Core Glossary
Core Glossary: 3 John (English → Telugu)
This glossary compiles every load-bearing term identified in analysis/07_semantic_analysis.md, covering the entire book of 3 John (a single chapter, fully coincident with the core passage 3 John 1:1-14). Section A lists terms reused exactly from the Romans baseline Language Package. Section B lists new terms this curriculum must add to the Language Package, with proposed Telugu renderings, risk tiers, and doctrine mapping, formatted for direct promotion into an updated translation_memory.json / bible_term_registry.json / doctrine_risk_registry.json in Phase 2.
Section A — Reused Baseline Terms (Locked; No Deviation Permitted)
| English term | Greek | Telugu (locked) | Transliteration | Risk (baseline) | Doctrine | 3 John refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| God | θεός | దేవుడు | Dēvuḍu | Critical | Deity of Christ / God | 1:6, 1:11 (x2) |
| church | ἐκκλησία | సంఘము | sanghamu | High | Church as God’s People | 1:6, 1:9, 1:10 |
| peace | εἰρήνη | శాంతి | śānti | Medium | Peace with God | 1:14 |
| Gentiles | ἐθνικοί | అన్యజనులు | anyajanulu | Medium | Unity of Jews and Gentiles (contextual nuance: unbelieving outsiders here) | 1:7 |
Section B — New Terms for the 3 John Language Package
| English gloss | Greek (transliteration) | Telugu rendering | Telugu transliteration | Risk | Doctrine | Notes / rejected alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| elder | πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros) | పెద్ద | pedda | Medium | Church Leadership and Pride | Established church-office term (cf. 1 Tim 5:1); must be distinguished from secular village/community-elder usage. |
| beloved | ἀγαπητός (agapētos) | ప్రియుడు / ప్రియమైన | priyuḍu / priyamaina | Medium | Truth and Christian Fellowship | Vocative address; low risk on its own, but see “love” below for the shared root’s collision risk. |
| love (verb/noun) | ἀγαπάω / ἀγάπη (agapaō / agapē) | ప్రేమించు / ప్రేమ | prēminchu / prēma | High | Truth and Christian Fellowship | Rejected: leaving unqualified — contemporary Telugu media/cinema culture heavily loads ప్రేమ with romantic connotation; must be anchored to covenantal, gospel-grounded love for fellow believers each occurrence (1:1, 1:6). |
| truth | ἀλήθεια (alētheia) | సత్యం | satyam | High | Truth and Christian Fellowship; Commendation of Faithful Witness | The letter’s controlling term (6 occurrences). Rejected: leaving as unqualified abstract “Truth” — risk of collapse into Hindu philosophical/civic usage of సత్యం as generic cosmic/ethical truth rather than the specific Christ-anchored gospel reality. Route for human theologian review wherever taught. |
| soul | ψυχή (psychē) | ప్రాణము (preferred) / ఆత్మ (avoid if possible) | prāṇamu / ātma | Medium | (supporting; not a named curriculum doctrine) | Rejected as primary choice: ఆత్మ, since this curriculum’s Holy Spirit term (పరిశుద్ధాత్మ) uses the same root — risk of learner conflation between “your soul” and “the Spirit.” Lock ప్రాణము for internal consistency; flag for native speaker review to finalize. |
| brothers (fellow believers) | ἀδελφός/ἀδελφοί (adelphos) | సహోదరుడు / సహోదరులు | sahōdaruḍu / sahōdarulu | Medium | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | Established term; ensure spiritual-family sense (including previously-unknown travelers) is clear, not only local-congregation kinship. |
| walk (conduct of life) | περιπατέω (peripateō) | నడచుకొను | naḍachukonu | Medium | Truth and Christian Fellowship | Idiom for manner of life; must not be rendered as literal physical walking. |
| (spiritual) children | τέκνα (tekna) | ఆత్మీయ పిల్లలు | ātmīya pillalu | Medium | (supporting; pastoral relationship) | Must be qualified as spiritual/pastoral, not biological. |
| act faithfully | πιστὸν ποιεῖς (piston poieis) | నమ్మకంగా చేయుట | nam’makam’gā cheyuṭa | Medium | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | Rejected: building the phrase on విశ్వాసం (baseline’s locked term for saving faith) without qualification — this occurrence describes trustworthy conduct/character, not the act of believing. |
| strangers | ξένος/ξένοι (xenos) | పరదేశులు | paradēśulu | Medium | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | Sense is “previously unknown travelers,” not primarily “foreign nationals”; clarify in teaching notes. |
| hospitality (doctrine label) | (implied; cf. φιλοξενία) | ఆతిథ్యం | ātithyam | High | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | CRITICAL CULTURAL FLAG: collides with the Hindu devotional-cultural maxim “అతిథి దేవో భవ” (Vedic guest-as-God duty). Teaching must anchor biblical hospitality in gospel partnership/love for fellow believers (1:8), not generic dharmic guest-duty. Route for human theologian review. |
| send on one’s way (equip for travel) | προπέμπω (propempō) | సాగనంపుట | sāganampuṭa | Medium | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | Must include material/practical provision for the journey, not a bare verbal farewell. |
| worthy of God | ἀξίως τοῦ θεοῦ (axiōs tou theou) | దేవునికి తగినట్లుగా | dēvuniki taginaṭlugā | Medium | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | Descriptive phrase; θεός component reuses baseline దేవుడు (Critical). |
| the Name (referring to Christ) | ὄνομα (onoma) | ఆ నామము | ā nāmamu | Critical | Sonship/Lordship of Christ (implicit Christology) | The letter’s only implicit Christological reference (Jesus/Christ never named directly in 3 John). Teaching materials must make the referent to Christ explicit. Mandatory human theologian review wherever taught. |
| ought (moral obligation) | ὀφείλω (opheilō) | తప్పక చేయవలసినది | tappaka cheyavalasinadi | Low | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | Standard obligation vocabulary; low doctrinal weight. |
| receive/support (materially) | ὑπολαμβάνω (hypolambanō) | ఆదరించుట / సహాయము చేయుట | ādarin̄chuṭa / sahāyamu cheyuṭa | Medium | Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | Positive-sense reception/support of traveling ministers. |
| fellow workers | συνεργός/συνεργοί (synergos) | సహకార్యకర్తలు | sahakāryakartalu | Medium | Truth and Christian Fellowship | Do not soften to mere “helper” (సహాయకుడు); this is ministry partnership, not assistance. |
| loves to be first / craves preeminence | φιλοπρωτεύω (philoprōteuō) | మొదటి స్థానం కోరుకొనువాడు / అధిపత్యం కోరుకొనువాడు | modaṭi sthānam korukonuvāḍu / adhipatyam korukonuvāḍu | High | Church Leadership and Pride (Diotrephes) | NT hapax legomenon; no single Telugu word exists — descriptive phrase required. Must convey sinful self-exalting ambition, not neutral “strong leadership.” Human theologian review required. |
| receive/welcome (or refuse to) | ἐπιδέχομαι (epidechomai) | స్వీకరించుట / ఆదరించుట | svīkarin̄chuṭa / ādarin̄chuṭa | Medium | Church Leadership and Pride; Hospitality | Same root concept as ὑπολαμβάνω; here used both positively (implied ideal) and negatively (Diotrephes’ refusal, vv.9-10). |
| slander / speak evil against | καταλαλέω (katalaleō) | దూషించుట / నిందించుట | dūshin̄chuṭa / nindin̄chuṭa | Medium | Church Leadership and Pride | Malicious false speech; ironic violation of “truth” by a church leader. |
| hinder / prevent | κωλύω (kōlyō) | అడ్డగించుట | aḍḍaginchuṭa | Low | Church Leadership and Pride | Straightforward; low doctrinal risk. |
| cast out / expel (from the church) | ἐκβάλλω (ekballō) | బహిష్కరించుట | bahishkarin̄chuṭa | High | Church Leadership and Pride | Must be distinguished from legitimate biblical church discipline (Matthew 18, 1 Corinthians 5); here it is pride-driven abuse of authority. Human theologian review required. |
| imitate | μιμέομαι (mimeomai) | అనుకరించుట | anukarin̄chuṭa | Medium | Imitating Good rather than Evil | Retain imperative force (“do not imitate…but…“). |
| good / do good | ἀγαθός / ἀγαθοποιέω (agathos / agathopoieō) | మంచి / మేలు చేయువాడు | manchi / mēlu cheyuvāḍu | High | Imitating Good rather than Evil | Must be taught as fruit/evidence of belonging to God, not a merit-earning transaction — parallel caution to baseline’s grace-vs-works safeguard. Risk of collapse into Telugu పుణ్యం (karmic merit) framing. |
| evil / do evil | κακός / κακοποιέω (kakos / kakopoieō) | చెడు / కీడు చేయువాడు | chedu / kīḍu cheyuvāḍu | High | Imitating Good rather than Evil | Paired with “good” above; same merit-framework caution applies (cf. Telugu పాపం, though the baseline’s పాపం remains reserved for “sin” as such). |
| has (not) seen God (idiom) | ἑώρακεν τὸν θεόν (heōraken ton theon) | దేవుణ్ణి చూడలేదు | dēvuṇṇi chūḍalēdu | Medium | Imitating Good rather than Evil | Johannine idiom for relational knowledge of God, not literal sight; brief teaching note required. |
| testify / bear witness | μαρτυρέω (martyreō) | సాక్ష్యమిచ్చు | sākshyamichu | High | Commendation of Faithful Witness (Demetrius) | Collision risk: సాక్షి (witness) is also the Advaita Vedantic term for the impassive Witness-consciousness/Self — biblical usage here is active, verbal testimony to observed conduct, the opposite sense. Human theologian review required. |
| testimony (noun) | μαρτυρία (martyria) | సాక్ష్యం | sākshyam | High | Commendation of Faithful Witness (Demetrius) | Same collision risk as μαρτυρέω above; occurs climactically in 1:12 (testimony of “everyone,” “the truth itself,” and the elder). |
| true | ἀληθής (alēthēs) | సత్యమైన | satyamaina | Medium | Commendation of Faithful Witness (Demetrius) | Prefer సత్యమైన over నిజమైన to keep visible link to సత్యం (ἀλήθεια), the letter’s controlling term. |
| face to face (idiom) | στόμα πρὸς στόμα (stoma pros stoma) | ముఖాముఖిగా | mukhāmukhigā | Medium | (closing greeting; supporting) | MUST NOT render literally (“mouth to mouth”) — in contemporary Telugu this would suggest kissing or CPR, not personal conversation. Idiom-handling rule applies. |
| friend(s) | φίλος/φίλοι (philos) | మిత్రులు | mitrulu | Low-Medium | Truth and Christian Fellowship | Deliberate register shift from ἀδελφοί (“brothers”) in the closing greeting; preserve as a distinct, warmer term, not identical to “brothers.” |
| Gaius (proper name) | Γάϊος (Gaios) | గాయియు | Gāyiyu | Low | — | Standard Telugu Bible transliteration pattern (cf. Romans 16:23, Acts 19:29). |
| Diotrephes (proper name) | Διοτρέφης (Diotrephēs) | దియొత్రేఫే | Diyotrēphē | Low | Church Leadership and Pride | Transliterated form; keep consistent across all lesson materials. |
| Demetrius (proper name) | Δημήτριος (Dēmētrios) | దేమేత్రియు | Dēmētriyu | Low | Commendation of Faithful Witness (Demetrius) | Transliterated form; keep consistent across all lesson materials. |
Doctrine-to-Term Cross-Reference
| Curriculum doctrine | Primary Greek terms | Primary Telugu terms |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitality to Traveling Ministers | ξένος, ἐπιδέχομαι, ὑπολαμβάνω, προπέμπω, ἀδελφός | పరదేశులు, స్వీకరించుట, ఆదరించుట, సాగనంపుట, సహోదరులు, ఆతిథ్యం |
| Imitating Good rather than Evil | μιμέομαι, ἀγαθός, κακός, ἀγαθοποιέω, κακοποιέω | అనుకరించుట, మంచి, చెడు, మేలు చేయువాడు, కీడు చేయువాడు |
| Church Leadership and Pride (Diotrephes) | πρεσβύτερος, φιλοπρωτεύω, ἐπιδέχομαι (negative), καταλαλέω, κωλύω, ἐκβάλλω | పెద్ద, మొదటి స్థానం కోరుకొనువాడు, దూషించుట, అడ్డగించుట, బహిష్కరించుట |
| Commendation of Faithful Witness (Demetrius) | μαρτυρέω, μαρτυρία, ἀληθής, ἀλήθεια | సాక్ష్యమిచ్చు, సాక్ష్యం, సత్యమైన, సత్యం |
| Truth and Christian Fellowship | ἀλήθεια, ἀγάπη, περιπατέω, συνεργός, φίλος | సత్యం, ప్రేమ, నడచుకొను, సహకార్యకర్తలు, మిత్రులు |
This glossary must be merged into an updated translation_memory.json and bible_term_registry.json before Phase 2 segment translation of the 3 John curriculum begins, per the Pre-flight Checklist in 12_ai_translation_requirements.md. All Section A terms are locked from the Romans baseline and must not be altered; all Section B terms are proposed additions pending Phase 1 Step-appropriate theologian/native-speaker review as marked.
Critical Risk Terms
God
Approved rendering: దేవుడు
Transliteration: Dēvuḍu
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: భగవంతుడు
Original: θεός
Category: God
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly, no change. CRITICAL: దేవుడు is the standard, near-universally accepted Telugu Christian term across every denomination. Avoid భగవంతుడు in doctrinally precise contexts. In 3 John, occurs at 1:6 (‘worthy of God’) and 1:11 (x2, ‘is of God’ / ‘has not seen God’).
Jesus
Approved rendering: యేసు
Transliteration: Yēsu
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly, no change. Not named directly anywhere in 3 John’s Greek text — 3 John never writes ‘Jesus’ or ‘Christ.’ Retained in this curriculum’s TM specifically to guard 1:7’s ‘the Name’ (ఆ నామము): translators/teachers must recognize యేసు as the referent of ‘the Name’ without silently substituting this proper name into the verse itself, which would erase the letter’s deliberate Johannine indirection.
Lord
Approved rendering: ప్రభువు
Transliteration: prabhuvu
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: స్వామి
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly, no change. Not occurring directly in 3 John’s Greek text. Retained here for the same reason as ‘jesus’ above: to guard against ఆ నామము (1:7) being silently flattened or substituted with ప్రభువు, which would likewise erase the letter’s distinctive implicit Christology.
The Name
Approved rendering: ఆ నామము
Transliteration: ā nāmamu
Doctrine: Implicit Christology (“The Name”)
Rejected alternatives: దేవుని కొరకు (generic ‘for God’s sake’), పరిచర్య కొరకు (generic ‘for the ministry’s sake’), యేసు / క్రీస్తు / ప్రభువు (direct substitution into the verse text)
Original: ὄνομα
Category: Christology
NEW term for this curriculum. Absolute, unqualified reference (3 John 1:7) to Christ’s identity and authority — early-church shorthand for the name of Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 5:41); the letter’s only implicit Christological reference, since 3 John never names Jesus or Christ directly. Teaching materials must make the referent to Christ explicit via a gloss/note, WITHOUT altering the verse text itself to insert ‘Jesus’ or ‘Christ’ directly. Mandatory human theologian review for every occurrence.
High Risk Terms
Church
Approved rendering: సంఘము
Transliteration: sanghamu
Doctrine: Church as God’s People
Rejected alternatives: దేవాలయం, సభ
Original: ἐκκλησία
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly, no change. Never దేవాలయం (Hindu temple); this curriculum standardizes on సంఘము. In 3 John, occurs at 1:6 (assembly before whom Gaius’s love was testified), 1:9 (the church the elder wrote to), and 1:10 (from which Diotrephes expels dissenters) — this last usage adds a live pastoral-abuse dimension not present in Romans, but the term itself and its cross-denominational lock are unchanged.
Grace
Approved rendering: కృప
Transliteration: kṛpa
Doctrine: Grace
Rejected alternatives: పుణ్యం, కర్మఫలం
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly, no change. Not a term occurring directly in 3 John’s Greek text, but retained in this curriculum’s TM because 3 John 1:11’s ‘doing good/evil’ teaching requires the same grace-versus-merit safeguard already established for Romans 4:4-5 and 11:5-6: doing good is fruit and evidence of already belonging to God, not a merit-earning transaction. Teaching materials on 1:11 should cross-reference this baseline safeguard.
Sin
Approved rendering: పాపం
Transliteration: pāpam
Doctrine: Universal Human Accountability
Rejected alternatives: అధర్మం
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly, no change. Not a term occurring directly in 3 John’s Greek text, but retained here because 1:11’s ‘evil/does evil’ (కీడు/చెడు, κακός/κακοποιέω) must remain terminologically distinct from this reserved baseline term for ‘sin’ as such — do not let them merge into a single generic wrongdoing category in teaching materials.
Love
Approved rendering: ప్రేమ / ప్రేమించు
Transliteration: prēma / prēminchu
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: ἀγάπη / ἀγαπάω
Category: Fellowship
NEW term for this curriculum. Covenantal, self-giving love for fellow believers (3 John 1:1, 1:6), distinct from erotic love and from φιλία (mere friendship/affection, cf. 1:14 φίλοι/మిత్రులు). Contemporary Telugu cinema/media culture has heavily loaded ప్రేమ with romantic-relationship connotation in everyday register; every occurrence in teaching materials must be anchored to covenantal, gospel-grounded love for fellow believers, not romantic affection.
Truth
Approved rendering: సత్యం
Transliteration: satyam
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship; Commendation of Faithful Witness
Original: ἀλήθεια
Category: Truth
NEW term for this curriculum. The letter’s controlling term, 6 occurrences (3 John 1:1, 1:3 x2, 1:4, 1:8, 1:12 x2). Risk of collapsing into generic Telugu civic/philosophical cosmic-ethical truth (cf. the widely known maxim ‘సత్యమేవ జయతే’) rather than the specific, Christ-anchored gospel reality John intends. Must be anchored contextually to the gospel and to Christ at every occurrence; route for human theologian review wherever taught.
Hospitality
Approved rendering: ఆతిథ్యం
Transliteration: ātithyam
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Original: (implied concept; cf. φιλοξενία elsewhere in NT)
Category: Hospitality
NEW term for this curriculum; doctrine-label term (3 John 1:5-8). Sanskrit-derived word carrying strong resonance with the Hindu devotional-cultural maxim ‘అతిథి దేవో భవ’ (the guest is as God), rooted in Vedic household duty (atithi-satkāra) and a live cultural value across Telugu-speaking society. Teaching materials must anchor biblical hospitality in gospel partnership and love for fellow believers (1:8, ‘fellow workers for the truth’), not generic dharmic guest-duty. Human theologian review required whenever taught as a doctrine title.
Loves To Be First
Approved rendering: మొదటి స్థానం కోరుకొనువాడు / అధిపత్యం కోరుకొనువాడు
Transliteration: modaṭi sthānam korukonuvāḍu / adhipatyam korukonuvāḍu
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride (Diotrephes)
Rejected alternatives: ఆశాభరితుడు / ఆశాపరుడు (‘ambitious,’ too neutral)
Original: φιλοπρωτεύω
Category: Church Leadership
NEW term for this curriculum. NT hapax legomenon (φιλοπρωτεύω, 3 John 1:9); no single Telugu word exists — descriptive phrase required, always paired with an explicit sinful self-exaltation qualifier so it cannot be read as neutral ‘strong leadership’ or ‘ambition.’ Live pastoral-application risk given Telugu Christianity’s own multiple denominational leadership hierarchies. Human theologian review required.
Cast Out Expel
Approved rendering: బహిష్కరించుట
Transliteration: bahishkarin̄chuṭa
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride (Diotrephes)
Original: ἐκβάλλω
Category: Church Leadership
NEW term for this curriculum. Formal expulsion from the congregation (3 John 1:10, ἐκβάλλω) — an abuse of legitimate church-discipline authority exercised out of personal pride and control. Must be taught with clear distinction from biblically legitimate church discipline (Matthew 18; 1 Corinthians 5), so learners do not conclude either that all church discipline is abusive, or that Diotrephes’ specific action was legitimate pastoral authority. Human theologian review required.
Good
Approved rendering: మంచి / మేలు చేయువాడు
Transliteration: manchi / mēlu cheyuvāḍu
Doctrine: Imitating Good rather than Evil
Original: ἀγαθός / ἀγαθοποιέω
Category: Ethics
NEW term for this curriculum. Doing good as evidence of spiritual origin/identity already belonging to God (3 John 1:11, ἀγαθός/ἀγαθοποιέω). Telugu popular religious culture readily frames ‘good deeds’ within a merit/karma logic (పుణ్యం); teaching must make clear this is fruit and evidence of already belonging to God, not a merit-earning transaction, paralleling this TM’s own ‘grace’ entry above and the Romans baseline’s grace-versus-merit safeguard (Romans 4:4-5, 11:5-6). Human theologian review required.
Evil
Approved rendering: చెడు / కీడు చేయువాడు
Transliteration: chedu / kīḍu cheyuvāḍu
Doctrine: Imitating Good rather than Evil
Original: κακός / κακοποιέω
Category: Ethics
NEW term for this curriculum. Doing evil as evidence of not having genuine relational knowledge of God (3 John 1:11, κακός/κακοποιέω), paired antithetically with ‘good’ above. Do not let చెడు/కీడు be absorbed into generic karmic-demerit accounting distinct from this TM’s own reserved ‘sin’ entry (పాపం).
Testify
Approved rendering: సాక్ష్యమిచ్చు
Transliteration: sākshyamichu
Doctrine: Commendation of Faithful Witness (Demetrius)
Original: μαρτυρέω
Category: Testimony
NEW term for this curriculum. Active, verbal, firsthand testimony to observable Christian conduct (3 John 1:3, 1:6, 1:12, μαρτυρέω). Collision risk: the root సాక్షి is also the Telugu Advaita Vedantic technical term for ‘the Witness,’ the impassive observing consciousness/Self, a live concept in Telugu religious-philosophical discourse. Biblical usage is the opposite — active, verbal, this-worldly testimony. Human theologian review required.
Testimony
Approved rendering: సాక్ష్యం
Transliteration: sākshyam
Doctrine: Commendation of Faithful Witness (Demetrius)
Original: μαρτυρία
Category: Testimony
NEW term for this curriculum. Noun form of testimony (3 John 1:12, μαρτυρία), occurring climactically: Demetrius commended by universal report, by ‘the truth itself,’ and by the elder’s own eyewitness testimony. Same Advaita-Vedantic sākṣi collision risk as ‘testify’ above, especially acute where ‘the truth itself’ bears witness — must not drift toward an impersonal, self-witnessing Absolute. Human theologian review required.
Medium Risk Terms
Peace
Approved rendering: శాంతి
Transliteration: śānti
Doctrine: Peace with God
Rejected alternatives: మనశ్శాంతి
Original: εἰρήνη
Category: Salvation
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly, no change. Distinguish from మనశ్శాంతి (inner calm via devotional/meditative practice). In 3 John, occurs at 1:14 as a standard Hellenistic-Christian epistolary closing benediction.
Gentiles
Approved rendering: అన్యజనులు
Transliteration: anyajanulu
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Rejected alternatives: విదేశీయులు
Original: ἐθνικοί
Category: Church
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly, no change. In 3 John 1:7 this occurrence carries a narrower contextual nuance than the Romans Jew-Gentile-unity emphasis: ‘unbelieving outsiders’ from whom the traveling missionaries deliberately accepted no material support. Flag for native speaker review so learners do not import the Romans unity-emphasis into this different, negative-sense usage.
Elder
Approved rendering: పెద్ద
Transliteration: pedda
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride
Original: πρεσβύτερος
Category: Church Leadership
NEW term for this curriculum. Established Telugu Bible term for church-office ‘elder’ (cf. 1 Timothy 5:1, Titus 1:5), but the same word functions generically in Telugu society for secular village/caste-community elder status. Context must make clear this is apostolic pastoral office (the letter’s self-designation, 3 John 1:1), implicitly contrasted with Diotrephes’ self-exalting behavior later in the letter.
Beloved
Approved rendering: ప్రియుడు / ప్రియమైన
Transliteration: priyuḍu / priyamaina
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: ἀγαπητός
Category: Fellowship
NEW term for this curriculum. Vocative address term for Gaius (3 John 1:1, 1:2, 1:5, 1:11). Established, low-ambiguity usage on its own, but shares a root-family collision risk with ‘love’ (ప్రేమ) below and should be taught alongside it.
Soul
Approved rendering: ప్రాణము
Transliteration: prāṇamu
Doctrine: (supporting; Anthropology)
Rejected alternatives: ఆత్మ
Original: ψυχή
Category: Anthropology
NEW term for this curriculum. This curriculum reserves ఆత్మ for compounds naming the Holy Spirit (పరిశుద్ధాత్మ, baseline-locked). To avoid learners conflating ‘your soul’ (3 John 1:2, ψυχή) with ‘the Spirit,’ this curriculum locks ప్రాణము unless a translation team documents ఆత్మ as settled local pulpit usage. Flagged for native speaker review to finalize.
Brothers
Approved rendering: సహోదరుడు / సహోదరులు
Transliteration: sahōdaruḍu / sahōdarulu
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Original: ἀδελφός / ἀδελφοί
Category: Church
NEW term for this curriculum. Fellow believers, specifically the traveling gospel workers received by Gaius (3 John 1:3, 1:5, 1:10) — spiritual family, not strangers to be feared. Ensure the spiritual-family sense includes previously-unknown travelers, not only members of one’s own local congregation.
Walk
Approved rendering: నడచుకొను
Transliteration: naḍachukonu
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: περιπατέω
Category: Ethics
NEW term for this curriculum. Johannine idiom for manner of life/conduct: ‘walking in the truth’ (3 John 1:3-4). Must not be rendered as merely physical movement.
Spiritual Children
Approved rendering: ఆత్మీయ పిల్లలు
Transliteration: ātmīya pillalu
Doctrine: (supporting; pastoral relationship)
Original: τέκνα
Category: Fellowship
NEW term for this curriculum. Gaius as one of the elder’s spiritual children (3 John 1:4), a common Johannine pastoral metaphor. Must be qualified as ఆత్మీయ పిల్లలు to avoid a biological-kinship reading.
Act Faithfully
Approved rendering: నమ్మకంగా చేయుట
Transliteration: nam’makam’gā cheyuṭa
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Rejected alternatives: విశ్వాసముతో చేయుట (built on విశ్వాసం without qualification)
Original: πιστὸν ποιεῖς
Category: Hospitality
NEW term for this curriculum. Gaius’s trustworthy, loyal conduct in hospitality (3 John 1:5, πιστὸν ποιεῖς) — describing faithful character/practice, not the act of saving faith. Do NOT default to a phrase built on విశ్వాసం (baseline’s fixed term for saving faith) without qualification.
Strangers
Approved rendering: పరదేశులు
Transliteration: paradēśulu
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Original: ξένος / ξένοι
Category: Hospitality
NEW term for this curriculum. Traveling gospel workers previously unknown to Gaius personally (3 John 1:5). Risks being read narrowly as ‘person of a different nation/caste’ rather than ‘person not previously known to you,’ the intended sense; gloss on first teaching use.
Send On Journey
Approved rendering: సాగనంపుట
Transliteration: sāganampuṭa
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Original: προπέμπω
Category: Hospitality
NEW term for this curriculum. To equip and escort a traveler onward with provisions/support (3 John 1:6, προπέμπω), not a bare verbal farewell. Must be understood to include material support for the journey.
Worthy Of God
Approved rendering: దేవునికి తగినట్లుగా
Transliteration: dēvuniki taginaṭlugā
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Original: ἀξίως τοῦ θεοῦ
Category: Hospitality
NEW term for this curriculum. The standard by which Christian hospitality is measured (3 John 1:6) — God’s own character/honor, not merely social custom. θεός component reuses baseline-locked దేవుడు (Critical).
Receive Support
Approved rendering: ఆదరించుట / సహాయము చేయుట
Transliteration: ādarin̄chuṭa / sahāyamu cheyuṭa
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Original: ὑπολαμβάνω
Category: Hospitality
NEW term for this curriculum. To take on responsibility for a traveling minister’s material needs (3 John 1:8, ὑπολαμβάνω); positive-sense reception, distinguished from the negative counterpart ἐπιδέχομαι-refusal in 1:9-10.
Fellow Workers
Approved rendering: సహకార్యకర్తలు
Transliteration: sahakāryakartalu
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: సహాయకుడు (mere ‘helper’)
Original: συνεργός / συνεργοί
Category: Fellowship
NEW term for this curriculum. Those who materially support gospel workers become genuine partners/participants in the gospel work itself (3 John 1:8, συνεργός) — the key term for Truth and Christian Fellowship. Do not soften to mere ‘helper,’ which understates the partnership-in-mission sense.
Receive Welcome
Approved rendering: స్వీకరించుట / ఆదరించుట
Transliteration: svīkarin̄chuṭa / ādarin̄chuṭa
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride (Diotrephes); Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Original: ἐπιδέχομαι
Category: Hospitality
NEW term for this curriculum. To receive a person hospitably or accept their authority/message; used positively (implied ideal) and negatively of Diotrephes’ refusal (3 John 1:9-10, ἐπιδέχομαι). Keep contextually distinguishable as the negative counterpart of the hospitality doctrine when Diotrephes refuses it.
Slander
Approved rendering: దూషించుట / నిందించుట
Transliteration: dūshin̄chuṭa / nindin̄chuṭa
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride (Diotrephes)
Original: καταλαλέω
Category: Church Leadership
NEW term for this curriculum. Malicious, false, or unwarranted verbal attack against another’s character (3 John 1:10, καταλαλέω) — Diotrephes’ pride expressed concretely, ironically violating truthful speech as a church leader.
Imitate
Approved rendering: అనుకరించుట
Transliteration: anukarin̄chuṭa
Doctrine: Imitating Good rather than Evil
Original: μιμέομαι
Category: Ethics
NEW term for this curriculum. To copy someone’s behavior as a model (3 John 1:11, μιμέομαι); retain the imperative force (‘do not imitate…but…’), not softened into general advice.
Seen God Idiom
Approved rendering: దేవుణ్ణి చూడలేదు
Transliteration: dēvuṇṇi chūḍalēdu
Doctrine: Imitating Good rather than Evil
Original: ἑώρακεν τὸν θεόν
Category: God
NEW term for this curriculum. Johannine idiom (cf. 1 John 3:6, 4:20) for genuine relational knowledge/experience of God, not literal physical sight (3 John 1:11, ἑώρακεν τὸν θεόν). Literal rendering is acceptable per established Johannine-idiom Telugu Bible practice, but a brief teaching note should clarify the relational, not physical-vision, sense.
True
Approved rendering: సత్యమైన
Transliteration: satyamaina
Doctrine: Commendation of Faithful Witness (Demetrius)
Rejected alternatives: నిజమైన (too generic; obscures the terminological link to సత్యం)
Original: ἀληθής
Category: Testimony
NEW term for this curriculum. Describing the elder’s testimony about Demetrius as true/reliable (3 John 1:12, ἀληθής). Prefer సత్యమైన over the more generic నిజమైన to keep the adjective visibly connected to the letter’s controlling noun సత్యం.
Face To Face
Approved rendering: ముఖాముఖిగా
Transliteration: mukhāmukhigā
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: నోటికి నోరు (literal ‘mouth to mouth’ — FORBIDDEN, misreads as kissing or CPR in contemporary Telugu)
Original: στόμα πρὸς στόμα
Category: Fellowship
NEW term for this curriculum. Hebraic/Johannine idiom (3 John 1:14, στόμα πρὸς στόμα) meaning ‘face to face,’ ‘in person’ (cf. Numbers 12:8 LXX). MUST NOT be translated literally.
Low Risk Terms
Fellowship
Approved rendering: సహవాసం
Transliteration: sahavāsam
Doctrine: Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: స్నేహం
Inherited from Romans package, copied exactly, no change. Not the specific Greek term underlying 3 John’s own partnership vocabulary (which is συνεργός/‘fellow workers,’ see fellow_workers below), but retained here because this curriculum’s doctrine label ‘Truth and Christian Fellowship’ may reference this general baseline term in teaching materials discussing Christian fellowship broadly, distinct from mere social friendship (స్నేహం).
Ought
Approved rendering: తప్పక చేయవలసినది
Transliteration: tappaka cheyavalasinadi
Doctrine: Hospitality to Traveling Ministers
Original: ὀφείλω
Category: Ethics
NEW term for this curriculum. Moral obligation flowing from shared gospel partnership (3 John 1:8, ὀφείλω), not optional generosity. Standard obligation vocabulary; low doctrinal weight.
Hinder
Approved rendering: అడ్డగించుట
Transliteration: aḍḍaginchuṭa
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride (Diotrephes)
Original: κωλύω
Category: Church Leadership
NEW term for this curriculum. To prevent others from receiving traveling brothers (3 John 1:10, κωλύω). Straightforward vocabulary; low doctrinal risk.
Friends
Approved rendering: మిత్రులు
Transliteration: mitrulu
Doctrine: Truth and Christian Fellowship
Original: φίλος / φίλοι
Category: Fellowship
NEW term for this curriculum. Deliberate register shift (3 John 1:14, φίλοι) from సహోదరులు (‘brothers,’ used throughout the letter body for the traveling missionaries), to మిత్రులు for the closing local greeting exchange — warm, personal, not a doctrinal shift. Preserve as distinct word, not flattened to ‘brothers.‘
Gaius
Approved rendering: గాయియు
Transliteration: Gāyiyu
Doctrine: Proper Name
Original: Γάϊος
Category: Proper Names
NEW term for this curriculum. The letter’s recipient (3 John 1:1-6, throughout); standard Telugu Bible transliteration pattern (cf. గాయియు at Romans 16:23, Acts 19:29, 1 Corinthians 1:14). Use consistently as the same recipient throughout.
Diotrephes
Approved rendering: దియొత్రేఫే
Transliteration: Diyotrēphē
Doctrine: Church Leadership and Pride (Diotrephes)
Original: Διοτρέφης
Category: Proper Names
NEW term for this curriculum. The self-exalting church figure who rejects the elder’s messengers and expels dissenters (3 John 1:9-10). Transliterated form; keep consistent across all lesson materials.
Demetrius
Approved rendering: దేమేత్రియు
Transliteration: Dēmētriyu
Doctrine: Commendation of Faithful Witness (Demetrius)
Original: Δημήτριος
Category: Proper Names
NEW term for this curriculum. The believer commended by universal report, by ‘the truth itself,’ and by the elder’s own testimony (3 John 1:12). Transliterated form consistent with established Telugu Bible name forms (cf. Acts 19:24). Keep consistent across all lesson materials.