” (via messiah) reused (Critical). Risk: Critical. |
Acts 2:32–36 — Exaltation and the apostolic proclamation
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| witnesses | μάρτυρες | martyres | ”witnesses” | Legal/eyewitness testimony bearers; later develops the secondary sense “martyr” (one who testifies unto death, cf. Acts 22:20) | witnesses | The apostles’ authority rests on eyewitness testimony to the resurrection — foundational to the doctrine “Persecution and Bold Witness” | martori. Risk: High. New core term for Acts; must be kept distinct from (but understood as later giving rise to) the specialized Romanian “martir” (martyr in the death sense) used from Acts 22:20 onward — a valuable, not confusing, semantic development to teach explicitly. |
| exalted at the right hand of God | τῇ δεξιᾷ τοῦ θεοῦ ὑψωθείς | tē dexia tou theou hypsōtheis | ”having been exalted by/to the right hand of God” | Enthronement language of supreme honor and authority (cf. Psalm 110:1) | exalted, raised to the right hand | Christ’s post-resurrection enthronement, the basis for pouring out the Spirit | înălțat prin/la dreapta lui Dumnezeu. Risk: High. Distinct from, but related to, the Ascension (a major Orthodox feast, “Înălțarea Domnului”) — a translator note should clarify this is heavenly enthronement, of a piece with the Ascension narrated in Acts 1:9-11. |
| Lord and Christ | κύριον καὶ χριστὸν | kyrion kai christon | ”Lord and Christ/Messiah” | Twin titles of supreme authority (kyrios) and messianic office (christos) | Lord and Messiah, Lord and Christ | The climactic confession of Peter’s sermon; the same “Jesus is Lord” confession structure as Romans 10:9 | Domn și Hristos. “Domnul” (Critical) and “Hristos/Mesia” (Critical) both reused. Risk: Critical. Per the baseline’s cross-document consistency rule for Romans 10:9, this confession’s wording must be checked against and kept consistent with “Iisus este Domnul.” |
Acts 2:37–41 — Repentance, baptism, and response
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cut to the heart | κατενύγησαν τὴν καρδίαν | katenygēsan tēn kardian | ”were pierced/stabbed as to the heart” | Sharp, painful conviction (κατανύσσομαι, root of Orthodox “umilință/străpungerea inimii” devotional vocabulary) | cut to the heart, pierced in heart | Conviction of sin produced by the proclaimed word, prerequisite to genuine repentance | s-au simțit străpunși la inimă. Risk: Medium. This root is, helpfully, already at home in Orthodox penitential vocabulary (compunction, umilință), an asset rather than a collision. |
| Repent | μετανοήσατε | metanoēsate | ”change your mind/turn around” | A decisive, inward reorientation toward God expressed outwardly — not mere remorse or ritual penance | repent, turn | The first apostolic command of the church age; foundational to the doctrine “Repentance and Baptism” | Pocăiți-vă! New core term (repentance). Risk: High. Orthodox usage strongly associates “pocăință” with the sacramental rite of confession before a priest (Taina Pocăinței/Spovedania). This curriculum must teach the term’s root sense here — an inward turning from sin to God evidenced in baptism — without denying the value of sacramental confession in later Christian life, and without letting the sacramental association substitute for or delay the initial turning Acts 2:38 commands of every hearer. |
| be baptized … in the name of Jesus Christ | βαπτισθήτω … ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ | baptisthētō … epi tō onomati Iēsou Christou | ”let [each] be baptized … upon/in the name of Jesus Christ” | Immersion/washing rite performed as a public, identifying act “upon” Christ’s name and authority | be baptized in the name of | Baptism as the outward, Spirit-accompanied response of repentant faith, not a separate later sacrament of infancy in this narrative context | să se boteze … în Numele lui Iisus Hristos. New core term (baptism). Risk: Critical. Genuine collision: Orthodox sacramental theology holds baptism (normally administered in infancy) as itself regenerative and constitutive of church membership (synergistic with later confirmation/chrismation and a lifelong process), while Acts 2:38 narrates believing adults baptized immediately upon repentance as the response to preached faith. This curriculum must teach Acts’ historical narrative pattern (repentance → baptism → Spirit) accurately without either denying Orthodox infant baptism practice outright or flattening Acts’ adult-response pattern to accommodate it; an explicit teaching note is required at every occurrence, paralleling the baseline’s saints and sfinți handling. |
| for the forgiveness of your sins | εἰς ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὑμῶν | eis aphesin tōn hamartiōn hymōn | ”unto/for [the] forgiveness/release of your sins” | ἄφεσις = release, cancellation of debt/bondage | for the forgiveness of sins | Sins, pictured as a binding debt, are released/cancelled | spre iertarea păcatelor voastre. “păcat” reused (Medium, Romans TM). Risk: High given its direct grammatical link to baptism in this verse — care is needed in teaching notes to avoid implying baptism mechanically/automatically effects forgiveness apart from the repentance and faith the verse also requires. |
| the gift of the Holy Spirit | τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος | tēn dōrean tou hagiou pneumatos | ”the gift of the Holy Spirit” | δωρεά = a free, gratuitous gift (cognate with χάρις/grace vocabulary) | gift of the Holy Spirit | The Spirit himself, not merely his benefits, is given as a gift to every repentant believer, not a spiritual elite | darul Duhului Sfânt. “Duhul Sfânt” reused (Critical); note conceptual proximity to grace (Critical, Romans TM: “har,” the uncreated gift/energies of God) — a valuable point of contact for teaching Orthodox readers, not a collision. Risk: High. |
| the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls | ἡ γὰρ ἐπαγγελία ὑμῖν ἐστιν καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς εἰς μακρὰν, ὅσους ἂν προσκαλέσηται κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν | hē gar epangelia hymin estin kai tois teknois hymōn kai pasin tois eis makran, hosous an proskalesētai kyrios ho theos hēmōn | ”for the promise is to you and to your children and to all those at a distance, as many as the Lord our God shall call” | ἐπαγγελία = a formal promise; προσκαλέομαι = to summon/call to oneself | the promise is for you and your children, and all who are far off | The universal scope of the gospel offer — Jew and Gentile (“far off” echoing Isaiah/Ephesians 2:13,17) — directly grounds “The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles” | Căci promisiunea aceasta este pentru voi, pentru copiii voștri și pentru toți cei ce sunt departe, în număr cât îi va chema Domnul, Dumnezeul nostru. “chemat/chemare” reused (High, Romans TM — must not default to “chemare monahală”). Risk: Critical. Universal scope (“toți,” “cât de mulți”) must not be narrowed to ethnic Israel or to a spiritual elite. |
| Save yourselves from this crooked generation | σώθητε ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς τῆς σκολιᾶς ταύτης | sōthēte apo tēs geneas tēs skolias tautēs | ”be saved from this crooked/perverse generation” | σκολιός = twisted, morally bent | be saved from this corrupt generation | An urgent call to decisive deliverance from a specific historical unbelieving generation, not a timeless abstraction | Mântuiți-vă din acest neam răzvrătit! “mântuire” reused (Critical, Romans TM). Risk: High. Note: “neam” here is generational (“generație”), not the ethnic-national “neam” sense that carries Romanian Orthodox national-identity weight elsewhere (cf. baseline’s unity_of_jews_and_gentiles note on “neam”); translator notes should disambiguate to avoid an unintended nationalist reading. |
| those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls | οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀποδεξάμενοι τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ ἐβαπτίσθησαν, καὶ προσετέθησαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ψυχαὶ ὡσεὶ τρισχίλιαι | hoi men oun apodexamenoi ton logon autou ebaptisthēsan, kai prosetethēsan en tē hēmera ekeinē psychai hōsei trischiliai | ”so then those who received his word were baptized, and there were added on that day about three thousand souls” | προστίθημι = to add, incorporate into an existing group | were baptized and added, three thousand souls were added | Baptism is the recognized rite of incorporation into the newly Spirit-constituted community — founding statement for “The Church as Community” | Deci cei ce au primit cuvântul lui s-au botezat și în ziua aceea s-au adăugat aproape trei mii de suflete. Risk: High. “s-au adăugat” (were added) should be preserved as a corporate/church-incorporation term, tying baptism directly to church membership — an area of genuine convergence between Acts’ narrative and Orthodox ecclesiology of baptismal incorporation, worth noting positively in teaching material. |
PART 2 — Chapter-by-Chapter Study of the Whole Book
Chapter 1 — Ascension, the promise of the Spirit, replacement of Judas
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| was taken up / ascension | ἀνελήμφθη (v.9, 11, 22) | anelēmphthē | ”was taken up” | Bodily, visible, upward departure into heaven | was taken up, ascended | Christ’s bodily ascension to heavenly enthronement, the basis for Pentecost | s-a înălțat / înălțare. Risk: High. Like resurrection, this is simultaneously a doctrinal asset (Înălțarea Domnului is a major Orthodox feast) and a precision task: teaching must keep the event bodily and historical, not a symbol of general spiritual transcendence. |
| power | δύναμιν (v.8) | dynamin | ”power/ability” | Effective, enabling capability from a divine source | power | ”You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you” — links Spirit-reception directly to empowerment for witness | putere. Reused from power_of_god (Medium, Romans TM). Risk: Medium. |
| witnesses to the end of the earth | μάρτυρες … ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς (v.8) | martyres … heōs eschatou tēs gēs | ”witnesses … to the end/uttermost part of the earth” | Global, comprehensive missionary scope | witnesses to the ends of the earth | The programmatic mission statement of the whole book — structures the entire book’s geographic movement Jerusalem→Judea→Samaria→ends of the earth | martori … până la marginile pământului. witness (new, High) and mission (reused, Medium, Romans TM). Risk: High. Foundational text for the doctrine “The Great Commission Fulfilled.” |
| casting lots | κλῆρον / ἔλαβεν κλῆρος (v.26) | klēron / elaben klēros | ”lot / the lot fell” | A means of discerning God’s choice without presuming human manipulation | cast lots, the lot fell | Matthias is chosen for apostolic office by a lot cast in prayerful trust in God’s sovereign choice | sorți / sorțul a căzut. Risk: Low. Interesting cultural note: this Greek root (κλῆρος) is the etymological source of the later ecclesiastical term “cler” (clergy); a brief translator note may be useful but carries no doctrinal risk itself. |
Chapter 2 — Pentecost (see Part 1 for vv. 1–41); additional terms in vv. 42–47
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| the breaking of bread | τῇ κλάσει τοῦ ἄρτου (v.42) | tē klasei tou artou | ”the breaking of the bread” | A shared meal with clear Last-Supper resonance; scholarly debate whether this denotes ordinary communal meals, the Lord’s Supper, or both together at this early stage | breaking of bread, the Lord’s Supper (in some translations) | Central, repeated mark of the earliest church’s common life alongside teaching, fellowship, and prayer | frângerea pâinii. Risk: Critical. Genuine collision point: Orthodox readers will very naturally read this as the Divine Liturgy/Eucharist (Sfânta Împărtășanie), a fully sacramental, priest-consecrated rite. Historically, this text describes the early, less liturgically formalized practice from which later Eucharistic liturgy developed. This curriculum should neither deny continuity with the Eucharist nor flatten the term into “just a shared meal” — an explicit teaching note is required distinguishing the developing historical practice in Acts from developed later liturgical theology, without contradicting either. |
| all things in common | ἅπαντα κοινά (v.44) | hapanta koina | ”all things common/shared” | κοινός here used positively: shared, communal ownership | had all things in common | Voluntary, Spirit-produced generosity within the new community — not a coerced or permanent economic system for all churches everywhere | aveau toate de obște (în comun). New term. Risk: Medium. Should be taught as a voluntary, Spirit-generated response specific to the Jerusalem church’s circumstances, not necessarily a universal ecclesiastical mandate — but also not dismissed as insignificant, given its direct relevance to “The Church as Community.” Note the same Greek root κοινός is used with the opposite, negative sense (“unclean/common”) in Acts 10:14-15 — an important semantic-range point for teaching. |
| favor with all the people | χάριν πρὸς ὅλον τὸν λαόν (v.47) | charin pros holon ton laon | ”grace/favor toward all the people” | Here χάρις carries its ordinary secular sense of goodwill/favor, distinct from its theological sense elsewhere | favor with all the people, goodwill | The young church’s outward reputation among the wider population | plăcuți înaintea întregului norod / bucurându-se de bunăvoința întregului popor. Risk: Low. Translator note should clarify this ordinary use of χάρις is not the same theologically loaded sense as grace (Critical, Romans TM) elsewhere, to avoid readers assuming every occurrence of “har”-family vocabulary carries full soteriological weight. |
Chapter 3 — Healing of the lame man; Peter’s temple sermon
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| in the name of Jesus Christ | ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (v.6) | en tō onomati Iēsou Christou | ”in the name of Jesus Christ” | Invocation of Christ’s authority and power as the operative agent | in the name of Jesus Christ | The apostles heal not by their own power but by Christ’s authority — foundational for “Apostolic Authority and Miracles” | în Numele lui Iisus Hristos. “Iisus,” “Hristos” reused (Critical). Risk: High. Must be taught as delegated, not independent, authority. |
| times of refreshing | καιροὶ ἀναψύξεως (v.20) | kairoi anapsyxeōs | ”seasons/times of refreshment/relief” | Eschatological relief and renewal at Christ’s return | times of refreshing | Points forward to the consummation, connecting repentance now to future restoration | vremuri de înviorare/răcorire. Risk: Medium. |
| the restoration of all things | ἀποκατάστασις πάντων (v.21) | apokatastasis pantōn | ”restoration/re-establishment of all things” | The final cosmic setting-right of creation at Christ’s return, spoken of by the prophets | restoration of all things | Eschatological renewal tied to the prophets’ promises, awaiting Christ’s return | așezarea din nou a tuturor lucrurilor. Risk: High. Important historical-theological caution: this Greek term (ἀποκατάστασις) is the technical name for the later, church-censured doctrine of universal salvation/restoration associated with Origen (apocatastasis), condemned by the Fifth Ecumenical Council. Translators and teaching notes must render Acts 3:21 in its own contained sense — the future renewal of creation at Christ’s return, tied to the prophetic promises already made — without implying support for universalism (the salvation of all without exception, including the unrepentant), a doctrine the wider church, including Orthodoxy, rejects. |
| the Righteous One | τὸν δίκαιον (v.14; cf. 7:52, 22:14) | ton dikaion | ”the Righteous [One]“ | A messianic title built on the δικ- root (“righteous/just”) | the Holy and Righteous One, the Just One | Applies Israel’s language for God’s own righteousness as a title for Jesus | Cel Drept. Built on righteousness root (“dreptate,” Critical, Romans TM). Risk: High. New Christological title-use of an already-Critical term family; must be flagged distinctly as a title for Christ, not a general ethical description. |
Chapter 4 — Peter and John before the council; boldness; exclusivity of salvation
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| boldness | παρρησία(ν) (vv.13, 29, 31) | parrēsia(n) | “freedom/openness of speech” | Confident, unafraid, public speech, often in the face of danger or social pressure | boldness, confidence, openly | The Spirit-given courage that marks apostolic proclamation under threat — core term for “Persecution and Bold Witness” | îndrăzneală. New core term. Risk: High. Must be consistently distinguished from mere social confidence; it is Spirit-produced courage specifically to keep speaking the gospel under pressure. |
| there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven … by which we must be saved | οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἄλλῳ οὐδενὶ ἡ σωτηρία, οὐδὲ γὰρ ὄνομά ἐστιν ἕτερον … ἐν ᾧ δεῖ σωθῆναι ἡμᾶς (v.12) | ouk estin en allō oudeni hē sōtēria… en hō dei sōthēnai hēmas | ”salvation is not in any other, for neither is there another name… in which it is necessary for us to be saved” | Absolute exclusivity claim | salvation in no other name | The strongest exclusivity statement in Acts regarding Christ as sole Savior | Nu este mântuire în nimeni altul, căci nu este sub cer alt nume dat oamenilor, în care trebuie să fim mântuiți. “mântuire” reused (Critical). Risk: Critical. Must never be softened toward religious pluralism; this is a flagship text for exclusivist Christology in a multi-religious global context, and should be flagged for theologian review at every occurrence. |
| great fear / all things in common | (see ch. 2, ch. 5) | — | — | — | — | Reuses ch. 2 vocabulary | No new term. |
Chapter 5 — Ananias and Sapphira; apostolic signs; imprisonment
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to lie to the Holy Spirit | ψεύσασθαί σε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον (v.3) | pseusasthai se to pneuma to hagion | ”for you to lie to the Holy Spirit” | Sin against the Spirit treated as sin against God himself (v.4, “you have not lied to man but to God”) | lie to the Holy Spirit | Establishes the Spirit’s full personal deity within the newly Spirit-indwelt community | a minți pe Duhul Sfânt. “Duhul Sfânt” reused (Critical). Risk: High. Reinforces the Spirit’s personhood and deity; useful positive convergence with Orthodox Trinitarian theology, not a collision. |
| great fear | φόβος μέγας (v.5, 11) | phobos megas | ”great fear” | Reverential awe/dread before manifest divine holiness, not ordinary terror | great fear, awe | Communal response to God’s holiness being vindicated within the church | frică mare. Risk: Low. |
| signs and wonders (through the apostles) | σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα (v.12) | sēmeia kai terata | (see Acts 2:19,22) | — | signs and wonders | Continuing apostolic authentication ministry | Reuses Acts 2 term. No new risk beyond prior entry. |
Chapter 6 — Choosing of the Seven; Stephen introduced
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to serve tables / service | διακονεῖν τραπέζαις (v.2) / διακονία (v.1,4) | diakonein trapezais / diakonia | ”to serve tables” / “service, ministry” | Practical, servant-hearted care distinguished from, yet equally valued alongside, “the ministry of the word” (v.4) | serve tables, service, ministry | Origin of the diaconal office; establishes structured, Spirit-qualified leadership within “The Church as Community” | a sluji la mese / slujire (diaconie). Risk: Medium. New term; “diacon” is an established Romanian ecclesiastical term across all traditions (Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant) with a specific ordained office in Orthodox usage — translator notes should clarify that Acts 6 narrates the historical origin of the function without yet a fully developed sacramental theology of ordination, avoiding anachronistic over-reading in either direction. |
| full of the Spirit and of wisdom | πλήρης πνεύματος καὶ σοφίας (v.3) | plērēs pneumatos kai sophias | ”full of Spirit and of wisdom” | Character qualification combining spiritual fullness and practical discernment | full of the Spirit and wisdom | Qualification standard for church leadership | plini de Duh și de înțelepciune. Reuses holy_spirit (Critical). Risk: Low. |
Chapter 7 — Stephen’s speech and martyrdom
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart and ears | σκληροτράχηλοι καὶ ἀπερίτμητοι καρδίαις καὶ τοῖς ὠσίν (v.51) | sklērotrachēloi kai aperitmētoi kardiais kai tois ōsin | ”stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears” | OT idiom (Exodus 33:3,5; Deuteronomy 10:16) for stubborn resistance to God, applied metaphorically beyond literal circumcision | stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart | Charges covenant-privileged hearers with resisting the Spirit despite external religious markers — anticipates “Justification apart from the Law” theme | tari la cerbice și netăiați împrejur cu inima și cu urechile. “tăiere împrejur” (circumcision) new term (see ch. 15). Risk: Medium. Requires OT idiom background; risk of being read too literally rather than as a metaphor for spiritual resistance. |
| he fell asleep | ἐκοιμήθη (v.60) | ekoimēthē | ”he fell asleep” | Common early-Christian euphemism for death, esp. of believers, implying hope of resurrection-awakening (not annihilation) | he fell asleep, he died | Stephen’s death is the first Christian martyrdom, framed with resurrection hope | a adormit. Risk: Low. This euphemism (“adormire”) is already standard and liturgically resonant in Romanian Orthodox usage for the death of believers (e.g., “Adormirea Maicii Domnului”/Dormition) — an asset, not a risk, though a note may clarify the term’s general (not Marian-specific) NT usage here. |
| martyr (witness unto death) | μάρτυς (implicit in narrative; explicit term used retrospectively in Acts 22:20) | martys | (see Acts 2:32) | Here narratively becomes the first instance of a “witness” whose testimony costs his life | witness, martyr | The semantic bridge from “witness” (testimony) to “martyr” (one killed for testimony) is narratively enacted here for the first time in Christian history | Reuses witness term (High) established in Acts 2/4; flag the semantic development for teaching. Risk: High. |
Chapter 8 — Persecution scatters the church; Philip in Samaria; Simon Magus; the Ethiopian eunuch
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| great persecution | διωγμὸς μέγας (v.1) | diōgmos megas | ”great persecution/pursuit” | Organized hostility and violence against believers because of their testimony | persecution | Scattering that (providentially) accelerates the mission beyond Jerusalem — key text for “Persecution and Bold Witness” and “The Great Commission Fulfilled” together | prigoană mare. New core term. Risk: Medium. |
| the gift of God … cannot be obtained/purchased with money | ἡ δωρεὰ τοῦ θεοῦ … διὰ χρημάτων κτᾶσθαι (v.20) | hē dōrea tou theou … dia chrēmatōn ktasthai | ”the gift of God … to be acquired through money” | Simon Magus’s attempt to buy spiritual power/office; origin of the term “simony” | you thought you could buy the gift of God | Sharp rebuke of treating the Spirit’s gift as a purchasable commodity or of confusing spiritual authority with magical power | darul lui Dumnezeu … să-l dobândești cu bani. Term of note: simonie is the established Romanian ecclesiastical loanword (across Orthodox and Catholic tradition) directly derived from this narrative, denoting the sin of buying/selling church office or sacred things. Risk: Medium. A valuable point of cultural contact — the term already exists in Romanian church vocabulary and can be used pedagogically, but must be explained as originating in this very passage. |
| the Ethiopian eunuch | εὐνοῦχος (vv.27, 34, 36, 38, 39) | eunouchos | ”eunuch” (also: high court official) | A physically emasculated court official; theologically significant given Deuteronomy 23:1’s exclusion, reversed by Isaiah 56:3-5 | eunuch | Demonstrates the gospel’s reach to a socially/religiously marginalized outsider even before the formal Gentile mission of Acts 10 — a bridge case for “The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles” | famen. Risk: Low. Standard Biblical term; a brief note on the Deuteronomy/Isaiah background strengthens the doctrinal point but carries no rendering risk itself. |
| What prevents me from being baptized? | τί κωλύει με βαπτισθῆναι; (v.36) | ti kōlyei me baptisthēnai | ”what hinders/prevents me from being baptized?” | Rhetorical question expecting “nothing” | what prevents/hinders me | Establishes the pattern that no social, ethnic, or bodily marginal status is a barrier to baptism once one believes | Reuses baptism (Critical, new term, see 2:38). Risk: High in this specific instance, given its direct bearing on the doctrine of Gentile/outsider inclusion. |
Chapter 9 — Saul’s conversion on the Damascus road
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a light from heaven | φῶς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ (v.3) | phōs ek tou ouranou | ”a light out of heaven” | Theophanic light, signaling direct divine encounter | a light from heaven | The risen, glorified Christ appears personally to Saul — grounds the doctrine “Conversion of Paul” | o lumină din cer. Overlaps with glory (Medium, Romans TM: “slavă”). Risk: Medium. |
| Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? | Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις; (v.4) | Saoul Saoul, ti me diōkeis | ”Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” | Christ identifies himself so closely with the church that persecuting believers is persecuting him | why do you persecute me | Union of Christ with his suffering church — theological basis for christian_identity_in_christ (High, Romans TM) applied corporately | Saule, Saule, de ce Mă prigonești? Risk: High. |
| a chosen instrument | σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς (v.15) | skeuos eklogēs | ”a vessel of choosing/election” | σκεῦος = vessel/instrument; ἐκλογή = the same root as election (High, Romans TM) | chosen instrument, chosen vessel | God’s sovereign choice of Paul for a specific missionary purpose, prior to and apart from any merit — directly parallel to the election language of Romans 9-11 | vas ales. “alegere” reused (High, Romans TM: must not impose strict Calvinist monergism nor dissolve into pure free will). Risk: High. |
| scales fell from his eyes | ἀπέπεσαν … ὡς λεπίδες (v.18) | apepesan … hōs lepides | ”there fell off … as scales” | Physical healing symbolizing simultaneous spiritual illumination | scales fell from his eyes | Vivid image pairing physical restoration with spiritual conversion | au căzut de pe ochii lui ca niște solzi. Risk: Low. |
| the Way | τῆς ὁδοῦ (v.2; cf. 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22) | tēs hodou | ”the Way” | Early self-designation of the Christian movement as a path/way of life, prior to the name “Christian” (Acts 11:26) | the Way | The earliest name for the Christian movement, emphasizing lived practice/discipleship over static creed alone | Calea. New core term. Risk: Medium. Should be capitalized/marked as a proper self-designation in translation and glossed in teaching notes as the movement’s earliest name. |
Chapter 10 — Cornelius; Peter’s vision; the Spirit falls on Gentiles
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a God-fearing man | ἀνὴρ … φοβούμενος τὸν θεόν (v.2, cf. v.22) | anēr … phoboumenos ton theon | ”a man … fearing God” | Technical designation for Gentile sympathizers/attenders of the synagogue who had not undergone full proselyte conversion (incl. circumcision) | God-fearer, devout man | Cornelius occupies a liminal category the Spirit’s action will fully resolve into Gentile inclusion apart from circumcision | bărbat temător de Dumnezeu. Risk: Medium. Requires background explanation of the “God-fearer” category for readers unfamiliar with first-century Jewish-Gentile social categories. |
| What God has made clean, do not call common | ἃ ὁ θεὸς ἐκαθάρισεν, σὺ μὴ κοίνου (v.15) | ha ho theos ekatharisen, sy mē koinou | ”what God has cleansed, do not you make common/profane” | κοινός here in its negative sense: ritually impure/profane under Mosaic ceremonial law (contrast the positive sense in Acts 2:44) | do not call common/unclean | Reinterprets Levitical food laws as pointing beyond themselves to Gentile inclusion in the people of God | Ce a curățit Dumnezeu, tu să nu numești spurcat. New core term (common/unclean, κοινός negative sense). Risk: High. Genuine collision risk: Romanian Orthodox culture retains an active fasting calendar (post) with dietary restriction categories; teaching must clarify this passage concerns the Mosaic ceremonial food code and its typological fulfillment in Gentile inclusion, not a critique of the church’s later disciplinary fasting practice, which rests on different grounds. |
| God shows no partiality | οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολήμπτης ὁ θεός (v.34) | ouk estin prosōpolēmptēs ho theos | ”God is not a respecter of faces/persons” | Impartiality regardless of ethnicity, status, or background | God shows no partiality, God is no respecter of persons | Direct doctrinal statement grounding “The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles” and paralleling Romans 2:11 | Dumnezeu nu este părtinitor. Risk: Critical. Foundational universalizing statement; must never be qualified. |
| the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard | ἐπέπεσεν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπὶ πάντας (v.44) | epepesen to pneuma to hagion epi pantas | ”the Holy Spirit fell upon all” | Sudden, sovereign, unmediated outpouring paralleling Acts 2 exactly | the Spirit fell on them | The “Gentile Pentecost” — proof that Gentiles receive the same Spirit-gift on the same terms (faith alone) as Jewish believers, without circumcision or law-keeping as precondition | Duhul Sfânt a căzut peste toți. “Duhul Sfânt” reused (Critical). Risk: Critical. Directly supports “Justification apart from the Law” and must be taught as decisive precedent in the Acts 15 council debate. |
Chapter 11 — Peter’s defense; the church at Antioch; the name “Christian”
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| God has granted repentance that leads to life | ὁ θεὸς … τὴν μετάνοιαν εἰς ζωὴν ἔδωκεν (v.18) | ho theos … tēn metanoian eis zōēn edōken | ”God has given repentance unto life” | Repentance itself is a gift/gracious enablement, not a human achievement earning acceptance | granted repentance unto life | Grounds Gentile repentance and salvation as equally God-given as Jewish repentance | Dumnezeu a dat și neamurilor pocăința spre viață. Reuses repentance, gentiles (Low, Romans TM). Risk: High, connecting repentance directly to the Jew/Gentile unity doctrine. |
| the disciples were first called Christians | χρηματίσαι … Χριστιανούς (v.26) | chrēmatisai … Christianous | ”were first designated/called Christians” | A likely outsider-coined nickname (“Christ-partisans”), later adopted as a badge of honor | Christians | Origin of the term that becomes the primary self-designation of the movement, gradually superseding “the Way” | creștini. Risk: Low. Established, unambiguous term across all Romanian Christian traditions. |
Chapter 12 — Herod’s persecution; Peter’s deliverance; James’s martyrdom
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| the word of God increased and multiplied | ὁ … λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ηὔξανεν καὶ ἐπληθύνετο (v.24) | ho logos tou theou ēuxanen kai eplēthyneto | ”the word of God grew/increased and multiplied” | Organic growth metaphor applied to the spread of the gospel message and the church | the word of God grew and multiplied | Recurring Acts refrain (cf. 6:7; 19:20) marking the unstoppable advance of the mission despite persecution | cuvântul lui Dumnezeu creștea și se înmulțea. Risk: Low. Reinforces “The Great Commission Fulfilled” and “Persecution and Bold Witness” together — persecution does not halt but accompanies growth. |
| struck by an angel of the Lord | ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν ἄγγελος κυρίου (v.23) | epataxen auton angelos kyriou | ”an angel of the Lord struck him” | Direct divine judgment against Herod’s self-deifying pride | struck him down, an angel of the Lord struck him | Contrast between Herod’s supposed and God’s actual sovereign authority | l-a lovit un înger al Domnului. Risk: Low. |
Chapter 13 — Barnabas and Saul commissioned; Pisidian Antioch sermon
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work | ἀφορίσατε δή μοι τὸν Βαρναβᾶν καὶ Σαῦλον εἰς τὸ ἔργον (v.2) | aphorisate dē moi ton Barnaban kai Saulon eis to ergon | ”set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work” | Formal, Spirit-initiated commissioning to a specific missionary task | set apart, separate | The Holy Spirit himself commissions missionaries — the beginning of the formal Gentile mission | Osebiți-Mi pe Barnaba și pe Saul pentru lucrul [la care i-am chemat]. Overlaps with separation_unto_gods_service (Medium, Romans TM) — risk noted there of conflation with a specifically monastic “setting apart”; same caution applies here for missionary commissioning. Risk: Medium. |
| by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses | ἐν τούτῳ πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων δικαιοῦται ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν οὐκ ἠδυνήθητε ἐν νόμῳ Μωϋσέως δικαιωθῆναι (v.38-39) | en toutō pas ho pisteuōn dikaioutai apo pantōn hōn ouk ēdynēthēte en nomō Mōuseōs dikaiōthēnai | ”in this one everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you were not able to be justified by the Law of Moses” | δικαιόω = to justify/declare righteous | is justified/freed from everything | Explicit statement that justification comes through faith in Christ, not law-keeping — Paul’s programmatic thesis, parallel to Romans 3-4 | prin El, oricine crede este îndreptățit de toate cele de care n-ați putut fi îndreptățiți prin Legea lui Moise. “îndreptățire” (Critical), “lege” (High) both reused exactly from Romans TM. Risk: Critical. Central proof-text for “Justification apart from the Law”; must match Romans’ justification vocabulary precisely for cross-document consistency. |
| a light for the Gentiles | φῶς ἐθνῶν (v.47, citing Isaiah 49:6) | phōs ethnōn | ”a light of/for the nations/Gentiles” | Servant-of-the-Lord Isaianic mission language applied to the apostolic task | a light to the Gentiles | Grounds the Gentile mission directly in OT prophecy | lumină neamurilor. “neamuri” reused (Low, Romans TM). Risk: Low. |
Chapter 14 — Lystra and Derbe; mistaken for gods; appointing elders
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| the gods have come down to us in the likeness of men (Zeus, Hermes) | οἱ θεοὶ ὁμοιωθέντες ἀνθρώποις κατέβησαν … Δία … Ἑρμῆν (vv.11-12) | hoi theoi homoiōthentes anthrōpois katebēsan… Dia… Hermēn | ”the gods, having become like men, have come down… Zeus… Hermes” | Greco-Roman polytheistic mythological categories applied mistakenly to Paul and Barnabas | the gods have come down, Zeus and Hermes | Sharp contrast Paul draws (v.15) between these “vain things”/idols and “the living God” | zeii s-au coborât la noi în chip de oameni … Zeus … Hermes. Proper names of pagan deities, transliterated, not translated. Risk: Low (historical/narrative, clearly framed as pagan error the text itself refutes) but should be flagged so translators do not soften Paul’s sharp idol/living-God contrast (v.15) for cultural sensitivity reasons. |
| the living God | τὸν θεὸν τὸν ζῶντα (v.15) | ton theon ton zōnta | ”the living God” | God as personally active and real, contrasted with lifeless idols | the living God | Direct polemic against idolatry, paralleling Romans 1’s critique | Dumnezeul cel viu. “Dumnezeu” reused (Critical). Risk: Medium. |
| appointing elders … with prayer and fasting | χειροτονήσαντες … πρεσβυτέρους … μετὰ … προσευχῶν καὶ νηστειῶν (v.23) | cheirotonēsantes… presbyterous… meta… proseuchōn kai nēsteiōn | ”having appointed by stretching out the hand … elders … with prayers and fastings” | χειροτονέω, literally “to stretch out the hand” (originally of voting by show of hands), becomes the technical root of later Orthodox ordination terminology (“hirotonie”) | appointed elders, ordained elders | Structured, prayerful establishment of local church leadership in every newly planted congregation | au rânduit (au hirotonit) presbiteri … cu rugăciuni și posturi. New core term (elders); the Greek verb here is the direct etymological root of Orthodox hirotonie (sacramental ordination). Risk: High. Must be taught carefully: Acts 14:23 narrates the historical origin of a practice that later developed into the fully sacramental Orthodox rite of ordination; the text itself does not yet carry that developed sacramental theology, so translation should avoid either anachronistically imposing later sacramental categories or dismissively translating this as a merely administrative appointment stripped of spiritual seriousness. |
Chapter 15 — The Jerusalem Council; circumcision controversy; apostolic decree
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| circumcision | περιτέμνω / περιτομή (vv.1, 5) | peritemnō / peritomē | ”to circumcise / circumcision” | The Mosaic covenant sign; the debate concerns whether Gentile believers must undergo it to be saved | circumcised, circumcision | The central controversy resolved by the council: faith alone, not circumcision/law-keeping, is necessary for salvation — the headline text for “Justification apart from the Law” | tăiere împrejur. New core term. Risk: High. Must be clearly taught as a first-century Judaizing controversy specifically about salvation-conditions, not a general statement about the value or disvalue of any bodily/liturgical practice as such. |
| a yoke that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear | ζυγὸν … ὃν οὔτε οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν οὔτε ἡμεῖς ἰσχύσαμεν βαστάσαι (v.10) | zygon… hon oute hoi pateres hēmōn oute hēmeis ischysamen bastasai | ”a yoke… which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear” | Metaphor for the crushing burden of comprehensive law-observance | a yoke, a burden | Peter’s argument against imposing the full law on Gentile converts | un jug … pe care nici părinții noștri, nici noi nu l-am putut duce. Risk: Medium. |
| we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will | διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ πιστεύομεν σωθῆναι καθ᾿ ὃν τρόπον κἀκεῖνοι (v.11) | dia tēs charitos tou kyriou Iēsou pisteuomen sōthēnai kath’ hon tropon kakeinoi | ”through the grace of the Lord Jesus we believe [we] are saved, in the same manner as they also” | Explicit statement of salvation by grace, identical for Jew and Gentile | saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus | Council’s doctrinal ruling: grace received by faith is the sole and common basis of salvation for all | credem că suntem mântuiți prin harul Domnului Iisus, în același fel ca și ei. “har,” “mântuire,” “Domnul” all reused (Critical). Risk: Critical. This is essentially Acts’ own summary of Romans’ thesis — must be rendered with the same precision as the equivalent Romans passages. |
| abstain from things polluted by idols, sexual immorality, what is strangled, and blood | ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν ἀλισγημάτων τῶν εἰδώλων καὶ τῆς πορνείας καὶ τοῦ πνικτοῦ καὶ τοῦ αἵματος (v.20, cf. v.29) | apechesthai tōn alisgēmatōn tōn eidōlōn kai tēs porneias kai tou pniktou kai tou haimatos | ”to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from sexual immorality and from what is strangled and from blood” | The apostolic decree’s minimal requirements for Gentile believers, addressing table-fellowship and moral concerns rather than reimposing the full law | abstain from food sacrificed to idols, sexual immorality, strangled animals, and blood | Practical wisdom preserving Jewish-Gentile table fellowship without reimposing circumcision/the full law | să se ferească de cele jertfite idolilor, de curvie, de dobitoace sugrumate și de sânge. Risk: Medium. Requires background on ancient food/idol-meat and table-fellowship customs; should not be read as a permanent comprehensive ethical code superseding the freedom the council just granted. |
Chapter 16 — Macedonian call; Lydia; the Philippian jailer
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Come over to Macedonia and help us | Διαβὰς εἰς Μακεδονίαν βοήθησον ἡμῖν (v.9) | Diabas eis Makedonian boēthēson hēmin | ”having crossed over into Macedonia, help us” | A night vision directing the mission’s geographic expansion into Europe | the Macedonian call/vision | Illustrates direct divine guidance of missionary strategy — relevant to “The Great Commission Fulfilled” | Treci în Macedonia și ajută-ne! Reuses vision concept. Risk: Low. |
| a worshiper of God | σεβομένη τὸν θεόν (v.14, of Lydia) | sebomenē ton theon | ”one worshiping/reverencing God” | Same category as “God-fearer” (Acts 10) — a Gentile sympathizer with Judaism | a worshiper of God, a God-fearer | Another Gentile-adjacent convert whose “heart the Lord opened” | închinătoare la Dumnezeu. Same category/risk as God-fearer above. Risk: Low. |
| What must I do to be saved? | Τί με δεῖ ποιεῖν ἵνα σωθῶ; (v.30) | Ti me dei poiein hina sōthō | ”What is necessary for me to do that I might be saved?” | The classic salvation-inquiry question | what must I do to be saved | Direct parallel to the salvation doctrine developed across Romans and Acts; answered immediately with “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” | Ce trebuie să fac ca să fiu mântuit? “mântuire,” “Domnul” reused (Critical). Risk: Critical. Must be kept verbally consistent with the answer given in v.31 (“Crede în Domnul Iisus și vei fi mântuit”) — a flagship salvation-by-faith text alongside Romans 10:9-13. |
| he and all his household were baptized | ἐβαπτίσθη αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ αὐτοῦ πάντες (v.33) | ebaptisthē autos kai hoi autou pantes | ”he was baptized, and all his [household]“ | Household (οἶκος) baptism, following the head of household’s conversion | he and his whole household were baptized | Recurs also with Lydia (v.15) and Crispus (18:8); a key text in later Christian debates over infant baptism | Reuses baptism (Critical, new term). Risk: High. Household baptism texts are frequently cited on both sides of the Orthodox/Catholic infant-baptism vs. Baptist/credobaptist debate; this curriculum should present the text descriptively (what it narrates) without adjudicating the wider historical-theological debate beyond what Acts itself states. |
Chapter 17 — Thessalonica, Berea, Athens; the Areopagus address
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To the Unknown God | Ἀγνώστῳ Θεῷ (v.23) | Agnōstō Theō | ”To an Unknown God” | Inscription on a pagan Athenian altar, used by Paul as an apologetic bridge | the Unknown God | Paul’s contextualized approach: starting from the hearers’ own religious vocabulary to proclaim the true God | Dumnezeului necunoscut. Risk: Medium. Illustrates a positive apologetic method (contextualization) rather than syncretism; teaching notes should distinguish Paul’s rhetorical bridge-building from any suggestion that the “unknown god” and the true God are equally valid or already identical in Athenian belief — Paul explicitly redefines and corrects, he does not affirm the existing cult. |
| In him we live and move and have our being | ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν (v.28) | en autō gar zōmen kai kinoumetha kai esmen | ”for in him we live and move and are” | A quotation from a pagan (Stoic) poet, repurposed to affirm God’s sustaining presence in all creation | in him we live and move and have our being | Natural theology: general revelation of God’s sustaining presence, common grace to all humanity, though not sufficient for salvation apart from the specific gospel proclamation that follows | Căci în El trăim, ne mișcăm și suntem. Risk: Medium. Must not be read as pantheism (God = the created order) but as affirmation of God’s sustaining, transcendent providence — connects to providence (Medium, Romans TM). |
| the times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all people everywhere to repent | τοὺς … χρόνους τῆς ἀγνοίας ὑπεριδὼν ὁ θεὸς … παραγγέλλει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις πάντας πανταχοῦ μετανοεῖν (v.30) | tous chronous tēs agnoias hyperidōn ho theos… parangellei tois anthrōpois pantas pantachou metanoein | ”the times of ignorance God having overlooked … commands all men everywhere to repent” | Universal repentance command replacing an era of relative divine forbearance | God overlooked the times of ignorance, now commands all to repent | Universal scope of the repentance call, extending “obedience of faith” logic (Romans 1:5) to the whole Gentile world explicitly | Dumnezeu … trecând cu vederea vremurile de neștiință, poruncește acum tuturor oamenilor de pretutindeni să se pocăiască. Reuses repentance (High, new term); “toți oamenii de pretutindeni” must retain full universal scope, per the baseline’s universality-preservation rule. Risk: High. |
Chapter 18 — Corinth; Priscilla and Aquila; Gallio’s ruling
Chapter 18: no new theological vocabulary beyond terms already analyzed (reuses mission, election/chosen concept in “I have many people in this city,” v.10 — a providence/election statement paralleling Romans 9-11’s election language; no new risk beyond the existing election and providence entries). Reviewed; no new terms.
Chapter 19 — Ephesus; disciples of John; tongues and prophecy; the riot over Artemis
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| baptism of repentance / baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus | βάπτισμα μετανοίας … εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ (vv.4-5) | baptisma metanoias… eis to onoma tou kyriou Iēsou | ”baptism of repentance … into the name of the Lord Jesus” | Distinguishes John’s preparatory baptism from Christian baptism explicitly tied to Christ’s name and accompanied by the Spirit | John’s baptism / baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus | Direct textual evidence that Christian baptism is a distinct, Spirit-accompanying rite beyond John’s preparatory repentance-baptism | botezul pocăinței … în Numele Domnului Iisus. Reuses baptism and repentance (both new, Critical/High). Risk: Critical. Rare NT text explicitly distinguishing two baptisms; must be handled carefully alongside the general baptism entry so as not to imply all baptisms are interchangeable or that rebaptism is the ordinary pattern — the point is Christ-specific, Spirit-accompanied baptism, not a general theology of repeated baptism. |
| they spoke in tongues and prophesied | ἐλάλουν τε γλώσσαις καὶ ἐπροφήτευον (v.6) | elaloun te glōssais kai eprophēteuon | ”they were speaking in tongues and were prophesying” | Same vocabulary as Acts 2:4, confirming continuity of Spirit-empowerment pattern | spoke in tongues and prophesied | Repeats the Pentecost pattern for a subsequent group, reinforcing the general (not one-time-only) character of Spirit-empowered speech accompanying belief and baptism | Reuses tongues, prophecy terms (Medium/Low). Risk: Medium. |
| exorcism / sons of Sceva | ἐξορκιστῶν (v.13) | exorkistōn | ”exorcists” | Attempted use of Jesus’ name as a magical formula by non-believers, with disastrous results | exorcists, sons of Sceva | Sharp distinction between genuine apostolic authority in Christ’s name and magical manipulation of a name as incantation | exorciști. New term. Risk: Medium. Should be clearly distinguished from legitimate deliverance ministry exercised in genuine faith; the text’s point is the failure of formulaic, faithless imitation. |
| burned their books [of magic] | τὰς βίβλους κατέκαιον (v.19) | tas biblous katekaion | ”they were burning the books” | Public renunciation of occult practice as a fruit of genuine conversion | burned their magic books | Repentance includes decisive, costly renunciation of prior occult involvement | și-au ars cărțile [de vrăjitorie]. Risk: Low. |
| Great is Artemis of the Ephesians | Μεγάλη ἡ Ἄρτεμις Ἐφεσίων (v.28, 34) | Megalē hē Artemis Ephesiōn | ”Great is Artemis of the Ephesians” | Pagan cultic acclamation/chant | Great is Diana/Artemis of the Ephesians | Illustrates economic and religious backlash the gospel provokes when it threatens established idolatrous commerce and civic identity | Mare este Artemis (Diana) a efesenilor! Proper noun, transliterated. Risk: Low (clearly framed pagan slogan, not requiring doctrinal adjudication). |
Chapter 20 — Troas; farewell to the Ephesian elders
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| overseers | ἐπισκόπους (v.28) | episkopous | ”overseers/guardians” | Used interchangeably in this very passage with “elders” (πρεσβύτεροι, v.17) for the same local church leaders | overseers, bishops | Establishes that in Acts, episkopos and presbyteros denote the same office/function, prior to the later developed three-fold Orthodox hierarchy (bishop-priest-deacon) | episcopi (supraveghetori). New core term. Risk: Critical. Genuine ecclesiological collision: Orthodox church polity holds “episcop” (bishop) as a distinct, superior office over “preot/prezbiter” (priest/presbyter) in a developed three-fold order, while Acts 20:17,28 uses “elder” and “overseer” of the very same men in the very same local church without distinction. This must be taught explicitly as reflecting the New Testament’s earlier, less differentiated terminology, without either denying the legitimacy of the later developed Orthodox polity or retrojecting it anachronistically onto this text. Requires human theologian review at every occurrence. |
| to shepherd/care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood | ποιμαίνειν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἣν περιεποιήσατο διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ ἰδίου (v.28) | poimainein tēn ekklēsian tou theou, hēn periepoiēsato dia tou haimatos tou idiou | ”to shepherd the church of God, which he acquired through his own blood” | Pastoral (shepherd/flock) metaphor combined with atonement (blood-purchase) language | shepherd the church… purchased with his own blood | Grounds pastoral responsibility in the infinite worth of Christ’s atoning death for the church | să păstorească Biserica lui Dumnezeu, pe care a dobândit-o cu sângele Său. “Biserică” reused (Medium, Romans TM). Risk: Critical, given the direct atonement/blood-of-Christ claim embedded in a leadership-charge text — should not be treated as merely a pastoral-care passage without also flagging its Christological/atonement content. |
| the whole counsel of God | πᾶσαν τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ (v.27) | pasan tēn boulēn tou theou | ”the whole counsel/purpose of God” | Complete, undiminished proclamation of God’s revealed will and purposes | the whole counsel of God | Paul’s claim to have proclaimed the entirety of God’s saving purpose without omission, a model for faithful teaching ministry | tot planul (sfatul) lui Dumnezeu. Overlaps with providence/“planul lui Dumnezeu” (High, see Acts 2:23). Risk: Medium. |
Chapter 21 — Journey to Jerusalem; Agabus’s prophecy; arrest
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nazirite vow | εὐχὴν (vv.23-24, cf. Numbers 6) | euchēn | ”a vow” | A specific, temporary Mosaic vow of consecration (Numbers 6), involving abstention and a shaving/offering ritual | a vow, Nazirite vow | Illustrates Paul’s continued respectful engagement with Jewish custom even while teaching Gentile freedom from the law — nuances “Justification apart from the Law” so it is not read as anti-Jewish-custom hostility | jurământ (de nazireat). New term. Risk: Low. Requires OT background (Numbers 6) for full comprehension. |
| bound the Holy Spirit says | Τάδε λέγει τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον (v.11, Agabus) | Tade legei to Pneuma to Hagion | ”thus says the Holy Spirit” | Prophetic oracular introduction formula | thus says the Holy Spirit | Continuing New Testament prophetic activity, distinct from OT canonical prophecy but genuinely Spirit-inspired | Așa zice Duhul Sfânt. Reuses prophecy, holy_spirit. Risk: Medium. |
Chapter 22 — Paul’s defense before the crowd; his conversion retold
Chapter 22 largely reuses vocabulary already analyzed in chapters 9 and 3 (conversion, “the Righteous One,” “a light from heaven,” witness/martys now explicitly linked to Stephen’s death, v.20). One term of note:
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name | βάπτισαι καὶ ἀπόλουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου, ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ (v.16) | baptisai kai apolousai tas hamartias sou, epikalesamenos to onoma autou | ”be baptized and wash away your sins, having called upon his name” | Vivid washing metaphor combined with baptism and invocation of Christ’s name | be baptized, wash away your sins | Baptism pictured as the outward act of appeal/response accompanying inward cleansing through calling on Christ’s name — echoes 2:38 and 2:21 together | botează-te și spală-ți păcatele, chemând Numele Lui. Reuses baptism (Critical). Risk: Critical. Must be taught alongside 2:38, avoiding any implication that the water itself mechanically effects the washing apart from the calling on Christ’s name that the verse pairs with it. |
Chapter 23 — Paul before the Sanhedrin; the plot against Paul
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| the Sanhedrin | τὸ συνέδριον (v.1, etc.) | to synedrion | ”the council” | The supreme Jewish judicial/religious council | the Sanhedrin, the council | The highest Jewish legal authority before which Paul (like Jesus and Stephen before him) is tried | Sinedriul. Risk: Low. Established proper-noun/institutional term. |
| the hope of the resurrection of the dead | ἐλπίδος καὶ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν (v.6) | elpidos kai anastaseōs nekrōn | ”hope and resurrection of the dead” | Pharisaic doctrine (contra Sadducees) of bodily resurrection, which Paul claims as the true substance of his trial | resurrection of the dead, hope of the resurrection | Paul frames the entire apostolic controversy as fundamentally about the resurrection hope — connects directly to resurrection (Critical, Romans TM) | Reuses resurrection term exactly. Risk: Critical. |
Chapter 24 — Trial before Felix
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| the Way (a sect, so-called) | τὴν αἵρεσιν… τῆς ὁδοῦ (v.14) | tēn hairesin… tēs hodou | ”the sect … of the Way” | αἵρεσις here used neutrally/pejoratively by opponents (“sect,” later source of “heresy”) of the same movement Paul calls “the Way” | the sect of the Way, this sect | Paul reclaims the accusatory label while affirming continuity with the Law and the Prophets, not a heretical break from them | Reuses the Way. Note on αἵρεσις as later root of “erezie” (heresy) — worth a translator note but no independent rendering risk here since the term used pejoratively by accusers is not adopted as the curriculum’s own vocabulary. Risk: Low. |
| resurrection of both the just and the unjust | ἀνάστασιν μέλλειν ἔσεσθαι δικαίων τε καὶ ἀδίκων (v.15) | anastasin mellein esesthai dikaiōn te kai adikōn | ”there is about to be a resurrection of both righteous and unrighteous” | Universal bodily resurrection unto final judgment, not only believers | resurrection of the just and unjust | Extends resurrection hope to final judgment for all humanity, connecting to Romans 2’s judgment theme | Reuses resurrection, righteousness roots (Critical). Risk: High. |
Chapter 25 — Trial before Festus; appeal to Caesar
Chapter 25: no new theological vocabulary; primarily legal/narrative content (appeal to Caesar, ἐπικαλοῦμαι Καίσαρα — a legal-procedural term, Low risk, no doctrinal weight). Reviewed; no new doctrinal terms.
Chapter 26 — Paul before Agrippa; the conversion testimony retold
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kicking against the goads | πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν (v.14) | pros kentra laktizein | ”to kick against the goads/spikes” | Greco-Roman proverbial idiom for futile resistance against a greater force | kicking against the goads | Vivid idiom describing the futility of Saul’s resistance to Christ’s call | Este greu pentru tine să lovești cu piciorul în țepușă (idiom rendered by natural Romanian equivalent, not literal calque). Risk: Low, but per the baseline’s idiom-handling rule, must be rendered by meaning, not literal word-for-word translation. |
| to open their eyes, to turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God | ἀνοῖξαι ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν, τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς καὶ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ Σατανᾶ ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν (v.18) | anoixai ophthalmous autōn, tou epistrepsai apo skotous eis phōs kai tēs exousias tou Satana epi ton theon | ”to open their eyes, to turn [them] from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God” | ἐπιστρέφω = to turn/convert; ἐξουσία = authority/dominion | turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God | Concise summary of the entire conversion/mission doctrine of Acts: rescue from a rival spiritual dominion into God’s kingdom, received “by faith in me” (same verse) | să le deschidă ochii, ca să se întoarcă de la întuneric la lumină și de sub puterea Satanei la Dumnezeu. New term conversion/turning (ἐπιστρέφω); “puterea” overlaps power_of_god (Medium) used here in ironic contrast (Satan’s power). Risk: High. Central Great-Commission-and-conversion summary text; universal (“their,” referring to Gentiles broadly) scope must be preserved. |
| that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me | τοῦ λαβεῖν αὐτοὺς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ κλῆρον ἐν τοῖς ἡγιασμένοις πίστει τῇ εἰς ἐμέ (v.18) | tou labein autous aphesin hamartiōn kai klēron en tois hēgiasmenois pistei tē eis eme | ”that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a portion/inheritance among those sanctified by faith in me” | κλῆρος = inheritance/portion (same root as the Acts 1:26 “lot”); ἡγιασμένοις = “having been sanctified” | forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among the sanctified | Combines forgiveness, sanctification, and inheritance-among-the-saints language, tightly paralleling Romans’ salvation-sanctification-adoption cluster | Reuses sin, sanctification, saints (all Medium-Critical, Romans TM). Risk: Critical, primarily because of the saints/“sfinți” collision already documented in the baseline — the corporate, faith-based sense (not canonized-veneration sense) must again be made explicit here. |
Chapter 27 — The voyage to Rome; the shipwreck
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| not a hair from the head of any of you will perish | οὐδενὸς ὑμῶν θρὶξ ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀπολεῖται (v.34) | oudenos hymōn thrix apo tēs kephalēs apoleitai | ”not a hair from the head of any of you will perish” | Proverbial idiom of complete divine protection/preservation (cf. Luke 21:18) | not a hair of your head will perish | Providential assurance amid physical danger, grounded in an angelic promise (v.23-24) | niciun fir de păr din capul vostru nu va pieri. Overlaps with providence (Medium, Romans TM). Risk: Low. |
Chapter 28 — Malta; arrival in Rome; unhindered preaching
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Romanian rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| preaching the kingdom of God … with all boldness and without hindrance | κηρύσσων τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ … μετὰ πάσης παρρησίας ἀκωλύτως (v.31) | kēryssōn tēn basileian tou theou… meta pasēs parrēsias akōlytōs | ”proclaiming the kingdom of God … with all boldness, unhindered” | ἀκωλύτως = without obstruction/hindrance, a legal-procedural term repurposed theologically as the book’s final word | with all boldness and without hindrance | The book’s deliberately open-ended, triumphant closing note: the gospel’s advance to “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8) cannot ultimately be stopped, even by imprisonment — closes the “Great Commission Fulfilled” doctrine begun in ch. 1 | propovăduind împărăția lui Dumnezeu … cu toată îndrăzneala și fără piedică. Reuses kingdom_of_god (Medium, Romans TM) and boldness (High, new). Risk: High. Deliberately bookends Acts 1:8; teaching material should draw the connection explicitly, and the final Romanian wording of “fără piedică” (unhindered) should be treated as a fixed, memorable closing formula for the whole curriculum. |
Summary of New Terms Introduced (not present in Romans baseline)
Pentecost/Cincizecime, baptism/botez, repentance/pocăință, tongues (glossolalia/xenolalia)/limbi, witness/martor-mărturie, boldness/îndrăzneală, signs and wonders/semne și minuni, the breaking of bread/frângerea pâinii, all things in common/de obște, the Way/Calea, restoration of all things/apocatastasis-așezarea din nou a tuturor lucrurilor, the Righteous One/Cel Drept, common/unclean (κοινός negative)/spurcat, God-fearer/temător de Dumnezeu, chosen instrument/vas ales (election-family), Christians (name)/creștini, great persecution/prigoană, simony/simonie, eunuch/famen, elders/prezbiteri (in tension with overseers), overseers-bishops/episcopi, laying on of hands/ordination root (χειροτονέω)/hirotonie-rânduire, circumcision/tăiere împrejur, yoke/jug, apostolic decree items (idol-food, blood, strangled things, sexual immorality), Nazirite vow/jurământ de nazireat, Sanhedrin/Sinedriu, unknown god/Dumnezeul necunoscut, exorcism/exorciști, conversion-turning (ἐπιστρέφω)/a se întoarce, purchased with his own blood/dobândit cu sângele Său (atonement-in-leadership-charge), unhindered/fără piedică.
All other Acts vocabulary reuses Romans baseline translation-memory terms exactly, per the hard-rule requirement.
This document feeds directly into analysis/08_core_glossary.md. All risk tiers assigned here are proposed for incorporation into an extended doctrine_risk_registry.json and bible_term_registry.json in a subsequent Phase 1 step.