Core Glossary
Core Glossary: Acts of the Apostles (English–Tamil)
This glossary consolidates every load-bearing theological term identified in 07_semantic_analysis.md, drawing terms from every chapter of Acts (1–28). Terms already fixed in the baseline translation_memory.json (Romans/Galatians/Ephesians/Philippians/Colossians) are marked [TM — reuse exactly] and must not be altered. New terms introduced by this Acts curriculum are marked [NEW] and are proposed for addition to translation memory at Phase 1 Step 8/Phase 2 load time, with risk tier assigned using the same Critical/High/Medium/Low framework as doctrine_risk_registry.json.
Legend
- Risk tiers follow baseline definitions: Critical = doctrine-destroying if mistranslated, mandatory theologian review every occurrence; High = significant syncretism/confusion risk, theologian review; Medium = native-speaker review; Low = automated review sufficient.
- Doctrine column maps to the nine assigned Acts doctrines: Holy Spirit & Pentecost (HSP); Gospel to Jews and Gentiles (GJG); Repentance and Baptism (RB); Church as Community (CC); Apostolic Authority and Miracles (AAM); Persecution and Bold Witness (PBW); Conversion of Paul (COP); Justification apart from the Law (JAL); The Great Commission Fulfilled (GCF).
A. Terms Reused Exactly from Baseline Translation Memory [TM]
| # | English Term | Greek | Tamil Rendering | Transliteration | Risk | Doctrine | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | God | θεός | கடவுள் | kadavul | Critical | HSP, GJG, AAM | Never தேவன்/பரமேஸ்வரன்/பகவான். Governs every compound (தேவனுடைய → use with கடவுள் root per baseline decision). |
| 2 | Jesus | Ἰησοῦς | இயேசு | yesu | Critical | COP, all | Established form. |
| 3 | Christ / Messiah | Χριστός | கிறிஸ்து | kiristhu | Critical | GJG, JAL | Title, never one of a class of avatars. |
| 4 | Lord | κύριος | கர்த்தர் | karthar | Critical | HSP, RB | Acts 2:21, 2:36, 16:31 confession use — exclusive supreme Lordship. |
| 5 | Holy Spirit | Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον | பரிசுத்த ஆவியானவர் | Parisutha Aaviyanavar | Critical | HSP | Personal, never impersonal force/trance. Core Acts term. |
| 6 | Salvation / saved | σωτηρία / σῴζω | இரட்சிப்பு | iratchippu | Critical | RB, GJG | Never மோட்சம்/முக்தி. |
| 7 | Faith / believe | πίστις / πιστεύω | விசுவாசம் | vishvasam | High | RB, JAL | Never பக்தி. |
| 8 | Repentance (verb form established, noun new — see NEW list) | μετανοέω | see NEW #1 | — | High | RB | Verb reuses new noun’s root. |
| 9 | Baptism | βάπτισμα / βαπτίζω | ஞானஸ்நானம் | gnanasnanam | Medium | RB | Never தீர்த்தம்/புனித நீராடல். |
| 10 | Church / assembly | ἐκκλησία | சபை | sabai | Medium | CC | Never கோவில். |
| 11 | Apostle | ἀπόστολος | அப்போஸ்தலன் | appostalan | Medium-High (High in Acts context) | AAM, PBW | Never குரு; Thomas-Mylapore heritage note applies with full force in Acts (apostolic era narrative itself). |
| 12 | Grace | χάρις | கிருபை | kirupai | High | RB, JAL | Never புண்ணியம்; ch. 4:33, 8:20, ch. 15 all invoke this. |
| 13 | Sin | ἁμαρτία | பாவம் | paavam | High | RB | Never தீவினை. |
| 14 | Forgiveness | ἄφεσις | மன்னிப்பு | mannippu | High | RB | Never stands alone for justification/redemption. |
| 15 | Righteousness | δικαιοσύνη | நீதி | neethi | Critical | JAL | Never தர்மம். Acts 24:25. |
| 16 | Justification | δικαίωσις/δικαιωθῆναι | நீதிமானாக்கப்படுதல் | neethimanaakkappaduthal | Critical | JAL | Acts 13:38-39 — must match Romans package exactly. |
| 17 | Law | νόμος | நியாயப்பிரமாணம் | niyayapramanam | High | JAL | Never தர்மம். |
| 18 | Resurrection | ἀνάστασις | உயிர்த்தெழுதல் | uyirthezhuthal | Critical | COP, JAL | Never மறுபிறவி. Central to chs. 2, 4, 17, 23, 24, 26. |
| 19 | Gentiles | ἔθνη | புறஜாதியார் | purajathiyar | High | GJG | Caste-adjacent-form caution applies throughout chs. 10, 11, 13, 15, 26, 28. |
| 20 | Power of God | δύναμις (θεοῦ) | வல்லமை | vallamai | High | AAM | Never சக்தி. Constant refrain (1:8; 3:12; 4:7; 10:38; 19:11). |
| 21 | Signs and wonders | σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα | அடையாளங்களும் அற்புதங்களும் | adaiyaalangalum arputangalum | High | AAM | New compound pairing for Acts; reuse established individual-word cautions. |
| 22 | Wisdom | σοφία | ஞானம் | gnanam | High | CC, AAM | Christ/Spirit-anchored; never மெய்ஞ்ஞானம். |
| 23 | Promise | ἐπαγγελία | வாக்குத்தத்தம் | vaakkuthatham | High | HSP, GJG | Never வரம். Acts 2:33, 2:39. |
| 24 | Gift (of the Spirit) | δωρεά | ஈவு | eevu | Critical | HSP, RB | Never வரம்/பரிசு. Acts 2:38, 8:20, 10:45, 11:17. |
| 25 | Election / chosen | ἐκλογή / ἐκλεκτός | தெரிந்துகொள்ளுதல் | therinthu-kolluthal | High | COP | Acts 9:15 “chosen instrument.” Never தலைவிதி/ஊழ்வினை. |
| 26 | Calling | κλῆσις/καλέω | அழைப்பு/அழைக்கப்பட்ட | azhaippu/azhaikkappatta | High | COP, RB | Acts 2:39. |
| 27 | Kingdom of God | βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | தேவனுடைய ராஜ்யம் | Devanudaiya Rajyam | Medium | GCF | Acts 1:3, 6; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, 31. |
| 28 | Fellowship | κοινωνία | ஐக்கியம் | aikkiyam | Low | CC | Acts 2:42. |
| 29 | Providence | (πρόνοια-type claims) | தேவனுடைய பராமரிப்பு | Devanudaiya Paramarippu | High | AAM, GCF | Ch. 27 storm narrative; ch. 5 Gamaliel; never ஊழ். |
| 30 | Boast/exalt at right hand (exaltation) | ὑψωθείς/δεξιὰ τοῦ θεοῦ | (reuse Ephesians/Philippians exaltation phrasing) | — | Critical | COP, HSP | Acts 2:33; 5:31. |
| 31 | Devil / Satan | διάβολος / Σατανᾶς | பிசாசு / சாத்தான் | pisaasu / saathan | High | PBW, COP | Acts 26:18; distinct personal adversary, never folk-spirit taxonomy. |
| 32 | Elders | πρεσβύτεροι | மூப்பர்கள் | mooppargal | Medium | CC | Acts 14:23; 20:17. |
| 33 | Overseers | ἐπίσκοποι | கண்காணிகள் | kankaanigal | Medium | CC | Acts 20:28. |
| 34 | Blood of Christ / atoning blood (background) | αἷμα | இரத்தம் | iratham | High | JAL | Not prominent lexically in Acts but underlies 20:28’s “church… purchased with his own blood.” |
| 35 | Circumcision | περιτομή | விருத்தசேதனம் | viruthasedhanam | Medium | JAL | Acts 15; 16:3. |
| 36 | Prophet / prophesy | προφήτης / προφητεύω | தீர்க்கதரிசி / தீர்க்கதரிசனம் | theerkkadharisi / -sanam | Low | HSP | Never ஜோசியன். Acts 2:16-18; 11:27-28; 13:1; 21:9-10. |
B. New Terms Introduced by the Acts Curriculum [NEW]
| # | English Term | Greek | Tamil Rendering | Transliteration | Risk | Doctrine | Alternatives Rejected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Repentance | μετάνοια | மனந்திரும்புதல் | manandhirumbuthal | Critical | RB | பரிகாரம் (ritual remedy/expiation, transactional and paid); தவம் (merit-generating austerity); பாவநிவாரணம் (implies ritual sin-removal mechanism) | Foundational Acts term (2:38; 3:19; 11:18; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20). Must read as a Spirit-enabled inward turning of the whole person toward God, never an earned/ritual removal of guilt. Mandatory theologian review for every occurrence — this is the single most consequential NEW term this Language Package must fix for Acts. |
| 2 | Filled with the Holy Spirit | πλήρης/ἐπλήσθησαν Πνεύματος Ἁγίου | பரிசுத்த ஆவியானவரால் நிரப்பப்படுதல் | Parisutha Aaviyanavaraal nirappapaduthal | Critical | HSP | ஆவேசம் அடைதல் (deity-possession trance framing); ஆவியில் மயங்குதல் (falling into a spirit-induced trance/faint) | The book’s central recurring phenomenon (2:4; 4:8, 31; 6:3, 5; 7:55; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9, 52). Believer remains a conscious, coherent, responsible personal agent — the opposite of Tamil possession-trance (ஆவேசம்/சாமி ஆடுதல்). Mandatory theologian review every occurrence. |
| 3 | Speaking in other tongues (Pentecost sense: real known languages) | ἑτέραις γλώσσαις / γλώσσαις λαλεῖν | வேறு பாஷைகளில் பேசுதல் | vēru bhaashaigalil pesuthal | High | HSP | அந்நிய பரவசமொழி (ecstatic/unintelligible trance-speech framing) | Acts 2:4-11; 10:46; 19:6. Must be presented (at least at Pentecost, ch. 2) as real, known human languages given for cross-cultural proclamation, distinguished from folk trance-speech and from the private “tongues” phenomenon elsewhere in the NT. |
| 4 | The Way (self-designation of the Christian movement) | ἡ ὁδός | இந்த வழி / (இயேசுவின்/கிறிஸ்துவின்) வழி | intha vazhi | Critical | CC, PBW | மார்க்கம் (forbidden — “the Way” as a proper-noun sect-name is the single most dangerous place to allow மார்க்கம், since it would explicitly cast Christianity as “one மார்க்கம் among many” within Tamil religious pluralism) | Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22. Always render with the plain, non-technical வழி and anchor contextually so it cannot read as one path among equals. Mandatory theologian review every occurrence. |
| 5 | Sect (outsider’s label for “the Way”) | αἵρεσις | பிரிவு/பிரிவினம் | pirivu/pirivinam | High | CC | மதம் (forbidden here — would concede “a religion among religions,” conceding exactly the pluralism the book’s exclusivity claims refuse) | Acts 24:5, 14; 28:22. Render as a neutral outsider-perception term (“faction/party”), never as “a religion.” |
| 6 | Hades (realm/state of the dead) | Ἅδης | பாதாளம் | paathaalam | High | COP, HSP | (no lexical substitute proposed — term itself carries the risk) | Acts 2:27, 31 (Psalm 16 quotation). Collides with Hindu Pātāla (Puranic serpent-inhabited netherworld). Must be taught as simply the realm/state of the dead prior to resurrection, not a populated mythological region or a stage in a multi-life journey. NEW risk entry not present in prior curricula (Romans/Galatians/Ephesians/Philippians/Colossians did not use this term). |
| 7 | Ascension (bodily, historical) | ἀνελήμφθη / ἀνάλημψις | உன்னதத்திற்கு எடுத்துக்கொள்ளப்படுதல் / பரமேறுதல் | unnathathirku eduthukkollappaduthal / paramerudhal | High | COP | Siddhar bodily-transcendence/vanishing legends (no direct lexical substitute, but the concept-collision must be flagged) | Acts 1:9-11. Publicly witnessed, historical, one-time exaltation event — not an esoteric adept’s bodily disappearance nor a step toward liberation. |
| 8 | Boldness (Spirit-given, under persecution) | παρρησία | தைரியம் / வெளிப்படையான பேச்சு | thairiyam / veliyppadaiyaana pechu | Medium-High | PBW | — | Acts 4:13, 29, 31; 9:27-28; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8; 28:31. Spirit-produced fearless proclamation, never mere social bravado. |
| 9 | Witness (→ martyr trajectory) | μάρτυς / μαρτυρία | சாட்சி | saatchi | Medium-High | PBW | — | Acts 1:8; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 7:58-59; 10:39-41; 13:31; 22:15, 20; 26:16. Tracked as a single book-length thread culminating in Stephen’s death (ch. 7) and Paul’s own anticipated martyrdom (ch. 20-28). |
| 10 | Signs and wonders (fixed compound) | σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα / δυνάμεσι καὶ τέρασι καὶ σημείοις | அற்புதங்களும் அடையாளங்களும் | arputangalum adaiyaalangalum | High | AAM | — | See TM #21 for compound note; அற்புதம் alone flagged as colliding with temple/shrine-miracle economy vocabulary (votive/merit-transaction framing); must stay Christ-authenticating, never comparable to pilgrimage-shrine wonder-claims. |
| 11 | Laying on of hands | χεῖρας ἐπιτίθημι | கை வைத்தல் | kai vaithal | Medium-High | AAM, CC | — | Acts 6:6; 8:17-19; 9:17; 13:3; 19:6. Symbolic commissioning act, never a magically transferable power (Simon Magus’s attempted purchase, ch. 8, is the text’s own built-in warning). |
| 12 | Sorcery / magic arts | μαγεία / μαγεύω | சூனியம் / மந்திரவாதம் | soonyam / manthiravaatham | High | AAM | — | Acts 8:9, 11; 13:6-11 (Elymas); 19:19 (magic books burned). Direct collision with active Tamil folk-magic (பில்லி சூனியம்); render literally as rejected occult practice, never euphemized. |
| 13 | Spirit of divination | πνεῦμα πύθωνα | குறி சொல்லும் ஆவி | kuri sollum aavi | Critical | AAM, HSP | (must not be conflated with) தீர்க்கதரிசனம் (true prophecy) | Acts 16:16-18. Live collision with Tamil oracle/possession-divination practice; must read as a defeated, deceptive, subordinate spirit expelled by Christ’s authority, never a rival legitimate “spiritual gift.” |
| 14 | Evil spirit / demon | πνεῦμα πονηρόν / δαιμόνιον | பொல்லாத ஆவி / பேய் | pollaatha aavi / pei | High | AAM | — | Acts 19:12-16 (sons of Sceva). Subordinate, already-defeated powers under Christ, distinct from the folk taxonomy (பேய், முனி, மோகினி) managed by exorcists; never treat as parallel/rival to legitimate ministry. |
| 15 | Clean / unclean | κοινός / ἀκάθαρτος | தீட்டு / அசுத்தமான | theettu / asuthamaana | Critical | GJG | — | Acts 10:14-15, 28. Direct collision with the living Tamil தீட்டு purity-code framework; the doctrinal move (God declares clean what was called unclean) is a direct scriptural ground for challenging purity-based exclusion. Theologian review mandatory. |
| 16 | God shows no partiality | οὐ προσωπολημπτεῖ | கடவுள் பட்சபாதமில்லாதவர் | kadavul patchapaadhamillaathavar | High | GJG | — | Acts 10:34. Direct doctrinal statement resulting from the clean/unclean vision; intersects Tamil Nadu’s caste-sensitivity. |
| 17 | God-fearer | φοβούμενος τὸν θεόν | தேவனை பயந்த மனுஷன் | Devanai bayantha manushan | Medium | GJG | — | Acts 10:2, 22. Cornelius’s category; reverent awe, not terror; social-religious “sympathizer” status prior to full inclusion. |
| 18 | Great grace (community-wide favor) | χάρις μεγάλη | மிகுந்த கிருபை | migundha kirupai | High | CC | — | Acts 4:33. Reuses TM கிருபை; describes shared communal blessing, not accumulated merit. |
| 19 | All things in common | ἅπαντα κοινά | எல்லாவற்றையும் பொதுவாக வைத்திருந்தார்கள் | ellaavatraiyum pothuvaaga vaithirunthaargal | Medium | CC | — | Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35. Voluntary Spirit-produced generosity, not compulsory collectivization; must not be read through a 20th-century socialist/communal-land political lens. |
| 20 | Author/originator of life | ἀρχηγὸς τῆς ζωῆς | ஜீவனுடைய அதிபதி | jeevanudaiya adhipathi | High | AAM, COP | ஆதி (standalone — forbidden, collides with primordial-deity epithets ஆதிசிவன்/ஆதிசக்தி) | Acts 3:15; cf. 5:31 (ἀρχηγὸν καὶ σωτῆρα). Christological title; keep compound, never standalone ஆதி. |
| 21 | Restoration of all things | ἀποκατάστασις πάντων | எல்லாவற்றின் புதுப்பித்தல்/மீளமைவு | ellaavatrin puthuppithal/meelamaivu | Medium-High | GCF | யுகம் (cyclical-age framing — forbidden) | Acts 3:21. Linear, Christ-centered, once-for-all cosmic consummation; never cyclical yuga-renewal. |
| 22 | Times of refreshing | ἀνάψυξις | இளைப்பாறுதலின் காலங்கள் | ilaippaarudhalin kaalangal | Low-Medium | GCF | — | Acts 3:20. |
| 23 | Unknown god (pagan referent only) | ἀγνώστῳ θεῷ | அறியப்படாத தெய்வம் | ariyappadaatha deivam | High | GJG | — | Acts 17:23. RARE legitimate use of தெய்வம் (a deity among many) describing the Athenians’ own polytheistic frame; must switch immediately to கடவுள் once Paul proclaims the true referent (17:24ff). Dual-register passage requiring explicit translator/theologian flag. |
| 24 | Mistaken deification (of miracle-workers) | ἐνόμιζον αὐτὸν εἶναι θεόν | அவரை ஒரு தேவனாக நினைத்தார்கள் | avarai oru devanaaga ninaithaargal | High | AAM | — | Acts 14:11-15 (Lystra); 28:6 (Malta). Recurring motif; must be flagged as an ERRONEOUS pagan supposition explicitly corrected/deflected in the text, never an endorsed title; use தேவன் (a god, lower-case sense) only for the pagan misattribution, never கடவுள். |
| 25 | Great goddess Artemis/Diana | ἡ μεγάλη θεὸς Ἄρτεμις | மகா தேவி ஆர்த்திமிஸ் | mahaa deivi Aarthimis | Medium-High | AAM | — | Acts 19:27-35. Named foreign pagan deity in historical narrative; keep as clearly foreign proper name, never substitute local Amman/village-goddess category vocabulary. |
| 26 | Burden (of imposed law-requirements) | βάρος | பாரம் | paaram | Medium-High | JAL | — | Acts 15:28. Parallels Galatians’s “yoke of slavery”; council’s refusal to impose burden beyond minimal provisions embodies “Justification apart from the Law” institutionally. |
| 27 | It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us | ἔδοξεν τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ Ἁγίῳ καὶ ἡμῖν | பரிசுத்த ஆவியானவருக்கும் எங்களுக்கும் நலமாய்த் தோன்றியது | Parisutha Aaviyanavarukkum engalukkum nalamaayth thondriyathu | High | AAM, CC | — | Acts 15:28. Corporate, Spirit-guided discernment; must preserve the Spirit’s personal co-agency, avoiding both bare-majority-vote and single-guru-ruling misreadings. |
| 28 | Word of God grew/multiplied | ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ηὔξανεν | தேவனுடைய வசனம் வளர்ந்தது | Devanudaiya vasanam valarnthathu | Medium | GCF | — | Acts 6:7; 12:24; 19:20. Recurring narrative refrain marking the gospel’s expansion; reuse established கடவுள்-compound convention. |
| 29 | Ends of the earth (mission scope) | ἔσχατος τῆς γῆς | பூமியின் கடையாந்தரம் வரைக்கும் | boomiyin kadaiyaantharam varaikkum | Medium | GCF | — | Acts 1:8; fulfilled narratively at 28:31. Must retain unqualified universal geographic reach. |
| 30 | Unhindered (final adverb of the book) | ἀκωλύτως | தடையின்றி | thadaiyindri | Medium-High | GCF | — | Acts 28:31. Structural inclusio with 1:8; cross-check against கடவுள்/ராஜ்யம் compound consistency. |
| 31 | Cut/pierced to the heart | κατανύσσομαι (κατενύγησαν τὴν καρδίαν) | இருதயத்தில் உருக்கமாயிருந்து / குத்தப்பட்டவர்கள் போல | iruthayathil urukkamaayirunthu | Medium-High | RB | தவம்-style self-punishment framing (forbidden) | Acts 2:37. Genuine Spirit-produced conviction of sin, never ritual self-affliction/self-mortification. |
| 32 | Chosen instrument (of Paul’s call) | σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς | தெரிந்துகொள்ளப்பட்ட கருவி | therinthukollappatta karuvi | High | COP | — | Acts 9:15. Reuse TM தெரிந்துகொள்ளுதல் (election, never fatalism vocabulary). |
| 33 | Light from heaven (Christophany) | φῶς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ | வானத்திலிருந்து ஒரு ஒளி | vaanathilirunthu oru oli | High | COP | கனவு (dream)-register framing (forbidden) | Acts 9:3; 22:6; 26:13. Real historical Christophany, not a generic mystical vision/dream. |
| 34 | Chosen/foreknowledge (of God’s plan concerning Christ’s death) | πρόγνωσις / βουλή | முன்னறிவு / திட்டம் | munnarivu / thittam | High | COP, JAL | தலைவிதி/ஊழ் (fatalism — forbidden) | Acts 2:23. Personal divine foreknowledge and purposive plan, never impersonal predetermination. |
| 35 | Stiff-necked | σκληροτράχηλοι | கடினமான பிடரி/மனம் கடினமானவர்கள் | kadinamaana pidari/manam kadinamaanavargal | Medium | PBW | — | Acts 7:51. Historically specific rhetorical indictment (Stephen’s speech), not a permanent ethnic label. |
| 36 | Resisting/lying to the Holy Spirit | ἀντιπίπτω / ψεύδομαι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον | பரிசுத்த ஆவியானவருக்கு எதிர்த்து நிற்றல் / பொய் சொல்லுதல் | Parisutha Aaviyanavarukku edhirthu nirthal / poi sollal | Critical | AAM, HSP | — | Acts 5:3, 9; 7:51. Personhood-of-the-Spirit texts; must preserve personal-agent grammar throughout. |
C. Proper Nouns (Established Tamil Bible Transliterations — Low Risk)
| English | Tamil | Chapters | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pentecost | பெந்தெகொஸ்தே | 2 | Established feast-name transliteration. |
| Peter | பேதுரு | 1-15 | Established. |
| Paul / Saul | பவுல் / சவுல் | 7-28 | Established; name change at 13:9 should be preserved narratively. |
| Stephen | ஸ்தேவான் | 6-8 | Established. |
| Philip | பிலிப்பு | 6, 8, 21 | Established. |
| Barnabas | பர்னபா | 4, 9, 11-15 | Established. |
| Cornelius | கொர்நேலியு | 10 | Established. |
| Ananias (of Damascus) | அனனியா | 9 | Distinct from Ananias of ch. 5 — disambiguate in teaching notes. |
| Ananias & Sapphira | அனனியா, சப்பீரா | 5 | Established. |
| Gamaliel | கமாலியேல் | 5, 22 | Established. |
| Herod (Agrippa I) | ஏரோது | 12 | Established; distinguish from other Herods per teaching notes. |
| Cornelius, Lydia, Sergius Paulus, Elymas, Timothy, Silas, Priscilla, Aquila, Apollos, Felix, Festus, Agrippa | (established transliterations per Tamil O.V.) | throughout | Low risk; standard proper-noun handling. |
| Antioch, Jerusalem, Samaria, Damascus, Cyprus, Lystra, Derbe, Iconium, Philippi, Thessalonica, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Miletus, Caesarea, Rome, Malta | (established transliterations per Tamil O.V.) | throughout | Low risk; geographic proper nouns. |
D. Citation and Consistency Cross-References
- Acts 2:21, 38 and Romans 10:9-13 must render the “call on the name of the Lord … saved” formula identically.
- Acts 2:33-35 (Psalm 110 quotation) and Ephesians 1:20-22 must render “seated at the right hand” identically.
- Acts 13:38-39 and Romans 3-4 must render “justified” (நீதிமானாக்கப்படுதல்) identically — direct cross-document doctrinal citation.
- Acts 15’s law-freedom decree and the Galatians package’s “law_and_grace” / “yoke_of_slavery” entries share doctrinal vocabulary and must not diverge in register.
- Acts book name in Tamil Bible citation format: அப்போஸ்தலர் நடபடிகள் (e.g. அப்போஸ்தலர் நடபடிகள் 2:38), per established Tamil Bible convention; YouVersion book code ACT.
Critical Risk Terms
Righteousness
Approved rendering: நீதி
Transliteration: neethi
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: தர்மம், புண்ணியம்
Original: δικαιοσύνη
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 24:25 (Paul’s ethical triad to Felix) and the christological title ‘the Holy and Righteous One’ (3:14; 7:52; 22:14 — see the_holy_and_righteous_one, NEW). NEVER தர்மம்.
Justification
Approved rendering: நீதிமானாக்கப்படுதல்
Transliteration: neethimanaakkappaduthal
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: மன்னிப்பு பெறுதல்
Original: δικαιωθῆναι / δικαίωσις
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Acts 13:38-39 is a direct cross-document citation point with Romans 3-4 and must render identically. The Jerusalem Council’s decision (15:10-11) enacts this doctrine institutionally.
Salvation
Approved rendering: இரட்சிப்பு
Transliteration: iratchippu
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: மோட்சம், முக்தி
Original: σωτηρία / σῴζω
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 2:21 (‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’), 4:12 (‘no other name’), 16:31, 16:30 (‘what must I do to be saved’). NEVER மோட்சம்/முக்தி.
Resurrection
Approved rendering: உயிர்த்தெழுதல்
Transliteration: uyirthezhuthal
Doctrine: Resurrection of Christ
Rejected alternatives: மறுபிறவி
Original: ἀνάστασις
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Central to Acts 2:24-32; 4:2, 33; 17:18, 31-32 (mocked); 23:6-8 (Pharisee/Sadducee dispute); 24:15, 21; 26:8, 23. NEVER மறுபிறவி — this is bodily, historical, once-for-all, never rebirth.
Lord
Approved rendering: கர்த்தர்
Transliteration: karthar
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: எஜமான்
Original: κύριος
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Acts 2:21, 2:36, 10:36, 16:31 all use this term for Christ’s exclusive supreme Lordship; 16:31 must render consistently with the Romans 10:9 confession convention.
Son Of God
Approved rendering: தேவனுடைய குமாரன்
Transliteration: Devanudaiya Kumaran
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: தெய்வப்புத்திரன்
Inherited from Romans package. Used at Acts 9:20 (‘he is the Son of God’). Full phrase required; NEVER தெய்வப்புத்திரன்.
Messiah
Approved rendering: மேசியா
Transliteration: mesiya
Doctrine: Messianic Promise
Inherited from Romans package. Used alongside கிறிஸ்து throughout Acts’s sermons (e.g. ch. 2, 3, 13, 17, 26).
Jesus
Approved rendering: இயேசு
Transliteration: yesu
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Original: Ἰησοῦς
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Used throughout Acts as the established Tamil Christian standard proper-name form.
God
Approved rendering: கடவுள்
Transliteration: kadavul
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: தேவன், பரமேஸ்வரன், பகவான்
Original: θεός
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Governs every occurrence of theos for the true God throughout Acts. EXCEPTION (mandatory theologian flag both directions): a lower-case தேவன்/தெய்வம் is the doctrinally ACCURATE word ONLY in two narrow, textually-bounded cases — Acts 17:23’s ‘unknown god’ inscription describing the Athenians’ own polytheistic frame (see unknown_god, NEW) and the mistaken pagan ascription to Paul/Barnabas at 14:11-15 and 28:6 (see mistaken_deification, NEW). Outside these two flagged exceptions, கடவுள் is used without exception.
Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: பரிசுத்த ஆவியானவர்
Transliteration: Parisutha Aaviyanavar
Doctrine: Sanctification
Rejected alternatives: பிரம்மம், பரமாத்மா
Original: Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον
Category: Holy Spirit
Inherited from Romans package. Acts supplies unusually dense personal-agent grammar for the Spirit (5:3, 9; 7:51; 8:29; 10:19-20; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6-7) — see resisting_the_holy_spirit and seemed_good_to_the_spirit, NEW. NEVER பிரம்மம்/பரமாத்மா.
Father
Approved rendering: பிதா
Transliteration: pitha
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Inherited from Romans package. Used of God the Father in Acts 1:4, 7; 2:33 (‘having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit’).
Christ
Approved rendering: கிறிஸ்து
Transliteration: kiristhu
Doctrine: Messianic Promise
Original: Χριστός
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Central to Acts 2:36’s climax (‘made him both Lord and Christ’ — see lordship_and_messiahship_declaration, NEW) and throughout the book.
Flesh
Approved rendering: மாம்சம்
Transliteration: maamsam
Doctrine: Life by the Spirit
Rejected alternatives: உடல், சரீரம்
Inherited from Romans package. IMPORTANT ACTS-SPECIFIC SENSE: Acts 2:17’s Joel citation (‘I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh’) uses மாம்சம் in the Hebraic idiomatic sense meaning ‘all people/every kind of person,’ NOT the Galatians sin-nature sense. Teaching notes must flag this explicitly to prevent doctrinal cross-contamination between the two curricula’s uses of the same lexeme, while retaining the same Tamil word per established Bible-translation convention.
Works Of The Law
Approved rendering: நியாயப்பிரமாணத்தின் கிரியைகள்
Transliteration: niyayapramanathin kiriyaigal
Doctrine: Justification by Faith
Rejected alternatives: கர்மா, வினை, தர்மச் செயல்கள்
Inherited from Romans package. Governs the Jerusalem Council’s core dispute (ch. 15) and Acts 15:10 (‘a yoke… which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear’).
Savior
Approved rendering: இரட்சகர்
Transliteration: iratchagar
Doctrine: Christ as Savior
Rejected alternatives: மீட்பர்
Inherited from Philippians package. Governs Acts 5:31 (‘God exalted him… to be… a Savior’) and 13:23 (‘God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus’). Personal rescuer-God, never a moksha-granting deity.
Repentance
Approved rendering: மனந்திரும்புதல்
Transliteration: manandhirumbuthal
Doctrine: Repentance as the Response to the Gospel
Rejected alternatives: பரிகாரம், தவம், பாவநிவாரணம்
Original: μετάνοια / μετανοέω
Category: Salvation
NEW for Acts — the single most consequential coinage in this Language Package. Governs 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20. பரிகாரம் (paid ritual remedy for sin/dosha), தவம் (merit-generating austerity), and பாவநிவாரணம் (ritual sin-removal mechanism) are all forbidden as they convert repentance into a performed/paid act. மனந்திரும்புதல் must be a Spirit-enabled turning of the whole person toward a personal God, logically prior to and inseparable from baptism (2:38) but never itself a merit-earning work. Acts 17:30 extends this even to sophisticated Gentile philosophers, completing the Jew-to-Gentile doctrinal arc. Mandatory theologian review for every occurrence.
Filled With The Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: பரிசுத்த ஆவியானவரால் நிரப்பப்படுதல்
Transliteration: Parisutha Aaviyanavaraal nirappapaduthal
Doctrine: Spirit-Filling and Empowerment for Witness
Rejected alternatives: ஆவேசம் அடைதல், சாமி ஆடுதல், ஆவியில் மயங்குதல்
Original: πλήρης/ἐπλήσθησαν Πνεύματος Ἁγίου
Category: Holy Spirit
NEW for Acts. The single sharpest collision point in the whole curriculum: ஆவேசம்/சாமி ஆடுதல் (deity-possession trance at Tamil temple festivals such as தீமிதி, காவடி) involves LOSS of personal agency, shaking, and altered/unintelligible speech — the functional opposite of every Acts instance (2:4; 4:8, 31; 6:3, 5; 7:55; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9, 52), where the filled person becomes MORE coherent and Scripturally articulate. Mandatory theologian review for every occurrence.
The Way
Approved rendering: இந்த வழி
Transliteration: intha vazhi
Doctrine: ‘The Way’ as the Christian Movement’s Self-Designation
Rejected alternatives: மார்க்கம்
Original: ἡ ὁδός
Category: Church
NEW for Acts. Governs 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22. NEVER மார்க்கம் — this would explicitly concede ‘Christianity is one path among many’ (Saiva மார்க்கம், Vaishnava மார்க்கம்) precisely where the term names the MOVEMENT ITSELF, not merely conduct (contrast the baseline Ephesians ‘walk’ caution). Always render with the plain, contextually anchored வழி (இயேசுவின் வழி). Mandatory theologian review every occurrence.
Spirit Of Divination
Approved rendering: குறி சொல்லும் ஆவி
Transliteration: kuri sollum aavi
Doctrine: Deliverance from a Spirit of Divination
Original: πνεῦμα πύθωνα
Category: Holy Spirit
NEW for Acts. Governs 16:16-18. Live collision with active Tamil oracle/possession-divination practice (ஆவேசம் மூலம் குறி சொல்லுதல், ஜோசியம்). Must read unambiguously as a defeated, deceptive, subordinate spirit expelled by Christ’s authority — never a rival ‘spiritual gift’ to be weighed against genuine prophecy (தீர்க்கதரிசனம்), and never blurred with it.
Clean And Unclean
Approved rendering: தீட்டு / அசுத்தமான
Transliteration: theettu / asuthamaana
Doctrine: The Vision of Clean and Unclean
Original: κοινός / ἀκάθαρτος
Category: Sin
NEW for Acts. Governs 10:14-15, 28; 11:5-10. Direct collision with the living Tamil தீட்டு purity-code framework (also flagged in the Colossians package for Col. 2:21). God declares clean what was called unclean; no one may call it profane — a direct scriptural warrant against caste-based purity/exclusion, though the translated text itself must never name a specific caste category. Mandatory theologian review.
Resisting The Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: பரிசுத்த ஆவியானவருக்கு எதிர்த்து நிற்றல் / பொய் சொல்லுதல்
Transliteration: Parisutha Aaviyanavarukku edhirthu nirthal / poi sollal
Doctrine: Personhood of the Holy Spirit
Original: ἀντιπίπτω / ψεύδομαι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον
Category: Holy Spirit
NEW for Acts. Governs 5:3, 9 (lying to/testing the Spirit); 7:51 (resisting the Spirit). A decisive personhood-of-the-Spirit set of texts — one can only lie to, test, or resist a PERSON. Must preserve personal-agent grammar in Tamil throughout; never impersonal-force phrasing.
Household Salvation Confession
Approved rendering: கர்த்தராகிய இயேசுவை விசுவாசி, நீ இரட்சிக்கப்படுவாய்
Transliteration: karthaaraakiya yesuvai vishvasi, nee iratchikkappaduvaay
Doctrine: Household Salvation through Confession of the Lord Jesus
Original: πίστευσον ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ σωθήσῃ
Category: Salvation
NEW for Acts. Governs 16:31, 33-34 (the Philippian jailer). Directly parallel to Romans 10:9-13; must render with verbatim cross-document consistency using inherited விசுவாசம், கர்த்தர், இரட்சிப்பு. Mandatory theologian verification against the Romans package’s Romans 10:9 rendering.
No Other Name
Approved rendering: வேறொருவரிலும் இரட்சிப்பு இல்லை … வேறு நாமம் இல்லை
Transliteration: veroruvarilum iratchippu illai … veru naamam illai
Doctrine: Exclusivity of Salvation in the Name of Christ
Original: οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἄλλῳ οὐδενὶ ἡ σωτηρία … οὐδὲ γὰρ ὄνομά ἐστιν ἕτερον
Category: Salvation
NEW for Acts. Governs 4:12. The book’s sharpest exclusivity claim, delivered before the Sanhedrin. Must retain unqualified exclusivity against Tamil religious pluralism, echoing the caution already applied to Thirumular’s popularly-cited line ‘ஒன்றே குலம் ஒருவனே தேவன்.’ Mandatory theologian review.
Exaltation At Gods Right Hand
Approved rendering: கடவுளின் வலது பாரிசத்தில் உயர்த்தப்படுதல்
Transliteration: kadavulin valathu paarisathil uyarthappaduthal
Doctrine: The Exaltation of Christ to God’s Right Hand
NEW for Acts, cross-referenced with the Ephesians package. Governs 2:33-35 (quoting Psalm 110, cf. Ephesians 1:20-22 — must render identically), 5:31, and 7:55-56 (Stephen’s vision of Christ standing at God’s right hand at the moment of martyrdom, directly tying this doctrine to the persecution-and-witness thread). Mandatory theologian cross-check against the Ephesians 1:20-22 rendering.
Lordship And Messiahship Declaration
Approved rendering: கடவுள் அவரை கர்த்தராகவும் கிறிஸ்துவாகவும் நியமித்திருக்கிறார்
Transliteration: kadavul avarai karthaaraagavum kiristhuvaagavum niyamithirukkiraar
Doctrine: The Lordship and Messiahship of Christ
NEW for Acts. Governs 2:36, the climax of Peter’s Pentecost sermon: ‘God has made him both Lord and Christ.’ Must never be read adoptionistically (as though Jesus became divine only at this point); teaching notes must clarify this is enthronement to messianic office following the exaltation pattern already fixed in the Ephesians/Philippians packages, not an ontological change. Built on inherited கடவுள், கர்த்தர், கிறிஸ்து.
The Holy And Righteous One
Approved rendering: பரிசுத்தரும் நீதிமானுமானவர்
Transliteration: parisutharum neethimaanumaanavar
Doctrine: Justification apart from the Law
NEW compound for Acts built on inherited பரிசுத்தம் and நீதி. Governs the christological title at 3:14; 7:52; 22:14. Inherits the Critical-tier caution on both component terms; நீதி must never drift toward தர்மம்.
High Risk Terms
Gospel
Approved rendering: சுவிசேஷம்
Transliteration: suvisesham
Doctrine: Gospel
Rejected alternatives: நல்ல செய்தி
Inherited from Romans package. Acts uses this term for the apostolic proclamation throughout (e.g. 8:25, 8:35, 14:7, 15:7, 20:24). No new risk; established rendering carries fully into Acts.
Grace
Approved rendering: கிருபை
Transliteration: kirupai
Doctrine: Grace
Rejected alternatives: புண்ணியம், ஊழ்வினை பலன்
Original: χάρις
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 4:33 (‘great grace’), 15:11, 18:27, 20:24 (‘gospel of the grace of God’). The Jerusalem Council’s argument (ch. 15) rests on this term never sliding toward புண்ணியம் (accumulated merit).
Faith
Approved rendering: விசுவாசம்
Transliteration: vishvasam
Doctrine: Faith
Rejected alternatives: பக்தி
Original: πίστις / πιστεύω
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Central to every Acts conversion narrative (e.g. 16:31, ‘believe on the Lord Jesus’); never பக்தி (devotee-to-deity reverence).
Apostle
Approved rendering: அப்போஸ்தலன்
Transliteration: appostalan
Doctrine: Apostleship
Rejected alternatives: குரு
Original: ἀπόστολος
Category: Mission
Inherited from Romans package (baseline risk Medium), ESCALATED to High for this curriculum per bible_term_registry.json/doctrine_risk_registry.json: Acts is the apostolic-founding-era narrative itself, so the Thomas-at-Mylapore heritage note applies to the narrated content directly, not merely as cultural background. NEVER குரு.
Called
Approved rendering: அழைக்கப்பட்ட
Transliteration: azhaikkappatta
Doctrine: Divine Calling
Rejected alternatives: அழைப்பு பெற்ற
Inherited from Romans package. Context-sensitive across Acts as in Romans.
Calling
Approved rendering: அழைப்பு
Transliteration: azhaippu
Doctrine: Divine Calling
Original: κλῆσις / καλέω / προσκαλέσηται
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 2:39 (‘as many as the Lord our God calls to himself’). Never fatalism vocabulary (தலைவிதி/ஊழ்வினை).
Holy
Approved rendering: பரிசுத்தம்
Transliteration: parisutham
Doctrine: Sanctification
Rejected alternatives: சுத்தம்
Inherited from Romans package. Component of the christological title at 3:14/7:52 (see the_holy_and_righteous_one, NEW).
Saints
Approved rendering: பரிசுத்தவான்கள்
Transliteration: parisuthavankal
Doctrine: Sainthood
Rejected alternatives: சாமியார், சித்தர்
Inherited from Romans package. Used of the believing community throughout Acts (9:13, 32, 41; 26:10). NEVER சாமியார்/சித்தர்.
Sanctification
Approved rendering: பரிசுத்தமாக்குதல்
Transliteration: parisuthamaakkuthal
Doctrine: Sanctification
Inherited from Romans package. Underlies Acts 26:18’s ‘those sanctified by faith in me.‘
Law
Approved rendering: நியாயப்பிரமாணம்
Transliteration: niyayapramanam
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Prophecy
Rejected alternatives: தர்மம்
Original: νόμος
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Central to the Jerusalem Council (ch. 15) and Acts 13:38-39. NEVER தர்மம்.
Sin
Approved rendering: பாவம்
Transliteration: paavam
Doctrine: Universal Human Accountability
Rejected alternatives: தீவினை
Original: ἁμαρτία
Category: Sin
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 2:38; 3:19; 10:43; 13:38; 26:18. NEVER தீவினை (karmic action).
Gentiles
Approved rendering: புறஜாதியார்
Transliteration: purajathiyar
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Original: ἔθνη
Category: Mission
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 10, 11, 13, 15, 26, 28 — every Gentile-inclusion chapter. The baseline caution that ஜாதி (caste) sits near this word’s form applies with full force throughout these chapters.
Glory
Approved rendering: மகிமை
Transliteration: magimai
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Inherited from Romans package. Acts 7:55 (Stephen sees ‘the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God’).
Power Of God
Approved rendering: தேவனுடைய வல்லமை
Transliteration: Devanudaiya Vallamai
Doctrine: Power of God for Salvation
Rejected alternatives: சக்தி
Original: δύναμις (θεοῦ)
Category: Miracles
Inherited from Romans package. In Acts வல்லமை frequently stands alone without the தேவனுடைய compound (1:8; 3:12; 4:7; 10:38; 19:11) — both forms are acceptable, but சக்தி is NEVER permitted given the Tamil village Amman-goddess tradition collision, which recurs even more forcefully in Acts’s constant power-refrain.
Covenant
Approved rendering: உடன்படிக்கை
Transliteration: udanpadikkai
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Rejected alternatives: ஒப்பந்தம்
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Stephen’s speech (ch. 7) and Acts 3:25’s ‘covenant that God made with your fathers.‘
Election
Approved rendering: தெரிந்துகொள்ளுதல்
Transliteration: therinthu-kolluthal
Doctrine: Effectual Calling
Rejected alternatives: தலைவிதி, ஊழ்வினை
Original: ἐκλογή / ἐκλεκτός
Category: Faith
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 9:15’s ‘chosen instrument’ (see chosen_instrument, NEW, a compound built on this root). Never fatalism vocabulary.
Providence
Approved rendering: தேவனுடைய பராமரிப்பு
Transliteration: Devanudaiya Paramarippu
Doctrine: Providence
Rejected alternatives: ஊழ்
Original: (implied in Gamaliel’s counsel, 5:38-39; the storm narrative, 27:22-25)
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Gamaliel’s counsel (5:38-39), the shipwreck narrative (ch. 27), and Acts 17:26. Never ஊழ் (classical Tamil fate).
Seed Of David
Approved rendering: தாவீதின் வம்சம்
Transliteration: thaaveethin vamsam
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 13:22-23 (‘from this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel a Savior’).
Works
Approved rendering: கிரியைகள்
Transliteration: kiriyaigal
Doctrine: Law and Grace
Rejected alternatives: கர்மா, வினை
Inherited from Romans package. Relevant to the law/circumcision discussions of chs. 15-16.
Promise
Approved rendering: வாக்குத்தத்தம்
Transliteration: vaakkuthatham
Doctrine: Abrahamic Covenant and Promise
Rejected alternatives: வரம்
Original: ἐπαγγελία
Category: Mission
Inherited from Romans package. Governs God’s pledge of the Spirit (1:4; 2:33, 39) and of a Savior from David’s line (13:23, 32). NEVER வரம் (a devotional boon granted to a petitioner).
Seed Of Abraham
Approved rendering: ஆபிரகாமின் சந்ததி
Transliteration: abirahamin santhathi
Doctrine: Christ the Singular Seed
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 3:25 (‘sons of the… covenant’) and 13:26 (‘sons of Abraham’).
Redemption
Approved rendering: மீட்பு
Transliteration: meetpu
Doctrine: Substitutionary Curse-Bearing
Inherited from Romans package. Conceptually underlies Acts 20:28’s ‘the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood’ — see blood_of_christ. Keep distinct from the broader இரட்சிப்பு.
Gift
Approved rendering: ஈவு
Transliteration: eevu
Doctrine: Salvation by Grace through Faith
Rejected alternatives: வரம், பரிசு
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 2:38-39 (‘you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’), 8:20, 10:45, 11:17. Simon Magus’s attempted purchase (8:18-20) is the book’s own narrative rebuke of the வரம்-style transactional reading. NEVER வரம்/பரிசு.
Blood Of Christ
Approved rendering: கிறிஸ்துவின் இரத்தம்
Transliteration: Kiristhuvin iratham
Doctrine: Redemption through Christ’s Blood
Original: αἷμα (τοῦ ἰδίου)
Category: Miracles
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 20:28’s ‘church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.’ Once-for-all, self-given sacrifice; never framed like recurring village-shrine appeasement offerings.
Hope
Approved rendering: நம்பிக்கை
Transliteration: nambikkai
Doctrine: Hope of Calling
Rejected alternatives: ஆசை
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 23:6, 24:15, 26:6-7 (‘the hope of the resurrection of the dead’). Never ஆசை (wish/desire).
Temple
Approved rendering: ஆலயம்
Transliteration: aalayam
Doctrine: Church as God’s Temple
Rejected alternatives: கோவில்
Inherited from Romans/Ephesians package. In Acts, ஆலயம் refers primarily to the LITERAL Jerusalem temple (Peter and John at the temple, 3:1ff; Stephen’s speech on the temple, ch. 7; Paul’s arrest at the temple, ch. 21), not only the doctrinal church-as-temple metaphor. NEVER கோவில் for the Jerusalem temple or the church. Distinguish from temple_of_artemis (NEW), the pagan shrine at Ephesus, which uses different vocabulary.
Devil
Approved rendering: பிசாசு
Transliteration: pisaasu
Doctrine: Spiritual Warfare
Rejected alternatives: பேய்
Original: διάβολος / Σατανᾶς
Category: Sin
Inherited from Ephesians package. Governs Acts 26:18 (‘from the authority of Satan/சாத்தான் to God’). A distinct, personal, already-defeated adversary, never folded into the folk-spirit taxonomy (பேய், முனி, மோகினி) — see evil_spirit, NEW, for the broader subordinate-spirit class.
Suffering
Approved rendering: பாடுகள்
Transliteration: paadugal
Doctrine: Joy in Suffering
Rejected alternatives: வினைப்பயன், தலையெழுத்து
Inherited from Philippians package. Governs the whole Persecution and Bold Witness doctrine across Acts (4:13-31; 5:17-42; 7:54-8:3; 12:1-19; 14:19-20; 16:19-24; 21:27-23:35). NEVER karmic-fruit or fate framing.
Confess
Approved rendering: அறிக்கை செய்தல்
Transliteration: arikkai seythal
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Inherited from Philippians package. Must stay verbatim-consistent with the Romans 10:9 confession convention wherever Acts narrates public confession of Jesus as Lord (e.g. underlying 2:36, 16:31).
Wisdom
Approved rendering: ஞானம்
Transliteration: gnanam
Doctrine: Sufficiency of Christ against Hollow Philosophy
Rejected alternatives: மெய்ஞ்ஞானம்
Original: σοφία
Category: Miracles
Inherited from Colossians package. Governs Acts 6:3, 5, 10 (‘full of the Spirit and wisdom,’ describing Stephen and the Seven). NEVER மெய்ஞ்ஞானம் (Saiva Siddhanta’s technical gnosis-path term).
Philosophy
Approved rendering: தத்துவஞானம்
Transliteration: thathuvagnanam
Doctrine: Sufficiency of Christ against Hollow Philosophy
Rejected alternatives: மெய்யியல்
Inherited from Colossians package. Relevant background vocabulary for Acts 17’s Athens scene (Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, 17:18); use with care so as not to blanket-condemn Tamil philosophical heritage, per the Colossians package’s qualifier-chain convention.
Speaking In Other Tongues
Approved rendering: வேறு பாஷைகளில் பேசுதல்
Transliteration: vēru bhaashaigalil pesuthal
Doctrine: Speaking in Tongues as a Sign of the Spirit’s Coming
Rejected alternatives: அந்நிய பரவசமொழி
Original: ἑτέραις γλώσσαις / γλώσσαις λαλεῖν
Category: Holy Spirit
NEW for Acts. Governs 2:4-11; 10:44-46; 19:6. At Pentecost the miracle is explicitly REAL, KNOWN human languages (confirmed by hearers recognizing their own tongue, v. 6, 8, 11) — distinguish sharply from Tamil village-shrine oracle-speech, which is typically unintelligible and requires an interpreter.
Sect
Approved rendering: பிரிவு
Transliteration: pirivu
Doctrine: ‘The Way’ Called a Sect by Outsiders
Rejected alternatives: மதம்
Original: αἵρεσις
Category: Church
NEW for Acts. Governs 24:5, 14; 28:22. NEVER மதம் (‘a religion’), which would concede the very pluralist ‘one religion among many’ framing the book’s exclusivity claims (4:12) refuse. Render as a neutral outsider-perception term (faction/party); Paul’s own reframing (24:14-15) affirms fulfillment of, not competition with, Israel’s Scriptures.
Hades
Approved rendering: பாதாளம்
Transliteration: paathaalam
Doctrine: Hades and the State of the Dead prior to Resurrection
Original: Ἅδης
Category: Christology
NEW risk entry for Acts (not present in prior curricula). Governs 2:27, 31 (Psalm 16 quotation). பாதாளம் is also the Puranic Hindu Pātāla, a populated, serpent-inhabited mythological netherworld — teaching notes must clarify this term names simply the realm/state of the dead awaiting resurrection, never a populated cosmological region or a stage in a multi-life journey. Retain the established Tamil Bible term (do not re-coin); manage the risk through mandatory teaching-note fencing.
Ascension
Approved rendering: பரமேறுதல்
Transliteration: paramerudhal
Doctrine: The Ascension of Christ
Original: ἀνελήμφθη / ἀνάλημψις
Category: Christology
NEW for Acts. Governs 1:9-11. Alternative acceptable phrasing: உன்னதத்திற்கு எடுத்துக்கொள்ளப்படுதல் (was taken up). Tamil Siddhar hagiography contains legends of adepts achieving bodily transcendence or vanishing (jeeva samadhi/videha-mukti-adjacent legends); the ascension must be taught as a unique, publicly witnessed, historical, one-time exaltation event, never an esoteric adept’s disappearance or a step in a liberation cycle.
Boldness
Approved rendering: தைரியம்
Transliteration: thairiyam
Doctrine: Persecution and Bold Witness
Original: παρρησία
Category: Discipleship
NEW for Acts. Governs 4:13, 29, 31; 9:27-28; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8; 28:31. Must be Spirit-produced courage rooted in the risen Christ’s authority, never mere human bravado or honor-culture social defiance. The Spirit’s filling specifically for bold speech under interrogation (4:8, 31) textually links Pentecost’s filling to persecution-courage across the whole book.
Witness
Approved rendering: சாட்சி
Transliteration: saatchi
Doctrine: Witness as a Book-Length Thread toward Martyrdom
Original: μάρτυς / μαρτυρία
Category: Discipleship
NEW for Acts (tracked as a single continuous doctrinal thread). Governs 1:8; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 7:58-59; 10:39-41; 13:31; 22:15, 20; 26:16. Low lexical ambiguity but its semantic drift toward ‘one who testifies unto death’ (fully realized at Stephen’s death, ch. 7) must be tracked as one unfolding thread across the whole book, fulfilling the programmatic statement of 1:8.
Signs And Wonders
Approved rendering: அற்புதங்களும் அடையாளங்களும்
Transliteration: arputangalum adaiyaalangalum
Doctrine: Apostolic Authority and Miracles
Original: σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα / δυνάμεσι καὶ τέρασι καὶ σημείοις
Category: Miracles
NEW fixed compound for Acts. Governs 2:22, 43; 3:12; 4:7, 30, 33; 5:12; 6:8; 8:13; 14:3; 15:12; 19:11. அற்புதம் alone is the ordinary Tamil word for a temple/pilgrimage-shrine votive miracle (Palani, Tiruchendur); NEVER let it stand alone — always the fixed compound, teaching apostolic wonders as Christ-authenticating signs, never comparable to the shrine-miracle votive economy.
Laying On Of Hands
Approved rendering: கை வைத்தல்
Transliteration: kai vaithal
Doctrine: Laying On of Hands as Commissioning, Not Magic
Original: χεῖρας ἐπιτίθημι / ἐπίθεσις τῶν χειρῶν
Category: Church
NEW for Acts. Governs 6:6; 8:17-19; 9:17; 13:3; 19:6. Must be presented as a symbolic commissioning/blessing act accompanying the Spirit’s own sovereign work, never a magically transferable power achievable by correct technique — Simon Magus’s attempted purchase (8:18-20) is the text’s own explicit warning.
Sorcery
Approved rendering: சூனியம் / மந்திரவாதம்
Transliteration: soonyam / manthiravaatham
Doctrine: Rejection of Sorcery and Occult Power
Original: μαγεία / μαγεύω
Category: Sin
NEW for Acts. Governs 8:9-24 (Simon); 13:6-11 (Elymas); 19:19 (magic books burned). Direct collision with active Tamil folk-magic practice (பில்லி சூனியம்); render literally as rejected occult practice, never euphemized, and kept sharply distinct from legitimate Spirit-given apostolic miracle-working (the text’s own contrast, 8:9-13).
Evil Spirit
Approved rendering: பொல்லாத ஆவி / பேய்
Transliteration: pollaatha aavi / pei
Doctrine: Evil Spirits as Defeated, Subordinate Powers
Original: πνεῦμα πονηρόν / δαιμόνιον
Category: Sin
NEW for Acts. Governs 19:12-16 (sons of Sceva). Tamil folk taxonomy (பேய், முனி, மோகினி) is managed ritually by exorcists (மந்திரவாதி); the text’s point is these spirits are already defeated under Christ and mock formulaic invocation of his name without genuine faith. The sons of Sceva’s failure is evidence against formulaic-invocation religion, not evidence for the spirits’ independent power.
Gods Impartiality
Approved rendering: கடவுள் பட்சபாதமில்லாதவர்
Transliteration: kadavul patchapaadhamillaathavar
Doctrine: God’s Impartiality toward All Peoples
Original: οὐ προσωπολημπτεῖ / οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολήμπτης ὁ θεός
Category: God
NEW for Acts. Governs 10:34-35. Directly intersects Tamil Nadu’s caste-sensitivity (parallel to the Romans package’s universal_human_accountability entry); must retain unqualified universality.
Great Grace
Approved rendering: மிகுந்த கிருபை
Transliteration: migundha kirupai
Doctrine: Apostolic Authority and Miracles
Original: χάρις μεγάλη
Category: Church
NEW compound for Acts built on inherited கிருபை. Governs 4:33. Describes shared communal favor flowing from the resurrection witness, never accumulated collective merit (புண்ணியம்-adjacent misreading).
Author Of Life
Approved rendering: ஜீவனுடைய அதிபதி
Transliteration: jeevanudaiya adhipathi
Doctrine: Apostolic Authority and Miracles
Rejected alternatives: ஆதி (standalone)
Original: ἀρχηγὸς τῆς ζωῆς
Category: Christology
NEW compound for Acts. Governs 3:15; cf. 5:31 (‘author and savior’). NEVER standalone ஆதி (collides with primordial-deity epithets ஆதிசிவன்/ஆதிசக்தி, per the Colossians package’s caution); keep the fixed compound with அதிபதி.
Restoration Of All Things
Approved rendering: எல்லாவற்றின் மீளமைவு
Transliteration: ellaavatrin meelamaivu
Doctrine: The Restoration of All Things and Eschatological Hope
Rejected alternatives: யுகம் (cyclical-age framing)
Original: ἀποκατάστασις πάντων
Category: Eschatology
NEW for Acts. Governs 3:19-21. Must read as a single, linear, Christ-centered cosmic consummation fulfilling prophetic promise; NEVER யுகம் (cyclical-age renewal), consistent with the Ephesians package’s caution against yuga-framing for αἰών-type terms.
Unknown God
Approved rendering: அறியப்படாத தெய்வம்
Transliteration: ariyappadaatha deivam
Doctrine: Paul’s Proclamation to the Unknown God at Athens
Original: ἀγνώστῳ θεῷ
Category: God
NEW for Acts. Governs 17:23 ONLY. RARE, deliberately narrow exception: தெய்வம் (a deity among many) is the doctrinally ACCURATE word here because it describes the Athenians’ own polytheistic altar inscription, not the true God directly. The text must switch immediately to கடவுள் the moment Paul names the true referent (17:24ff). Mandatory theologian sign-off on this dual-register passage.
Mistaken Deification
Approved rendering: அவரை ஒரு தேவனாக நினைத்தார்கள்
Transliteration: avarai oru devanaaga ninaithaargal
Doctrine: Rejection of the Deification of Miracle-Workers
Original: ἐνόμιζον αὐτὸν εἶναι θεόν
Category: God
NEW for Acts. Governs 14:11-15 (Lystra) and 28:6 (Malta). Use தேவன் (lower-case ‘a god’) ONLY for this mistaken pagan ascription — never கடவுள். A recurring motif functioning as the text’s own built-in safeguard against the Tamil bhakti impulse to venerate wonder-working holy men as divine; always flagged as an ERROR the apostles refuse, tying directly to the baseline ‘apostle never குரு’ rule.
Great Goddess Artemis
Approved rendering: மகா தேவி ஆர்த்திமிஸ்
Transliteration: mahaa deivi Aarthimis
Doctrine: Apostolic Authority and Miracles
Original: ἡ μεγάλη θεὸς Ἄρτεμις
Category: God
NEW for Acts. Governs 19:27-28, 34-35. Named foreign pagan deity in historical narrative; transliterate as a clearly foreign proper name. Do NOT substitute vocabulary from the Tamil village Amman-goddess tradition (Mariamman, Angalamman), even though the shrine-economy structure is strikingly parallel — the text must never draw that comparison explicitly.
Burden Of The Law
Approved rendering: பாரம்
Transliteration: paaram
Doctrine: The Jerusalem Council’s Decision on Freedom from the Law
Original: βάρος
Category: Covenant
NEW for Acts. Governs 15:28. Directly parallels the Galatians package’s ‘yoke of slavery’ doctrine; the Council’s refusal to impose this burden beyond minimal provisions IS the doctrine of justification-apart-from-the-law enacted institutionally.
Seemed Good To The Spirit
Approved rendering: பரிசுத்த ஆவியானவருக்கும் எங்களுக்கும் நலமாய்த் தோன்றியது
Transliteration: Parisutha Aaviyanavarukkum engalukkum nalamaayth thondriyathu
Doctrine: The Jerusalem Council’s Decision on Freedom from the Law
Original: ἔδοξεν τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ Ἁγίῳ καὶ ἡμῖν
Category: Holy Spirit
NEW for Acts. Governs 15:28. Must preserve the Spirit’s personal, active co-agency in a corporate decision, avoiding both a purely human parliamentary/majority-vote misreading and a single-leader guru-style pronouncement.
Unhindered
Approved rendering: தடையின்றி
Transliteration: thadaiyindri
Doctrine: The Great Commission Fulfilled
Original: ἀκωλύτως
Category: Mission
NEW for Acts. Governs 28:31, the book’s final adverb. The whole book’s geographic/missional arc culminates here; cross-check consistency against ends_of_the_earth (1:8) for the inclusio.
Chosen Instrument
Approved rendering: தெரிந்துகொள்ளப்பட்ட கருவி
Transliteration: therinthukollappatta karuvi
Doctrine: Election and Divine Calling of Paul as Apostle to the Gentiles
Original: σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς
Category: Faith
NEW compound for Acts built on inherited தெரிந்துகொள்ளுதல். Governs 9:15. Never தலைவிதி/ஊழ்வினை — Paul’s calling is personal and purposive, never impersonal fate.
Light From Heaven
Approved rendering: வானத்திலிருந்து ஒரு ஒளி
Transliteration: vaanathilirunthu oru oli
Doctrine: The Conversion of Paul
Rejected alternatives: கனவு-register framing
Original: φῶς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ
Category: Christology
NEW for Acts. Governs 9:3; 22:6; 26:13. A real historical Christophany, never a generic mystical vision/dream (கனவு); must not be softened into an interior guru-style illumination-transmission (அருள்/தீட்சை).
Foreknowledge And Plan
Approved rendering: முன்னறிவும் திட்டமும்
Transliteration: munnarivum thittamum
Doctrine: God’s Sovereign Plan and Providence over History
Rejected alternatives: தலைவிதி, ஊழ், ஊழ்வினை
Original: πρόγνωσις / βουλή
Category: God
NEW for Acts. Governs 2:23 (πρόγνωσις/βουλή); relates to 4:28. Must be kept tethered to a personal God’s knowing love and purposive plan, never adjacent to fatalism vocabulary — same rule as the Ephesians predestination entry.
Name Of Jesus
Approved rendering: இயேசு கிறிஸ்துவின் நாமத்தில்
Transliteration: yesu kiristhuvin naamathil
Doctrine: The Great Commission Fulfilled
Original: ἐπὶ/ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ
Category: Mission
NEW for Acts. Governs baptism (2:38), healing (3:6; 4:10), and every apostolic act. Reuses the Philippians package’s ‘name above every name’ caution: the revealed identity/authority personally invoked, never a mantra with automatic ritual power — 19:13-16 (sons of Sceva) is the text’s own warning against exactly that misreading.
Hanged On A Tree
Approved rendering: மரத்தில் தூக்கி
Transliteration: marathil thooki
Doctrine: The Resurrection of Christ and of the Dead
NEW for Acts. Governs 5:30; 10:39; 13:29 — Acts’s characteristic idiom for the crucifixion (ξύλον, ‘tree,’ echoing Deuteronomy 21:23, the same OT background as the Galatians package’s curse/redemption doctrine). Must be kept linked to the resurrection statements that immediately follow it in each occurrence, never treated as a standalone historical detail severed from its atonement significance.
Medium Risk Terms
Peace
Approved rendering: சமாதானம்
Transliteration: samadhanam
Doctrine: Peace with God
Inherited from Romans package. Acts 10:36 (‘preaching peace by Jesus Christ’) and 9:31 (‘the church… had peace’).
Church
Approved rendering: சபை
Transliteration: sabai
Doctrine: Church as God’s People
Rejected alternatives: கோவில்
Original: ἐκκλησία
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. Acts 5:11 is the first stable technical use of this term for the new movement. NEVER கோவில்.
Kingdom Of God
Approved rendering: தேவனுடைய ராஜ்யம்
Transliteration: Devanudaiya Rajyam
Doctrine: Kingdom Mission
Original: βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: Mission
Inherited from Romans package. Frames Acts 1:3, 6 (disciples’ mistaken territorial expectation, corrected by Jesus) through 28:23, 31 (Paul’s final, unhindered proclamation).
Mission
Approved rendering: சுவிசேஷ ஊழியம்
Transliteration: suvisesha oozhiyam
Doctrine: Mission to the Nations
Inherited from Romans package. Governs the missionary-journey chapters (13-14, 15-21) generally.
David
Approved rendering: தாவீது
Transliteration: thaaveethu
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 2:25-31 (Psalm 16 quotation), 2:29-31 (David as patriarch/prophet), 13:22, 34-36.
Israel
Approved rendering: இஸ்ரவேல்
Transliteration: israel
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 2:36 (‘let all the house of Israel know…’).
Circumcision
Approved rendering: விருத்தசேதனம்
Transliteration: viruthasedhanam
Doctrine: Circumcision and Identity Markers
Rejected alternatives: சுன்னத்து
Original: περιτομή
Category: Covenant
Inherited from Romans package. Governs the ch. 15 dispute and Timothy’s circumcision (16:3). NEVER சுன்னத்து, a Muslim-community marker in contemporary Tamil usage that would misframe the referent.
Plan Of God
Approved rendering: திட்டம்
Transliteration: thittam
Doctrine: God’s Sovereign Plan
Rejected alternatives: விதி
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 2:23 (βουλή), 4:28, 20:27 (‘the whole purpose/counsel of God’). Never விதி (destiny).
Forgiveness
Approved rendering: மன்னிப்பு
Transliteration: mannippu
Doctrine: Forgiveness
Original: ἄφεσις (ἁμαρτιῶν)
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 2:38; 10:43; 13:38; 26:18. Per inherited rule, மன்னிப்பு alone never substitutes for justification/redemption vocabulary; here it names the specific benefit received through faith and repentance.
Baptism
Approved rendering: ஞானஸ்நானம்
Transliteration: gnanasnanam
Doctrine: Baptism
Rejected alternatives: தீர்த்தம், புனித நீராடல்
Original: βάπτισμα / βαπτίζω
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans/Ephesians package. Governs Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12, 36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:15, 33; 19:5. NEVER தீர்த்தம்/புனித நீராடல் (repeatable Hindu sacred-bathing) — covenant initiation, not purification bathing.
Evangelist
Approved rendering: சுவிசேஷகர்
Transliteration: suviseshakar
Doctrine: Christ’s Gift-Offices
Rejected alternatives: குரு
Inherited from Ephesians package. Philip is named ‘the evangelist’ at Acts 21:8.
Teacher
Approved rendering: போதகர்
Transliteration: bothakar
Doctrine: Christ’s Gift-Offices
Rejected alternatives: குரு, ஆசான்
Inherited from Ephesians package. Governs Acts 13:1’s list of ‘prophets and teachers’ at Antioch. NEVER குரு.
Overseers
Approved rendering: கண்காணிகள்
Transliteration: kankaanigal
Doctrine: Church Leadership
Rejected alternatives: குரு, ஆயர், பூசாரி
Original: ἐπίσκοποι
Category: Church
Inherited from Philippians package. Governs Acts 20:28 (Paul’s charge to the Ephesian overseers). NEVER குரு or temple-functionary vocabulary.
Deacons
Approved rendering: உதவிக்காரர்கள்
Transliteration: uthavikkaarargal
Doctrine: Church Leadership
Inherited from Philippians package. Functionally related to the choosing of the Seven (Acts 6:1-6), though Acts itself does not use the technical Greek term diakonos of them; kept for cross-document consistency with the diakonia/service vocabulary at 6:1, 4.
Joy
Approved rendering: சந்தோஷம்
Transliteration: santhosham
Doctrine: Joy in Suffering
Inherited from Philippians package. Governs Acts 2:46 (glad hearts), 8:8, 13:52, 16:34 (the jailer’s household rejoicing).
God Fearer
Approved rendering: தேவனை பயந்த மனுஷன்
Transliteration: Devanai bayantha manushan
Doctrine: The Gospel to Jews and Gentiles
Original: φοβούμενος τὸν θεόν
Category: God
NEW for Acts. Governs Cornelius’s status (10:2, 22). The பயம் (fear) here must carry reverent awe, per the Ephesians package’s ‘fear and trembling’ convention, not terror of a capricious deity; a transitional social category, not a permanent second-class spiritual rank.
All Things In Common
Approved rendering: எல்லாவற்றையும் பொதுவாக வைத்திருந்தார்கள்
Transliteration: ellaavatraiyum pothuvaaga vaithirunthaargal
Doctrine: Voluntary Generosity and Shared Possessions
Original: ἅπαντα κοινά / κοινὰ ἅπαντα
Category: Church
NEW for Acts. Governs 2:44-45; 4:32-35. Voluntary, Spirit-produced generosity, never compulsory collectivization; must not be read through a twentieth-century Dravidian-movement socialist/communal-land political lens. Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11) is the text’s own proof giving was never mandatory.
Times Of Refreshing
Approved rendering: இளைப்பாறுதலின் காலங்கள்
Transliteration: ilaippaarudhalin kaalangal
Doctrine: The Restoration of All Things and Eschatological Hope
Original: ἀνάψυξις
Category: Eschatology
NEW for Acts. Governs 3:20. Eschatological relief promised at Christ’s return; keep tethered to the linear eschatology of restoration_of_all_things.
Temple Of Artemis
Approved rendering: ஆர்த்திமிஸ் தேவியின் கோவில்
Transliteration: Aarthimis deviyin kovil
Doctrine: Apostolic Authority and Miracles
NEW for Acts. Governs 19:24, 27 (ναός Ἀρτέμιδος). Unlike ஆலயம் (reserved for the Jerusalem temple and the doctrinal church-as-temple metaphor), the pagan shrine building itself may be rendered கோவில் here — the ordinary, correct Tamil word for a pagan temple structure — since the text is describing, not endorsing, a foreign cultic site. This is a deliberate exception to the baseline’s general ‘never கோவில்’ rule, applicable ONLY to explicitly named pagan shrines in historical narrative, never to the church.
Word Of God Grew
Approved rendering: தேவனுடைய வசனம் வளர்ந்தது
Transliteration: Devanudaiya vasanam valarnthathu
Doctrine: The Word of God Advancing and Multiplying
Original: ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ηὔξανεν
Category: Mission
NEW for Acts (recurring narrative refrain). Governs 6:7; 12:24; 19:20. Reuse established கடவுள்-compound convention; track alongside 1:8/28:31 as part of the Great Commission Fulfilled thread.
Ends Of The Earth
Approved rendering: பூமியின் கடையாந்தரம்
Transliteration: boomiyin kadaiyaantharam
Doctrine: The Great Commission Fulfilled
Original: ἔσχατος τῆς γῆς
Category: Mission
NEW for Acts. Governs 1:8, fulfilled narratively at 28:31. Must retain unqualified universal geographic reach; forms a deliberate inclusio with unhindered (28:31).
Cut To The Heart
Approved rendering: இருதயத்தில் உருக்கமாயிருந்து
Transliteration: iruthayathil urukkamaayirunthu
Doctrine: Conviction of Sin under Spirit-Empowered Preaching
Original: κατενύγησαν τὴν καρδίαν
Category: Salvation
NEW for Acts. Governs 2:37. Genuine Spirit-produced conviction of sin, resolved only by repentance and faith; must not be taught alongside, or conflated with, Tamil ascetic self-mortification practice (தவம்).
Stiff Necked
Approved rendering: கடினமான பிடரி
Transliteration: kadinamaana pidari
Doctrine: The Martyrdom of Stephen
Original: σκληροτράχηλοι
Category: Discipleship
NEW for Acts. Governs 7:51. A historically specific rhetorical indictment of Stephen’s immediate hearers (echoing Exodus/Deuteronomy covenant-rebellion language), never a permanent ethnic label.
Elders
Approved rendering: மூப்பர்கள்
Transliteration: mooppargal
Doctrine: Church Leadership: Elders, Overseers, and Deacons
Rejected alternatives: குரு
Original: πρεσβύτεροι
Category: Church
NEW for Acts (established Tamil church term, not previously a standalone baseline TM entry). Governs 14:23; 15:2, 4, 6, 22-23; 16:4; 20:17; 21:18. Acts 20 uses elder/overseer/shepherd interchangeably — one servant function, not a rank hierarchy. NEVER குரு.
Lot Casting
Approved rendering: சீட்டு
Transliteration: seettu
Doctrine: God’s Sovereign Plan and Providence over History
Original: κλῆρος
Category: Discipleship
NEW for Acts. Governs 1:26 (Matthias). Must be distinguished from Tamil astrology/fortune-telling (ஜோசியம்) and from fatalistic ஊழ்/தலைவிதி; the lot here follows earnest prayer to a personal, sovereign God (1:24-25).
Vision And Dream
Approved rendering: தரிசனங்கள் / சொப்பனங்கள்
Transliteration: tharisanangal / soppanangal
Doctrine: The Holy Spirit and Pentecost
Original: ὁράσεις / ἐνύπνια / ὀπτασία
Category: Discipleship
NEW for Acts. Governs the Joel citation (2:17) and Peter’s (10:9-16) and Paul’s (26:19) revelatory experiences. Tamil folk religion has an active dream-omen interpretation tradition (சொப்பன பலன்); these must be presented as Spirit-given revelatory experiences validated by apostolic proclamation and Scripture, never generic dream-divination for private interpretation.
Low Risk Terms
Thanksgiving
Approved rendering: ஸ்தோத்திரம்
Transliteration: sthothiram
Doctrine: Thanksgiving
Inherited from Romans package. Governs the early church’s gladness and praise at Acts 2:46-47.
Fellowship
Approved rendering: ஐக்கியம்
Transliteration: aikkiyam
Doctrine: Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: நட்பு
Original: κοινωνία
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package. Acts 2:42’s founding use — shared participation in teaching, breaking of bread, and prayer.
Prophet
Approved rendering: தீர்க்கதரிசி
Transliteration: theerkkadharisi
Doctrine: Inspiration of Scripture
Rejected alternatives: ஜோசியன்
Original: προφήτης
Category: Discipleship
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 2:16 (Joel), 3:22 (Moses), 11:27-28, 13:1, 21:9-10. NEVER ஜோசியன் (astrologer).
Prophecy
Approved rendering: தீர்க்கதரிசனம்
Transliteration: theerkkadharisanam
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Prophecy
Original: προφητεία / προφητεύω
Category: Discipleship
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Acts 2:17-18 (Joel citation, ‘your sons and daughters shall prophesy’). Must never be blurred with the NEW spirit_of_divination entry, a counterfeit the text itself rejects.
Exhort
Approved rendering: உற்சாகப்படுத்துதல்
Transliteration: utchagappaduthuthal
Doctrine: Mutual Edification
Inherited from Romans package. Governs Paul’s exhortations throughout his missionary speeches (e.g. 14:22; 20:1-2).
Abraham
Approved rendering: ஆபிரகாம்
Transliteration: abiragam
Doctrine: Abrahamic Covenant and Promise
Inherited from Romans package. Prominent in Stephen’s speech (ch. 7) and Acts 3:13, 13:26.
Referenced passages