Core Glossary
Core Glossary — Matthew | English → Spanish
This glossary compiles every load-bearing theological term identified in 07_semantic_analysis.md, spanning Matthew 1–28. Terms already recorded in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json are marked [TM] and reuse the baseline rendering exactly, per the governing mandate. New Matthew-specific terms are marked [NEW] and are candidates for addition to translation memory in a later Phase 1 step. Risk tiers follow the baseline’s four-tier framework (Critical / High / Medium / Low).
1. Kingdom of Heaven / Kingdom Terms
| Term | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Spanish Rendering | Risk | Status | Primary Passages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdom of heaven | βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν | basileia tōn ouranōn | reino de los cielos | High | [NEW] | 5:3,10,19-20; 6:10,33; 13 (multiple); 18:1-4; 19:14,23 | Elevated above baseline “reino de Dios” (Medium) risk due to doctrinal centrality and folk-piety afterlife-only misreading; teach “already/not yet”; harmonize explicitly with baseline “kingdom_of_god” entry. |
| Kingdom of God | βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | basileia tou theou | reino de Dios | Medium | [TM] | 6:33; 12:28; 19:24; 21:31,43 | Reuse baseline exactly; teach as functionally equivalent to “reino de los cielos” in Matthew. |
| Mystery (of the kingdom) | μυστήριον | mystērion | misterio | High | [NEW] | 13:11 | Distinguish from Catholic Rosary “misterios” devotional association. |
| End of the age | συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος | synteleia tou aiōnos | el fin del siglo / la consumación del siglo | Critical | [NEW] | 13:39-40,49; 24:3; 28:20 | Render identically at every occurrence; flag for theologian review. |
| Cornerstone | λίθος ἀκρογωνιαῖος | lithos akrogōniaios | piedra angular | High | [NEW] | 21:42 | Messianic/Christological; pastoral care re: leadership-judgment framing. |
2. Christological Titles
| Term | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Spanish Rendering | Risk | Status | Primary Passages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christ / Messiah | Χριστός | Christos | Cristo / Mesías | Critical | [TM] | 1:1,16-18; 16:16,20; 22:42; 26:63 | Reuse baseline “Mesías”; “Cristo” is the standard Spanish proper-name/title form — teach as equivalent, not two figures. |
| Son of David | υἱὸς Δαυίδ | huios Dauid | Hijo de David | Critical | [NEW] | 1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31; 21:9,15; 22:42 | Messianic Davidic title; ties to baseline “davidic_covenant”/“messianic_promise” (Critical). |
| Son of Man | υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου | huios tou anthrōpou | Hijo del Hombre | Critical | [NEW] | 8:20; 9:6; 12:8; 16:13,27-28; 20:28; 24:27,30,37,39,44; 25:31; 26:64 | Fuses humility (identification with humanity) and Danielic authority/judgment title; must not reduce to “a human being.” |
| Son of God (Christ’s unique Sonship) | υἱὸς θεοῦ | huios theou | Hijo de Dios | Critical | [TM] | 3:17; 4:3,6; 8:29; 14:33; 16:16; 17:5; 26:63; 27:40,43,54 | Reuse baseline exactly; sharply distinguish from “hijos de Dios” (believers, general) below. |
| Sons of God (believers, general/adoptive) | υἱοὶ θεοῦ | huioi theou | hijos de Dios | Critical | [NEW — extends TM] | 5:9,45 | Must never be confused lexically or doctrinally with the singular Christ-title above; reuse baseline’s adoption/sonship distinction framework. |
| Lord | κύριος | kyrios | Señor | Critical | [TM] | 7:21-22; 8:2,25; 22:43-45; 25:11; 28:18 (implied) | Reuse baseline exactly; 22:43-45 (Ps 110 citation) is a key Deity-of-Christ apologetic text. |
| Immanuel | Ἐμμανουήλ | Emmanouēl | Emanuel | Critical | [NEW] | 1:23 | Must retain Matthew’s own gloss, “Dios con nosotros,” alongside the name. |
| Beloved (Son) | ἀγαπητός | agapētos | amado | High | [NEW] | 3:17; 17:5 | Divine affirmation of unique Sonship; pair with baseline Sonship-of-Christ distinction. |
| Transfigured | μεταμορφόω | metamorphoō | transfigurado | High | [NEW] | 17:2 | Reinforces Deity of Christ; link to 3:17’s “beloved Son” declaration. |
| King of the Jews | βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων | basileus tōn Ioudaiōn | Rey de los judíos | High | [NEW] | 2:2; 27:11,29,37 | Genuine, not ironic, messianic-kingship claim. |
| Worship / pay homage | προσκυνέω | proskyneō | adorar | High | [NEW] | 2:2,11; 14:33; 28:9,17 | Track context: homage-to-king vs. full worship-of-deity sense; flag Deity of Christ at 14:33; 28:9,17. |
3. Prophecy, Fulfillment, and the Virgin Birth
| Term | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Spanish Rendering | Risk | Status | Primary Passages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fulfill | πληρόω | plēroō | cumplir / se cumplió | High | [NEW] | 1:22-23; 2:15,17,23; 3:15; 4:14; 5:17; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:54,56; 27:9 | Render consistently across all occurrences; backbone of Fulfillment of Prophecy doctrine. |
| Virgin | παρθένος | parthenos | virgen | Critical | [NEW] | 1:23 | Keep Christological focus (miraculous conception); avoid activating Marian-devotional associations that eclipse the doctrinal point. |
| Prophet | προφήτης | prophētēs | profeta | Low | [TM] | 1:22; 2:5,15,17,23; 5:12; 7:15; 11:9,13; 13:57; 21:11,46; 23:29-37 | Reuse baseline exactly. |
| Prophecy | προφητεία | prophēteia | profecía | Low | [TM] | (implicit throughout fulfillment citations) | Reuse baseline exactly. |
| False prophet | ψευδοπροφήτης | pseudoprophētēs | falso profeta | High | [NEW] | 7:15; 24:11,24 | Discern by “fruit,” not claims/appearance. |
| The one who is to come | ὁ ἐρχόμενος | ho erchomenos | el que ha de venir | Critical | [NEW] | 11:3 | Direct messianic-title status; tie to baseline “messiah” entry. |
| Sign | σημεῖον | sēmeion | señal | Medium | [NEW] | 12:38-39; 16:1-4; 24:3,24,30 | Distinguish authentic sign-fulfillment from demanded “proof” and from occult/esoteric sign-seeking. |
4. Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
| Term | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Spanish Rendering | Risk | Status | Primary Passages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authority | ἐξουσία | exousia | autoridad | High | [NEW] | 7:29; 8:9; 9:6,8; 21:23-27; 28:18 | Track as single connective doctrinal thread from teaching-authority to cosmic authority; render consistently. |
| Taught / teaching | διδάσκω / διδαχή | didaskō / didachē | enseñaba / enseñanza | High | [NEW] | 5:2; 7:28-29; 28:20 | Ties to Authority doctrine; teach 7:28-29 explicitly alongside 5:1-2. |
| Mountain (typological) | ὄρος | oros | monte | Medium | [NEW] | 5:1; 17:1; 28:16 | Mosaic/Sinai typology; new-Moses authority motif. |
| Will (of the Father) | θέλημα | thelēma | voluntad | High | [NEW] | 7:21; 12:50; 26:39,42 | Confession without obedience is hollow (7:21-23); tie to baseline “Lord” doctrine. |
| Judge | κρίνω | krinō | juzgar | High | [NEW] | 7:1-5 | Distinguish hypocritical condemnation from necessary discernment (7:15-20). |
5. Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees / Law
| Term | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Spanish Rendering | Risk | Status | Primary Passages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Righteousness (ethical/Matthean sense) | δικαιοσύνη | dikaiosynē | justicia | Critical | [TM — extended sense] | 5:6,10,20; 6:1,33; 21:32 | Reuse baseline “justicia” exactly, but flag Matthew’s ethical-conduct sense alongside Romans’ forensic sense; teach both explicitly, side by side. |
| Exceed / surpass | περισσεύω | perisseuō | exceda / sea mayor que | High | [NEW] | 5:20 | Heart-transformed obedience, not merit-accumulation or rule-count. |
| Perfect | τέλειος | teleios | perfecto | High | [NEW] | 5:48; 19:21 | Complete/mature/wholehearted love, not sinless-performance perfectionism. |
| Law | νόμος | nomos | ley | High | [TM] | 5:17-18; 7:12; 22:36,40; 23:23 | Reuse baseline exactly. |
| Tradition | παράδοσις | paradosis | tradición | High | [NEW] | 15:1-9 | Narrow, specific critique of subverting human custom; not a blanket critique of “tradition” as such — sensitive re: Catholic Sacred Tradition category. |
| Hypocrite | ὑποκριτής | hypokritēs | hipócrita | Medium-High | [NEW] | 6:2,5,16; 15:7; 23:13-29 | External performance without inward reality; teach without weaponizing against any single tradition’s adherents. |
| Great Commandment (love) | ἀγαπήσεις | agapēseis | amarás | High | [NEW] | 22:37-40 | Integrating center of all ethical commands; not one command among many. |
| Fulfill/Abolish (the Law) | πληρόω / καταλύω | plēroō / katalyō | cumplir / abolir | Critical | [NEW] | 5:17 | Foundational Old/New Covenant relationship text; flag every occurrence for theologian review. |
| Cause to stumble | σκανδαλίζω | skandalizō | hacer tropezar / hacer caer | High | [NEW] | 18:6-9 | Avoid false-friend “escandalizar” (social-scandal sense); preserve moral-downfall meaning. |
6. Repentance, Faith, and Discipleship (Cost of Following Jesus)
| Term | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Spanish Rendering | Risk | Status | Primary Passages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repent / repentance | μετανοέω / μετάνοια | metanoeō / metanoia | arrepentirse / arrepentimiento | High | [NEW] | 3:2,8; 4:17; 11:20-21; 12:41 | Decisive, once-for-all reorientation of trust/life, not sacramental penitential process. |
| Baptize / baptism | βαπτίζω / βάπτισμα | baptizō / baptisma | bautizar / bautismo | High | [NEW] | 3:6,11,13-16; 28:19 | Outward sign following/accompanying inward repentance/faith; distinguish from sacramental-automatic infusion of grace. |
| Disciple | μαθητής | mathētēs | discípulo | High | [NEW] | 5:1; 9:9-13 (calling); 10:1,24-25,42; 28:19 (μαθητεύσατε) | Central curriculum term; committed, life-shaping following, not nominal membership. |
| Follow | ἀκολουθέω | akoloutheō | seguir | High | [NEW] | 4:20,22; 8:22; 9:9; 16:24; 19:21,27-29 | Technical discipleship term; render consistently. |
| Faith / believe | πίστις / πιστεύω | pistis / pisteuō | fe / creer | High | [TM] | 8:10; 9:2,22,28-29; 15:28; 21:21-22 | Reuse baseline exactly. |
| Little faith | ὀλιγόπιστος | oligopistos | de poca fe | Medium | [NEW] | 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8 | Pastoral, not condemnatory — wavering trust, not absent faith. |
| Confess / deny | ὁμολογέω / ἀρνέομαι | homologeō / arneomai | confesar / negar | High | [NEW] | 10:32-33; 26:69-75 | Parallel to Romans 10:9 (baseline Critical) — link explicitly. |
| Take up (one’s) cross | σταυρός (αὐτοῦ) | stauros (autou) | tomar su cruz | High | [NEW] | 10:38; 16:24 | Radical, costly self-denial as ongoing discipleship posture, not one-time event. |
| Rock / foundation | πέτρα | petra | roca | Critical | [NEW] | 16:18 | Historic Catholic/Protestant ecclesiology crux (papal primacy); flag every occurrence for theologian review; do not resolve interpretively via translation. |
| Yoke / rest | ζυγός / ἀνάπαυσις | zygos / anapausis | yugo / descanso | Medium-High | [NEW] | 11:28-30 | Contrast with Pharisaic religious burden (23:4); teach as liberating, not new legalism. |
| Eunuch (for the kingdom) | εὐνοῦχος | eunouchos | eunuco | Low-Medium | [NEW] | 19:10-12 | Voluntary singleness for kingdom purposes; requires cultural/historical framing. |
| Serve / servant | διακονέω / διάκονος | diakoneō / diakonos | servir / servidor | Medium | [NEW] | 20:26-28 | Grounds Christian leadership in humble service, modeled by Christ. |
7. The Church and Church Discipline
| Term | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Spanish Rendering | Risk | Status | Primary Passages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Church | ἐκκλησία | ekklēsia | iglesia | Medium | [TM — new doctrinal application] | 16:18; 18:17 | Reuse baseline “iglesia” exactly; new teaching notes required for congregational discipline procedure (not treated in Romans package). |
| Keys (of the kingdom) | κλεῖς | kleis | llaves | Critical | [NEW] | 16:19 | Historic papal-authority association; flag for theologian review; ground in immediate context (gospel proclamation/church governance). |
| Bind / loose | δέω / λύω | deō / lyō | atar / desatar | Critical | [NEW] | 16:19; 18:18 | Rabbinic authoritative-ruling idiom; central to church-discipline doctrine; teach alongside 18:15-20. |
| Cause to sin (little ones) | σκανδαλίζω (τῶν μικρῶν) | skandalizō (tōn mikrōn) | hacer tropezar a los pequeños | High | [NEW] | 18:6-9 | See also Righteousness table above; grounds church’s pastoral responsibility for the vulnerable. |
| Forgive (debts/trespasses) | ἄφεσις / ἀφίημι | aphesis / aphiēmi | perdonar | High | [NEW] | 6:12,14-15; 18:21-35 | Receiving and extending forgiveness linked; unforgiving-servant parable. |
| Blasphemy (against the Spirit) | βλασφημία | blasphēmia | blasfemia | High | [NEW] | 12:31-32 | Flag for theologian review; teach without inducing undue anxiety in sincere believers. |
8. Judgment and the End of the Age
| Term | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Spanish Rendering | Risk | Status | Primary Passages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coming (Parousia) | παρουσία | parousia | venida / parusía | High | [NEW] | 24:3,27,37,39 | Render consistently; avoid sensationalism or dismissiveness in teaching. |
| Tribulation | θλῖψις | thlipsis | tribulación | High | [NEW] | 24:21 | Anchor teaching in watchfulness/faithfulness, not date-setting. |
| Abomination of desolation | βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως | bdelygma tēs erēmōseōs | la abominación desoladora | High | [NEW] | 24:15 | Flag explicitly for theologian review; do not resolve interpretive question via translation. |
| End of the age | συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος | synteleia tou aiōnos | el fin del siglo | Critical | [NEW] | 13:39-40,49; 24:3; 28:20 | See Kingdom table above; render identically at all occurrences. |
| Talent (parable unit) | τάλαντον | talanton | talento(s) | Medium (false-cognate) | [NEW] | 25:14-30 | Explicit note required: ancient monetary unit, not modern “skill/ability” sense. |
| Eternal (punishment/life) | αἰώνιος | aiōnios | eterno | Critical | [NEW] | 25:46 | Must render identically in both halves of 25:46 (punishment and life) to preserve deliberate symmetry. |
| Least of these | ἐλάχιστος | elachistos | el más pequeño | Medium-High | [NEW] | 25:40,45 | Evidence of relationship with Christ, not the basis of earning eternal life — protect baseline grace doctrine. |
| Sign | σημεῖον | sēmeion | señal | Medium | [NEW — cross-ref] | 24:3,24,30 | See Prophecy table above. |
9. The Great Commission and Mission
| Term | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Spanish Rendering | Risk | Status | Primary Passages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Make disciples (of all nations) | μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη | mathēteusate panta ta ethnē | hagan discípulos de todas las naciones | Critical | [NEW] | 28:19 | Central Great Commission text; render “ἔθνη” as “naciones” (not “gentiles”) here; preserve ongoing-process force, avoid thin “conviertan.” |
| Nations (universal sense) | ἔθνη | ethnē | naciones | High | [NEW — distinct from TM “gentiles” sense] | 28:19; 24:14; 25:32 | Same Greek word as baseline “gentiles,” but here inclusive of all peoples without the Jew/Gentile contrastive nuance — do not default to “gentiles” in this sense. |
| Gentiles (Jew/Gentile contrastive sense) | ἔθνη | ethnē | gentiles | Low | [TM] | 4:15; 6:32; 10:5,18; 12:18,21; 20:19 | Reuse baseline exactly where the Jew/Gentile contrast is active. |
| All authority | πᶀσα ἐξουσία | pasa exousia | toda autoridad | Critical | [NEW] | 28:18 | Grounds the Commission; connect explicitly to baseline “Lord”/Lordship of Christ (Romans 10:9). |
| Fishers of men | ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων | halieis anthrōpōn | pescadores de hombres | Medium | [NEW] | 4:19 | Early mission-call metaphor; retain established gender-inclusive-generic “hombres” per baseline gender-language convention. |
| Send / apostle | ἀποστέλλω / ἀπόστολος | apostellō / apostolos | enviar / apóstol | Low | [TM] | 10:2,5,16,40 | Reuse baseline “apóstol” exactly; teach mission-scope trajectory from Israel-only (10:5-6) to all-nations (28:19). |
| Trinitarian baptismal formula | Πατήρ, Υἱός, Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα | Patēr, Huios, Hagion Pneuma | Padre, Hijo, Espíritu Santo | Critical | [TM, each Person] | 28:19 | Reuse each baseline term exactly; preserve singular “nombre” (not plural) in Spanish. |
| I am with you always | ἐγὼ μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν εἰμι… | egō meth’ hymōn eimi… | yo estoy con vosotros/ustedes todos los días | High | [NEW] | 28:20 | Inclusio with 1:23 Immanuel theme; teach explicitly as bracketing device. |
| Compassion | σπλαγχνίζομαι | splanchnizomai | tuvo compasión | Low-Medium | [NEW] | 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34 | Grounds mission in Christ’s visceral compassion, not detached obligation. |
10. Atonement and Salvation
| Term | Original (Greek) | Transliteration | Spanish Rendering | Risk | Status | Primary Passages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ransom | λύτρον | lytron | rescate | Critical | [NEW] | 20:28 | Substitutionary/redemptive-payment metaphor; harmonize with baseline forensic justification framework as complementary, not competing. |
| Sins are forgiven | ἁμαρτίαι ἀφίενται | hamartiai aphientai | los pecados son perdonados | Critical | [NEW — extends TM “pecado”] | 9:2-8; 26:28 | Direct, unmediated divine authority to forgive; strong Deity of Christ implication. |
| Crucify | σταυρόω | stauroō | crucificar | Critical | [NEW] | 27:22-26,35 | Real historical atoning event, not merely a devotional image (guard against veneration-only flattening). |
| Body / blood (Last Supper) | σῶμα / αἷμα | sōma / haima | cuerpo / sangre | Critical | [NEW] | 26:26-28 | Major transubstantiation/memorial fault line; render plainly, flag interpretive question for theologian-guided teaching, do not resolve via translation. |
| Covenant (blood of the) | διαθήκη | diathēkē | pacto | High | [TM] | 26:28 | Reuse baseline “pacto” exactly. |
| Veil (temple) | καταπέτασμα | katapetasma | el velo del templo | High | [NEW] | 27:51 | Symbolizes direct access to God through Christ’s death; parallels baseline’s intercession caution. |
| Salvation | σωτηρία / σῴζω | sōtēria / sōzō | salvación | Critical | [TM] | 1:21 (“he will save his people”); 8:25; 9:21-22; 14:30; 19:25; 24:13 | Reuse baseline exactly. |
| Grace | χάρις | charis | gracia | High | [TM] | (implicit throughout; explicit parable framing at 20:1-16, vineyard workers) | Reuse baseline exactly; vineyard parable illustrates unmerited generosity. |
11. Proper Names and Established Low-Risk Terms (Cross-Reference)
| Term | Original (Greek) | Spanish Rendering | Risk | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus | Ἰησοῦς | Jesús | Critical | [TM] | Reuse exactly; note name’s meaning (“YHWH saves”) worth retaining in teaching, per 1:21. |
| God | θεός | Dios | Critical | [TM] | Reuse exactly. |
| Father | πατήρ | Padre | Critical | [TM] | Reuse exactly; note Lord’s Prayer liturgical form (6:9) must match established pan-tradition wording exactly. |
| Holy Spirit | πνεῦμα ἅγιον | Espíritu Santo | Critical | [TM] | Reuse exactly; distinguish from human “spirit” (πνεῦμα) sense at 5:3. |
| David | Δαυίδ | David | Low | [TM] | Reuse exactly. |
| Israel | Ἰσραήλ | Israel | Low-Medium | [TM] | Reuse exactly. |
| Sin | ἁμαρτία | pecado | Medium-High | [TM] | Reuse exactly; never soften to “falta.” |
| Glory | δόξα | gloria | High | [TM] | Reuse exactly. |
| Peace | εἰρήνη | paz | Medium | [TM] | Reuse exactly; also underlies “peacemakers” (εἰρηνοποιοί) in the core passage. |
| Angel | ἄγγελος | ángel | Medium | [NEW] | Distinguish from folk-piety “deceased loved ones as guardian spirits” conflation. |
| Devil | διάβολος | diablo | Medium | [NEW] | Teach as defeated, subordinate power under Christ’s authority; caution re: Espiritismo/Santería/folk-Catholic frameworks. |
| Demon | δαιμόνιον | demonio | Medium | [NEW] | Same caution as “diablo.” |
| Sabbath | σάββατον | sábado | Medium | [NEW] | Disambiguate theological institution from ordinary “Saturday” usage. |
| Hosanna | ὡσαννά | ¡Hosanna! | Low | [NEW] | Standard transliteration retained across traditions. |
| Parable | παραβολή | parábola | Medium | [NEW] | Standard, stable term. |
Risk Summary
| Risk Tier | Count (new Matthew-specific terms) | Review Routing |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | 17 | Human theologian (mandatory, every occurrence) |
| High | 27 | Human theologian |
| Medium | 16 | Native speaker review |
| Low | 6 | Automated review |
Cross-reference note: In addition to the terms tabulated above, this glossary presupposes and reuses without modification every applicable baseline Romans translation_memory.json entry appearing in Matthew, including: gospel, grace, faith, righteousness, salvation, apostle, called/calling, holy, saints, sanctification, adoption, resurrection, lord, son_of_god, incarnation, peace, thanksgiving, fellowship, church, kingdom_of_god, law, sin, gentiles, glory, messiah, prophet, prophecy, covenant, election, providence, mission, david, israel, jesus, god, holy_spirit, father, exhort. Any apparent conflict between a Matthew-specific contextual sense and the baseline rendering has been flagged explicitly in the relevant table above rather than silently resolved.
This glossary supports Phase 1 Steps 2 and onward, where new terms marked [NEW] are candidates for formal addition to an extended translation memory and bible term registry for the Matthew curriculum.
Critical Risk Terms
Justification
Approved rendering: justificación
Transliteration: dikaiōsis
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: proceso gradual de purificación interior
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew does not use this precise term, but the forensic sense it protects must not be displaced by Matthew’s ethical use of ‘justicia’ (see righteousness_matthean below); the two senses must be taught side by side, never merged.
Righteousness
Approved rendering: justicia
Transliteration: dikaiosynē
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: rectitud moral autónoma, mérito acumulado
Inherited from Romans package (forensic sense: right standing granted by faith). See ‘righteousness_matthean’ below for the distinct but related ethical/conduct sense Matthew regularly attaches to this identical Spanish word — the single highest cross-curriculum consistency risk in this Language Package extension.
Salvation
Approved rendering: salvación
Transliteration: sōtēria
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: salvarse por buenas obras, merecer el cielo mediante sacramentos y penitencia
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 1:21 supplies the name ‘Jesús’ with its own etymological gloss (‘él salvará a su pueblo de sus pecados’); reinforce this direct, unmediated saving action at every occurrence (1:21; 8:25; 9:21-22; 14:30; 19:25; 24:13).
Saints
Approved rendering: santos
Transliteration: hagioi
Doctrine: Sainthood
Rejected alternatives: los santos (canonizados, objeto de veneración e intercesión)
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew does not use this exact corporate address as Romans 1:7 does, but the same Critical-risk fencing must inform any teaching that touches on the general holiness of disciples (see holy, sanctification, and pure_in_heart entries).
Lord
Approved rendering: Señor
Transliteration: kyrios
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: Señor mío (devotional-only, without lordship claim over the whole of life)
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 7:21-23’s warning that verbal confession (‘Señor, Señor’) without obedience is hollow, and Matthew 22:41-45’s Psalm 110 argument for Christ’s deity, and Matthew 28:18’s ‘toda autoridad’ must all be taught in explicit connection with Romans 10:9’s salvation confession.
Son Of God
Approved rendering: Hijo de Dios
Transliteration: huios theou
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: hijo de Dios en el sentido genérico aplicado a todo creyente
Inherited from Romans package. In Matthew occurs at 3:17; 4:3,6; 8:29; 14:33; 16:16; 17:5; 26:63; 27:40,43,54. Must be sharply distinguished at every occurrence from the plural, adoptive ‘hijos de Dios’ applied to believers (5:9,45) — see sons_of_god_believers below.
Messiah
Approved rendering: Mesías
Transliteration: Christos / Mashiach
Doctrine: Messianic Promise
Rejected alternatives: un ungido más, entre otros santos o profetas venerados
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 1:1 opens with the fused form ‘Jesucristo’; teach explicitly that ‘Cristo’ = ‘el Mesías,’ not a family name, at 1:1 and 16:16. See also son_of_david and the_one_who_is_to_come below, both extensions of this same doctrine.
Intercession
Approved rendering: intercesión
Transliteration: hyperentynchanei / enteuxis
Doctrine: Prayer and Intercession
Rejected alternatives: intercesión de los santos o de la Virgen como mediadores necesarios ante Dios
Inherited from Romans package. Directly relevant to Matthew’s sharpest contrast: 9:2-8 (Jesus forgives sins directly, with no intermediary at all) and 27:51 (the temple veil torn, symbolizing removed barrier to direct access) — these texts reinforce, from the opposite direction, the baseline’s caution against defaulting to saint/Marian mediation.
Jesus
Approved rendering: Jesús
Transliteration: Iēsous / Yeshua
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 1:21 supplies the name’s meaning explicitly (‘he will save his people from their sins’); retain this etymological note (‘YHWH saves’) in teaching material even though the Spanish name does not transparently carry it.
God
Approved rendering: Dios
Transliteration: theos / Elohim / YHWH
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Inherited from Romans package. The referent of the beatific vision promised in Matthew 5:8 (‘verán a Dios’) — see will_see_god below.
Father
Approved rendering: Padre
Transliteration: patēr
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Inherited from Romans package. The Lord’s Prayer address (6:9, ‘Padre nuestro que estás en los cielos’) and its ‘santificado sea tu nombre’ clause are extremely well-established across Catholic and Protestant traditions alike and MUST follow traditional wording exactly. NEW SENSITIVITY: Matthew 23:9 (‘no llaméis a nadie vuestro padre… en la tierra’) uses this identical Critical-risk term in direct tension with the common Spanish Catholic clerical title ‘padre’ for priests; log as a teaching-note tension, never resolve by softening the verse or by avoiding ‘padre’ for priests elsewhere.
Imputed Righteousness
Approved rendering: justicia imputada
Transliteration: elogisthē autō eis dikaiosynēn
Doctrine: Justification by Faith
Rejected alternatives: justicia infundida (Tridentine category of righteousness progressively infused and increased through merit)
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew does not use this precise phrase, but it must anchor how ‘justicia’ is taught wherever Matthew’s forensic sense is active, guarding against drift toward ‘justicia infundida’ even in Matthew’s ethical-sense passages.
End Of The Age
Approved rendering: el fin del siglo
Transliteration: synteleia tou aiōnos
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: la consumación del siglo (acceptable technical synonym but must not be mixed inconsistently with the primary phrase), el fin del mundo (looser, more common popular liturgical phrase; not the primary technical rendering)
Original: συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος
Category: Eschatology
Occurs 13:39-40,49; 24:3; 28:20. Must be rendered identically at every occurrence — no single Spanish word compresses this technical eschatological unit, so a fixed compound phrase is required rather than natural per-instance variation. High sensitivity to both date-setting speculation and dismissive minimization; flag every occurrence for theologian review.
Son Of David
Approved rendering: Hijo de David
Transliteration: huios Dauid
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: υἱὸς Δαυίδ
Category: Christology
Occurs 1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31; 21:9,15; 22:42. Requires explicit 2 Samuel 7 covenant background most cradle-Catholic and nominally Christian learners were never catechized in; without it the title is heard as one honorific among many rather than exclusive covenant fulfillment. Ties directly to the baseline’s Critical messianic_promise doctrine.
Son Of Man
Approved rendering: Hijo del Hombre
Transliteration: huios tou anthrōpou
Doctrine: The Son of Man Title
Rejected alternatives: un hombre / un ser humano (strips the title of its judgment-authority component)
Original: υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου
Category: Christology
Occurs 8:20; 9:6; 12:8; 16:13,27-28; 20:28; 24:27,30,37,39,44; 25:31; 26:64. Fuses Christ’s identification with humanity with the Danielic figure who receives everlasting authority and dominion (Daniel 7:13-14). A literal, consistent Spanish rendering is required across all occurrences, since a generic translation would strip the title of its end-time judgment-authority component central to the Judgment and End of the Age doctrine.
Sons Of God Believers
Approved rendering: hijos de Dios
Transliteration: huioi theou
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Original: υἱοὶ θεοῦ
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:9,45. The general, adoptive sonship applied to believers who reflect God’s character (e.g., peacemakers), sharply distinguished from the singular, capitalized Christ-title ‘Hijo de Dios.’ Occurs within this curriculum’s own core passage (5:9), creating an acute conflation risk requiring side-by-side distinction at every occurrence.
Immanuel
Approved rendering: Emanuel
Transliteration: Emmanouēl
Doctrine: Incarnation
Rejected alternatives: Emmanuel (English double-consonant spelling; not standard Spanish orthography)
Original: Ἐμμανουήλ
Category: Christology
Matthew 1:23. Standard Spanish transliteration uses a single ‘m.’ Matthew’s own gloss, ‘Dios con nosotros,’ must always accompany the name, since the theological content is carried by the meaning, not the name alone. Forms a deliberate literary inclusio with 28:20’s ‘yo estoy con vosotros.‘
Virgin
Approved rendering: virgen
Transliteration: parthenos
Doctrine: The Incarnation and Virgin Birth
Original: παρθένος
Category: Christology
Matthew 1:23, citing Isaiah 7:14 LXX. Lexically stable, but in Catholic-majority Spanish-speaking cultures ‘la Virgen’ instantly and overwhelmingly evokes Marian devotion, apparition traditions (Guadalupe, Fátima), and intercessory veneration rather than Matthew’s specific Christological point — the miraculous nature of Christ’s conception. Teaching must keep focus on the Incarnation and not allow the term to activate eclipsing Marian-devotional associations. Ranked among the highest-risk single terms in this entire book.
The One Who Is To Come
Approved rendering: el que ha de venir
Transliteration: ho erchomenos
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: ὁ ἐρχόμενος
Category: Christology
Matthew 11:3. A recognized messianic designation drawn from Old Testament expectation (Psalm 118:26; Malachi 3:1); no Spanish noun functions as a title here, so the full paraphrase must be retained. Teach explicitly as equivalent in force to ‘Mesías.‘
Righteousness Matthean
Approved rendering: justicia
Transliteration: dikaiosynē
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: δικαιοσύνη
Category: Salvation
Occurs 5:6,10,20; 6:1,33; 21:32. THE SINGLE HIGHEST CROSS-CURRICULUM CONSISTENCY RISK IN THIS ENTIRE LANGUAGE PACKAGE EXTENSION. Reuses the identical Spanish word as baseline ‘righteousness’ (forensic sense), but Matthew regularly uses it for righteous conduct/character exceeding the Pharisees’ external religion. Do not create a second Spanish word; instead require a mandatory teaching note at every occurrence distinguishing ‘justicia forense’ (right standing granted by faith, Romans’ sense) from ‘justicia ética’ (transformed conduct flowing from that standing, Matthew’s sense) — both/and, never silently merged or silently separated.
Fulfill Or Abolish Law
Approved rendering: cumplir / abolir
Transliteration: plēroō / katalyō
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: πληρόω / καταλύω
Category: Covenant
Matthew 5:17. One of the most doctrinally load-bearing statements in the Gospel for the Old/New Covenant relationship; must not be rendered in a way suggesting either that the Law remains binding exactly as under Moses, or that it is irrelevant/discarded. Requires theologian-guided teaching notes at every occurrence, not lexical resolution alone.
Rock Foundation
Approved rendering: roca
Transliteration: petra
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Rejected alternatives: sobre esta autoridad apostólica (interpretive paraphrase that would smuggle a resolved reading into the text itself — rejected)
Original: πέτρα
Category: Church
Matthew 16:18, following the wordplay on Peter’s name (Πέτρος/πέτρα, preserved in Spanish as Pedro/piedra/roca). One of the most historically consequential interpretive cruxes for a Spanish-speaking curriculum, given direct relevance to Catholic-Protestant debates over papal primacy and apostolic succession. Render literally; flag EVERY occurrence for mandatory human theologian review; do not resolve the interpretive question (Peter personally / Peter’s confession / Christ himself) through translation choice.
Keys Of The Kingdom
Approved rendering: llaves
Transliteration: kleis
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Original: κλεῖς
Category: Church
Matthew 16:19. Directly underlies Catholic papal ‘keys’ iconography and authority claims. Teach with explicit acknowledgment of this historic association while grounding this curriculum’s teaching in the passage’s immediate context (delegated authority tied to gospel proclamation, exercised corporately per 18:18). Flag every occurrence for theologian review.
Bind And Loose
Approved rendering: atar / desatar
Transliteration: deō / lyō
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Rejected alternatives: autorizar / prohibir (smoother-sounding but would resolve an interpretive question the translation must leave open — rejected)
Original: δέω / λύω
Category: Church
Matthew 16:19; 18:18. The underlying rabbinic authoritative-ruling idiom (declaring what is prohibited or permitted) has no living Spanish idiom equivalent — a genuine idiomatic gap requiring literal rendering plus mandatory explanatory teaching note, not a more natural-sounding substitute. Teach alongside 18:15-20, with explicit but unresolved acknowledgment of the historic Catholic-Protestant divergence over the locus of this authority.
Eternal Aionios
Approved rendering: eterno
Transliteration: aiōnios
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Matthew 25:46. Applied with deliberate symmetry to both destinies: ‘eternal punishment’ and ‘eternal life.’ Must render the identical adjective identically in both halves of the verse to preserve the Greek’s deliberate symmetry; do not soften ‘eterno’ in the punishment clause while retaining it in the life clause, or vice versa. Flag for theologian review given pastoral sensitivity.
Make Disciples Of All Nations
Approved rendering: hagan discípulos de todas las naciones
Transliteration: mathēteusate panta ta ethnē
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Rejected alternatives: conviertan (thins the ongoing, formative discipleship process into a single decisive moment — rejected as the primary rendering)
Original: μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη
Category: Mission
Matthew 28:19. The single most important verse for the Great Commission doctrine. Render ‘ἔθνη’ as ‘naciones’ (not ‘gentiles’) here, since the sense is universally inclusive of all peoples, including ethnically Jewish peoples. Preserve the imperative, ongoing-process force of ‘hagan discípulos’ as reinforced by the participles ‘baptizing’ and ‘teaching’ that follow.
All Authority
Approved rendering: toda autoridad
Transliteration: pasa exousia
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Original: πᶀσα ἐξουσία
Category: Mission
Matthew 28:18. Christ’s total, cosmic authority ‘in heaven and on earth,’ the direct basis for the Great Commission. Must be taught as the direct grounding of the Commission and connected explicitly to the baseline’s Critical Lordship of Christ doctrine — the same total authority confessed in Romans 10:9 is here declared as the Commission’s foundation.
Trinitarian Baptismal Formula
Approved rendering: en el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espíritu Santo
Transliteration: Patēr, Huios, Hagion Pneuma
Doctrine: The Trinity and the Baptismal Formula
Rejected alternatives: en los nombres del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo (plural ‘nombres’ — rejected; obscures the singular-name Trinitarian-unity implication)
Original: Πατήρ, Υἱός, Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα
Category: God
Matthew 28:19. The New Testament’s clearest single-verse Trinitarian formula. Reuse each baseline Person-term (‘Padre,’ ‘Hijo,’ ‘Espíritu Santo’) exactly. Preserve the singular Spanish ‘nombre’ (not plural ‘nombres’) to retain the Trinitarian-unity implication of one name shared by three Persons — a subtle but doctrinally significant grammatical point.
Ransom Lytron
Approved rendering: rescate
Transliteration: lytron
Doctrine: The Atonement (Ransom for Many)
Original: λύτρον
Category: Salvation
Matthew 20:28. A substitutionary, redemptive-payment metaphor for Christ’s death. ‘Rescate’ is close but colloquially associated with kidnapping-ransom scenarios in contemporary Spanish-language media; require an explicit teaching note distinguishing the biblical redemptive-payment metaphor from that crime-news association, and harmonizing it with the baseline’s forensic-justification framework as a complementary metaphor, not a rival soteriology.
Sins Forgiven Directly
Approved rendering: los pecados son perdonados
Transliteration: hamartiai aphientai
Doctrine: Forgiveness of Sins
Original: ἁμαρτίαι ἀφίενται
Category: Salvation
Matthew 9:2-8; also 26:28. Jesus’ direct, unmediated pronouncement of forgiveness over the paralytic, provoking the scribes’ blasphemy charge. Must be flagged for theologian review given its direct bearing on Christ’s deity and its relevance to the baseline’s Critical caution about intercession defaulting to saint/Marian mediation — here the contrast runs the other way: Jesus forgives directly, unmediated.
Crucify
Approved rendering: crucificar
Transliteration: stauroō
Doctrine: The Atonement (Ransom for Many)
Original: σταυρόω
Category: Salvation
Matthew 27:22-26,35. Standard, unambiguous term across all Spanish traditions; the catechetical risk is that popular piety’s heavy visual/artistic veneration of crucifixes can flatten the cross into primarily an object of devotion rather than the specific, once-for-all redemptive event it depicts — teach as a real, historical, atoning event.
Body And Blood Lords Supper
Approved rendering: cuerpo / sangre
Transliteration: sōma / haima
Doctrine: The Lord’s Supper and the New Covenant
Original: σῶμα / αἷμα
Category: Salvation
Matthew 26:26-28. A major historic doctrinal fault line paralleling the baseline’s Critical justification/Trent treatment — between Catholic transubstantiation and various Protestant memorial/spiritual-presence understandings. Render the institution words plainly and literally as the text states; flag the interpretive question explicitly for theologian-guided teaching rather than resolving it by inserting an interpretive gloss into the translation itself.
High Risk Terms
Gospel
Approved rendering: evangelio
Transliteration: euangelion
Doctrine: Gospel
Rejected alternatives: buenas nuevas (only as a descriptive gloss, never the standalone technical term)
Inherited from Romans package. No Matthew-specific extension required; ‘evangelio del reino’ (4:23; 24:14) is the same term applied to Jesus’ own kingdom proclamation.
Grace
Approved rendering: gracia
Transliteration: charis
Doctrine: Grace
Rejected alternatives: favor merecido, recompensa por buenas obras
Inherited from Romans package. In Matthew, illustrated narratively by the parable of the vineyard workers (20:1-16), who receive equal wages regardless of hours worked — a key teaching text for grace’s unmerited generosity against a merit-based reading. Must be taught in explicit tension with ‘recompensa’ (see reward entry) so learners do not collapse Matthew’s reward language into merit theology.
Faith
Approved rendering: fe
Transliteration: pistis
Doctrine: Faith
Rejected alternatives: devoción religiosa general, creencia cultural heredada
Inherited from Romans package. Evidenced repeatedly in Matthew’s healing narratives (8:10; 9:2,22,28-29; 15:28; 21:21-22). See also new entry ‘little_faith’ for the pastoral, non-condemnatory ‘de poca fe’ rebuke.
Calling
Approved rendering: llamado
Transliteration: klēsis
Doctrine: Divine Calling
Rejected alternatives: vocación (in the narrow sense of a call to priesthood or religious life)
Inherited from Romans package. Never use ‘vocación’ for the general call to discipleship in Matthew; reserve for Matthew 19:10-12’s specific ‘eunuchs for the kingdom’ discussion only with an explicit clarifying gloss.
Sanctification
Approved rendering: santificación
Transliteration: hagiasmos
Doctrine: Sanctification
Rejected alternatives: purificación penitencial, vía purgativa
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew’s ‘righteousness exceeding the Pharisees’ material (5:20; 6:1,33) is Matthew’s own development of this doctrine and must not collapse into a penitential/merit framework.
Resurrection
Approved rendering: resurrección
Transliteration: anastasis
Doctrine: Resurrection of Christ
Rejected alternatives: reencarnación
Inherited from Romans package (elevated to Critical for this curriculum per doctrine_risk_registry.json’s Matthew-specific ‘resurrection_of_christ’ doctrine entry at 28:1-10). Retain the Caribbean/Afro-diasporic caution against conflation with spirit-return or reincarnation frameworks active in Espiritismo and Santería.
Incarnation
Approved rendering: encarnación
Transliteration: ho logos sarx egeneto
Doctrine: Incarnation
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 1:18-25 (virgin conception) and 1:23 (Immanuel) are the primary Matthean texts; many nominal Catholics narrow ‘encarnación’ to the Christmas nativity scene rather than the eternal Son’s permanent assumption of human nature — teach the doctrine’s full scope.
Law
Approved rendering: ley
Transliteration: nomos
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Prophecy
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 5:17-18’s claim that Jesus came to ‘fulfill,’ not ‘abolish,’ the Law is one of the most doctrinally load-bearing statements in the Gospel — see fulfill_or_abolish_law below.
Obedience Of Faith
Approved rendering: obediencia de la fe
Transliteration: hypakoē pisteōs
Doctrine: Obedience of Faith
Rejected alternatives: obediencia a los preceptos de la Iglesia, cumplimiento de mandamientos eclesiásticos
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 7:21-27’s parallel warning (confession without obedience is hollow; the wise and foolish builders) reinforces this doctrine and must be taught in explicit connection with it.
Covenant
Approved rendering: pacto
Transliteration: diathēkē
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Rejected alternatives: contrato legal
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew 26:28 (‘mi sangre del pacto’) is the central Matthean occurrence — see body_and_blood_lords_supper below.
Election
Approved rendering: elección
Transliteration: eklogē
Doctrine: Effectual Calling
Rejected alternatives: destino, suerte
Inherited from Romans package. Relevant background for Matthew 22:14 (‘muchos son llamados, pero pocos escogidos’) and 24:22,24,31.
Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: Espíritu Santo
Transliteration: pneuma hagion
Doctrine: Sanctification
Rejected alternatives: una fuerza impersonal, un espíritu guía o ancestral
Inherited from Romans package. Elevated to Critical in the Matthew doctrine registry for the Trinity/baptismal formula doctrine (3:16-17; 28:19). Must always be distinguished from the lowercase human ‘espíritu’ (disposition) at 5:3 (‘pobres en espíritu’) — never capitalize or conflate the two senses.
Kingdom Of Heaven
Approved rendering: reino de los cielos
Transliteration: basileia tōn ouranōn
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Rejected alternatives: reinado (abstract ‘reign’ — breaks with RV/RVA register expectation as a standalone glossary term)
Original: βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν
Category: Kingdom
Matthew’s preferred phrase (5:3,10,19-20; 6:10,33; 13 [multiple]; 18:1-4; 19:14,23). Lexically stable across Spanish traditions, but popular Latin American piety readily hears it as a synonym for ‘ir al cielo’ (dying and going to heaven), collapsing the Sermon’s present, kingdom-shaped ethic into a purely future reward. Elevated above the baseline ‘reino de Dios’ (Medium) due to doctrinal centrality in this curriculum and added folk-piety risk. Must be taught with explicit ‘already/not yet’ framing and harmonized with ‘reino de Dios’ as the same reality.
Mystery Of The Kingdom
Approved rendering: misterio
Transliteration: mystērion
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Original: μυστήριον
Category: Kingdom
Matthew 13:11. Popular Catholic usage strongly associates ‘misterio’ with the Rosary’s devotional ‘misterios’ (meditations on the life of Christ/Mary); this Matthean sense (previously hidden kingdom-truth now disclosed through Jesus’ teaching to receptive hearers) must be taught distinctly from that devotional association.
Cornerstone
Approved rendering: piedra angular
Transliteration: lithos akrogōniaios
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: λίθος ἀκρογωνιαῖος
Category: Christology
Matthew 21:42, citing Psalm 118:22. Applied by Jesus to himself at the climax of the parable of the wicked tenants; must be taught with pastoral sensitivity given the parable’s judgment implications for Israel’s leadership (21:43-45) — avoid any teaching framing implying blanket ethnic supersessionism, consistent with the baseline’s Unity of Jews and Gentiles doctrine.
Beloved Son
Approved rendering: amado
Transliteration: agapētos
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Original: ἀγαπητός
Category: Christology
Matthew 3:17; 17:5. The Father’s declaration of unique, deep affection and favor over Jesus at his baptism and transfiguration. Must be taught in careful coordination with the Critical distinction between Christ’s unique eternal Sonship and believers’ adoptive sonship.
Transfigured
Approved rendering: transfigurado
Transliteration: metamorphoō
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Original: μεταμορφόω
Category: Christology
Matthew 17:2. Standard, stable term; must be taught as a matched pair with the baptismal ‘beloved Son’ declaration (3:17), both reinforcing the Deity of Christ and Sonship of Christ doctrines.
King Of The Jews
Approved rendering: Rey de los judíos
Transliteration: basileus tōn Ioudaiōn
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων
Category: Christology
Matthew 2:2; 27:11,29,37. Recognized first by the Gentile magi and later inscribed, ironically to its speakers but truly, at the crucifixion. Must be taught as a genuine, not merely titular or ironic, claim; anticipates the Great Commission’s global scope.
Worship Proskyneo
Approved rendering: adorar
Transliteration: proskyneō
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Original: προσκυνέω
Category: Christology
Ranges from social homage to a superior (2:2,11, homage to a king) to full religious worship of deity (14:33; 28:9,17). Spanish ‘adorar’ carries strong religious-worship connotations; translators must track context precisely at each occurrence and flag the Deity of Christ doctrine wherever the fuller worship sense is clearly active.
Fulfill Pleroo
Approved rendering: cumplir / se cumplió
Transliteration: plēroō
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Matthew’s programmatic verb (16+ occurrences: 1:22-23; 2:15,17,23; 3:15; 4:14; 5:17; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:54,56; 27:9). Must consistently convey climactic realization of a specific prior promise, not vague ‘coming true’; render identically at every occurrence. Fence against the everyday Spanish sense of ‘cumplir’ as merely satisfying an appointment or routine promise.
False Prophet
Approved rendering: falso profeta
Transliteration: pseudoprophētēs
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Original: ψευδοπροφήτης
Category: Covenant
Matthew 7:15; 24:11,24. Discerned by ‘fruit,’ not claims or appearances. In charismatic and folk-religious Spanish-speaking contexts, authenticity is often judged by emotional/experiential criteria; foreground the text’s own fruit-test criterion explicitly.
Authority Exousia
Approved rendering: autoridad
Transliteration: exousia
Doctrine: The Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Original: ἐξουσία
Category: Authority
Occurs 7:29; 8:9; 9:6,8; 21:23-27; 28:18. Must be tracked and rendered consistently across every occurrence as a single connective doctrinal thread from teaching authority to cosmic authority. Spanish ‘autoridad’ defaults easily to a civic/institutional register; teaching notes must trace the full arc so the term is not read as merely institutional.
Teach Didasko
Approved rendering: enseñaba
Transliteration: didaskō
Doctrine: The Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Matthew 5:2; 7:28-29; 28:20. Must be taught alongside 7:28-29 (‘the crowds were astonished… for he taught as one who had authority’) so learners grasp an authority category beyond the scribes, not mere helpful advice.
Will Of The Father
Approved rendering: voluntad
Transliteration: thelēma
Doctrine: The Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Original: θέλημα
Category: Authority
Matthew 7:21; 12:50; 26:39,42. Confession without obedience is hollow (7:21-23); tie explicitly to the baseline’s Critical Lord doctrine, a serious corrective in contexts where verbal religious profession is culturally assumed sufficient.
Judge Krino
Approved rendering: juzgar
Transliteration: krinō
Doctrine: The Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Matthew 7:1-5. Popular Spanish usage of ‘no juzguéis’ is frequently invoked, including outside genuinely Christian contexts, to demand a blanket suspension of all moral evaluation; teach the distinction the chapter itself makes between hypocritical condemnation (7:1-5) and necessary discernment (7:15-20).
Exceed Surpass
Approved rendering: exceda / sea mayor que
Transliteration: perisseuō
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: περισσεύω
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:20. Must be taught alongside the baseline’s Critical Grace/Justification doctrine to avoid two opposite errors: implying salvation is earned by out-performing the Pharisees at rule-keeping (works-righteousness), or diluting the ethical demand into mere inward sentiment with no behavioral difference.
Perfect Teleios
Approved rendering: perfecto
Transliteration: teleios
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: τέλειος
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:48; 19:21. Contemporary Spanish ‘perfecto’ defaults to flawless/error-free performance, feeding either despair or merit-based striving in a culture already sensitized to merit categories. Require explicit gloss (‘maduro, íntegro, de amor completo,’ not ‘sin errores’).
Tradition Paradosis
Approved rendering: tradición
Transliteration: paradosis
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: παράδοσις
Category: Covenant
Matthew 15:1-9. In Catholic theology, ‘Sacred Tradition’ (Tradición) functions as a parallel authoritative source alongside Scripture; care must be taken so this narrow, specific Matthean critique of a subverting human custom is not (mis)heard as a blanket critique of tradition as a category, nor softened to avoid the passage’s real force. Recommend joint native speaker and theologian review.
Hypocrite
Approved rendering: hipócrita
Transliteration: hypokritēs
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: ὑποκριτής
Category: Covenant
Repeated through the seven woes of chapter 23 (23:13-29) and 6:2,5,16; 15:7. One whose outward religious performance does not match inward reality. Teach with pastoral care to avoid weaponizing the term against any particular tradition’s adherents broadly, rather than the specific performance-without-substance pattern the text targets.
Great Commandment Love
Approved rendering: amarás
Transliteration: agapēseis
Doctrine: Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
Original: ἀγαπήσεις
Category: Salvation
Matthew 22:37-40. Standard rendering matching the universally known liturgical form; teach as the integrating center of all specific ethical commands in the Sermon on the Mount and elsewhere, not merely one commandment among many.
Cause To Stumble
Approved rendering: hacer tropezar
Transliteration: skandalizō
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Rejected alternatives: escandalizar (false friend — modern Spanish sense is ‘shock/offend,’ not ‘cause moral downfall’)
Original: σκανδαλίζω
Category: Church
Matthew 18:6-9. Modern Spanish ‘escandalizar’ carries a false-friend connotation closer to social scandal rather than moral downfall; ‘hacer tropezar’ or ‘hacer caer en pecado’ preserves the accurate sense. Grounds the church’s pastoral responsibility toward its most vulnerable members, foundational for the church discipline process that follows (18:15-20).
Repent
Approved rendering: arrepentirse / arrepentimiento
Transliteration: metanoeō / metanoia
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: μετανοέω / μετάνοια
Category: Faith
Matthew 3:2,8; 4:17; 11:20-21; 12:41. In Catholic-majority contexts ‘arrepentimiento’ can be assimilated into the sacramental category of ‘penitencia’ (Confession/Reconciliation), implying a ritual confession-absolution-penance process rather than the decisive, once-for-all reorientation of trust and life direction the term describes. Teach as inward, Spirit-wrought transformation evidenced by changed life (‘fruit,’ 3:8), not primarily a ritual act.
Baptize
Approved rendering: bautizar / bautismo
Transliteration: baptizō / baptisma
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: βαπτίζω / βάπτισμα
Category: Faith
Matthew 3:6,11,13-17; 28:19. Catholic sacramental theology treats baptism (typically infant) as conferring regenerating grace nearly automatically through the sacrament itself; this curriculum, following Matthew’s own narrative logic (repentance precedes baptism in ch. 3; discipleship-through-teaching frames baptism in ch. 28), should teach baptism as the outward sign of a prior or accompanying inward repentance/faith commitment. Flag for theologian review at both 3:6-16 and 28:19.
Disciple
Approved rendering: discípulo
Transliteration: mathētēs
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: μαθητής
Category: Faith
Matthew 5:1; 9:9-13; 10:1,24-25,42; 28:19 (μαθητεύσατε). Lexically stable, but the ongoing, costly, life-shaping nature of discipleship must not be flattened to mere ‘student’ or nominal church membership, a real risk in cultures where Christian identity is often inherited rather than chosen.
Follow Akoloutheo
Approved rendering: seguir
Transliteration: akoloutheō
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Matthew 4:20,22; 8:22; 9:9; 16:24; 19:21,27-29. The technical discipleship term, ranging from literal physical following to total life-reorientation; must be rendered consistently as this technical term throughout, not merely casual accompaniment.
Confess Deny
Approved rendering: confesar / negar
Transliteration: homologeō / arneomai
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: ὁμολογέω / ἀρνέομαι
Category: Faith
Matthew 10:32-33; enacted narratively in 26:69-75. Must be taught in explicit connection with the baseline’s Critical Lord doctrine and Romans 10:9’s salvation confession, reinforcing cross-curriculum consistency on the seriousness of public allegiance to Christ.
Take Up Cross
Approved rendering: tomar su cruz
Transliteration: stauros (autou)
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: σταυρός (αὐτοῦ)
Category: Faith
Matthew 10:38; 16:24. Must be taught as an ongoing discipleship posture, not a one-time event or a merely metaphorical ‘burden’ — the popular Spanish idiom ‘cada uno con su cruz’ flattens this into generic life hardship and must be explicitly corrected in teaching, since this is Christ-centered costly allegiance, not generic suffering.
Forgive Debts
Approved rendering: deudas / perdonar
Transliteration: aphesis / aphiēmi
Doctrine: The Church and Church Discipline
Rejected alternatives: ofensas (widely recognized from memorized recitation, but less doctrinally precise for teaching analysis of the debt metaphor)
Original: ἄφεσις / ἀφίημι
Category: Church
Matthew 6:12,14-15; 18:21-35. Two competing established liturgical traditions in Spanish-speaking Christianity (‘deudas’ in Reina-Valera-tradition usage vs. ‘ofensas’ in many Catholic/ecumenical versions). Prefer ‘deudas’ for teaching material analyzing the Greek debt-metaphor precisely, while noting ‘ofensas’ as the form many learners recognize from memorized recitation — flag for native speaker review.
Blasphemy Against Spirit
Approved rendering: blasfemia
Transliteration: blasphēmia
Doctrine: The Unforgivable Sin (Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit)
Original: βλασφημία
Category: Sin
Matthew 12:31-32. Decisive, willful rejection of the Holy Spirit’s testimony to Christ, described as unforgivable. Must be flagged for theologian review in all teaching material to avoid inducing unwarranted fear among sincere but anxious believers, a documented pastoral concern in Spanish-speaking evangelical contexts with heightened scrupulosity.
Parousia
Approved rendering: venida
Transliteration: parousia
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: parusía (transliteration reserved for a single technical glossary footnote only, not the running lay-facing curriculum text)
Original: παρουσία
Category: Eschatology
Matthew 24:3,27,37,39. The technical term for Christ’s future, visible, glorious return, framing the entire Olivet Discourse. Must be rendered consistently; flagged given the sensitivity of end-times teaching to both sensationalist date-setting and dismissive minimization.
Tribulation
Approved rendering: tribulación
Transliteration: thlipsis
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Original: θλῖψις
Category: Eschatology
Matthew 24:21. Standard theological term; anchor teaching in the passage’s pastoral purpose (watchfulness and faithfulness, 24:36,42), not speculative date-setting or undue anxiety.
Abomination Of Desolation
Approved rendering: la abominación desoladora
Transliteration: bdelygma tēs erēmōseōs
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: la profanación devastadora (novel paraphrase rejected — would create unnecessary cross-tradition friction without resolving the underlying interpretive difficulty)
Original: βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως
Category: Eschatology
Matthew 24:15, drawing on Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. A genuinely difficult interpretive text requiring theologian guidance rather than confident lexical resolution; do not resolve the near-term-historical-fulfillment-vs-future-eschatological-fulfillment question through translation choice.
Least Of These
Approved rendering: el más pequeño
Transliteration: elachistos
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Original: ἐλάχιστος
Category: Eschatology
Matthew 25:40,45. Christ identifies himself with the most vulnerable, easily overlooked members of a group. Must be taught carefully to avoid implying that acts of mercy toward the needy earn entrance into eternal life, which would contradict the baseline’s Critical Grace doctrine; the passage identifies such acts as evidence flowing from genuine relationship with Christ.
Nations Universal Sense
Approved rendering: naciones
Transliteration: ethnē
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Rejected alternatives: gentiles (reserved strictly for the Jew/Gentile contrastive sense elsewhere — would wrongly imply Jewish peoples are excluded from the Commission’s scope if used here)
Original: ἔθνη
Category: Mission
Matthew 28:19; 24:14; 25:32. Same Greek word already recorded in the baseline as ‘gentiles’ (Low risk), but here in its broader inclusive sense; strict contextual discipline is required to avoid defaulting to ‘gentiles.‘
I Am With You Always
Approved rendering: yo estoy con vosotros/ustedes todos los días
Transliteration: egō meth’ hymōn eimi pasas tas hēmeras
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Original: ἐγὼ μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν εἰμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας
Category: Christology
Matthew 28:20. Christ’s closing promise of his abiding presence with the church until the end of the age, echoing the ‘Immanuel, God with us’ theme of 1:23. Should be explicitly taught in connection with 1:23 as the Gospel’s intentional literary and theological bracket. Render ‘end of the age’ identically to its ch. 13 and ch. 24 occurrences.
Veil Of The Temple
Approved rendering: el velo del templo
Transliteration: katapetasma
Doctrine: The Atonement (Ransom for Many)
Original: καταπέτασμα
Category: Salvation
Matthew 27:51. The curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, torn in two at Jesus’ death. Should be taught explicitly as symbolizing direct access to God secured through Christ’s death, paralleling the baseline’s Critical caution about defaulting to saint/Marian intercessory mediation, and resonant with the beatific-vision hope of Matthew 5:8.
Blessed Makarios
Approved rendering: bienaventurados
Transliteration: makarios
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Rejected alternatives: felices (risks collapsing the term into subjective emotional happiness), dichosos (acceptable ONLY as a secondary accessibility gloss, never the primary curriculum term)
Original: μακάριος
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:3-11. ‘Bienaventurados’ is the established Reina-Valera and broadly ecumenical rendering, retained per the register standard. A present, God-given status of favor and eschatological flourishing, not subjective emotional happiness.
Merciful
Approved rendering: misericordiosos
Transliteration: eleēmōn
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Original: ἐλεήμων
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:7; developed in 18:21-35. The reciprocity (‘blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy’) must not be taught as earning God’s mercy through one’s own merciful acts, which would contradict the baseline’s Critical Grace doctrine; teach as fruit/evidence of having already received mercy, not its precondition.
Will See God
Approved rendering: verán a Dios
Transliteration: opsontai ton theon
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Original: ὄψονται τὸν θεόν
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:8. Must be taught as this curriculum’s anchor for unmediated access to God through Christ, theologically significant in cultures where popular piety often assumes access to God is customarily mediated through the intercession of saints or the Virgin. Affirms direct beholding of God as every believer’s own hope, not one reserved for a mediated spiritual elite.
For My Sake
Approved rendering: por mi causa
Transliteration: heneken emou
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Original: ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ
Category: Faith
Matthew 5:11; anticipates 10:32-33; 16:24-25. Must be taught in direct connection to Christ’s own person as the object of allegiance, not a vague cause or set of moral principles — discipleship’s cost is Christological, not merely ethical.
Reward
Approved rendering: recompensa
Transliteration: misthos
Doctrine: Grace and Reward
Matthew 5:12; 6:1-6; 10:41-42; 20:1-16; 25:14-30. Doctrinally sensitive in a Catholic-majority linguistic environment where ‘recompensa’ is closely associated with ‘mérito’ (merit) in folk-piety soteriology. Every occurrence must carry a teaching note distinguishing gracious reward for faithful discipleship (already grounded in a relationship established by grace) from merit that earns or secures salvation.
Medium Risk Terms
Called
Approved rendering: llamado
Transliteration: klētos
Doctrine: Divine Calling
Rejected alternatives: convocado (bureaucratic/legal register)
Inherited from Romans package. Relevant to Matthew 22:14 (‘many are called, but few are chosen’).
Holy
Approved rendering: santo
Transliteration: hagios
Doctrine: Sanctification
Rejected alternatives: puro en sentido ritual
Inherited from Romans package. Relevant to Matthew 6:9’s ‘santificado sea tu nombre’ (Lord’s Prayer) — must retain the pan-tradition liturgical wording exactly.
Adoption
Approved rendering: adopción
Transliteration: huiothesia
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Inherited from Romans package. Directly relevant to Matthew 5:9,45’s ‘hijos de Dios’ (see sons_of_god_believers below) and to 5:5’s inheritance promise.
Peace
Approved rendering: paz
Transliteration: eirēnē
Doctrine: Peace with God
Rejected alternatives: tranquilidad emocional
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies Matthew 5:9’s ‘peacemakers’ beatitude; connect explicitly so the beatitude is taught as an outflow of having received God’s peace, not a natural personality trait.
Spiritual Gifts
Approved rendering: dones espirituales
Transliteration: charismata
Doctrine: Spiritual Gifts
Rejected alternatives: poderes espirituales
Inherited from Romans package. Not a major Matthean theme but relevant background for teaching material on 25:14-30’s talents parable, which is a distinct concept (a monetary unit, not a spiritual gift) — do not conflate.
Church
Approved rendering: iglesia
Transliteration: ekklēsia
Doctrine: Church as God’s People
Rejected alternatives: la Iglesia (institución jerárquica en sentido católico-institucional)
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew’s two occurrences (16:18; 18:17) establish new doctrinal application not present in Romans: the local congregation as the body exercising church discipline (18:15-20). Flag for theologian review given the doctrine’s practical church-life consequences.
Kingdom Of God
Approved rendering: reino de Dios
Transliteration: basileia tou theou
Doctrine: Kingdom Mission
Original: βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: Kingdom
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew uses this phrase occasionally (6:33; 12:28; 19:24; 21:31,43) as a functional synonym for Matthew’s preferred ‘reino de los cielos’ (see kingdom_of_heaven below); teach explicitly as the same reality, never two doctrines.
Sin
Approved rendering: pecado
Transliteration: hamartia
Doctrine: Universal Human Accountability
Rejected alternatives: falta (minimizing euphemism common in pastoral speech)
Inherited from Romans package. Never soften to ‘falta.’ Central to Matthew 1:21 (Jesus’ name-etymology) and 9:2-8 (direct forgiveness of sins).
Glory
Approved rendering: gloria
Transliteration: doxa
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Revealed visibly at the Transfiguration (17:1-8) and anticipated at the Son of Man’s return (16:27; 24:30; 25:31).
Power Of God
Approved rendering: poder de Dios
Transliteration: dynamis theou
Doctrine: Power of God for Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. No major Matthew-specific extension.
Providence
Approved rendering: providencia
Transliteration: pronoia
Doctrine: Providence
Rejected alternatives: destino, la suerte
Inherited from Romans package. No major new Matthean text; retained for cross-curriculum consistency.
Mission
Approved rendering: misión
Transliteration: apostolē / pempō
Doctrine: Mission to the Nations
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew traces a deliberate Israel-to-all-nations trajectory (10:5-6 to 28:19); teach as continuity. Retains the baseline’s mild colonial-mission-system association note for the Americas.
Abba
Approved rendering: Abba
Transliteration: Abba
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Inherited from Romans package. No new Matthew-specific occurrence; retained for cross-curriculum consistency and possible teaching cross-reference from Matthew 6:9’s ‘Padre.‘
Seed Of David
Approved rendering: descendencia de David
Transliteration: sperma Dauid
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Relevant background for Matthew’s genealogy (ch. 1) and son_of_david title (see below).
Sign
Approved rendering: señal
Transliteration: sēmeion
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy
Matthew 12:38-39; 16:1-4; 24:3,24,30. Distinguish from astrology, esoteric ‘señales’ of folk divination, or fortune-telling common in Hispanic popular culture; God-given authentication, not manipulable prediction.
Mountain Typology
Approved rendering: monte
Transliteration: oros
Doctrine: The Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Original: ὄρος
Category: Authority
Matthew 5:1; 17:1; 28:16. Lexically simple, but the Mosaic/Sinai typological weight (new lawgiver, new-Moses authority) is easily lost without an explicit teaching note; must not be treated as a throwaway geographical detail.
Little Faith
Approved rendering: de poca fe / hombre de poca fe
Transliteration: oligopistos
Doctrine: Faith and ‘Little Faith’
Original: ὀλιγόπιστος
Category: Faith
Matthew 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8. A rebuke term for wavering, insufficient trust despite genuine faith, addressed pastorally to Peter and the disciples. Must be taught as gentle correction for wavering trust, not total absence of faith or final condemnation, given documented anxiety among Spanish-speaking believers about the adequacy of their own faith.
Talent Parable Unit
Approved rendering: talento(s)
Transliteration: talanton
Doctrine: Judgment and the End of the Age
Rejected alternatives: moneda (alone loses the parable’s specific unit)
Original: τάλαντον
Category: Eschatology
Matthew 25:14-30. Documented false-cognate risk: modern Spanish ‘talento’ means ‘skill/ability,’ exactly paralleling the English drift. Retain the established cognate (no viable substitute preserves the ancient monetary sense while remaining recognizable), but mandate an explicit teaching note at every occurrence clarifying the parable’s primary literal referent (a very large ancient monetary unit), while noting the legitimate secondary application to stewardship of all entrusted resources.
Fishers Of Men
Approved rendering: pescadores de hombres
Transliteration: halieis anthrōpōn
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Rejected alternatives: pescadores de personas (non-standard inclusive-language innovation — rejected per baseline’s gender-language convention)
Original: ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων
Category: Mission
Matthew 4:19. A vocational metaphor repurposing Peter and Andrew’s fishing trade for the mission of gathering people into the kingdom. Retain established gender-inclusive-generic ‘hombres’ per the baseline’s gender-language convention.
Compassion Splanchnizomai
Approved rendering: tuvo compasión
Transliteration: splanchnizomai
Doctrine: The Great Commission
Original: σπλαγχνίζομαι
Category: Mission
Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34. Visceral, deeply felt compassion (not distant pity), grounding Jesus’ healing/teaching ministry and the sending of the Twelve. Grounds mission in Christ’s felt compassion rather than detached institutional obligation.
Angel
Approved rendering: ángel
Transliteration: angelos
Doctrine: The Incarnation and Virgin Birth
Matthew 1:20; 2:13,19; 28:2-7. Standard term; popular piety in some Spanish-speaking contexts sometimes conflates angels with deceased loved ones or ‘guardian spirits’ in folk-Catholic practice — a brief clarifying note that biblical angels are created heavenly beings distinct from human spirits is warranted.
Devil
Approved rendering: diablo
Transliteration: diabolos
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Matthew 4:1-11. In regions with active folk-religious frameworks (Espiritismo, Santería, folk-Catholic ‘brujería’ concerns), teach the devil as a real but categorically defeated and subordinate spiritual being under Christ’s authority, avoiding both dismissive skepticism and an exaggerated, fear-based folk-spiritual framework.
Demon
Approved rendering: demonio
Transliteration: daimonion
Doctrine: The Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Matthew 8:28-34; 12:28. Same caution as ‘diablo’: teach as real but defeated and subordinate to Christ’s authority, particularly relevant in Caribbean and Afro-diasporic religious contexts.
Sabbath
Approved rendering: sábado
Transliteration: sabbaton
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Original: σάββατον
Category: Covenant
Matthew 12:1-14 (‘the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath,’ 12:8). In Spanish ‘sábado’ also functions as the ordinary word for ‘Saturday’; context must always disambiguate the theological institution from the day-of-week sense; add a clarifying modifier (‘el día de reposo’) in ambiguous teaching sentences.
Parable
Approved rendering: parábola
Transliteration: parabolē
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Matthew 13 (structural mode of the whole chapter). Standard, stable term across all Spanish Bible traditions.
Poor In Spirit
Approved rendering: pobres en espíritu
Transliteration: ptōchos tō pneumati
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Original: πτωχὸς τῷ πνεύματι
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:3. In Latin American contexts shaped by liberation-theology emphases, this phrase can be read as referring exclusively to the economically poor; conversely it must not be spiritualized into meaninglessness. Teach both/and: a disposition of spiritual destitution before God. NOTE: the ‘espíritu’ here is the lowercase human spirit/disposition, NOT the Espíritu Santo — never capitalize or conflate.
Mourn
Approved rendering: los que lloran
Transliteration: pentheō
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Matthew 5:4. Should not be limited to generic bereavement; include grief over sin and the world’s brokenness in teaching.
Comforted
Approved rendering: consolados
Transliteration: parakaleō
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Rejected alternatives: exhortados (the baseline sense of this same root — wrong contextual sense here; do not use)
Matthew 5:4. Same Greek root as the baseline’s ‘exhortar’ (Romans TM), but here the dominant sense is comfort/consolation, God himself as the implied agent (a ‘divine passive’) who will comfort the mourner. Select ‘consolados’ for this sense while recognizing the lexical family relationship to ‘exhortar.‘
Meek
Approved rendering: mansos
Transliteration: praus
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Matthew 5:5; cf. 11:29; 21:5. Contemporary Spanish ‘manso’ can carry a connotation of passivity or weakness (as with a ‘tamed’ animal); must be taught as strength held under control in submission to God, not timidity or lack of conviction — a high-frequency core-passage term whose colloquial connotation could silently distort the entire Beatitudes’ character profile if untaught.
Inherit The Earth
Approved rendering: heredarán la tierra
Transliteration: klēronomeō tēn gēn
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Original: κληρονομέω τὴν γῆν
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:5, echoing Psalm 37:11. Should be taught in connection with the baseline ‘adopción’ doctrine (full heir status, not partial); avoid letting ‘la tierra’ collapse into a purely otherworldly, non-physical hope — Matthew’s kingdom theology is robustly physical.
Hunger And Thirst For Righteousness
Approved rendering: tienen hambre y sed de justicia
Transliteration: peinōntes kai dipsōntes tēn dikaiosynēn
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Original: πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:6. Standard idiomatic rendering; must be read in light of the Matthean fusion of forensic and ethical ‘justicia’ senses documented under righteousness_matthean above.
Pure In Heart
Approved rendering: de limpio corazón
Transliteration: katharos tē kardia
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Original: καθαρὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:8; contrasted with 23:25-26. Shares the baseline’s ‘holy’ risk profile: must not be read through a ritual-purity lens; teach as wholehearted, undivided devotion, not ceremonial cleanliness or sinlessness achieved through religious observance.
Peacemakers
Approved rendering: pacificadores
Transliteration: eirēnopoios
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Original: εἰρηνοποιός
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:9. Should be explicitly connected to the baseline ‘paz’ doctrine (peace with God through justification) so learners see this beatitude as an outflow of having received God’s peace, not merely a natural personality trait or secular conflict-mediation skill.
Persecuted For Righteousness
Approved rendering: perseguidos por causa de la justicia
Transliteration: dediōgmenoi heneken dikaiosynēs
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Original: δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:10, forming an inclusio with 5:3 (both promise the kingdom of heaven). Should be taught alongside the Discipleship doctrine’s cost-counting theme, not minimized as mere social awkwardness.
Rejoice Be Glad
Approved rendering: gozaos y alegraos
Transliteration: chairō / agalliaō
Doctrine: The Blessedness of Kingdom Citizens (the Beatitudes)
Original: χαίρω / ἀγαλλιάω
Category: Salvation
Matthew 5:12. RV-anchored, natural rendering; commands an active, exultant response to persecution grounded in eschatological reward and solidarity with the prophets — teach as active joy, not stoic resignation.
Eunuch
Approved rendering: eunuco
Transliteration: eunouchos
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Matthew 19:10-12. Jesus commends voluntary singleness undertaken for kingdom purposes as a legitimate, honored calling; requires brief cultural/historical explanation for contemporary readers.
Servant Diakoneo
Approved rendering: servir / servidor
Transliteration: diakoneō / diakonos
Doctrine: Discipleship and the Cost of Following Jesus
Matthew 20:26-28. Grounds Christian leadership and greatness in humble service, modeled by Christ himself (‘the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve’).
Low Risk Terms
Apostle
Approved rendering: apóstol
Transliteration: apostolos
Doctrine: Apostleship
Inherited from Romans package. In Matthew, teach the mission-scope trajectory explicitly: the Twelve are sent first to ‘the lost sheep of Israel’ (10:5-6) before the universal Great Commission (28:19).
Thanksgiving
Approved rendering: acción de gracias
Transliteration: eucharistia
Doctrine: Thanksgiving
Inherited from Romans package. No significant Matthew-specific risk.
Fellowship
Approved rendering: compañerismo
Transliteration: koinōnia
Doctrine: Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: comunión de los santos (specific Catholic liturgical formula)
Inherited from Romans package. No significant Matthew-specific risk.
Gentiles
Approved rendering: gentiles
Transliteration: ethnē
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Rejected alternatives: paganos (pejorative in modern Spanish)
Inherited from Romans package. Use ONLY where Matthew activates the Jew/Gentile contrastive sense (4:15; 6:32; 10:5,18; 12:18,21; 20:19). See nations_universal_sense below for the distinct, broader sense at 28:19; 24:14; 25:32 — do not default to ‘gentiles’ in that broader sense.
Prophet
Approved rendering: profeta
Transliteration: prophētēs
Doctrine: Inspiration of Scripture
Rejected alternatives: vidente, adivino
Original: προφήτης
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. In Matthew, also names the persecuted forerunners with whom Jesus’ disciples are placed in continuity (5:12).
Prophecy
Approved rendering: profecía
Transliteration: prophēteia
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Prophecy
Rejected alternatives: horóscopo, predicción esotérica
Original: προφητεία
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies Matthew’s fulfillment citations throughout (see fulfill_pleroo below).
David
Approved rendering: David
Transliteration: Dawid
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Matthew opens (1:1) and repeatedly returns to (9:27; 12:23; 21:9) the Davidic lineage theme — see son_of_david below.
Israel
Approved rendering: Israel
Transliteration: Yisra’el
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Inherited from Romans package. Relevant to Matthew 10:6; 15:24’s ‘lost sheep of Israel’ framing of the mission’s initial scope.
Exhort
Approved rendering: exhortar
Transliteration: parakaleō
Doctrine: Mutual Edification
Inherited from Romans package. IMPORTANT: this is the same Greek root as Matthew 5:4’s ‘comforted’ (see comforted below), but Matthew 5:4’s dominant contextual sense is comfort/consolation, not exhortation — render as ‘consolados’ there, not ‘exhortar.’ Do not treat these as separate glossary items requiring reconciliation; this is a distinct contextual sense of the same tracked root.
Hosanna
Approved rendering: ¡Hosanna!
Transliteration: hōsanna
Doctrine: Jesus as the Promised Messiah and Son of David
Original: ὡσαννά
Category: Christology
Matthew 21:9. Standard transliteration retained across all Spanish traditions; jubilant messianic acclamation at the triumphal entry.
Crowds
Approved rendering: multitudes
Transliteration: ochlos
Doctrine: The Kingdom of Heaven
Matthew 5:1. Standard, unambiguous term; distinguishes the general public from the disciples specifically addressed by the Sermon on the Mount.
Referenced passages