Semantic Analysis
Semantic Analysis: Ephesians (Koine Greek → Sanskrit)
Curriculum: Ephesians | Core passage: Ephesians 2:1–10
Destination language: Sanskrit (Devanagari) | Authority: Baseline Romans Language Package (translation_memory.json, bible_term_registry.json, doctrine_risk_registry.json, 12_ai_translation_requirements.md)
Methodology and governing rule
Every term already recorded in the baseline Romans translation memory is reused exactly — no re-derivation, no “improved” synonym. Where Ephesians introduces new theological vocabulary, this analysis follows the baseline’s own method: prefer the least philosophically-encumbered available Sanskrit term, cite the specific classical school/text that would be triggered by a rejected alternative, and mark Critical/High risk only where a named, citable doctrine collides, per the categorical framing in 12_ai_translation_requirements.md.
Fields provided for every load-bearing term: Greek | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range | English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk.
Terms carrying the note “[BASELINE — reuse exactly]” are already fixed by the Romans package and must not be altered.
PART A — CORE PASSAGE, VERSE BY VERSE: Ephesians 2:1–10
Ephesians 2:1
καὶ ὑμᾶς ὄντας νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dead | νεκρούς | nekrous | corpse-like, lifeless | physically dead; metaphorically inert/powerless | ”dead,” “lifeless” | Spiritual deadness — total inability to respond to God, not a statement about the physical death-transition | मृतः (mṛtaḥ). Risk: High. Must carry a mandatory note that this is the living unregenerate person’s relational separation from God’s life, categorically distinct from the death-moment that triggers transmigration (liṅga-śarīra departure) in Sāṃkhya-Yoga/Vedānta — see baseline “resurrection” entry. Never gloss with a term implying karmic transition. |
| trespasses | παραπτώμασιν | paraptōmasin | a fall/false step | wrongdoing, offense, transgression | ”trespasses,” “transgressions,” “offenses” | Specific acts of wrongdoing, paired with the broader category “sins” | अपराधः (aparādhaḥ). Risk: Medium. Paired synonym alongside पापम्; no major competing technical sense, but should not be collapsed entirely into पापम् — Paul distinguishes acts (παράπτωμα) from the condition/category (ἁμαρτία). |
| sins | ἁμαρτίαις | hamartiais | missing the mark | moral transgression before God | ”sins” | [BASELINE — reuse exactly] पापम् (pāpam). See baseline note: guard against a prāyaścitta (ritual-penance) resolution reading. |
Ephesians 2:2
ἐν αἷς ποτὲ περιεπατήσατε κατὰ τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, κατὰ τὸν ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ ἀέρος, τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ νῦν ἐνεργοῦντος ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς τῆς ἀπειθείας
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| walked | περιεπατήσατε | periepatēsate | walked around | habitual conduct, way of life | ”walked,” “lived,” “conducted yourselves” | The governing Ephesians ethical metaphor for the totality of a life’s conduct, tied to the doctrine “Walking in Newness of Life” — recurs 2:10; 4:1,17; 5:2,8,15 | आचरन्तु / आचारः (ācāraḥ, noun; verb आचरति). Risk: Medium. आचार risks evoking dharmaśāstra’s sadācāra (prescribed varṇa-conduct); every occurrence must be anchored to “conduct flowing from one’s new identity/nature in Christ,” not prescribed caste-duty performance — parallel to baseline’s obedience_of_faith caution. |
| age/course of this world | τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ κόσμου | ton aiōna tou kosmou | the age of this world | a present, temporary world-order under corruption | ”the ways of this world,” “this present age” | The corrupted present world-order believers are rescued from | अस्य जगतः कालः (asya jagataḥ kālaḥ). Risk: Low-Medium. Descriptive; avoid युग (yuga), which names the cyclical four-age cosmological system (kṛta/tretā/dvāpara/kali) already flagged under “Fulfillment of Prophecy” in the baseline — Ephesians’ “this age” is not a位 within a repeating cosmic cycle. |
| ruler of the power of the air | τὸν ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ ἀέρος | ton archonta tēs exousias tou aeros | the ruler of the authority of the air | a personal, hostile spiritual authority (Satan) | “the prince of the power of the air,” “the ruler of this world’s authority” | Satan’s derivative, limited, doomed authority — never on par with God’s sovereignty | वायुमण्डलस्य अधिपतिः (vāyumaṇḍalasya adhipatiḥ). Risk: High. Must not be assimilated to any devatā of Vedic/Puranic sky-cosmology (e.g., Indra, lord of the atmospheric/middle world, or Vāyu himself as a legitimate Vedic deity) — this is a rebellious, hostile being under judgment, not a member of a legitimate cosmic hierarchy. |
| disobedience | ἀπειθείας | apeitheias | not-being-persuaded | willful non-compliance with God’s will | ”disobedience,” “unbelief” | Root moral condition of the unregenerate, contrasted with “obedience of faith” | अनाज्ञापालनम् (anājñāpālanam). Risk: Medium. Built from baseline’s आज्ञापालनम् (obedience_of_faith) root by negation — preserves internal glossary consistency. |
Ephesians 2:3
ἐν οἷς καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἀνεστράφημέν ποτε ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν, ποιοῦντες τὰ θελήματα τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ τῶν διανοιῶν, καὶ ἤμεθα τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| flesh (fallen nature) | σαρκὸς | sarkos | meat/flesh | in Paul, often the fallen human nature-domain opposed to the Spirit | ”flesh,” “sinful nature,” “body” | The domain of fallen human desire and self-rule, distinct from σάρξ’s literal sense elsewhere in the letter (e.g. 2:11, 5:29,31) | मांसम् / शारीरिक-अभिलाषा (māṃsam / śārīrika-abhilāṣā, in compound “fleshly desire”). Risk: High. CRITICAL CAUTION: never render with प्रकृतिः (prakṛti), the defining Sāṃkhya term for primordial unconscious matter paired dualistically with puruṣa — that would import an entire rival metaphysic. Also never वासना, the technical Yoga/Buddhist term for latent karmic/subconscious impressions (cf. baseline’s resurrection entry). Context alone must carry the literal/moral distinction. |
| desires | ἐπιθυμίαις | epithymiais | strong longings | craving, appetite, lust | ”desires,” “lusts,” “passions” | Disordered cravings that once governed conduct | अभिलाषा (abhilāṣā). Risk: Low-Medium. General ethical-vocabulary convergence with Hindu/Buddhist teaching on craving (tṛṣṇā); no sharp collision. |
| children of wrath by nature | φύσει τέκνα ὀργῆς | physei tekna orgēs | by-nature children of wrath | inherited, universal liability to God’s righteous judgment | ”by nature children of wrath,” “objects of wrath” | Universal human accountability (cf. baseline doctrine) prior to grace | स्वभावतः क्रोधस्य सन्तानाः (svabhāvataḥ krodhasya santānāḥ). Risk: High. “Wrath” (क्रोधः) must be taught as God’s settled, universal, judicial disposition against sin, not an episodic mythological anger-narrative (e.g. Rudra’s or Kālī’s narrative fury against a specific offender) — see full note under “wrath” below. |
Ephesians 2:4
ὁ δὲ θεὸς πλούσιος ὢν ἐν ἐλέει, διὰ τὴν πολλὴν ἀγάπην αὐτοῦ ἣν ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| God | θεὸς | theos | God | [BASELINE — reuse exactly] सर्वेश्वरः | |||
| mercy | ἐλέει | eleei | pity, compassion | compassion toward the suffering/miserable | ”mercy,” “compassion” | Distinct from χάρις/grace: compassion toward misery, not favor toward guilt | कृपा (kṛpā). Risk: Medium-High — IMPORTANT DISAMBIGUATION: baseline’s grace entry rejects कृपा only as a substitute for grace (अनुग्रहः); it is not banned Sanskrit vocabulary. Here, rendering the distinct Greek word ἔλεος (“mercy”), कृपा is correct and required, precisely preserving Paul’s own two-term distinction in this verse (mercy … grace, 2:4–5). Translators must not conflate the two Sanskrit words. |
| love | ἀγάπην | agapēn | love | self-giving, sacrificial, unmerited benevolent love | ”love,” “great love” | God’s initiating, sacrificial love, prior to and not contingent on any devotional response | प्रेम (prema). Risk: High. Must be explicitly distinguished from Gaudīya Vaiṣṇava prema — the cultivated, ecstatic devotional rasa (aesthetic-emotional attainment) theorized by Rūpa Gosvāmī and the bhakti-rasa tradition as the highest fruit of sādhana. God’s ἀγάπη here precedes and is the cause of salvation, not a devotee’s cultivated response/attainment. Alternative प्रीतिः (prītiḥ, milder “affection”) considered but rejected as too weak for “the great love with which he loved us.” |
Ephesians 2:5
καὶ ὄντας ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν συνεζωοποίησεν τῷ Χριστῷ — χάριτί ἐστε σεσωσμένοι
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| made alive together with | συνεζωοποίησεν | synezōopoiēsen | co-made-alive | given life in union with another | ”made us alive together with,” “gave life together with” | Union with Christ: believers’ new life is inseparable from Christ’s resurrection life | ख्रीष्टेन सह सजीवीकृतः (khrīṣṭena saha sajīvīkṛtaḥ). Risk: Critical. Directly tied to baseline’s “Christian Identity in Christ” doctrine (High) and resurrection (Critical) — must preserve “together with Christ,” not an independently-achieved spiritual awakening. |
| grace | χάριτί | chariti | grace | [BASELINE — reuse exactly] अनुग्रहः | |||
| saved | σεσωσμένοι | sesōsmenoi | rescued (perfect passive) | delivered, rescued | ”saved,” “have been saved” | Passive: salvation is received, not achieved — grounds the whole doctrine “Salvation by Grace through Faith” | Verb form of [BASELINE] त्राणम् — render as त्राताः स्थ (trātāḥ stha, “you have been rescued”), from the same √trā root, preserving “rescue by another.” Risk: Critical. Never a मोक्ष/मुक्ति-root verb form. |
Ephesians 2:6
καὶ συνήγειρεν καὶ συνεκάθισεν ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| raised up with | συνήγειρεν | synēgeiren | co-raised | resurrected together with another | ”raised us up with him” | Believers’ identity is already, positionally, joined to Christ’s resurrection | सहोत्थापितः (sahotthāpitaḥ). Risk: Critical. Built on पुनरुत्थानम् (baseline resurrection); never पुनर्जन्म-family vocabulary. |
| seated with | συνεκάθισεν | synekathisen | co-seated | enthroned/placed together with another | ”seated us with him” | Believers share, positionally, in Christ’s heavenly enthronement and authority | सहासितः (sahāsitaḥ). Risk: High. Descriptive coinage; no major rival technical sense, but should be taught alongside “heavenly places” below to avoid a merely poetic reading — this is a real, present spiritual status. |
| heavenly places | ἐπουρανίοις | epouraniois | the heavenly/above-heaven realms | the present unseen spiritual realm where Christ reigns and spiritual conflict occurs (cf. 1:20; 3:10; 6:12) | “heavenly places,” “heavenly realms” | The eternal spiritual sphere of Christ’s reign and believers’ position in him, not a temporary reward-realm | दिव्यलोकः (divyalokaḥ). Risk: High. Deliberately avoids स्वर्गः (svarga), the Puranic/epic heaven that is explicitly impermanent — cf. Bhagavad Gītā 9.21: “kṣīṇe puṇye martyalokaṃ viśanti,” “when their merit is exhausted, they return to the world of mortals.” Ephesians’ heavenly realm is Christ’s permanent reign and believers’ permanent position in him, not a temporary merit-reward abode one falls from. |
Ephesians 2:7
ἵνα ἐνδείξηται ἐν τοῖς αἰῶσιν τοῖς ἐπερχομένοις τὸ ὑπερβάλλον πλοῦτος τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ ἐν χρηστότητι ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| riches | πλοῦτος | ploutos | wealth | abundance, wealth (material or figurative) | “riches,” “wealth,” “abundance” | God’s inexhaustible, freely-given abundance of grace, displayed to all future ages | सम्पत्तिः (sampattiḥ). Risk: Medium. Rejected: ऐश्वर्यम् (aiśvaryam) — the term used for one of the six classical ṣaḍguṇa-aiśvarya opulences of Bhagavān in Vaiṣṇava theology (Viṣṇu/Bhāgavata Purāṇa tradition); सम्पत्तिः avoids that specific six-fold devotional-technical list while retaining the sense of overflowing abundance. |
| kindness | χρηστότητι | chrēstotēti | goodness, kindness | benevolent disposition | ”kindness,” “goodness” | God’s disposition in bestowing grace | कारुण्यम्/सौजन्यम् (kāruṇyam/saujanyam). Risk: Low. Straightforward. |
Ephesians 2:8
τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσωσμένοι διὰ πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| grace…faith | χάριτί…πίστεως | chariti…pisteōs | grace…faith | [BASELINE — reuse exactly] अनुग्रहः, विश्वासः | THE thesis statement of the “Salvation by Grace through Faith” doctrine — consistency across every document in this curriculum is mandatory per the baseline’s cross-document consistency rules. | ||
| gift | δῶρον | dōron | gift | something given freely, without payment | ”gift” | Salvation itself, in its entirety, including faith’s origin, is God’s unearned gift | दानम् (dānam). Risk: High. दान is a major dharmaśāstra virtue-category (one of the classical duties, and central to the whole Hindu economy of ritual/charitable giving for merit — dāna-puṇya) — must be explicitly distinguished from meritorious giving that generates puṇya (merit) for the giver. Here the direction is reversed: God is the giver, humanity the undeserving recipient, and no merit accrues to the receiver by receiving it. Considered but rejected: वरदानम् alone (already reserved for “spiritual gifts” in baseline) — दानम् unqualified is used here for the singular, comprehensive gift of salvation itself. |
| not of yourselves | οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν | ouk ex hymōn | not from you | not self-originated | ”not your own doing” | Salvation’s origin lies entirely outside the human agent | न युष्मत् (na yuṣmat). Risk: Low. Straightforward ablative construction. |
Ephesians 2:9
οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| works | ἔργων | ergōn | deeds/works | human effort, action, moral performance | ”works,” “deeds” | Explicitly excluded as the ground of salvation — the direct doctrinal opposite of karma-phala causality | कर्मणि (karmaṇi, from कर्मन्). Risk: Critical. कर्मन् is unavoidable as ordinary Sanskrit for “deed/action,” but this is precisely the sharpest point of contact with the karma-mīmāṃsā worldview: Paul is saying salvation is not the automatic result (karma-phala) of one’s own ritual or moral action. This verse must always carry a translator note making the contrast with karma-phala explicit, consistent with baseline’s “grace” doctrine risk note. |
| boast | καυχήσηται | kauchēsētai | boast, glory in | take pride, claim credit | ”boast,” “take credit” | No one may claim salvation as self-achievement | आत्मश्लाघा (ātmaślāghā, “self-praise”). Risk: Low-Medium. Common reflexive compound (आत्म- as ordinary “self-” prefix); not to be confused with the baseline’s forbidden bare आत्मा usage for “spirit/Self” — this is a routine compound, not a metaphysical claim. |
Ephesians 2:10
αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| workmanship | ποίημα | poiēma | thing made, work of art | a made thing, product of skilled making | ”workmanship,” “handiwork,” “masterpiece” | Believers are God’s own artistic product, not self-made | कृतिः (kṛtiḥ). Risk: Low-Medium. Straightforward “that which is made”; no major rival technical sense. |
| created | κτισθέντες | ktisthentes | having been created | brought into being | ”created,” “made” | A NEW act of divine creation in Christ — decisive, not self-generated, not a cyclical cosmic emanation | सृष्टाः (sṛṣṭāḥ). Risk: Medium. सृष्टि-vocabulary is broadly shared with Hindu cosmology (Brahmā’s creation within the sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya cycle); note that here creation is a personal, purposive, once-for-all act “in Christ Jesus,” not an impersonal or cyclically-repeating cosmic process. |
| good works | ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς | ergois agathois | good deeds | morally good actions | ”good works” | The fruit, never the ground, of salvation — resolves the works-tension of v.9 | सत्कर्माणि (satkarmāṇi). Risk: High. Must always be sequenced explicitly after grace/faith (v.8) in translator notes so satkarma is not read as accumulating puṇya toward salvation, but as salvation’s downstream, Spirit-enabled outworking. |
| prepared beforehand | προητοίμασεν | proētoimasen | prepared in advance | planned ahead of time | ”prepared beforehand,” “planned in advance” | God’s prior, sovereign planning of the believer’s good works — ties to Election/Predestination doctrine | पूर्वं सुसज्जीकृतवान् (pūrvaṃ susajjīkṛtavān). Risk: High. Same doctrinal family as “predestination” (see Ch.1 below) — God’s prior determination, not an impersonal fate (दैवम्/भाग्यम्, both already rejected in baseline’s election/providence entries). |
| walk | περιπατήσωμεν | peripatēsōmen | might walk | conduct one’s life | ”walk in them,” “live them out” | [See 2:2 above] आचारः/आचरणम् — the doctrine “Walking in Newness of Life” crystallizes here: good works are the path one walks, prepared by God, not a path one paves oneself. |
PART B — CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDY, EPHESIANS 1–6
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 introduces the letter’s doctrinal overture: election, predestination, redemption, the mystery of God’s plan, the sealing of the Spirit, and Christ’s headship over the church and the cosmic powers.
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| grace, saints, holy, God, Lord, Jesus Christ, Father, Holy Spirit, glory, redemption(partial), faith, gospel, adoption | various | — | — | — | — | Recurring core vocabulary | [BASELINE — reuse exactly]: अनुग्रहः, पवित्राः जनाः, पवित्रम्, सर्वेश्वरः, प्रभुः, यीशुः/ख्रीष्टः, पिता, पवित्र आत्मा, महिमा, विश्वासः, सुसमाचारः, पुत्रत्वेन स्वीकरणम् |
| predestined / foreordained | προορίσας | proorisas | marked out beforehand | God’s prior determination of an outcome | ”predestined,” “foreordained,” “destined” | Central to “Election and Predestination in Christ” — God’s own prior, personal decision, made before creation (1:4) and “according to the purpose of his will” (1:5,11) | पूर्वनिर्णयः (pūrvanirṇayaḥ, noun); पूर्वं निर्णीतः (verb form). Risk: Critical. Coined on the same model as baseline’s justification entry (धर्मीति निर्णयः), where निर्णय names a Mīmāṃsā/Nyāya definitively ascertained conclusion reached through reasoned argument — repurposed here for God’s own definitive, prior, sovereign decision. Explicitly rejected: दैवम्, भाग्यम् (impersonal fate/fortune — already rejected under baseline’s “election” and “providence” entries) and कर्मफलम् (automatic karmic result). Must always be distinguished from “election” (परमेश्वरस्य वरणम्) — predestination is the timing (before the world’s foundation) and comprehensiveness of God’s choice; election is the choosing itself. |
| purpose (of his will) | πρόθεσις / θέλημα | prothesis / thelēma | setting-forth / will | God’s deliberate plan/intention | ”purpose,” “will,” “counsel,” “pleasure” | God’s sovereign intention behind predestination | उद्देशः (uddeśaḥ) / इच्छा (icchā). Risk: Medium. इच्छा is the term for “will/desire” also used technically in Kashmir Śaiva cosmogony as one of Śiva’s three creative śaktis (icchā-śakti, jñāna-śakti, kriyā-śakti). Lower risk than the pan-Indian centrality of Advaita’s ātman-Brahman claim, but should still be flagged; उद्देशः (“aim/purpose”) is the safer default where “purpose” rather than “will/desire” is intended. |
| redemption | ἀπολύτρωσις | apolytrōsis | buying back, ransom | release effected by payment of a price | ”redemption,” “ransom” | Salvation understood specifically as a purchased release, at the cost of Christ’s blood (1:7) | क्रयत्राणम् (krayatrāṇam, “ransom-rescue”). Risk: Critical. Deliberately built on √trā (baseline “rescue,” त्राणम्) rather than √muc (“release”), to avoid विमोचनम्, which shares its root with the forbidden मोक्षः. Never मुक्तिः. The distinguishing feature Paul stresses — a price paid by another — has no analogue in mokṣa’s self-realization framework; क्रयत्राणम् foregrounds the transactional, another-accomplished rescue instead. |
| mystery | μυστήριον | mystērion | secret thing | a previously hidden truth now disclosed | ”mystery,” “secret plan” | God’s plan, hidden for ages, now openly revealed in Christ to all — reversal, not continuation, of esoteric secrecy | रहस्यम् (rahasyam). Risk: Critical. This is the sharpest possible structural contrast available: Vedāntic and Tantric usage of रहस्य/गुह्य names teaching deliberately restricted to qualified initiates (adhikārī) through guru-mediated transmission — the very opposite movement from Paul’s μυστήριον, which is a hidden truth now publicly proclaimed to all, Jew and Gentile alike (3:5-6,9; 6:19). Every occurrence must carry this reversal note. Rejected: गुह्यम् (specific Tantric secret-rite/mantra term, e.g. guhya-sādhana), निगूढतत्त्वम् (imports Sāṃkhya’s तत्त्व category apparatus). |
| seal(ed) | ἐσφραγίσθητε | esphragisthēte | were sealed | marked with a stamp of ownership/authentication | ”sealed,” “marked” | The Spirit as God’s own mark of ownership and guarantee on the believer (1:13; 4:30) | मुद्रा/मुद्रांकितः (mudrā / mudrāṅkitaḥ, “sealed”). Risk: High. Must be distinguished from tapta-mudrā-dhāraṇa, the Vaiṣṇava initiatory practice of branding the body with heated emblems of Viṣṇu, and from mudrā as a ritual hand-gesture in Tantric/Haṭha-yogic practice. The Spirit’s seal is God’s own invisible, internal mark placed at the moment of belief, not a guru-administered physical rite or gesture. |
| guarantee/down payment | ἀρραβὼν | arrabōn | earnest money | a partial payment guaranteeing the full amount to come | ”guarantee,” “deposit,” “down payment,” “pledge” | The Spirit as the present guarantee of the future, full inheritance | अग्रिमदानम् (agrimadānam). Risk: Low-Medium. Commercial/legal term with minimal philosophical baggage. |
| inheritance | κληρονομία | klēronomia | portion received by lot | a possession received as heir | ”inheritance,” “portion” | Believers’ guaranteed future possession as God’s adopted children | उत्तराधिकारः (uttarādhikāraḥ). Risk: High. Rejected: दायः/दायभागः (dāya/dāyabhāga) — the precise, named technical category of classical Hindu inheritance law (the Dāyabhāga and Mitākṣarā schools), which govern partial, birth-order- and status-conditioned inheritance shares. As with baseline’s “adoption” entry, the fuller/neutral term is preferred to avoid importing partial-share inheritance-law technicalities; Ephesians pictures complete heirship, not an apportioned dāya-share. |
| fullness | πλήρωμα | plērōma | that which fills, completeness | totality, completion; (later, in Gnosticism, the totality of divine emanations) | “fullness,” “the sum total” | Christ fills, completes, and indwells all things and especially the church (1:23; also 3:19; 4:13) | पूर्णता (pūrṇatā). Risk: High. Directly adjacent to the Īśa Upaniṣad’s celebrated invocation “oṃ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idam, pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate” (“that is full, this is full, from fullness, fullness comes forth”) — a foundational Advaita statement about Brahman’s infinite, undiminished plenitude. पूर्णता must be taught, every occurrence, as Christ’s personal, relational filling and completing of the church (his body) and of believers, not the impersonal, self-identical infinite-whole metaphysic of the Upaniṣadic pūrṇam. Abstract noun form (पूर्णता rather than bare पूर्णम्) preferred to reduce direct citation-overlap with the mantra itself. |
| rulers and authorities (positive/cosmic sense) | ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας | archēs kai exousias | rulership and authority | ranks of spiritual/cosmic power, now subjected to Christ (1:21; cf. 3:10) | “rule and authority, power and dominion” | All spiritual powers are subordinated under Christ’s supremacy | शासकाः, सत्ताधारिणः (śāsakāḥ, sattādhāriṇaḥ). Risk: Medium. Standard governance vocabulary; avoid अधिकारिणः where possible (adjacent to Mīmāṃsā/Vedānta’s technical adhikāra, “qualification”). |
Chapter 2 (2:11–22 — continuing beyond the core passage)
Having established salvation by grace (2:1–10), the chapter turns to the doctrine “Unity of Jews and Gentiles in One New Humanity.”
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| gentiles, Israel, circumcision | ἔθνη, Ἰσραήλ, περιτομή | — | — | — | — | [BASELINE — reuse exactly for gentiles/Israel] अन्यजातीयाः, इस्राएलः. Circumcision (new): त्वक्च्छेदः (tvakchedaḥ, “skin-cutting”) — Risk: Low, a physical/covenantal marker, straightforwardly descriptive, no major Sanskrit philosophical collision. | |
| dividing wall / hostility | μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ…ἔχθραν | mesotoichon…echthran | middle-wall of the fence…enmity | a partition creating separation and hostility | ”dividing wall,” “barrier,” “hostility” | The Jew-Gentile barrier abolished in Christ’s flesh | विभाजिका भित्तिः (vibhājikā bhittiḥ) / वैरम् (vairam, “enmity”). Risk: Low-Medium. Descriptive; no rival technical sense. |
| one new man / one new humanity | εἷς καινὸς ἄνθρωπος | heis kainos anthrōpos | one new human | a genuinely new corporate humanity created out of two formerly divided peoples | ”one new man,” “one new humanity,” “one new people” | THE doctrinal center of Jew-Gentile unity: not assimilation of one into the other but a wholly new creation | एका नवा मानवता (ekā navā mānavatā, “one new humanity”). Risk: Critical. Deliberately avoids पुरुषः (puruṣa) for “man/self” — puruṣa is (a) the defining term of Sāṃkhya’s eternal, unchanging conscious principle, which cannot coherently be “created” or “made new,” and (b) the cosmic being of the Puruṣa-sūkta (Ṛgveda 10.90), whose dismembered body is the mythic origin of the four varṇas — a catastrophic association for a doctrine whose entire point is the abolition of an ethnic/social dividing wall. मानवता (built on मानव, “human”) avoids both traps. |
| reconcile | ἀποκαταλλάξῃ | apokatallaxē | reconcile fully | restore to peaceful relationship after hostility | ”reconcile,” “make peace between” | Christ reconciles both Jew and Gentile to God and to each other, in one body, through the cross | सन्धानम् (sandhānam, “reunion/reconciliation”). Risk: Medium. Felicitous parallel rather than a sharp collision: सन्धि/सन्धान is also the classical Arthaśāstra term for a peace-treaty ending hostility between two states (one of the six measures, ṣāḍguṇya, of foreign policy) — a helpful structural analogy for two formerly hostile parties made one, though translators should note the term’s secular-political register and ensure it is not read as a merely diplomatic truce rather than a decisive, cross-accomplished reconciliation. |
| access | προσαγωγήν | prosagōgēn | a bringing near, approach | the right/ability to approach | ”access,” “we may approach” | Universal, unrestricted access to the Father for Jew and Gentile alike, in one Spirit (2:18; cf. 3:12) | प्रवेशः (praveśaḥ, “entrance/access”). Risk: High. Ties directly to baseline’s “Universal Scope of the Gospel” doctrine (already flagged High against Mīmāṃsā’s varṇa-restricted ritual access/adhikāra to Vedic sacred fire and mantra). Ephesians 2:18 makes the universal-access claim explicit and must not be softened toward any qualification-based reading. |
| fellow citizens / household of God | συμπολῖται…οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ | sympolitai…oikeioi tou theou | fellow-citizens…members of God’s household | shared civic/familial belonging | ”fellow citizens,” “members of God’s household” | Gentiles now share full covenant standing, not a lesser status | सहनागरिकाः / परमेश्वरस्य परिवारः (sahanāgarikāḥ / parameśvarasya parivāraḥ). Risk: Low-Medium. Descriptive; connects to baseline “father”/“adoption” doctrine. |
| cornerstone, foundation, temple, dwelling place | ἀκρογωνιαῖος, θεμέλιος, ναός, κατοικητήριον | — | — | — | — | The church as God’s own dwelling, built on the apostles/prophets with Christ as cornerstone | कोणशिला (koṇaśilā, cornerstone), आधारः (ādhāraḥ, foundation), पवित्रं निवासस्थानम् (pavitraṃ nivāsasthānam, holy dwelling place). Risk: High for “temple/dwelling.” Deliberately avoids मन्दिरम् and देवालयः, for the same reason baseline’s “church” entry rejects मन्दिरम् — an image-centered worship site is not the sense intended; God’s personal indwelling presence within his gathered people is the sense, so a descriptive dwelling-phrase is preferred over any term naming a physical shrine. |
Chapter 3
Doctrine focus: “The Mystery of Christ Revealed”; Paul’s stewardship of that mystery; the church’s role in displaying it; prayer for the church’s fullness.
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mystery, gentiles, apostle(s), Spirit, grace | various | — | — | — | — | Continuing terms | [BASELINE/Ch.1 — reuse exactly]: रहस्यम्, अन्यजातीयाः, प्रेषितः, पवित्र आत्मा, अनुग्रहः |
| stewardship / administration | οἰκονομίαν | oikonomian | household-management | a commission, entrusted task of management | ”stewardship,” “administration,” “commission” | Paul’s Spirit-given task of making the mystery known | व्यवस्था (vyavasthā, “arrangement/administration”). Risk: Medium. व्यवस्था can carry a dharmaśāstra sense of a formal legal/ritual ruling; contextual clarity (“the stewardship of this grace given to me,” 3:2,9) sufficiently distinguishes the sense intended. |
| fellow heirs | συγκληρονόμα | synklēronoma | co-heirs | sharing inheritance jointly | ”fellow heirs,” “co-heirs” | Gentiles share equally, not partially, in the promise | सहोत्तराधिकारी (sahottarādhikārī). Risk: High. Builds on उत्तराधिकारः (Ch.1 inheritance entry); same caution against दायभाग partial-share connotations. |
| unsearchable riches | ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος | anexichniaston ploutos | untraceable riches | riches beyond investigation/limit | ”unsearchable riches,” “boundless riches” | Christ’s wealth of grace, beyond human comprehension | Builds on सम्पत्तिः (Ch. core-passage entry) + अगाधः/अनन्तः (agādhaḥ/anantaḥ, “unfathomable/limitless”). Risk: Low-Medium. |
| boldness / confident access | παρρησίαν | parrēsian | freedom of speech | confidence, openness, freedom to speak/approach | ”boldness,” “confidence,” “freedom of access” | Confident, unrestricted approach to God through Christ — reinforces universal access (2:18) | निर्भयता (nirbhayatā, “fearlessness/boldness”). Risk: Medium. Ties to the same universal-access doctrinal point as “access” in Ch.2; note that this confidence is granted, not earned through ascetic qualification. |
| rooted and grounded | ἐρριζωμένοι καὶ τεθεμελιωμένοι | errizōmenoi kai tethemeliōmenoi | rooted and founded | firmly established, stable | ”rooted and grounded,” “firmly established” | Stability of love as the believer’s foundation | मूलितः स्थापितः च (mūlitaḥ sthāpitaḥ ca). Risk: Low. Agricultural/architectural metaphor, straightforward. |
| breadth, length, height, depth | πλάτος, μῆκος, ὕψος, βάθος | — | — | — | — | The immeasurable dimensions of Christ’s love | विस्तारः, दैर्घ्यम्, उच्चता, गाम्भीर्यम् — Risk: Low. Descriptive spatial vocabulary. |
| fullness of God | πλήρωμα τοῦ θεοῦ | plērōma tou theou | fullness of God | the totality/completeness of God’s own being, indwelling the believer | ”the fullness of God” | Believers filled with God’s own presence and character | See पूर्णता (Ch.1 entry) — same Critical Upaniṣadic-pūrṇam caution applies with even greater force here, since “fullness of God” sits closest to “pūrṇam idam pūrṇam adaḥ.” Mandatory personhood/indwelling note required at every occurrence. |
| power | δύναμιν | dynamin | power/ability | [BASELINE — reuse exactly] सामर्थ्यम् — never शक्तिः. |
Chapter 4
Doctrine focus: “Unity of the Church,” “Gifts for Building Up the Church,” “Walking in Newness of Life” (old self/new self).
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| calling, faith, God, Lord, one Spirit, hope, baptism | various | — | — | — | — | The “one body…one Spirit…one hope…one Lord, one faith, one baptism…one God” creedal unity list (4:4-6) | [BASELINE — reuse exactly] आह्वानम्/आहूतः, विश्वासः, सर्वेश्वरः, प्रभुः, पवित्र आत्मा |
| unity | ἑνότητα | henotēta | oneness | a state of being one; unified purpose/fellowship | ”unity,” “oneness” | Relational, communal, ethical oneness of the Spirit and of faith among genuinely distinct persons — NOT identity-collapse | ऐक्यम् (aikyam). Risk: Critical. This term directly overlaps with Advaita Vedānta’s own core vocabulary for the metaphysical non-dual identity of ātman and Brahman (aikya/tādātmya, the collapsing of subject-object distinction asserted by the mahāvākyas — see baseline’s Holy Spirit entry). Every occurrence of “unity of the Spirit” (4:3) and “unity of faith” (4:13) must carry an explicit note: this is a relational, ethical, communal oneness of purpose among distinct persons (many members, one body — 4:16), not the metaphysical erasure of personal distinction Advaita asserts of ātman and Brahman. This is among the highest-priority disambiguation notes in the entire Ephesians package. |
| gifts (offices) | ἔδωκεν…δόματα / apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers | edōken domata | he gave gifts | Christ’s own gifts to the church, specifically the founding/equipping ministries | ”gifts,” “he gave” | Christ himself, ascended, gives these offices for the church’s building up | Apostles/prophets [BASELINE — reuse exactly] प्रेषितः, भविष्यद्वक्ता. Evangelist (new): सुसमाचारप्रचारकः (susamācāraprachārakaḥ) — built on baseline’s सुसमाचार + प्रचार roots, Risk Low-Medium. Pastor/shepherd (new): पालकः (pālakaḥ, “protector/caretaker”) — Risk Medium; deliberately rejects गोपालः (gopālaḥ, “cowherd”), the near-exclusive epithet of Kṛṣṇa as Gopāla/Govinda in Vaiṣṇava bhakti devotion. Teacher (new): उपदेशकः (upadeśakaḥ, “instructor”) — Risk Medium; deliberately rejects गुरुः, per baseline’s “apostle” entry reasoning (guru-śiṣya-paramparā lineage-authority apparatus). |
| equipping | καταρτισμὸν | katartismon | fitting together, preparing fully | training/preparation for a task | ”equipping,” “training” | The offices exist to equip all the saints for ministry, not to monopolize it | सुसज्जीकरणम् (susajjīkaraṇam). Risk: Low-Medium. Descriptive. |
| building up (the body) | οἰκοδομὴν | oikodomēn | building, edifying | growth/strengthening of the body | ”building up,” “edification” | Ties to baseline “Mutual Edification” doctrine (Low risk there); reused sense. | उन्नतिः/परस्परोन्नतिः (unnatiḥ / parasparonnatiḥ) — consistent with baseline’s mutual_edification entry. Risk: Low. |
| maturity / mature manhood | ἄνδρα τέλειον | andra teleion | a complete/perfect man | full growth, completeness of development | ”mature manhood,” “full maturity” | The goal of the church’s growth: Christlike maturity, corporately and individually | प्रौढत्वम् (prauḍhatvam, “maturity/full growth”). Risk: Medium. Deliberately avoids सिद्धिः/सिद्धावस्था (siddhi-family — the eight classical yogic supernatural attainments already rejected in baseline’s spiritual_gifts entry) and पुरुष (see Ch.2’s “one new humanity” entry for the Sāṃkhya/Puruṣa-sūkta caution, equally applicable to ἄνδρα here). |
| fullness of Christ | τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ | to plērōma tou Christou | the fullness of Christ | see पूर्णता entries above | The corporate church’s goal: full Christlikeness | Same Critical caution as Ch.1/Ch.3 πλήρωμα entries applies. | |
| old self / new self | τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον / τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον | ton palaion / kainon anthrōpon | the old/new man | the former unregenerate identity vs. the new Christ-shaped identity | ”old self,” “old man,” “new self,” “new man” | The decisive moral-identity change worked by union with Christ — central to “Walking in Newness of Life” | पुराणः जनः / नवः जनः (purāṇaḥ janaḥ / navaḥ janaḥ). Risk: Critical. As with “one new humanity” (Ch.2), पुरुषः is explicitly rejected — both for its Sāṃkhya dualist metaphysical weight (an eternal, unchanging puruṣa cannot coherently be “put off” or newly “created”) and its Puruṣa-sūkta varṇa-origin association. जनः (“person”) carries neither liability. |
| renewed in mind | ἀνανεοῦσθαι τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ νοὸς | ananeousthai tō pneumati tou noos | be renewed in the spirit of the mind | ongoing inward transformation of thought/perception | ”renewed in mind,” “renewal of your mind” | The Spirit’s ongoing transformation of a believer’s outlook, part of “putting on” the new self | मनसः नवीकरणम् (manasaḥ navīkaraṇam). Risk: Medium. मनस् is a relatively neutral cognitive-faculty term (compared to बुद्धि, चित्त, आत्मन्); low collision risk. |
| grieve (the Spirit) | λυπεῖτε | lypeite | grieve, cause sorrow | cause sadness/distress | ”grieve,” “do not grieve” | Only a person can be grieved — reinforces the Holy Spirit’s distinct personhood, per baseline’s mandatory personhood note | शोकयत/दुःखयत → न शोचयत (na śocayata, “do not grieve/cause sorrow to”). Risk: High. Any Holy Spirit passage carries baseline’s mandatory ātman-Brahman personhood-note requirement; this verb usage in fact reinforces that note (an impersonal ultimate reality cannot be “grieved”) and should be flagged as a positive teaching opportunity in translator notes. |
Chapter 5
Doctrine focus: “Walking in Newness of Life” (continued: imitate God, walk in love/light), vice lists (idolatry, sexual immorality, covetousness), Christ’s self-sacrifice, “Household Codes and Christ-Centered Relationships” (marriage as the mystery of Christ and the church).
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| walk (in love/light) | περιπατεῖτε | peripateite | walk | [see Ch.2/core passage] आचारः/आचरणम् | Recurs as the letter’s ethical refrain | ||
| fragrant offering and sacrifice | προσφορὰν καὶ θυσίαν…εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας | prosphoran kai thysian…eis osmēn euōdias | offering and sacrifice…for a fragrant aroma | Christ’s self-giving death described in cultic-sacrificial language | ”a fragrant offering and sacrifice,” “a sweet-smelling sacrifice” | Christ’s unique, unrepeatable, personal self-giving act of love, accepted by God — not a repeatable ritual technique | आत्मबलिदानम् (ātmabalidānam, “self-sacrifice-offering”); सुगन्धः (sugandhaḥ, fragrance). Risk: Critical. Deliberately rejects bare यज्ञः (yajña) — the paradigmatic Vedic fire-sacrifice around which the entire Pūrva Mīmāṃsā hermeneutical system is built, where correctly-performed ritual mechanically produces its own result (apūrva), independent of the deity’s disposition. Christ’s offering must be taught as a unique, personal, once-for-all self-giving act of love, freely accepted by God’s grace, not a ritual technique generating an automatic result — this is the same doctrinal ground as baseline’s “law”/विधिः and “justification”/निर्णय entries, which already engage Mīmāṃsā categories, so internal consistency is essential. |
| idolatry | εἰδωλολατρία / πλεονέκτης…εἰδωλολάτρης (5:5, “covetous person, who is an idolater”) | eidōlolatria | image-service | worship of a false god or of anything in place of God | ”idolatry” | Misplaced ultimate allegiance — here specifically, greed functioning as a rival god | अन्यदेवाराधना (anyadevārādhanā, “worship of another/a different god”). Risk: Critical. Explicitly rejects मूर्तिपूजा (mūrtipūjā, “image-worship”) as the primary gloss — मूर्तिपूजा names the ordinary, mainstream devotional image/icon-worship practice of most living Hindu traditions, not a fringe vice. Using it as the default rendering of “idolatry” would (mis)read as a blanket denunciation of the target audience’s own devotional practice per se, rather than translating Paul’s specific point (5:5) that covetousness itself functions as a rival god. अन्यदेवाराधना shifts the semantic center from image-form to wrongly-placed ultimate allegiance, which is Paul’s actual target. |
| sexual immorality | πορνεία | porneia | illicit sexual activity | sexual sin generally | ”sexual immorality,” “fornication” | Vice incompatible with the kingdom of God | व्यभिचारः (vyabhicāraḥ). Risk: Medium. General overlap with dharmaśāstra’s own illicit-conduct categories; no sharply named single-school collision. |
| covetousness | πλεονεξία | pleonexia | greed, insatiable desire for more | greed, avarice | ”covetousness,” “greed” | Listed among the “shaḍ ripu” (six enemies: kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, mātsarya) of classical Hindu ethics — a felicitous convergence | लोभः (lobhaḥ). Risk: Low-Medium. Shared ethical vocabulary; convergence rather than collision. |
| darkness / light (moral) | σκότος / φῶς | skotos / phōs | darkness / light | moral condition — separation from vs. presence with God | ”darkness,” “light,” “children of light/darkness” | The believer’s transferred moral-spiritual state | अन्धकारः (andhakāraḥ) / प्रकाशः (prakāśaḥ). Risk: High for darkness specifically: deliberately rejects तमस् (tamas), the Sāṃkhya guṇa-theory term for one of the three constituent qualities of prakṛti (sattva/rajas/tamas) — a neutral metaphysical constituent present in all matter, not itself a moral category of sin. Using तमस् for “darkness” risks a guṇa-theory reading rather than the moral-relational sense Paul intends; अन्धकारः (ordinary “darkness”) avoids this. |
| be filled with the Spirit | πληροῦσθε ἐν πνεύματι | plērousthe en pneumati | be filled in spirit | ongoing Spirit-empowerment | ”be filled with the Spirit” | The Spirit’s ongoing, personal filling of the believer | Verb form of पूर्णता/पूर्ण- (see Ch.1/3 caution) + [BASELINE] पवित्र आत्मा — Risk: Critical (compounding both the πλήρωμα caution and the mandatory Holy Spirit personhood note). |
| submit / submission | ὑποτασσόμενοι | hypotassomenoi | be subordinated | voluntary ordering under another | ”submit,” “be subject to” | Mutual, Christ-modeled ordering within the household, framed by 5:21’s “submitting to one another,” and by the husband’s parallel command to sacrificial love (5:25) | अधीनता (adhīnatā, “being under/subordinate”). Risk: High. Must be explicitly distinguished from Manusmṛti’s patriarchal household doctrine of lifelong female dependency regardless of the husband’s conduct (cf. Manusmṛti 5.148²/9.3, “a woman must never be independent,” under successive male guardianship). Paul’s household instruction is Christologically grounded and mutual in structure (5:21,25) — every occurrence of अधीनता applied to wives must be paired with the husband’s co-equal, sacrificial-love command, never presented as one-directional dharmaśāstra-style subordination. |
| head | κεφαλή | kephalē | head | literal body-part; metaphorically, source/authority | ”head” | Christ as head of the church (1:22; 4:15; 5:23) and, by the same organic body-metaphor, the husband’s relation to the wife | शिरस् (śiras). Risk: High. Rendered literally/organically (not with प्रधानः, the Sāṃkhya technical synonym for prakṛti/primordial matter, which is explicitly rejected) to preserve Paul’s single controlling body-metaphor across both referents (Christ-church, husband-wife) rather than switching to an abstract “chief/authority” word that would sever the deliberate organic-body parallel. |
| mystery (of marriage) | τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστίν | to mystērion touto mega estin | this mystery is great | marriage as a living picture of Christ and the church | ”this mystery is profound,” “this is a great mystery” | Marriage’s ultimate referent is the Christ-church relationship, not merely a social/household institution | [Ch.1 — reuse] रहस्यम्. Risk: Critical (same as Ch.1 entry — never assimilate to guru-mediated esoteric secrecy). |
Chapter 6
Doctrine focus: continued “Household Codes” (children/parents, slaves/masters); “Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God”; closing prayer/commission.
| Term | Greek | Translit. | Literal | Semantic range | English variants | Theological meaning | Sanskrit rendering & risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| obey (children/parents) | ὑπακούετε | hypakouete | obey | [BASELINE — root shared with] आज्ञापालनम् (obedience_of_faith) | Household obedience, framed “in the Lord” (6:1), not generic filial duty | Risk: Medium; same caution as Ch.2’s ἀπείθεια entry — must not collapse into dharmaśāstra filial-duty (putra-dharma) performance detached from the gospel. | |
| slave / master (household sense) | δοῦλοι…κύριοι | douloi…kyrioi | slaves…masters | ancient household/economic bond-service relationship | ”slaves,” “bondservants,” “masters” | Paul relativizes the relationship: both slave and master answer to the same heavenly Master (6:9), subverting rather than reinforcing hierarchical status | दासः (dāsaḥ) / स्वामी (svāmī, in this household sense only — distinct from the rejected use of स्वामी for God’s Lordship in baseline’s “lord” entry). Risk: Medium. दास carries some dharmaśāstra caste/status association (dāsa as a servile social category sometimes linked to śūdra status); translator notes should stress that Paul’s “same heavenly Master for both” clause (6:9) undercuts rather than confirms any caste-linked servile hierarchy. |
| armor of God | πανοπλίαν τοῦ θεοῦ | panoplian tou theou | full armor of God | complete defensive/offensive equipment | ”the whole armor of God,” “the full armor of God” | The believer’s defense against spiritual, not human, enemies (6:11-17) | परमेश्वरस्य कवचम् (parameśvarasya kavacam). Risk: High. कवच is itself a major, citable Hindu genre: the kavaca-stotra (e.g., the widely-recited Durgā Kavacam), a hymn of verbal/mantric protection recited to invoke supernatural, ritually-efficacious defense against malevolent forces. Must be explicitly distinguished: Ephesians’ armor is composed of moral and doctrinal realities — truth, righteousness, faith, the gospel, salvation, God’s word — put on by settled conviction and Spirit-dependence, not verses recited for their own ritual/mantric protective power. |
| rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, spiritual forces of evil | ἀρχάς, ἐξουσίας, κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους, τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας | archas, exousias, kosmokratoras tou skotous, ta pneumatika tēs ponērias | rulers, authorities, world-rulers of darkness, spiritual [things] of evil | ranks of hostile, personal, spiritual evil beings arrayed against believers | ”rulers,” “authorities,” “cosmic powers of this present darkness,” “spiritual forces of evil” | The real, personal, organized spiritual opposition believers contend with (not human enemies, 6:12) | तमसः लोकाधिपतयः (tamasaḥ lokādhipatayaḥ, “world-rulers of darkness”) / दुष्टशक्तयः (duṣṭaśaktayaḥ, “evil powers”). Risk: High. Deliberately rejects लोकपालाः/दिक्पालाः (the eight benevolent Hindu guardian-deities of the directions — Indra, Agni, Yama, etc.) and named Purāṇic demon-classes (असुराः, राक्षसाः, पिशाचाः), each of which carries its own independent mythological cosmology/narrative history that would misdirect the text; also avoids bare आत्मन्-compounds for “spiritual,” to protect the Holy Spirit personhood distinction. दुष्ट- (“evil/deficient”) prefixed to शक्ति marks these explicitly as corrupted, hostile powers, structurally distinct from the benevolent, hypostasized divine feminine Śakti of Śākta theology (already the reason बare शक्ति is forbidden for God’s power in baseline). |
| struggle / wrestle | πάλη | palē | wrestling-match | contest, struggle | ”struggle,” “wrestle,” “fight” | The nature of spiritual warfare — a contest, not incidental hardship | संग्रामः (saṃgrāmaḥ, “battle/contest”). Risk: Low-Medium. Straightforward. |
| belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit / word of God | ζώνην…ἀλήθειαν, θώρακα…δικαιοσύνης, ὑποδησάμενοι…εἰρήνης, θυρεὸν…πίστεως, περικεφαλαίαν…σωτηρίου, μάχαιραν τοῦ πνεύματος, ὅ ἐστιν ῥῆμα θεοῦ | — | — | — | — | Each piece of armor is composed of an already-established doctrinal reality | Compound descriptive phrases built entirely on [BASELINE — reuse exactly] terms: सत्यम् (truth), धार्मिकता (righteousness), सुसमाचारः+शान्तिः (gospel of peace), विश्वासः (faith), त्राणम् (salvation), पवित्र आत्मा (Spirit). New element: “word of God” (ῥῆμα θεοῦ) — परमेश्वरस्य वचनम् (parameśvarasya vacanam). Risk: Medium. वचनम् (ordinary “word/speech”) deliberately preferred over वाच्/वाक् — per baseline’s “covenant” entry reasoning, वाच् activates Vāc-theology and Mīmāṃsā’s śabda-brahman (the eternal, uncreated sound-form of the Veda), an unrelated and distracting doctrine of cosmic speech. |
| prayer (in the Spirit) | προσευχῆς | proseuchēs | prayer | address to God | ”prayer,” “praying” | Spirit-empowered, Christ-mediated prayer, not ritual invocation requiring precise mantric performance for efficacy | प्रार्थना (prārthanā). Risk: Medium. Consistent with baseline’s “prayer_and_intercession” doctrine entry — must be distinguished from Vedic ritual invocation (āhvāna/homa), whose efficacy depends on exact mantra performance, not relationship. |
| ambassador (in chains) | πρεσβεύω | presbeuō | act as an elder/envoy | authorized representative speaking on another’s behalf | ”ambassador,” “envoy” | Paul’s self-description as Christ’s authorized representative, even while imprisoned | दूतः (dūtaḥ, “messenger/envoy”). Risk: Low. दूत is also used of divine messengers in Purāṇic narrative (e.g., Yama’s dūtas); context (an apostle representing the gospel) sufficiently disambiguates — no significant collision. |
Coverage confirmation
All six chapters of Ephesians have been reviewed. No chapter was found to contribute zero new theological vocabulary; each chapter section above documents either (a) new terms requiring fresh Sanskrit rendering decisions, or (b) explicit reuse of baseline Romans terms, cited by name, with no silent omissions. The core passage (2:1–10) received full verse-by-verse treatment per the mandate; all remaining material in chapters 1–6 (including 2:11–22) received chapter-level load-bearing term treatment with the same seven fields.