Core Glossary
Core Glossary: Matthew 1–28 (English → Romanian)
This glossary extends the baseline Romans translation_memory.json / bible_term_registry.json for the Matthew curriculum. Section A lists baseline terms reused exactly as recorded, with Matthew-specific contextual notes only. Section B lists new terms required by Matthew’s distinctive vocabulary, assigned risk tiers using the same Critical/High/Medium/Low framework as the baseline. All Romanian renderings in Section A are non-negotiable exact reuse; Section B renderings are proposed for the same enforcement status going forward and should be loaded into an updated translation_memory.json before Phase 2 begins.
Section A — Baseline Terms Reused Exactly (from Romans Language Package)
| Term | Romanian | Risk | Original | Doctrine Link (Matthew) | Matthew-Specific Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| gospel | evanghelie | High | εὐαγγέλιον | Kingdom of Heaven | Compounds as “evanghelia împărăției” (4:23, 9:35, 24:14) — render consistently. |
| faith | credință | High | πίστις | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees; Discipleship | Includes “little faith” (ὀλιγόπιστος, 6:30, 8:26, 14:31, 16:8) as a pastoral sub-category of wavering, not absent, faith. |
| righteousness | dreptate | Critical | δικαιοσύνη | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | Matthew frequently uses this term in an ethical-conduct sense (5:6,10,20; 6:1,33) alongside Romans’ forensic-declarative sense; both senses must be taught together, not opposed. |
| salvation / save | mântuire / a mântui | Critical | σῴζω / σωτηρία | Jesus as Promised Messiah | Named as the very purpose of the incarnation (1:21). |
| law | lege | High | νόμος | Fulfillment of OT Prophecy; Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | Paired with “the Prophets” as the whole OT witness (5:17, 7:12, 22:40). |
| sin | păcat | Medium | ἁμαρτία | Great Commission (Eucharistic words); Jesus as Messiah | 1:21, 26:28. |
| gentiles | neamuri | Low | ἔθνη | Great Commission | ”all nations” (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, 28:19) — the direct object of the Commission. |
| glory | slavă | Medium | δόξα | Judgment and the End of the Age | Son of Man’s “throne of glory” (25:31, 19:28). |
| prophet | proroc | Low | προφήτης | Fulfillment of OT Prophecy | Frequent throughout; also “false prophets” (ψευδοπροφῆται). |
| prophecy | prorocie | Low | προφητεία | Fulfillment of OT Prophecy | Undergirds the fulfillment-formula quotations. |
| covenant | legământ | High | διαθήκη | Great Commission (Eucharistic words); Discipleship (marriage) | Central to 26:28’s institution of the Lord’s Supper. |
| messiah / christ | Mesia / Hristos | Critical | Χριστός | Jesus as Promised Messiah and Son of David | ”Hristos” functions as Jesus’ name-title throughout Matthew’s narrative; “Mesia” is reserved for explicit OT-messianic-expectation framing. Both are anchored in the same baseline messiah doctrine. |
| david | David | Low | Δαυίδ | Jesus as Promised Messiah and Son of David | Genealogical and messianic anchor (ch. 1, 21:9). |
| israel | Israel | Low | Ἰσραήλ | Jesus as Promised Messiah and Son of David | 2:6, 2:20-21, 10:6, 15:24. |
| jesus | Iisus | Critical | Ἰησοῦς | All doctrines | Standardize “Iisus” per Orthodox Synodal convention; “Isus” noted only for Evangelical/Cornilescu-tradition material. |
| god | Dumnezeu | Critical | θεός | All doctrines | — |
| holy_spirit | Duhul Sfânt | Critical | Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον | Jesus as Messiah; Great Commission | Baptismal Trinitarian formula (3:16-17, 28:19). |
| father | Tată | Critical | πατήρ | Jesus as Messiah; Great Commission | Baptismal/transfiguration voice (3:17, 17:5); Lord’s Prayer (6:9). |
| kingdom_of_god | împărăția lui Dumnezeu | Medium | βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ | Kingdom of Heaven | Matthew’s rarer variant (6:33, 12:28, 19:24, 21:31, 21:43) — same referent as kingdom_of_heaven, see Section B. |
| apostle | apostol | Low | ἀπόστολος | Great Commission | The Twelve (10:2-4), commissioned in ch. 10 and again in ch. 28. |
| church | Biserică | Medium (elevated to High/Critical at 16:18-19, 18:15-18) | ἐκκλησία | The Church and Church Discipline | First NT occurrences (16:18, 18:17); see Section B “keys_of_the_kingdom” and “church_discipline” for elevated risk at these specific loci. |
| election | alegere | High | ἐκλογή / ἐκλεκτός | Judgment and the End of the Age | ”Many are called, but few are chosen” (22:14); “the elect” gathered at the end (24:22,24,31). |
| resurrection | înviere | Critical | ἀνάστασις | Jesus as Promised Messiah | 22:23-33 (Sadducees’ question), 27:53, ch. 28. |
| son_of_god | Fiul lui Dumnezeu | Critical | υἱὸς θεοῦ | Jesus as Promised Messiah; Authority of Jesus’ Teaching | 3:17, 4:3,6, 14:33, 16:16, 26:63-64, 27:40,43,54. |
| lord | Domnul | Critical | κύριος | Authority of Jesus’ Teaching | ”Lord of the Sabbath” (12:8); centurion’s address (8:8). |
| holy | sfânt | Medium | ἅγιος | Great Commission (Trinitarian formula) | “Holy Spirit” (Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα). |
| peace | pace | Medium | εἰρήνη | Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus | ”Not peace but a sword” (10:34) — taught alongside, not against, peace with God. |
| power_of_god | puterea lui Dumnezeu | Medium | δύναμις θεοῦ | Authority of Jesus’ Teaching | Kept lexically distinct from ἐξουσία, “authority” — see Section B authority. |
| called / calling | chemat / chemare | High | κλητός / κλῆσις | Kingdom of Heaven; Judgment | ”Many are called, few chosen” (22:14). |
| providence | pronia lui Dumnezeu | Medium | πρόνοια | Discipleship (anxiety teaching) | Grounds “do not be anxious” (6:25-34). |
| adoption | înfiere | Medium | υἱοθεσία | (Beatitudes, 5:9) | “Called sons of God” — corporate, adoptive; distinguish sharply from singular son_of_god. |
Section B — New Terms for Matthew (Full Risk-Tiered Entries)
| Term (EN) | Romanian | Risk | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Definition | Doctrine Link | Key Passages | Translation Risk Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdom of Heaven | împărăția cerurilor | High | βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν | basileia tōn ouranōn | Matthew’s distinctive periphrasis for God’s sovereign reign, reflecting Jewish reverential avoidance of the divine name | Kingdom of Heaven | ~32 occurrences (5:3, 5:10, 13:11, etc.) | Must be taught as synonymous with the baseline kingdom_of_god, not a separate or exclusively post-mortem/heavenly realm. Risk that “ceruri” collapses into “heaven as afterlife destination.” Requires a standing translator note. |
| Son of David | Fiul lui David | High | υἱὸς Δαυίδ | huios Dauid | Royal, messianic title rooted in the Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7) | Jesus as Promised Messiah and Son of David | 1:1, 9:27, 12:23, 15:22, 20:30-31, 21:9,15 | Requires OT Davidic-covenant background to land as more than a genealogical footnote; connects to baseline covenant (High) and david (Low). |
| Son of Man | Fiul Omului | High | ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου | ho huios tou anthrōpou | Jesus’ primary self-designation; draws on Daniel 7:13-14’s exalted heavenly figure while emphasizing genuine humanity | Judgment and the End of the Age; Authority of Jesus’ Teaching | ~30 occurrences (8:20, 9:6, 12:8, 16:27-28, 24:30, 25:31, 26:64) | Must not be flattened to mean merely “a human being”; the Danielic overtone of divine authority and end-time judgment must be taught alongside the humility emphasis. |
| Blessed / Beatitude | fericiți | Medium | μακάριος | makarios | A pronouncement of God’s favor/flourishing on a status, not a subjective emotional state | Kingdom of Heaven | 5:3-11 | Established Orthodox/Cornilescu rendering; risk that colloquial “fericit” (happy) obscures the objective, declarative sense. |
| Poor in Spirit | săraci cu duhul | Critical | πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι | ptōchoi tō pneumati | Total spiritual destitution/humble dependence on God, not economic poverty or low intelligence | Kingdom of Heaven | 5:3 | Established rendering, but colloquial Romanian “sărac cu duhul” is a common idiom for “dim-witted/foolish.” A false-friend collision requiring a mandatory teaching note at every occurrence. |
| Repent | a se pocăi / pocăință | High | μετανοέω / μετάνοια | metanoeō / metanoia | Decisive reorientation of mind and life toward God | Kingdom of Heaven; Discipleship | 3:2, 4:17, 11:20-21, 12:41 | Risk of narrowing to the Orthodox sacrament of confession (Taina Pocăinței) alone rather than the fuller, ongoing NT sense of transformed mind and direction. |
| Baptize | a boteza | Medium (High at 28:19) | βαπτίζω | baptizō | Ritual immersion signifying repentance (John) or incorporation into Christ (Great Commission) | Kingdom of Heaven; Great Commission | 3:6,11,13-16; 28:19 | At 28:19 the Trinitarian baptismal formula is Critical; John’s preparatory baptism (ch. 3) is Medium, explicitly distinguished from Spirit-and-fire baptism (3:11). |
| Immanuel | Emanuel | Critical | Ἐμμανουήλ | Emmanouēl | ”God with us” — the incarnate divine presence in Christ | Jesus as Promised Messiah; Authority of Jesus’ Teaching (closing inclusio, 28:20) | 1:23 | Direct deity-of-Christ claim, grounding “Fulfillment of OT Prophecy”; forms an inclusio with 28:20’s “I am with you always.” |
| Virgin (Matthean use) | fecioară | High | παρθένος | parthenos | A woman who has not had sexual relations; miraculous, sinless entry of the Son of God into human history | Jesus as Promised Messiah; Fulfillment of OT Prophecy | 1:23 (quoting Isa 7:14), 1:18,20,25 | Strong positive resonance with Orthodox Marian devotion (Theotokos) — an asset, but the immediate Christological point (miraculous incarnation, deity of Christ) must remain primary, not displaced by Marian devotional associations alone. |
| Fulfill | a împlini | High | πληρόω | plēroō | To bring to full/intended expression, not to annul or merely predict-then-match | Fulfillment of OT Prophecy; Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | Fulfillment formula: 1:22, 2:15,17,23, 4:14, 8:17, 12:17, 13:35, 21:4, 27:9; also 5:17 | Central to Matthew’s most distinctive theological argument (~16 uses); render the recurring formula identically at every occurrence for pedagogical consistency. |
| Authority (exousia, distinguished from dynamis) | autoritate (proposed distinct from “putere”) | High | ἐξουσία | exousia | Rightful, delegated jurisdiction/authority, distinct from δύναμις (raw power/might, already “puterea lui Dumnezeu” in the baseline) | Authority of Jesus’ Teaching; Great Commission | 7:29, 9:6,8, 10:1, 21:23-27, 28:18 | Genuine lexical-gap risk: Romanian Bible tradition often renders both ἐξουσία and δύναμις as “putere,” collapsing two distinct Greek concepts. Recommend “autoritate” for ἐξουσία wherever the distinction is doctrinally load-bearing, especially 7:29 and 28:18. |
| Hypocrite | fățarnic | Medium | ὑποκριτής | hypokritēs | One performing piety for human approval; originally a stage actor | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | 6:2,5,16; 15:7; 22:18; ch. 23 | Pair consistently with the externalism-versus-heart-religion contrast running through the whole Gospel. |
| Scribes and Pharisees | cărturari și farisei | Medium | γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι | grammateis kai Pharisaioi | The first-century Jewish legal-interpretive teaching class | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | chs. 5, 9, 12, 15, 23 | Must be taught as a critique of externalized, hypocritical religion in any tradition, not an ethnic or historic-Jewish polemic — avoid collision with contemporary Jewish-Christian relations sensitivities. |
| Tradition of the Elders | datina bătrânilor | Medium-High | ἡ παράδοσις τῶν πρεσβυτέρων | hē paradosis tōn presbyterōn | Orally transmitted legal rulings elevated by the Pharisees above or alongside the written Torah | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees; Authority of Jesus’ Teaching | 15:2-9 | In an Orthodox-majority context where Holy Tradition (Sfânta Tradiție) is a jointly authoritative doctrinal category, this critique of merely human tradition nullifying God’s Word must be carefully distinguished from a wholesale critique of Holy Tradition as such. |
| Perfect (teleios) | desăvârșiți | Medium | τέλειος | teleios | Wholeness/completeness of character reflecting God’s own, not flawless performance | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | 5:48, 19:21 | Positive resonance (asset) with Orthodox theosis trajectory of growth toward Christlikeness; avoid legalistic “flawless performance” misreading. |
| Reward (misthos) | răsplată / plată | High | μισθός | misthos | Literally “wage/pay”; used metaphorically of God’s gracious reward for kingdom faithfulness | Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus | 5:12,46; 6:1-18; 10:41-42 | Established “plată” wording risks reinforcing a merit-based, works-earn-salvation reading; requires a standing note distinguishing gracious reward from earned wages, echoing the baseline’s grace/election tension notes. |
| Cross (discipleship sense) | cruce | Medium | σταυρός | stauros | Instrument of Roman execution; metaphor for willing self-denial and suffering in following Jesus | Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus | 10:38, 16:24 | Positive devotional resonance (asset) with Orthodox veneration of the Cross; ensure the call to costly self-denial remains primary alongside the devotional association. |
| Ransom | răscumpărare | Critical | λύτρον | lytron | The price paid to redeem/release a captive; substitutionary (“in the place of many”) | Jesus as Promised Messiah (atonement) | 20:28 | Key atonement text; requires mandatory human theologian review, consistent with the baseline’s escalation rule for atonement/propitiation language (cf. Rom 3:25). |
| Blood of the Covenant / Eucharistic Words | sângele legământului / trupul Meu | Critical | τὸ σῶμά μου / τὸ αἷμά μου τῆς διαθήκης | to sōma mou / to haima mou tēs diathēkēs | The words of institution of the Lord’s Supper, uniting Christ’s body and blood with covenant and forgiveness of sins | Great Commission (sacramental life); Jesus as Messiah (atonement) | 26:26-28 | One of the most doctrinally sensitive texts for a Romanian audience given Orthodox real-presence Eucharistic theology (Sfânta Împărtășanie) versus varying Evangelical/Protestant views; mandatory human theologian review for every occurrence. Present Matthew’s own covenantal/forgiveness language faithfully without adjudicating sacramental theology beyond the text. |
| Keys of the Kingdom / Bind and Loose | cheile împărăției cerurilor / a lega și a dezlega | Critical | κλεῖδας τῆς βασιλείας / δήσῃς / λύσῃς | kleidas tēs basileias / dēsēs / lysēs | Delegated teaching/discipline authority to declare forbidden or permitted (rabbinic idiom) | The Church and Church Discipline | 16:19, 18:18 | The classic Catholic proof-text for papal primacy (a doctrine Orthodox theology rejects); Orthodox and Evangelical readings also differ from each other regarding whether authority rests with Peter personally, the apostles collectively, or the whole gathered church (per 18:18’s “two or three”). Mandatory human theologian review for every occurrence; present all readings without silently adjudicating the dispute. |
| Church Discipline (procedure) | disciplina bisericească / mustrarea frățească | High | ἔλεγξον…ἐκκλησίᾳ | elenxon…ekklēsia | Staged, redemptive process of confrontation, witness, and appeal to the gathered church | The Church and Church Discipline | 18:15-20 | Must be presented as restorative (v.15, “you have gained your brother”), not merely punitive; cross-reference with 16:19’s keys/bind-loose language and its theologian-review flag. |
| Gehenna / Hell | gheena / iad | High | γέεννα (vs. ᾅδης, Hades) | geenna | A specific place/image of final judgment (from the Valley of Hinnom); distinct from ᾅδης, the general realm of the dead | Judgment and the End of the Age | 5:22,29-30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15,33 | Romanian “iad” often flattens both γέεννα and ᾅδης into one term, losing a distinction the Greek text maintains; flag wherever the distinction matters for careful eschatological teaching. |
| Eternal Punishment / Eternal Life | pedeapsă veșnică / viață veșnică | Critical | κόλασιν αἰώνιον / ζωὴν αἰώνιον | kolasin aiōnion / zōēn aiōnion | Parallel grammatical construction describing the final, everlasting destinies of the condemned and the righteous | Judgment and the End of the Age | 25:46 | Mandatory human theologian review; the parallel structure (same word αἰώνιος for both) should be preserved rather than softened in only one clause. |
| End of the Age | sfârșitul veacului | High | συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος | synteleia tou aiōnos | The consummation transitioning from the present age to the age to come, not the annihilation of the physical world | Judgment and the End of the Age | 13:39-40,49; 24:3; 28:20 | Must be distinguished from “sfârșitul lumii” (end of the world), which carries a more apocalyptic-annihilationist connotation than the Greek age-transition sense; render identically at every occurrence. |
| Great Tribulation | necaz mare | Medium | θλῖψις μεγάλη | thlipsis megalē | Intense, unprecedented eschatological distress preceding the end | Judgment and the End of the Age | 24:21 | Standard rendering; avoid sensationalized elaboration beyond the text. |
| Parousia / Coming of the Son of Man | venirea Fiului Omului | High | παρουσία | parousia | The visible, public, glorious arrival/return of Christ as end-time judge | Judgment and the End of the Age | 24:3,27,37,39 | Must be taught as a visible, personal, public event, not a vague “spiritual” or purely symbolic coming; pair with the explicit “no one knows the day or hour” caution (24:36) against date-setting speculation. |
| Great Commission (make disciples formula) | a face ucenici | Critical | μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη | mathēteusate panta ta ethnē | The command to disciple all nations through baptism and ongoing obedience-teaching | The Great Commission | 28:19-20 | Founding text of the doctrine; must not be flattened into mere “convert/win converts” language — retains the full, ongoing, formational sense of μαθητεύω. The accompanying Trinitarian baptismal formula aligns cleanly with both Orthodox and Western practice (an asset, unlike the filioque tension flagged elsewhere in the baseline). |
| Transfiguration | schimbarea la față | Medium (asset) | μεταμορφόω | metamorphoō | Radical, visible change of form revealing hidden divine glory | Authority of Jesus’ Teaching; Jesus as Promised Messiah | 17:1-8 | One of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox liturgical calendar — a strong point of doctrinal and devotional convergence; keep Matthew’s specific point (divine glory confirming the Son’s identity before the passion) central. |
| Cornerstone | capul unghiului / piatra din capul unghiului | Medium | κεφαλὴ γωνίας | kephalē gōnias | The rejected stone that becomes the foundational/capstone element (Ps 118:22) | Jesus as Promised Messiah; The Church | 21:42 | Links rejection, resurrection-vindication, and the Church’s foundation; new term, low ambiguity once explained. |
| Hosanna | Osana | Low | Ὡσαννά | Hōsanna | Transliterated Hebrew acclamation (“save, we pray”), functioning as a messianic royal acclamation | Jesus as Promised Messiah and Son of David | 21:9,15 | Retain the transliteration per established convention (cf. baseline’s “Avva,” “Amin,” “Aliluia”); teach as genuine messianic recognition, not a generic festive greeting. |
| Woe (prophetic) | vai | Medium | οὐαί | ouai | A prophetic pronouncement of judgment/lament, not a casual insult | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | ch. 23; 11:21; 24:19 | Preserve the prophetic-judgment genre in translation and teaching framing. |
| Talents (stewardship parable) | talanți | Medium-High | τάλαντα | talanta | A large unit of currency/weight in the parable’s original sense, not innate ability | Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus; Judgment | 25:14-30 | Modern Romanian “talent” (like English) has shifted to mean innate skill; risk of moralizing the parable into “use your natural gifts” rather than “be faithful with what the Master has entrusted before his return.” Requires an explicit teaching note. |
| Mysteries of the Kingdom | tainele împărăției cerurilor | Medium-High | μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν | mystēria tēs basileias tōn ouranōn | Previously hidden truth now disclosed by revelation to disciples, not an esoteric secret | Kingdom of Heaven | 13:11 | Romanian “taină” also denotes the seven sacraments (Sfintele Taine) in Orthodox theology; clarify this is revealed teaching/insight, not a reference to sacramental mystery. |
| Sonship of believers (“sons of God,” plural) | fiii lui Dumnezeu | High | υἱοὶ θεοῦ | huioi theou | Corporate, adoptive sonship of believers (peacemakers “called sons of God”) | Kingdom of Heaven (Beatitudes) | 5:9 | Must be sharply distinguished from the unique, singular son_of_god→“Fiul lui Dumnezeu” (Critical, Christ alone); same underlying root, categorically different referents. |
| Ethical-conduct sense of “righteousness” | dreptate (contextual sub-sense) | Critical | δικαιοσύνη | dikaiosynē | Righteous, kingdom-shaped conduct/character, as distinct from Paul’s forensic-declarative sense | Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees | 5:6,10,20; 6:1,33 | Reuses the baseline dreptate rendering exactly, but requires a translator note in every Matthean occurrence distinguishing this ethical-practice sense from Romans’ forensic sense, so the two Gospels’ emphases are held together rather than set in false opposition. |
Cross-Reference Notes for Phase 2
- All terms in Section A must be pulled from the existing
translation_memory.jsonwithout modification; do not create parallel entries. - All terms in Section B should be added to an updated
translation_memory.json(version increment required) before any Phase 2 segment translation of Matthew begins, per the baseline’s “Translation Memory Load and Enforcement Instructions.” - The following Section B terms require mandatory human theologian review for every occurrence, joining the baseline’s existing Critical-tier escalation list: Poor in Spirit (idiom collision), Immanuel, Ransom, Blood of the Covenant/Eucharistic Words, Keys of the Kingdom/Bind and Loose, Eternal Punishment/Eternal Life, Great Commission (make disciples formula), and the ethical-conduct sense of “righteousness” wherever it appears in Matthew.
- Citation format: “Matei” (not “Matthew”), Arabic verse numerals, per the baseline’s cross-reference conventions.
Critical Risk Terms
Righteousness
Approved rendering: dreptate
Transliteration: dikaiosynē
Doctrine: Salvation / Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Rejected alternatives: dreptate câștigată exclusiv prin efort moral propriu
Original: δικαιοσύνη
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. CRITICAL: Matthew 5:6,10,20; 6:1,33 use this term predominantly in an ethical-conduct sense (righteous kingdom character/behavior) rather than Romans’ forensic-declarative sense. Mandatory translator note at every Matthean occurrence holding both senses together: declared righteousness produces righteous living, they are not in tension.
Salvation
Approved rendering: mântuire
Transliteration: sōtēria / sōzō
Doctrine: Salvation / Jesus as Promised Messiah
Original: σῴζω / σωτηρία
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 1:21 names salvation from sin as the very purpose of the incarnation (‘el va mântui pe poporul Său de păcatele lor’).
Messiah
Approved rendering: Mesia
Transliteration: Christos / Mashiach
Doctrine: Messianic Promise / Jesus as Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: Χριστός / מָשִׁיחַ
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. In Matthew reserved for contexts making explicit Old Testament messianic expectation the point; see new term christ_as_name_title for Matthew’s overwhelmingly more frequent narrative use of ‘Hristos’ as a name-title. Both anchor to the same underlying doctrine and must never be treated as referring to different figures.
Jesus
Approved rendering: Iisus
Transliteration: Iēsous / Yeshua
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ / Jesus as Promised Messiah
Rejected alternatives: Isus (Cornilescu/Evanghelic tradition)
Original: Ἰησοῦς
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. Standardize ‘Iisus’ per Orthodox Synodal convention given the Orthodox-majority audience; never mix spellings within one document.
God
Approved rendering: Dumnezeu
Transliteration: theos
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Original: θεός
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Standard and unambiguous across all Romanian Christian traditions.
Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: Duhul Sfânt
Transliteration: pneuma hagion
Doctrine: Sanctification / The Great Commission
Original: πνεῦμα ἅγιον
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Central to the Trinitarian baptismal formula (3:16-17; 28:19) and the unpardonable-sin warning (12:31-32; see new term blasphemy_against_holy_spirit).
Father
Approved rendering: Tată
Transliteration: patēr
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family / The Great Commission
Original: πατήρ
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Central to the Lord’s Prayer (6:9), the baptismal/transfiguration voice (3:17; 17:5), and the baptismal formula (28:19).
Resurrection
Approved rendering: înviere
Transliteration: anastasis
Doctrine: Resurrection of Christ
Original: ἀνάστασις
Category: Eschatology
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 22:23-33 (Sadducees’ question) and ch.28 (Christ’s own resurrection); remains a doctrinal asset (‘Hristos a înviat!’) requiring bodily, historical precision, not vague spiritual renewal.
Son Of God
Approved rendering: Fiul lui Dumnezeu
Transliteration: huios theou
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ / Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: fiu al lui Dumnezeu în sensul generic aplicat oricărui credincios
Original: υἱὸς θεοῦ
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. Occurs repeatedly (3:17; 4:3,6; 14:33; 16:16; 26:63-64; 27:40,43,54); must be sharply distinguished from the plural, adoptive ‘fiii lui Dumnezeu’ at 5:9 — see new term sons_of_god_believers.
Lord
Approved rendering: Domnul
Transliteration: kyrios
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Original: κύριος
Category: Christology
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 12:8 (‘Domn și al sâmbetei’) and 8:8 (centurion’s address) assert direct divine authority over Torah institutions.
Saints
Approved rendering: sfinți
Transliteration: hagioi
Doctrine: Sainthood
Rejected alternatives: sfinți canonizați, venerați prin icoane și moaște, invocați ca mijlocitori
Original: ἅγιοι
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. CRITICAL: Matthew 27:52’s resurrected ‘sfinți’ refers to deceased Old Testament believers generally, not a class of specially venerated figures; requires the same explicit teaching note as the baseline’s Romans 1:7 treatment, at this unexpected mid-narrative locus.
Grace
Approved rendering: har
Transliteration: charis
Doctrine: Grace
Rejected alternatives: favoare doar în sens legal, fără nicio participare reală a credinciosului
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies Matthew 19:26 (‘la Dumnezeu toate sunt cu putință’) and the laborers-in-the-vineyard parable (20:1-16), where grace-versus-wages tension recurs alongside the new term reward_misthos and the semantic-shift risk of talents.
Christ As Name Title
Approved rendering: Hristos
Transliteration: Christos
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: Χριστός
Category: Christology
New term for Matthew, complementing baseline messiah→“Mesia.” Matthew’s narrative overwhelmingly uses ‘Hristos’ as Jesus’ name-title (1:1; 1:16-18; 16:16,20; 26:63; 27:17,22); reserve ‘Mesia’ for contexts making explicit OT-messianic expectation the point. Both renderings are anchored in the same messianic-promise doctrine and must never be treated as referring to different figures.
Poor In Spirit
Approved rendering: săraci cu duhul
Transliteration: ptōchoi tō pneumati
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven (core passage, Matei 5:3)
Rejected alternatives: sărac cu duhul ca idiom colocvial pentru prostie/lipsă de inteligență
Original: πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι
Category: Kingdom
New term for Matthew. CRITICAL genuine false-friend collision: the established biblical phrase is identical in form to a common colloquial Romanian idiom meaning intellectually dim-witted or foolish. Mandatory clarifying teaching note at every occurrence (Matthew 5:3) establishing the biblical sense of humble spiritual dependence on God.
Immanuel
Approved rendering: Emanuel
Transliteration: Emmanouēl
Doctrine: Jesus as Promised Messiah / Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Original: Ἐμμανουήλ
Category: Christology
New term for Matthew. ‘God with us,’ the Hebrew name from Isaiah 7:14 applied directly to Jesus (1:23). Direct deity-of-Christ and incarnation claim, forming a deliberate inclusio with 28:20’s ‘I am with you always’ — both occurrences must be taught together.
Ransom
Approved rendering: răscumpărare
Transliteration: lytron
Doctrine: Jesus as Promised Messiah (atonement) / Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Rejected alternatives: răscumpărare fără sensul de substituție (“în locul multora”)
Original: λύτρον
Category: Salvation
New term for Matthew. The price paid to redeem/release a captive; substitutionary. Key atonement text (20:28); requires mandatory human theologian review, consistent with the baseline’s escalation rule for atonement/propitiation language (cf. Romans 3:25).
Blood Of The Covenant Eucharistic Words
Approved rendering: trupul Meu / sângele Meu, al legământului
Transliteration: to sōma mou / to haima mou tēs diathēkēs
Doctrine: The Great Commission (sacramental life) / Jesus as Promised Messiah (atonement)
Original: τὸ σῶμά μου / τὸ αἷμά μου τῆς διαθήκης
Category: Church
New term for Matthew. The words of institution of the Lord’s Supper (26:26-28). Mandatory human theologian review for every occurrence; present Matthew’s own covenantal, sacrificial, forgiveness-of-sins language faithfully without adjudicating Orthodox real-presence sacramental theology beyond what the text itself states.
Keys Of The Kingdom Bind And Loose
Approved rendering: cheile împărăției cerurilor / a lega și a dezlega
Transliteration: kleidas tēs basileias tōn ouranōn / dēsēs / lysēs
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Rejected alternatives: primat papal exclusiv al lui Petru, autoritate exclusiv sacramentală de dezlegare a păcatelor (asociere cu Taina Spovedaniei)
Original: κλεῖδας τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν / δήσῃς / λύσῃς
Category: Church
New term for Matthew. CRITICAL: the classic Catholic proof-text for papal primacy (rejected by Orthodoxy); also collides with the popular Orthodox description of sacramental confession-absolution using cognate ‘a lega și a dezlega’ language. Mandatory human theologian review for every occurrence (16:19; 18:18); present all readings (Peter personally, the apostles collectively, the whole gathered church) without silently adjudicating.
Eternal Punishment Eternal Life
Approved rendering: pedeapsă veșnică / viață veșnică
Transliteration: kolasin aiōnion / zōēn aiōnion
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Original: κόλασιν αἰώνιον / ζωὴν αἰώνιον
Category: Eschatology
New term for Matthew. Parallel grammatical construction (25:46); the same word αἰώνιος describes both punishment and life. Mandatory human theologian review; preserve the parallel, do not soften only one clause.
Great Commission
Approved rendering: a face ucenici
Transliteration: mathēteusate panta ta ethnē
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Rejected alternatives: a converti (eveniment unic, fără formarea continuă și ascultarea ulterioară)
Original: μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη
Category: Church
New term for Matthew. The founding text (28:19-20); must not be flattened into mere ‘convert/win converts’ language but retain the full, ongoing, formational sense of μαθητεύω, always paired with ‘învățându-i să păzească’ (teaching them to obey).
Baptismal Formula
Approved rendering: botezându-i în numele Tatălui și al Fiului și al Sfântului Duh
Transliteration: eis to onoma tou Patros kai tou Huiou kai tou Hagiou Pneumatos
Doctrine: The Great Commission
New term for Matthew. Doctrinal asset: the simple triadic formula aligns cleanly with both Orthodox and Western baptismal practice without raising the filioque procession question flagged elsewhere in the baseline. Still Critical-tier given its centrality (28:19); requires theologian review.
Cry Of Dereliction
Approved rendering: Eli, Eli, lama sabactani? / Dumnezeul Meu, Dumnezeul Meu, pentru ce M-ai părăsit?
Transliteration: Ēli Ēli lema sabachthani
Doctrine: Jesus as Promised Messiah (atonement) / Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
New term for Matthew. Aramaic cry quoting Psalm 22:1, retained untranslated in the Greek text before Matthew’s own Greek translation (27:46). Preserve the Aramaic transliteration alongside the Romanian translation per the established convention for retained Semitic phrases (cf. baseline’s ‘Avva’). Requires careful, non-flattening pastoral treatment of Christ’s atoning suffering.
High Risk Terms
Gospel
Approved rendering: evanghelie
Transliteration: euangelion
Doctrine: Gospel / The Kingdom of Heaven
Original: εὐαγγέλιον
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. In Matthew forms the compound ‘evanghelia împărăției’ (gospel of the kingdom, 4:23; 9:35; 24:14); render this compound identically at every occurrence.
Faith
Approved rendering: credință
Transliteration: pistis
Doctrine: Faith / Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Rejected alternatives: evlavie religioasă generală
Original: πίστις
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew’s compound ὀλιγόπιστος (‘little faith,’ 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8) is a rebuke of wavering faith, not a synonym for unbelief; see new term little_faith.
Law
Approved rendering: lege
Transliteration: nomos
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy / Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: νόμος
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Paired with ‘the Prophets’ throughout Matthew (5:17; 7:12; 22:40) as the whole Old Testament witness.
Covenant
Approved rendering: legământ
Transliteration: diathēkē
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant / The Great Commission (Eucharistic words)
Rejected alternatives: contract legal
Original: διαθήκη
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Central to the Eucharistic words (‘sângele Meu, al legământului,’ 26:28) and to the Davidic-covenant background of ‘Fiul lui David’ (see new term son_of_david).
Election
Approved rendering: alegere
Transliteration: eklogē / eklektos
Doctrine: Effectual Calling / Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: predestinare dublă în sens calvinist strict
Original: ἐκλογή / ἐκλεκτός
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 22:14 (‘mulți sunt chemați, dar puțini aleși’) and 24:22,24,31 (‘cei aleși’); Orthodox synergism sits in tension with a strict monergistic reading — translate faithfully without forcing either gloss.
Called
Approved rendering: chemat
Transliteration: klētos
Doctrine: Divine Calling
Original: κλητός
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 22:14, ‘mulți sunt chemați, dar puțini aleși,’ pairs this with election.
Calling
Approved rendering: chemare
Transliteration: klēsis
Doctrine: Divine Calling
Rejected alternatives: chemare monahală (specifically a call to monastic life)
Original: κλῆσις
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Guard against ‘chemare monahală’ narrowing Matthew’s kingdom-invitation language at every discipleship-invitation scene (4:19-22; 9:9; 22:14).
Kingdom Of Heaven
Approved rendering: împărăția cerurilor
Transliteration: basileia tōn ouranōn
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: împărăția cerurilor ca destinație postumă exclusivă (“vei ajunge în cer”)
Original: βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν
Category: Kingdom
New term for Matthew. Matthew’s distinctive periphrasis (~32 occurrences), reflecting Jewish reverential avoidance of the divine name; must be taught as synonymous with the baseline kingdom_of_god, not a separate or exclusively post-mortem realm. Requires a standing translator note at every occurrence (5:3,10,19-20; 13:11; etc.).
Son Of David
Approved rendering: Fiul lui David
Transliteration: huios Dauid
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: υἱὸς Δαυίδ
Category: Christology
New term for Matthew. Royal, messianic title rooted in the Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7); requires explicit OT background to land as more than a genealogical footnote. Occurs at 1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31; 21:9,15.
Son Of Man
Approved rendering: Fiul Omului
Transliteration: ho huios tou anthrōpou
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age / The Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Rejected alternatives: Fiul Omului redus la simplu “o ființă umană”
Original: ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου
Category: Christology
New term for Matthew. Jesus’ primary self-designation, drawing on Daniel 7:13-14’s exalted heavenly figure while emphasizing genuine humanity. Must not be flattened to mean merely ‘a human being’; occurs ~30 times (8:20; 9:6; 12:8; 16:27-28; 24:30; 25:31; 26:64).
Repent
Approved rendering: a se pocăi / pocăință
Transliteration: metanoeō / metanoia
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus / The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: pocăință redusă exclusiv la Taina Pocăinței (sacramentul spovedaniei)
Original: μετανοέω / μετάνοια
Category: Salvation
New term for Matthew. A decisive reorientation of mind and life toward God, not mere remorse or a single sacramental act. Risk of narrowing to Taina Pocăinței alone; occurs at 3:2; 4:17; 11:20-21; 12:41.
Virgin
Approved rendering: fecioară
Transliteration: parthenos
Doctrine: Jesus as Promised Messiah / Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Original: παρθένος
Category: Christology
New term for Matthew. Establishes the miraculous, sinless entry of the Son of God into human history (1:18-25). Strong positive resonance with Orthodox Marian devotion (Theotokos) is an asset, but the immediate Christological point must remain primary, not displaced.
Fulfill
Approved rendering: a împlini
Transliteration: plēroō
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Rejected alternatives: împlinire redusă la o simplă corespondență predicție-eveniment mecanică
Original: πληρόω
Category: Prophecy
New term for Matthew. To bring to full/intended expression, not to annul or merely predict-then-match. Central to the recurring fulfillment formula (1:22; 2:15,17,23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 27:9) and to 5:17; render the formula identically at every occurrence.
Authority
Approved rendering: autoritate
Transliteration: exousia
Doctrine: The Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Rejected alternatives: putere (confuzie cu δύναμις, deja rezervat pentru power_of_god)
Original: ἐξουσία
Category: Christology
New term for Matthew. Genuine lexical-gap risk: Romanian Bible tradition typically renders both ἐξουσία and δύναμις as ‘putere,’ collapsing two distinct Greek concepts. Use ‘autoritate’ for ἐξουσία wherever the distinction is doctrinally load-bearing (7:29; 9:6,8; 21:23-27; 28:18).
Tradition Of The Elders
Approved rendering: datina bătrânilor
Transliteration: hē paradosis tōn presbyterōn
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Rejected alternatives: critică globală a Sfintei Tradiții ortodoxe
Original: ἡ παράδοσις τῶν πρεσβυτέρων
Category: Righteousness
New term for Matthew. Orally transmitted legal rulings elevated by the Pharisees above/alongside the written Torah. In an Orthodox-majority context where Sfânta Tradiție is jointly authoritative with Scripture, Jesus’ critique (15:2-9) must be framed as targeting merely human accretions, never Holy Tradition as such.
Reward Misthos
Approved rendering: răsplată / plată
Transliteration: misthos
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Rejected alternatives: plată câștigată exclusiv prin muncă/merit, fără nicio legătură cu harul
Original: μισθός
Category: Discipleship
New term for Matthew. Literally ‘wage/pay,’ used metaphorically of God’s gracious reward for kingdom faithfulness. Requires a standing note distinguishing gracious, Father-given reward from earned wages, echoing the baseline’s grace/election tension (5:12,46; 6:1-18; 10:41-42).
Church Discipline
Approved rendering: disciplina bisericească / mustrarea frățească
Transliteration: elenxon…eipe tē ekklēsia
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Original: ἔλεγξον…εἰπὲ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ
Category: Church
New term for Matthew. Staged, redemptive process of confrontation, witness, and appeal to the gathered church (18:15-20). Must be presented as restorative, not punitive (v.15, ‘you have gained your brother’); cross-reference with keys_of_the_kingdom_bind_and_loose.
Gehenna
Approved rendering: gheenă
Transliteration: geenna
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: iad (confuzie cu ᾅδης, Hades)
Original: γέεννα (contrasted with ᾅδης, Hades)
Category: Eschatology
New term for Matthew. A specific place/image of final judgment, distinct from ᾅδης, the general realm of the dead. Romanian ‘iad’ often flattens both into one word; use ‘gheenă’ wherever the distinction matters (5:22,29-30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15,33).
End Of The Age
Approved rendering: sfârșitul veacului
Transliteration: synteleia tou aiōnos
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: sfârșitul lumii (distrugerea creației fizice)
Original: συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος
Category: Eschatology
New term for Matthew. The consummation transitioning from the present age to the age to come, not annihilation of the physical world. Must be distinguished from the popular idiom ‘sfârșitul lumii’; render identically at every occurrence (13:39-40,49; 24:3; 28:20).
Parousia
Approved rendering: venirea (Fiului Omului)
Transliteration: parousia
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: parusia (împrumut tehnic teologic, prea puțin transparent pentru nivelul de lectură țintă)
Original: παρουσία
Category: Eschatology
New term for Matthew. The visible, public, glorious return of Christ as end-time judge (24:3,27,37,39). Must be taught as a visible, personal, public event; pair with the explicit ‘no one knows the day or hour’ caution (24:36) against date-setting speculation.
Talents
Approved rendering: talanți
Transliteration: talanta
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus / Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: talent ca abilitate înnăscută, în sensul modern
Original: τάλαντα
Category: Discipleship
New term for Matthew. A large currency/weight unit in the parable’s original sense (25:14-30), not innate ability. Retain transliterated ‘talanți’ (not ‘talente’); requires an explicit teaching note before any application is drawn.
Mysteries Of The Kingdom
Approved rendering: tainele împărăției cerurilor
Transliteration: mystēria tēs basileias tōn ouranōn
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: taină în sensul exclusiv sacramental (Sfintele Taine)
Original: μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν
Category: Kingdom
New term for Matthew. Previously hidden truth now disclosed by revelation to disciples, not an esoteric secret (13:11). Romanian ‘taină’ also denotes the seven sacraments; requires a standing clarifying note.
Sons Of God Believers
Approved rendering: fiii lui Dumnezeu
Transliteration: huioi theou
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven (Beatitudes) / Adoption into God’s Family
Original: υἱοὶ θεοῦ
Category: Salvation
New term for Matthew. Corporate, adoptive sonship of believers (‘peacemakers,’ 5:9). Must be sharply distinguished from the unique, singular son_of_god→‘Fiul lui Dumnezeu’ (Critical, Christ alone); same underlying root, categorically different referents.
Abomination Of Desolation
Approved rendering: urâciunea pustiirii
Transliteration: to bdelygma tēs erēmōseōs
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Original: τὸ βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως
Category: Eschatology
New term for Matthew. A specific, sacrilegious desecration of the temple/holy place quoting Daniel 9:27/11:31/12:11 (24:15). Requires OT (Daniel) background; avoid vague or sensationalized end-times speculation not warranted by the text.
Blasphemy Against Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: hula împotriva Duhului Sfânt
Transliteration: blasphēmia eis to Pneuma
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Original: βλασφημία εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα
Category: Sin
New term for Matthew. The unforgivable sin — a deliberate, settled rejection attributing the Spirit’s work to Satan, not a momentary doubt (12:22-32). Requires a pastoral teaching note to avoid unwarranted spiritual anxiety among learners.
Veil Of The Temple Torn
Approved rendering: catapeteasma templului s-a rupt
Transliteration: to katapetasma tou naou eschisthē
Doctrine: Jesus as Promised Messiah (atonement) / The Church and Church Discipline
Rejected alternatives: catapeteasmă confundată cu iconostasul bisericii ortodoxe contemporane
New term for Matthew. The temple curtain torn at Jesus’ death (27:51), symbolizing unmediated access to God opened through Christ’s death. ‘Catapeteasmă’ is itself an established Orthodox liturgical-architectural term (the iconostasis veil); ensure the historical Jerusalem temple referent is not confused with the contemporary Orthodox church iconostasis, though the etymological connection can be a helpful teaching bridge if handled carefully.
Weightier Matters Of The Law
Approved rendering: lucrurile mai grele ale legii (judecata, mila și credința)
Transliteration: ta barytera tou nomou
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
New term for Matthew. Names justice, mercy, and faith (reusing the baseline faith term) as the Law’s true ethical center (23:23; cf. 22:34-40). Must not be taught as devaluing ritual observance but as prioritizing right relationship over meticulous minor compliance.
Medium Risk Terms
Sin
Approved rendering: păcat
Transliteration: hamartia
Doctrine: Universal Human Accountability / Jesus as Promised Messiah
Original: ἁμαρτία
Category: Sin
Inherited from Romans package. Central to 1:21 (naming Jesus’ saving purpose) and 26:28 (Eucharistic words, ‘spre iertarea păcatelor’).
Glory
Approved rendering: slavă
Transliteration: doxa
Doctrine: Deity of Christ / Judgment and the End of the Age
Original: δόξα
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. The Son of Man’s ‘throne of glory’ (19:28; 25:31); cultural asset given constant Orthodox liturgical doxological use.
Kingdom Of God
Approved rendering: împărăția lui Dumnezeu
Transliteration: basileia tou theou
Doctrine: Kingdom Mission / The Kingdom of Heaven
Original: βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: Kingdom
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew’s rarer variant of his more frequent ‘kingdom of heaven’ (6:33; 12:28; 19:24; 21:31,43); must be explicitly taught as the same reality as the new term kingdom_of_heaven, never a distinct or lesser kingdom.
Church
Approved rendering: Biserică
Transliteration: ekklēsia
Doctrine: Church as God’s People / The Church and Church Discipline
Rejected alternatives: Biserica ca singura instituție vizibilă legitimă, în sens exclusivist
Original: ἐκκλησία
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. First NT occurrence at Matthew 16:18, spoken by Jesus as founder; elevated to Critical at 16:18-19 and High at 18:15-20 — see new terms church_foundation-adjacent keys_of_the_kingdom_bind_and_loose and church_discipline for the elevated risk at these specific loci.
Holy
Approved rendering: sfânt
Transliteration: hagios
Doctrine: Sanctification
Original: ἅγιος
Category: Sanctification
Inherited from Romans package. Central to ‘Duhul Sfânt’ in the Trinitarian baptismal formula (28:19).
Peace
Approved rendering: pace
Transliteration: eirēnē
Doctrine: Peace with God / Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: εἰρήνη
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 10:34 (‘n-am venit să aduc pace, ci sabie’) must be taught alongside, not against, peace with God — relational/social division, not a negation of the gospel of peace.
Power Of God
Approved rendering: puterea lui Dumnezeu
Transliteration: dynamis theou
Doctrine: Power of God for Salvation / Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Original: δύναμις θεοῦ
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Kept lexically distinct from the new term authority (ἐξουσία); Romanian Bible tradition often collapses both into ‘putere,’ a genuine lexical-gap risk documented for Matthew.
Providence
Approved rendering: pronia lui Dumnezeu
Transliteration: pronoia
Doctrine: Providence
Rejected alternatives: soartă, destin
Original: πρόνοια (cf. Matthew 6:25-34’s “do not be anxious”)
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Grounds Matthew 6:25-34’s teaching against anxiety; avoid fatalistic ‘soartă/destin’ framing.
Adoption
Approved rendering: înfiere
Transliteration: huiothesia
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Original: υἱοθεσία (implied by υἱοὶ θεοῦ, 5:9)
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies the doctrinal category behind Matthew 5:9’s ‘shall be called sons of God’ — see new term sons_of_god_believers for the specific term-level treatment.
Seed Of David
Approved rendering: sămânța lui David
Transliteration: sperma Dauid
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Background term for Matthew’s more frequent ‘Fiul lui David’ title (see new term son_of_david); requires the same 2 Samuel 7 covenant background.
Blessed Beatitude
Approved rendering: fericiți
Transliteration: makarios
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: fericit ca stare emoțională subiectivă
Original: μακάριος
Category: Kingdom
New term for Matthew. Established Orthodox Synodal and Cornilescu rendering. A divine, objective pronouncement of favor/flourishing on a status, not a report of a subjective feeling. Matthew 5:3-11.
Baptize
Approved rendering: a boteza
Transliteration: baptizō
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven / The Great Commission
Original: βαπτίζω
Category: Church
New term for Matthew (Medium at 3:6,11,13-16; elevated to Critical at 28:19 — see new term baptismal_formula). John’s preparatory baptism is explicitly distinguished in the text from the Messiah’s coming Spirit-and-fire baptism (3:11).
Hypocrite
Approved rendering: fățarnic
Transliteration: hypokritēs
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: ὑποκριτής
Category: Righteousness
New term for Matthew. One performing piety for human approval; originally a stage actor. Pair consistently with the externalism-versus-heart-religion contrast (6:2,5,16; 15:7; 22:18; ch.23).
Scribes And Pharisees
Approved rendering: cărturari și farisei
Transliteration: grammateis kai Pharisaioi
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι
Category: Righteousness
New term for Matthew. Must be taught as a critique of externalized, hypocritical religion applicable to any tradition, not an ethnic or historic-Jewish polemic; recurs in chs.5,9,12,15,23.
Perfect Teleios
Approved rendering: desăvârșiți
Transliteration: teleios
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Rejected alternatives: perfecțiune morală fără cusur, în sens modern legalist
Original: τέλειος
Category: Righteousness
New term for Matthew. Wholeness/completeness of character reflecting God’s own, not flawless sinless performance. Positive resonance with Orthodox theosis trajectory (5:48; 19:21).
Cross
Approved rendering: cruce
Transliteration: stauros
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: σταυρός
Category: Discipleship
New term for Matthew. Metaphor for willing self-denial and suffering in following Jesus (10:38; 16:24). Positive devotional resonance with Orthodox veneration of the Cross is an asset; the call to costly self-denial must remain primary alongside it.
Great Tribulation
Approved rendering: necaz mare
Transliteration: thlipsis megalē
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Original: θλῖψις μεγάλη
Category: Eschatology
New term for Matthew. Intense, unprecedented eschatological distress preceding the end (24:21). Avoid sensationalized elaboration beyond the text.
Transfiguration
Approved rendering: schimbarea la față
Transliteration: metamorphoō
Doctrine: Jesus as Promised Messiah / The Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Original: μεταμορφόω
Category: Christology
New term for Matthew. One of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox liturgical calendar — a strong doctrinal/devotional asset (17:1-8); keep Matthew’s specific point (glory confirming the Son’s identity before the passion) central.
Cornerstone
Approved rendering: piatra din capul unghiului
Transliteration: kephalē gōnias
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline / Jesus as Promised Messiah
Original: κεφαλὴ γωνίας
Category: Church
New term for Matthew. The rejected stone that becomes the foundational/capstone element (Ps 118:22, quoted at 21:42); links rejection, resurrection-vindication, and the Church’s foundation.
Woe
Approved rendering: vai
Transliteration: ouai
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: οὐαί
Category: Righteousness
New term for Matthew. A prophetic pronouncement of judgment/lament, not a casual insult; preserve the prophetic-judgment genre (ch.23; 11:21; 24:19).
Little Faith
Approved rendering: puțin credincios
Transliteration: oligopistos
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus / Faith
Rejected alternatives: necredință totală
New term for Matthew. A rebuke of wavering, not absent, faith (6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8). Must be taught as pastoral and corrective, not a condemnation placing the person outside the faith.
Corban
Approved rendering: corban (dar afierosit lui Dumnezeu)
Transliteration: korban
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
New term for Matthew. Jesus’ own quotation of a technical legal category the Pharisees used to evade the commandment to honor one’s parents (15:5). Transliterate with a gloss rather than paraphrase, to preserve the specific abuse being criticized.
Low Risk Terms
Gentiles
Approved rendering: neamuri
Transliteration: ethnē
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles / The Great Commission
Rejected alternatives: păgâni (pejorativ)
Original: ἔθνη
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. ‘Toate neamurile’ (28:19, πάντα τὰ ἔθνη) is the direct object of the Great Commission.
Prophet
Approved rendering: proroc
Transliteration: prophētēs
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Original: προφήτης
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Also used of false prophets (ψευδοπροφῆται), tested ‘by their fruits,’ 7:15-20.
Prophecy
Approved rendering: prorocie
Transliteration: prophēteia
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Original: προφητεία
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Undergirds Matthew’s recurring fulfillment-formula quotations; see new term fulfill.
David
Approved rendering: David
Transliteration: Dawid
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Original: Δαυίδ
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Anchors Matthew’s genealogy (ch.1) and the ‘Fiul lui David’ title (21:9).
Israel
Approved rendering: Israel
Transliteration: Yisra’el
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Original: Ἰσραήλ
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Appears at 2:6; 2:20-21; 10:6; 15:24.
Apostle
Approved rendering: apostol
Transliteration: apostolos
Doctrine: Apostleship
Original: ἀπόστολος
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. The Twelve (10:2-4), commissioned in ch.10 and again in ch.28.
Thanksgiving
Approved rendering: mulțumire
Transliteration: eucharistia / eucharisteō
Doctrine: Thanksgiving
Original: εὐχαριστία / εὐχαριστέω
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 26:27, Jesus ‘having given thanks’ over the cup at the institution of the Lord’s Supper; etymological root of ‘Eucharist’ — relevant background for the new term blood_of_the_covenant_eucharistic_words, though this term itself remains Low risk.
Hosanna
Approved rendering: Osana
Transliteration: Hōsanna
Doctrine: Jesus as Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: Ὡσαννά
Category: Christology
New term for Matthew. Retain the transliteration per established convention for retained Semitic/liturgical terms (cf. Avva, Amin, Aliluia); teach as genuine messianic recognition, not a generic festive greeting (21:9,15).
Golgotha
Approved rendering: Golgota (locul căpățânii)
Transliteration: Golgotha
Doctrine: Jesus as Promised Messiah (Passion narrative)
New term for Matthew. Matthew glosses the term himself in Greek (27:33); preserve his own built-in explanatory apparatus rather than dropping either the transliteration or the gloss.
Beelzebul
Approved rendering: Beelzebul
Transliteration: Beelzeboul
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age (Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit context)
New term for Matthew. Proper name of a demonic figure (12:24,27); low ambiguity risk, standard across Romanian Bible traditions.
Referenced passages