07 Semantic Analysis — 2 Corinthians (Full Book)
Scope and Method
This analysis covers 2 Corinthians in the original Koine Greek from 1:1 to 13:14. The core passage (5:11–21) receives full verse-by-verse treatment. Every other chapter receives a chapter-level study of its load-bearing theological terms using the same fields: original word, transliteration, literal meaning, semantic range, English variants, contextual theological meaning, and destination-language (Vietnamese) rendering risk.
Terms already fixed in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json (grace, faith, righteousness, salvation, apostle, holy, saints, sanctification, resurrection, lord, glory, covenant, church, sin, gentiles, holy_spirit, god, jesus, father, gospel, fellowship, thanksgiving, exhort, power_of_god, imputed_righteousness) are reused exactly and are only re-flagged here where 2 Corinthians introduces a new contextual nuance. New terms unique to this curriculum are analyzed in full and proposed for addition to translation memory in Step 2 output.
PART A: CORE PASSAGE — 2 Corinthians 5:11–21 (Verse by Verse)
5:11 — Εἰδότες οὖν τὸν φόβον τοῦ Κυρίου ἀνθρώπους πείθομεν, θεῷ δὲ πεφανερώμεθα· ἐλπίζω δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς συνειδήσεσιν ὑμῶν πεφανερῶσθαι.
| Greek | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| φόβος τοῦ Κυρίου | phobos tou Kyriou | ”fear of the Lord” | reverential awe; dread of judgment; respectful submission | ”fear of the Lord,” “reverence for the Lord” | Motivates Paul’s sincerity in ministry; anchored to the judgment seat of Christ (5:10), not terror of an arbitrary power | sự kính sợ Chúa — High risk. Vietnamese folk religion frames “fear” of spiritual powers as ritual appeasement of ancestors/spirits displeased by neglect (cúng giải hạn, sợ thần quở). Must be taught as reverential awe before a holy, personal, covenant-keeping God tied to future accountability, not appeasement of a capricious spirit. |
| πείθομεν (πείθω) | peithomen | ”we persuade” | to persuade, win over, convince | ”persuade,” “seek to persuade,” “commend” | Paul’s evangelistic and apologetic appeal to outsiders, done with integrity, not manipulation | chúng tôi thuyết phục người ta — Medium. Must not read as rhetorical manipulation; persuasion flows from sincerity, not showmanship. |
| πεφανερώμεθα (φανερόω) | pephanerōmetha | ”we have been made manifest / laid open” | to make visible, disclose, lay bare | ”we are known,” “we are plain,” “manifest” | Paul’s ministry motives are fully exposed before God, who sees the heart — grounding apostolic sincerity | chúng tôi đã được tỏ ra rõ ràng — Medium. |
| συνείδησις | syneidēsis | ”conscience” | moral self-awareness; the faculty that approves/condemns one’s own actions | ”conscience” | Paul appeals to the Corinthians’ conscience, not merely his own self-defense, to confirm his integrity | lương tâm — Low/Medium. Standard, well-established term; no significant syncretism risk. |
5:12 — οὐ πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς συνιστάνομεν ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ ἀφορμὴν διδόντες ὑμῖν καυχήματος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα ἔχητε πρὸς τοὺς ἐν προσώπῳ καυχωμένους καὶ μὴ ἐν καρδίᾳ.
| Greek | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| συνιστάνομεν (συνίστημι) | synistanomen | ”we commend” | to introduce favorably, establish credentials | ”commend ourselves,” “recommend” | Rejects self-promotion as the basis of apostolic legitimacy | chúng tôi tự giới thiệu / tự đề cao mình — Medium. |
| καύχημα | kauchēma | ”ground for boasting / boast” | that in which one takes pride; a matter of legitimate pride | ”reason to be proud,” “grounds for boasting” | Gives the Corinthians a legitimate, Christ-centered basis to be proud of Paul against his critics | cớ để khoe mình / cớ tự hào — High risk. Confucian-shaped Vietnamese culture prizes modesty (khiêm nhường) and treats “khoe mình” as inherently shameful pride; Paul’s paradoxical legitimate boasting “in the Lord” versus sinful self-boasting must be carefully distinguished — see Doctrine Note on Boasting below. |
| ἐν προσώπῳ … ἐν καρδίᾳ | en prosōpō … en kardia | ”in face/appearance … in heart” | outward show vs. inward reality | ”outwardly … in heart,” “by appearances … inwardly” | Contrasts superficial religious performance (rival teachers) with genuine inward sincerity | theo bề ngoài … trong lòng — Medium. |
5:13 — εἴτε γὰρ ἐξέστημεν, θεῷ· εἴτε σωφρονοῦμεν, ὑμῖν.
| Greek | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ἐξέστημεν (ἐξίστημι) | existēmen | ”we were beside ourselves / out of our mind” | ecstatic experience, being overcome, appearing mad | ”beside ourselves,” “out of our mind,” “fanatics” | Possibly referencing ecstatic spiritual experience (cf. 12:1-4), offered wholly to God, not for public display | chúng tôi có dại điên / mất trí — Medium. Must not be read as literal insanity nor as shamanic trance-possession (a real category in Vietnamese folk religion, đồng bóng); this is Paul’s self-deprecating rhetorical concession about ecstatic experiences directed to God alone. |
| σωφρονοῦμεν (σωφρονέω) | sōphronoumen | ”we are of sound mind / self-controlled” | sober-mindedness, self-mastery, rational restraint | ”in our right mind,” “sober,” “sensible” | Paul’s ordinary, sober ministry conduct is for the Corinthians’ benefit | chúng tôi tỉnh táo / khôn sáng — Low. |
5:14 — ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ συνέχει ἡμᾶς, κρίναντας τοῦτο, ὅτι εἷς ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἄρα οἱ πάντες ἀπέθανον·
| Greek | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ | agapē tou Christou | ”the love of Christ” | Christ’s self-giving, covenantal love (subjective: Christ’s love for us) | “the love of Christ,” “Christ’s love” | The motivating power of Paul’s ministry — not human affection but Christ’s cross-love | tình yêu thương của Đấng Christ — Medium. |
| συνέχει (συνέχω) | synechei | ”controls / compels / constrains” | to hold together, hem in, press upon, control | ”controls,” “compels,” “constrains” | Christ’s love leaves Paul no other option but sacrificial ministry | cầm giữ / thúc đẩy chúng tôi — Low/Medium. |
| εἷς ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν | heis hyper pantōn apethanen | ”one died for all” | substitutionary, representative death on behalf of all | ”one died for all” | Christ’s substitutionary, representative death is the ground of the “all died” that follows — foundational to reconciliation theology | một người đã chết vì mọi người — High risk. The substitutionary “for all” (ὑπέρ) must retain vicarious, representative force, not weaken into “died alongside” or “died as an example for.” Reuse died/resurrection doctrinal precision from baseline. |
| οἱ πάντες ἀπέθανον | hoi pantes apethanon | ”all died” | corporate representative death — all humanity judicially died in Christ’s death | ”all died,” “all have died” | Union with Christ’s death as a legal/spiritual reality for all who are in him | mọi người đã chết — High. Must not be read as universal automatic salvation (universalism) nor as karmic extinguishing of the self; it is representative, forensic death in Christ, appropriated by faith (cf. 5:17, “if anyone is in Christ”). |
5:15 — καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἵνα οἱ ζῶντες μηκέτι ἑαυτοῖς ζῶσιν ἀλλὰ τῷ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι.
| Greek | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| μηκέτι ἑαυτοῖς ζῶσιν | mēketi heautois zōsin | ”no longer live for themselves” | self-directed existence vs. other-directed existence | ”no longer live for themselves” | The purpose of Christ’s death: a reoriented life no longer self-centered | không còn sống cho mình nữa — Medium. |
| ἐγερθέντι (ἐγείρω) | egerthenti | ”the one raised” | to raise up, resurrect | ”who was raised,” “who rose” | Christ’s resurrection, inseparable from his death, is the ground of new life — reuses baseline resurrection doctrine | Đấng đã sống lại — Critical (reuse baseline resurrection = sự sống lại). Never rendered with đầu thai/luân hồi. |
5:16 — Ὥστε ἡμεῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν οὐδένα οἴδαμεν κατὰ σάρκα· εἰ καὶ ἐγνώκαμεν κατὰ σάρκα Χριστόν, ἀλλὰ νῦν οὐκέτι γινώσκομεν.
| Greek | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| κατὰ σάρκα | kata sarka | ”according to the flesh” | worldly viewpoint, merely human/physical evaluation, human lineage-based status | ”according to the flesh,” “from a worldly point of view,” “by human standards” | Paul renounces evaluating people (and even Christ) by external, worldly categories after the cross-resurrection event | theo xác thịt (reuse xác thịt from baseline incarnation) — Medium/High. Must be distinguished from literal physical body language; here it denotes a merely human, external standard of judgment, not the physical body itself. |
| οἴδαμεν / γινώσκομεν | oidamen / ginōskomen | ”we know” (two distinct verbs for knowing) | οἶδα = settled/intuitive knowledge; γινώσκω = experiential/relational knowing | ”know” | Two Greek verbs stress a total reorientation in how Paul perceives everyone, including Christ | chúng tôi biết / nhận biết — Low. |
5:17 — ὥστε εἴ τις ἐν Χριστῷ, καινὴ κτίσις· τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν, ἰδοὺ γέγονεν καινά.
| Greek | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ἐν Χριστῷ | en Christō | ”in Christ” | union/incorporation formula — Paul’s central identity category | ”in Christ” | The locus of the believer’s new identity and status | trong Đấng Christ — High. Identity grounded in union with Christ, not ancestral lineage, family religious obligation, or accumulated merit (reuse baseline doctrine christian_identity_in_christ). |
| καινὴ κτίσις | kainē ktisis | ”new creation / new creature” | a newly created reality; can denote the individual believer or the cosmic renewal inaugurated in Christ | ”new creation,” “new creature,” “he is a new person” | Central doctrinal term of this curriculum: an instantaneous, gracious, once-for-all new identity in Christ | tạo vật mới — Critical. Must never be assimilated to Buddhist notions of a self transformed or reborn through gradual spiritual attainment, meditation, or merit across cycles of existence (a variant of the same rebirth/reincarnation risk already flagged Critical for “resurrection”). This is a decisive, gift-based, once-for-all new identity granted by grace in union with Christ — not a self-achieved transformation. Alternatives rejected: any phrase built on “đầu thai,” “hóa kiếp,” “chuyển kiếp” (rebirth/transmigration vocabulary). |
| τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν | ta archaia parēlthen | ”the old things have passed away” | former condition, former way of life, former standing | ”old things have passed away,” “the old has gone” | The old, pre-Christ identity/standing is decisively finished | những điều cũ đã qua rồi — Medium. |
5:18 — τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, τοῦ καταλλάξαντος ἡμᾶς ἑαυτῷ διὰ Χριστοῦ καὶ δόντος ἡμῖν τὴν διακονίαν τῆς καταλλαγῆς,
| Greek | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| καταλλάξαντος (καταλλάσσω) | katallaxantos | ”having reconciled” | to change, exchange enmity for friendship; restore to favor | ”reconciled,” “restored to favor” | God, not the sinner, is the sole initiating agent of reconciliation — foundational to this curriculum’s core doctrine | đã hòa giải chúng ta với Ngài — Critical. Vietnamese “hòa giải” is the standard term for legal/interpersonal dispute mediation between two equal, negotiating parties (hòa giải tranh chấp, hòa giải ly hôn). This risks implying a mutual, negotiated settlement rather than a holy God unilaterally, graciously reconciling guilty sinners to himself solely through Christ’s finished work. Every occurrence requires a teaching note establishing God as sole initiator, humanity as recipient, and Christ’s death as the exclusive basis — not a negotiated compromise. |
| διακονία τῆς καταλλαγῆς | diakonia tēs katallagēs | ”the ministry of reconciliation” | the office/service of proclaiming reconciliation | ”ministry of reconciliation,” “message-bearing task” | Paul’s apostolic commission is specifically defined by this ministry | chức vụ giảng hòa (sự hòa giải) — High. See diakonia term note below: “chức vụ” (the traditional Vietnamese Bible rendering) carries Confucian/bureaucratic rank connotations that must be offset by explicit servant-ministry framing. |
5:19 — ὡς ὅτι θεὸς ἦν ἐν Χριστῷ κόσμον καταλλάσσων ἑαυτῷ, μὴ λογιζόμενος αὐτοῖς τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, καὶ θέμενος ἐν ἡμῖν τὸν λόγον τῆς καταλλαγῆς.
| Greek | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| θεὸς ἦν ἐν Χριστῷ | theos ēn en Christō | ”God was in Christ” | the incarnate presence and activity of God accomplishing reconciliation through Christ | ”God was in Christ,” “God, in Christ” | Grounds reconciliation in the deity of Christ and the unity of the Father’s reconciling work with the Son’s mediating work | Đức Chúa Trời ở trong Đấng Christ — Critical (reuse baseline deity_of_christ, god). |
| λογιζόμενος (λογίζομαι) | logizomenos | ”counting / reckoning / crediting” | accounting terminology — to charge to one’s account or not | ”counting,” “reckoning,” “holding against” | The negative counterpart to imputed righteousness (Romans 4): God does not charge trespasses to the sinner’s account | không kể tội lỗi (sự vi phạm) của họ cho họ — Critical. Must reuse the same accounting verb root established in baseline’s imputed_righteousness (“sự công bình được kể cho” / kể = reckon/credit) for doctrinal and lexical consistency: righteousness is credited (positive), trespasses are not credited/counted (negative) — both sides of the same forensic accounting act of grace. |
| παραπτώματα | paraptōmata | ”trespasses” | a false step, transgression, wrongdoing | ”trespasses,” “sins,” “transgressions” | Specific acts of wrongdoing that God graciously does not hold against believers | sự vi phạm / lỗi lầm — Medium. Near-synonym of sin (tội lỗi); retain distinct nuance of “specific offense” where context allows. |
| λόγον τῆς καταλλαγῆς | logon tēs katallagēs | ”the word/message of reconciliation” | the content of the reconciliation proclamation entrusted to the apostles | ”message of reconciliation,” “word of reconciliation” | The gospel content Paul is commissioned to proclaim | lời (thông điệp) về sự hòa giải — High (see 5:18 note on hòa giải). |
5:20 — Ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ οὖν πρεσβεύομεν ὡς τοῦ θεοῦ παρακαλοῦντος διʼ ἡμῶν· δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ, καταλλάγητε τῷ θεῷ.
| Greek | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| πρεσβεύομεν (πρεσβεύω) | presbeuomen | ”we are ambassadors / act as ambassadors” | to serve as an official envoy/representative of a sovereign | ”we are ambassadors,” “we are Christ’s representatives” | Apostolic authority is representative, not self-derived — Paul speaks as Christ’s authorized envoy | chúng tôi làm đại sứ (thay mặt) cho Đấng Christ — Medium. Ensure this reads as a Christ-commissioned spiritual representative, not merely a political/diplomatic office. |
| παρακαλοῦντος (παρακαλέω) | parakalountos | ”entreating / appealing / urging” | to call to one’s side; to exhort, comfort, or beseech, depending on context | ”appealing,” “entreating,” “urging,” “imploring” | God himself makes his appeal to the world through the apostles’ proclamation — reuse baseline exhort note: use khuyên nài (entreaty sense) here, not khích lệ (edification sense) | Đức Chúa Trời qua chúng tôi mà khuyên nài — Medium (context-sensitive per baseline exhort entry). |
| δεόμεθα (δέομαι) | deometha | ”we beg / implore” | urgent, personal pleading | ”we beg,” “we implore,” “we plead” | Intensifies the urgency of the appeal for reconciliation | chúng tôi khẩn xin — Medium. |
| καταλλάγητε (imperative passive) | katallagēte | ”be reconciled!“ | passive imperative — receive the reconciliation God has accomplished; one does not reconcile oneself but is reconciled by God | ”be reconciled to God” | The appeal is to receive, not achieve or negotiate, reconciliation | hãy được hòa thuận lại với Đức Chúa Trời — Critical. The passive voice must be preserved in translation register: humanity does not initiate or achieve reconciliation but responds by receiving what God has already accomplished. Preferred verb-phrase form for the imperative: hòa thuận lại với Đức Chúa Trời (echoing established Vietnamese Bible tradition), reserving sự hòa giải / chức vụ giảng hòa as the noun/ministry terms. |
5:21 — τὸν μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν, ἵνα ἡμεῖς γενώμεθα δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ.
| Greek | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| τὸν μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν | ton mē gnonta hamartian | ”the one who did not know sin” | sinlessness — no experiential or participatory relation to sin | ”who had no sin,” “who knew no sin,” “sinless” | Affirms Christ’s sinlessness as the necessary basis for the substitutionary exchange | Đấng chẳng hề biết tội lỗi — Critical (reuse baseline sin = tội lỗi; connects to sinlessness/deity/humanity of Christ doctrines). |
| ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν | hamartian epoiēsen | ”he made [to be] sin” | God made Christ to be sin (in a judicial/representative sense) — not morally sinful, but bearing sin’s judicial liability | ”made him to be sin,” “made him sin for us” | The heart of substitutionary atonement: the sinless one bears sin’s judicial consequence in the sinner’s place | Đức Chúa Trời đã làm cho Ngài chịu tội lỗi vì chúng ta — Critical. Must be rendered to preserve substitutionary, judicial exchange (Christ bearing sin’s legal liability on behalf of others), never as Christ becoming morally corrupt, and never softened into a merely exemplary or sympathetic identification with sinners. |
| δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ | dikaiosynē theou | ”the righteousness of God” | God’s own righteousness, credited/reckoned to the believer through union with Christ | ”the righteousness of God,” “righteous before God” | The positive side of the great exchange: believers receive God’s own righteous standing in Christ | sự công bình của Đức Chúa Trời — Critical (reuse baseline righteousness = sự công bình; imputed_righteousness = sự công bình được kể cho). This verse is the New Testament’s clearest statement of the “great exchange” and must retain forensic, credited-status force, not moral achievement. |
Doctrine Note — Boasting (5:12; recurring 2 Cor 10–12): Vietnamese Confucian-shaped modesty norms treat self-boasting (khoe mình) as culturally shameful. Paul’s rhetoric distinguishes illegitimate self-promoting boasting (“in appearance,” “in the flesh”) from legitimate boasting “in the Lord” and paradoxical boasting in weakness (12:9-10). Every occurrence of καύχημα/καυχάομαι requires contextual framing so readers do not either (a) read all boasting as sinful pride, flattening Paul’s argument, or (b) read Paul’s rhetorical self-defense as ordinary self-promotion.
PART B: CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDY, WHOLE BOOK
Chapter 1 — Comfort in Affliction; Sincerity; the Spirit as Guarantee
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| παράκλησις / παρακαλέω | paraklēsis / parakaleō | ”comfort/encouragement” / “to comfort, call alongside” | comfort, consolation, encouragement, exhortation (context-dependent, cf. baseline exhort) | “comfort,” “consolation,” “encourage” | Central to “Suffering and Comfort in Ministry”: God comforts Paul in affliction so Paul can comfort others; comfort flows relationally from the “Father of mercies,” not from detachment | sự an ủi / an ủi — High. Must be distinguished from Buddhist consolation achieved through detachment/acceptance of impermanence (vô thường) or folk ritual consolation of the bereaved (cúng an ủi vong linh); biblical comfort is relational, sourced in a personal God who himself suffered, producing active ministry to others, not passive resignation. |
| θλῖψις | thlipsis | ”affliction / pressure” | trouble, distress, hardship, persecution | ”affliction,” “trouble,” “suffering” | Suffering shared with Christ, productive of comfort and ministry capacity | sự hoạn nạn — High. Vietnamese vocabulary for suffering (khổ, chịu khổ) overlaps with the core Buddhist term khổ (dukkha, the First Noble Truth) escaped only through detachment/liberation (giải thoát — already forbidden for salvation). Must be taught that affliction here has personal meaning under a sovereign, comforting God, producing hope and ministry — not an impersonal reality to be escaped through detachment. |
| πατὴρ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν | patēr tōn oiktirmōn | ”Father of mercies” | source/possessor of compassion | ”Father of mercies,” “God of all mercy” | God’s fatherly compassion as the wellspring of comfort — reuse baseline father/god sensitivities | Cha đầy sự thương xót — High (reuse father note: grace/intimacy, not primarily hierarchical obligation). |
| ἀρραβών | arrabōn | ”down payment / pledge / guarantee” | a commercial/legal earnest-money term guaranteeing a future payment in full | ”guarantee,” “deposit,” “down payment,” “pledge” | The Spirit given now as God’s guarantee of the believer’s future inheritance | của tiền bảo chứng / bằng chứng (Đức Thánh Linh) — High. As a commercial deposit term, risks implying a repayable transaction or reciprocal debt (echoing the baseline’s ơn nghĩa concern for grace). Must be taught as God’s free guarantee of a gift already secured, not a deposit the believer must “repay” through further merit. |
| σφραγίζω | sphragizō | ”to seal” | to mark with a seal denoting ownership, authenticity, and security | ”sealed,” “put his seal on” | The Spirit’s sealing marks believers as God’s secured possession | được đóng ấn (bởi Đức Thánh Linh) — Medium. |
| ἁπλότης / εἰλικρίνεια | haplotēs / eilikrineia | ”simplicity/singleness” / “sincerity” | integrity, transparency, purity of motive without hidden agenda | ”sincerity,” “simplicity,” “godly candor” | Foundational to “Sincerity and Apostolic Authority”: Paul’s conduct is transparent, without worldly cunning | sự chân thành / sự trong sạch (của lòng) — Medium. |
| καύχησις | kauchēsis | ”boasting” (noun, act of boasting) | see 5:12 note | ”boasting,” “pride,” “confidence” | Paul’s legitimate confidence/ground for pride in his conduct before the Corinthians | sự tự hào / lòng tin quyết — High (see Doctrine Note on Boasting above). |
Chapter 2 — Forgiveness, Triumph, Fragrance, Sincerity in Ministry
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| χαρίζομαι | charizomai | ”to forgive/grant graciously” | to freely grant, forgive, give as a favor (shares root with χάρις, grace) | “forgive,” “graciously grant” | Forgiveness toward the repentant offender is itself an act of grace | tha thứ (theo ân điển) — High. Root-linked to grace (ân điển); must not slip toward ơn nghĩa’s reciprocal-debt sense — forgiveness here creates no ongoing obligation on the forgiven party toward Paul. |
| Σατανᾶς | Satanas | ”Satan” | the personal, hostile spiritual adversary | ”Satan” | Guards against Satan’s schemes gaining advantage through unresolved bitterness/unforgiveness | Sa-tan (established transliteration) — High. Distinguish from the broad folk category of malevolent/wandering spirits (ma, quỷ) — Satan is a singular, personal, defeated adversary, not one ghost/spirit among many appeasable through ritual. |
| θριαμβεύω | thriambeuō | ”to lead in triumphal procession” | Roman military victory-parade imagery: the victor displays the conquered | ”leads us in triumphal procession,” “leads us in triumph” | Christ’s decisive victory, in which believers participate as those led in the procession | dẫn chúng ta trong đám khải hoàn — Medium. Requires brief explanatory note since the Roman triumphal-parade image has no direct Vietnamese cultural equivalent. |
| εὐωδία / ὀσμή (Χριστοῦ) | euōdia / osmē | ”fragrance / aroma (of Christ)“ | pleasing sacrificial aroma (OT sacrificial background), also the smell that signals life or death depending on the recipient | ”aroma,” “fragrance,” “smell” | Apostolic proclamation is a Christ-aroma that brings life to some and signals death to others | mùi thơm / hương thơm của Đấng Christ — Medium. |
| ἱκανός | hikanos | ”sufficient / adequate” | qualified, able, sufficient in ability | ”sufficient,” “adequate,” “qualified” | Paul denies inherent human sufficiency for this ministry (leads into ch.3’s development) | đủ khả năng / có đủ năng lực — Medium. |
| καπηλεύω | kapēleuō | ”to peddle for profit” | to hawk goods deceitfully, adulterate for gain (marketplace term) | “peddle,” “corrupt for profit,” “huckster” | Rejects mercenary, profit-driven distortion of God’s word — central to sincerity/authority doctrine | buôn bán (lời của Đức Chúa Trời) để trục lợi — Medium/High. Important negative contrast term for “Sincerity and Apostolic Authority”; ensure it reads as a serious accusation of exploiting sacred teaching for gain, not a mild criticism. |
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| καινὴ διαθήκη | kainē diathēkē | ”new covenant” | the covenant inaugurated in Christ, replacing/fulfilling the Mosaic covenant | ”new covenant,” “new testament” | Central to “The New Covenant versus the Old”; contrasts the Spirit-given covenant with the law’s condemning ministry | giao ước mới (reuse baseline covenant = giao ước + mới) — High. Must be taught as God’s own gracious inaugurating act through Christ’s Spirit, not a human religious “upgrade” or evolution of an existing ethical/classical tradition (a risk given Confucian classical-tradition renewal patterns of thought). |
| γράμμα / πνεῦμα | gramma / pneuma | ”letter” / “spirit” | γράμμα = the written text/letter of the law; πνεῦμα = the life-giving Spirit (capital-S Holy Spirit in this context) | “letter … Spirit,” “law … Spirit" | "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” — a foundational statement for old-vs-new covenant doctrine | văn tự / Thánh Linh — High. Risk of flattening πνεῦμα into a vague abstract “spirit of the law” principle rather than the person of the Holy Spirit (reuse baseline holy_spirit = Đức Thánh Linh) who gives life; must retain the personal, divine referent. |
| κάλυμμα | kalymma | ”veil” | a covering that obscures perception/understanding | ”veil” | Moses’ veil symbolizes hardened, obscured understanding of the old covenant apart from Christ | màn che — Medium. |
| δόξα | doxa | ”glory” | radiant honor, visible manifestation of divine presence | ”glory” | Contrasts fading OT glory (Moses’ face) with the surpassing, unfading glory of the new covenant ministry | sự vinh hiển (reuse baseline glory) — Medium/High in this context, since the fading-vs-unfading contrast is doctrinally load-bearing for “New Covenant versus Old.” |
| μεταμορφόω | metamorphoō | ”to be transformed” | change of form/nature, progressive transformation | ”transformed,” “changed,” “transfigured” | Believers are progressively transformed into Christ’s likeness by the Spirit, beholding his glory | biến đổi / được biến đổi — High. AVOID biến hóa, the term used in Vietnamese folklore and translated Chinese classical literature for magical shape-shifting by deities, spirits, or legendary beings (e.g., Tây Du Ký-style transformations). This is progressive, Spirit-wrought moral and relational transformation into Christ’s likeness — not a magical change of form. |
| ἱκανότης | hikanotēs | ”sufficiency / adequacy” | the quality/state of being adequate or capable | ”sufficiency,” “competence,” “adequacy" | "Our sufficiency is from God” — undercuts self-derived ministry confidence, supporting sincerity/authority doctrine | sự đầy đủ (năng lực) đến từ Đức Chúa Trời — Medium. |
Chapter 4 — Treasure in Clay Jars, Inner/Outer Man, the God of This Age
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| θησαυρὸς ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν | thēsauros en ostrakinois skeuesin | ”treasure in jars of clay” | costly content in a fragile, ordinary container | ”treasure in jars of clay,” “this precious treasure in these earthly containers” | The surpassing gospel treasure held in weak, mortal apostles, so the power is seen to be God’s — feeds “Power in Weakness” doctrine | của quý đựng trong chậu bằng đất — Medium. |
| ἔξω ἄνθρωπος / ἔσω ἄνθρωπος | exō anthrōpos / esō anthrōpos | ”outer man” / “inner man” | the physically decaying body vs. the Spirit-renewed inner life | ”outer self … inner self,” “outward man … inward man” | Present bodily suffering/decay is compatible with ongoing inward spiritual renewal | con người bên ngoài / con người bên trong — High. Risk of conflation with Buddhist discourse distinguishing an illusory outer self from a “true self” or Buddha-nature realized through enlightenment (giác ngộ), or with Taoist-influenced inner-cultivation (nội công) concepts. Must be taught as physical decay contrasted with Spirit-wrought inward renewal grounded in union with Christ, not a doctrine of an illusory self awaiting self-realized enlightenment. |
| αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης | aiōnion baros doxēs | ”eternal weight of glory” | a surpassingly heavy, permanent glory, contrasted with light, temporary affliction | ”eternal weight of glory,” “eternal glory that far outweighs” | Present suffering is disproportionately outweighed by future glory — reuse baseline glory | gánh vinh hiển đời đời — Medium. |
| ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου | ho theos tou aiōnos toutou | ”the god of this age” | title for Satan as the ruling power blinding unbelievers’ minds | ”the god of this age,” “the god of this world” | Satan is a defeated usurper actively blinding unbelievers to the gospel’s glory — not a legitimate deity | thần của thế gian này (chỉ về Sa-tan) — Critical. The bare word thần is the ordinary Vietnamese term for a god/spirit/deity within the folk-religious pantheon (each locale, element, or ancestor may have its own thần). Applying this ordinary word to Satan without explicit clarification risks readers unconsciously granting Satan legitimate deity-status within an already-familiar spirit-pantheon worldview. Every occurrence requires an explicit note: this is a title for the defeated, false usurper-power (Satan), never a legitimate object of reverence, fear-based appeasement, or worship. |
| εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ | eikōn tou theou | ”image of God” | Christ as the visible representation/likeness of God | ”image of God,” “likeness of God” | Christ’s deity is the content of the gospel’s glory that Satan blinds unbelievers from seeing | hình ảnh của Đức Chúa Trời — High (reuse deity_of_christ/glory). |
Chapter 5 — (Core passage 5:11–21 above; additional terms in 5:1–10)
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| σκῆνος | skēnos | ”tent / tabernacle” | temporary dwelling — metaphor for the mortal body | ”tent,” “earthly tent,” “earthly dwelling” | The present body is a temporary dwelling, awaiting a permanent heavenly one | lều tạm (nhà tạm) — Medium. Standard OT-echoing metaphor (reuse tabernacle-adjacent imagery); no major folk-religious collision, though should not be confused with ancestral spirit-tablet housing objects. |
| στενάζω | stenazō | ”to groan” | inarticulate longing/distress under present burden | ”groan,” “sigh” | Present bodily burden produces groaning longing for the resurrection body — echoes Romans 8:23 | than thở / rên siết — Low. |
| ἀρραβών (τοῦ Πνεύματος) | arrabōn tou Pneumatos | ”guarantee/down payment of the Spirit” | see ch.1 note | ”guarantee of the Spirit,” “deposit of the Spirit” | Repeated occurrence of the ch.1 term (5:5); guarantees resurrection hope | See ch.1 — High. |
| βῆμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ | bēma tou Christou | ”judgment seat of Christ” | a raised platform for official judgment/reward, distinct from a courtroom of condemnation | ”judgment seat of Christ,” “tribunal of Christ” | Believers’ works are evaluated for reward, not for determining salvation status (already secure) — grounds 5:11’s “fear of the Lord” | tòa án của Đấng Christ — High. Risk of conflation with karmic retribution (nghiệp báo, quả báo — the popular Vietnamese belief that one’s deeds determine cosmic consequence). Must be taught as a believer’s accountability evaluation distinct from condemnation, resting on grace already secured, not an impersonal karmic ledger determining one’s fate. |
Chapter 6 — Unequally Yoked; Temple of the Living God; Hardship Catalog
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ἑτεροζυγέω | heterozygeō | ”to be unequally yoked” | agrarian image: pairing mismatched animals under one yoke | ”unequally yoked,” “mismatched partnership” | Warns against compromising spiritual partnership/alliance with idolatry | mang chung một ách khác loại (với) — Medium. Note distinguish from folk astrological compatibility-matching customs (xem tuổi, hợp tuổi) sometimes invoked for partnerships/marriage; this is about spiritual allegiance (Christ vs. idols), not zodiac compatibility. |
| ναὸς θεοῦ ζῶντος | naos theou zōntos | ”temple of the living God” | the dwelling place of the true, living God, as opposed to idol shrines | ”temple of the living God” | Believers (corporately) are God’s dwelling by the Spirit — echoes 1 Corinthians 3/6 temple theology | đền thờ của Đức Chúa Trời sống — High. Distinct from bare đền (already flagged in baseline for church-as-building = folk temple to deified hero/spirit), “đền thờ” is the standard, established Vietnamese Bible term for the OT Temple and is therefore retained — but it remains phonetically and conceptually close to folk shrine buildings (đền, miếu) where spirits or deified heroes receive incense and ritual offerings. Every occurrence needs a note: believers themselves, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, are meant — not a physical shrine requiring ritual offerings to a resident spirit. |
| θλῖψις / ἀνάγκη / στενοχωρία | thlipsis / anankē / stenochōria | ”affliction / necessity / distress” | escalating hardship terms in Paul’s catalog of suffering | ”afflictions, hardships, distresses” | Paul’s suffering-catalog authenticates his sincere ministry — feeds “Suffering and Comfort” and “Sincerity” doctrines | sự hoạn nạn / sự thiếu thốn / sự khốn khổ — Medium (reuse ch.1 θλῖψις note). |
Chapter 7 — Godly Sorrow, Repentance, Comfort, Zeal
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| λύπη κατὰ θεόν | lypē kata theon | ”grief/sorrow according to God” | sorrow that is God-oriented, leading to repentance, distinguished from worldly sorrow leading to death | ”godly sorrow,” “grief as God intends” | Distinguishes true repentance from mere regret or ritual guilt | sự buồn rầu theo ý Đức Chúa Trời — High. Must be distinguished from ritual guilt-appeasement of offended ancestors or spirits (a recognizable Vietnamese cultural pattern: xin lỗi tổ tiên, cúng giải hạn to remove misfortune) and from mere worldly regret; godly sorrow is relational, God-ward, and issues in genuine, saving repentance, not ritual restitution. |
| μετάνοια | metanoia | ”repentance” | a change of mind/heart resulting in a changed direction of life | ”repentance” | The saving fruit of godly sorrow, distinguished from mere regret (see baseline note pattern for grace vs. merit) | sự ăn năn — High (standard Vietnamese Bible term; retain High given collision risk noted above). |
| σπουδή | spoudē | ”zeal / earnestness” | diligence, eagerness, earnest effort | ”earnestness,” “zeal,” “diligence” | The Corinthians’ earnest response evidencing genuine repentance | sự sốt sắng — Medium. |
Chapter 8 — Grace and Generosity; Equality; the Riches of Christ
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| χάρις (economic/generosity sense) | charis | ”grace” (here extended to mean “generous gift/act of grace”) | Paul extends the grace-vocabulary of Romans to describe the Corinthians’ giving and the collection itself | ”grace,” “gracious work,” “generous gift,” “act of grace” | Central to “Generosity and Grace in Giving”: giving flows FROM grace received, not TOWARD earning merit | ân điển (reuse baseline exactly) — High, extended sense. Must retain the baseline’s forbidden-substitution logic: giving described with ân điển must never be assimilated to Vietnamese Buddhist “làm phước” or “cúng dường” (giving to accumulate merit — phước đức/công đức — for the giver or a deceased relative), a deeply entrenched cultural practice. Giving in 2 Corinthians 8–9 is a grateful response to grace already received, not a merit-generating transaction. |
| ἰσότης | isotēs | ”equality / fairness” | proportional fairness, not identical amounts | ”equality,” “fairness” | The goal of the collection is proportional fairness among believers, not enforced sameness | sự công bằng — Medium. |
| πτωχεία / πλοῦτος (Χριστοῦ) | ptōcheia / ploutos | ”poverty” / “riches” (of Christ) | Christ’s voluntary self-impoverishment (incarnation, cross) resulting in believers’ spiritual enrichment | ”poverty … riches,” “became poor … you might become rich” | Christ’s self-giving is the theological model and motive for generous giving | sự nghèo khó / sự giàu có (của Đấng Christ) — High (connects to incarnation doctrine — Christ’s voluntary self-humbling, not a temporary manifestation among many). |
| προθυμία | prothymia | ”eagerness / readiness” | willing, eager disposition | ”eagerness,” “readiness,” “willingness” | Giving should flow from eager willingness, not compulsion | lòng sẵn lòng / sự sốt sắng — Low/Medium. |
Chapter 9 — Sowing and Reaping; the Cheerful Giver
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| σπείρω / θερίζω | speirō / therizō | ”to sow” / “to reap” | agrarian metaphor for proportional cause-and-result in giving and blessing | ”sows … reaps,” “whoever sows … will also reap” | God graciously multiplies blessing in response to grace-motivated giving | gieo / gặt — High. The Vietnamese proverbial pairing “gieo nhân nào, gặt quả nào” (as you sow, so you reap) is explicitly and popularly tied to Buddhist nhân quả (karmic cause-and-effect), an impersonal cosmic law operating automatically apart from any personal agent. Must be taught as God’s own personal, gracious, sovereign multiplying of blessing on grace-motivated giving — not an impersonal karmic mechanism that operates independent of a personal God’s will. |
| ἱλαρὸς δότης | hilaros dotēs | ”cheerful giver” | one who gives joyfully, without reluctance or compulsion | ”cheerful giver,” “one who gives gladly" | "God loves a cheerful giver” — the heart-posture God desires in giving | người dâng cho cách vui lòng — High. Must be sharply distinguished from Vietnamese Buddhist “làm phước”/“cúng dường” (merit-generating almsgiving, a deeply entrenched practice of giving to accrue phước đức for oneself or a deceased relative). Cheerful giving here flows from gratitude for grace already received, with no merit accrued toward the giver’s standing before God. |
| δικαιοσύνη | dikaiosynē | ”righteousness” | see baseline | ”righteousness" | "His righteousness endures forever” (quoting Psalm 112) — God’s own righteous generosity as ground and model | sự công bình (reuse baseline exactly) — High. |
| εὐχαριστία | eucharistia | ”thanksgiving” | grateful response | ”thanksgiving” | Generous giving overflows in thanksgiving to God | sự cảm tạ (reuse baseline exactly) — Low. |
Chapter 10 — Spiritual Warfare; Boasting; Legitimate Authority
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ὅπλα / ὀχύρωμα | hopla / ochyrōma | ”weapons” / “strongholds” | military metaphor for spiritual conflict against proud reasoning | ”weapons,” “strongholds,” “fortresses” | Apostolic ministry wages spiritual warfare against arrogant human reasoning, not literal combat | binh khí thuộc linh / đồn lũy — Medium. Note: distinguish from folk practices of ritually warding off malevolent spirits (trừ tà, đuổi ma); this warfare targets proud arguments/thoughts opposed to the knowledge of God, not literal spirit-exorcism rituals. |
| πραΰτης καὶ ἐπιείκεια (Χριστοῦ) | prautēs kai epieikeia | ”meekness and gentleness (of Christ)“ | humility and forbearance as a model for apostolic conduct | ”meekness and gentleness,” “humility and gentleness” | Paul appeals to Christ’s own gentle character as the pattern for his authority, contrasted with his critics’ harshness | sự nhu mì và khiêm nhường của Đấng Christ — Medium. |
| καυχάομαι (ἐν Κυρίῳ) | kauchaomai en Kyriō | ”to boast in the Lord” | legitimate boasting whose object is the Lord, not self | ”boast in the Lord,” “let him who boasts, boast in the Lord” | The only legitimate ground for confidence/pride — reuse ch.5/Doctrine Note | khoe mình trong Chúa — High (see Doctrine Note on Boasting). |
Chapter 11 — False Apostles; Godly Jealousy; Paul’s Sufferings
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| ζῆλος θεοῦ | zēlos theou | ”godly jealousy” | God’s exclusive, covenant-protective jealousy for his people’s undivided devotion | ”godly jealousy,” “divine jealousy” | Paul’s protective concern for the Corinthians’ undivided devotion to Christ, likened to a betrothal | lòng sốt sắng / ghen thánh theo Đức Chúa Trời — Medium. Must be distinguished from possessive human jealousy; this is covenant-protective concern for exclusive devotion to Christ, imaged as a bride kept pure for one husband. |
| παρθένος ἁγνή | parthenos hagnē | ”pure virgin” | bridal purity imagery for the church’s exclusive devotion to Christ | ”pure virgin,” “chaste virgin” | The church as a bride betrothed to Christ, to be presented undefiled | trinh nữ trong sạch — Medium. |
| ψευδαπόστολοι | pseudapostoloi | ”false apostles” | counterfeit apostles, impostors claiming apostolic authority they do not possess | ”false apostles” | Direct antonym-term for “Genuine versus False Apostleship” — the deceptive core of the counterfeit ministry Paul opposes | sứ đồ giả — High. Combines the established, Medium-risk baseline term apostle (sứ đồ) with “giả” (false/counterfeit). Must clearly convey deliberate religious counterfeit and deception, not merely a lesser-qualified or junior teacher; Paul identifies them as servants of Satan disguised as servants of righteousness (11:14-15). |
| ἄγγελος φωτός / ἄγγελος Σατανᾶ | angelos phōtos / angelos Satana | ”angel of light” / “messenger/angel of Satan” | Satan’s disguise as a benevolent, light-bearing spiritual messenger | ”angel of light,” “messenger of Satan,” “servant of Satan” | Warns that deceptive spiritual authority can appear benevolent and luminous | thiên sứ sáng láng (giả) / sứ giả của Sa-tan — Critical. Risk of conflation with the broad Vietnamese folk-religious phenomenon of ancestor-spirits or benevolent spirits appearing in dreams/visions to guide or warn descendants (báo mộng), a familiar and generally trusted category in Vietnamese folk religion. Must be taught explicitly as a deceptive Satanic counterfeit of true revelation, never as a benevolent ancestral or spirit visitation to be trusted. |
| ὑπερλίαν ἀπόστολοι | hyperlian apostoloi | ”super-apostles / most eminent apostles” | Paul’s ironic title for self-promoting rival teachers claiming superior apostolic status | ”super-apostles,” “these super-apostles” (ironic) | Names the specific counterfeit-authority threat addressed by “Genuine versus False Apostleship” | những kẻ tự xưng là sứ đồ hơn hết — High. Ironic/sarcastic tone must be preserved; these are not truly superior apostles but self-promoting rivals. |
Chapter 12 — Paradise; Thorn in the Flesh; Power in Weakness
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| παράδεισος | paradeisos | ”paradise” | a term for the immediate presence of God/heavenly realm (cf. Luke 23:43) | “paradise” | The location of Paul’s unique apostolic revelatory experience, validating (but not the basis of) his authority | Ba-ra-đi (established Vietnamese Bible transliteration, cf. Lu-ca 23:43) — High. Distinguish from the tiered, merit-attained heavens of Buddhist cosmology (multiple numbered cõi trời reached through accumulated merit/meditative attainment); Paul’s paradise is a singular, unearned, sovereignly-granted revelatory experience, not a cosmological tier reached by spiritual achievement. |
| τρίτος οὐρανός | tritos ouranos | ”third heaven” | a Jewish cosmological expression for the highest heaven, God’s dwelling | ”third heaven” | Same experience as “paradise” — the highest heavenly realm | tầng trời thứ ba — High (same collision note as παράδεισος above). |
| σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί | skolops tē sarki | ”thorn in the flesh” | a sharp, persistent physical or circumstantial affliction | ”thorn in the flesh,” “thorn in my flesh” | A God-permitted, ongoing affliction that keeps Paul humble and dependent on grace — central to “Power in Weakness” | cái giằm xóc trong thịt — Medium. Must not be read as karmic punishment for personal sin (a risk given the popular Vietnamese belief in quả báo/nhân quả as explaining suffering); this affliction is permitted for sanctifying, humbling purposes, not retributive punishment. |
| ἄγγελος Σατανᾶ | angelos Satana | ”messenger of Satan” | an agent of Satan causing the thorn’s affliction | ”messenger of Satan” | Identifies the affliction’s ultimate adversarial source while affirming God’s sovereign purpose in permitting it | sứ giả của Sa-tan — Critical (see ch.11 note). |
| ἀρκεῖ ἡ χάρις μου | arkei hē charis mou | ”my grace is sufficient” | God’s grace is fully adequate, with no deficiency | ”my grace is sufficient for you” | The theological climax of “Power in Weakness”: grace, not self-effort, is fully sufficient in weakness | ân điển của Ta đầy đủ cho con (reuse baseline grace = ân điển) — Critical. Must not be softened into a self-help message (“God helps those who try hard”), which would collapse Paul’s paradox into a moralistic, self-cultivation framework resonant with Confucian tu thân (self-cultivation) or Buddhist self-effort toward enlightenment. Sufficiency is located in grace received, not effort exerted. |
| ἡ δύναμίς μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται | hē dynamis mou en astheneia teleitai | ”my power is perfected/completed in weakness” | God’s power reaches its fullest, intended expression precisely through human weakness, not despite it | ”my power is made perfect in weakness” | The doctrinal center of “Power in Weakness” | quyền năng của Ta nên trọn vẹn trong sự yếu đuối (reuse baseline power_of_god = quyền năng của Đức Chúa Trời) — Critical. |
| σημεῖα τοῦ ἀποστόλου | sēmeia tou apostolou | ”signs of an apostle” | authenticating marks (miracles, endurance, sincerity) validating genuine apostleship | ”signs of a true apostle,” “marks of an apostle” | Evidentiary marks distinguishing genuine apostleship from the false apostles of ch. 11 | các dấu lạ của sứ đồ (thật) — Medium/High (ties directly to “Genuine versus False Apostleship”). |
Chapter 13 — Self-Examination; Holy Kiss; Trinitarian Benediction
| Term | Greek/Translit. | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering & Risk |
|---|
| δοκιμάζετε ἑαυτούς | dokimazete heautous | ”examine/test yourselves” | to test for genuineness, as testing metal for purity | ”examine yourselves,” “test yourselves” | Tests whether one is genuinely “in the faith” (union with Christ), not a merit self-audit | hãy tự xét mình — High. Risk of conflation with karmic self-accounting (a mental tally of good/bad deeds determining one’s cosmic standing, resonant with popular nhân quả reasoning). Must be taught as testing whether one is genuinely in Christ by faith (assurance), not an audit of accumulated merit or demerit. |
| ἀδόκιμος | adokimos | ”failing the test / disqualified” | proven false/unqualified upon testing | ”failing the test,” “disqualified,” “counterfeit” | The negative outcome of self-examination — absence of genuine faith | không đạt tiêu chuẩn / bị loại — Medium. |
| φίλημα ἅγιον | philēma hagion | ”holy kiss” | a customary greeting of the early church, marked as “holy” (set apart, not merely social) | “holy kiss” | A tangible sign of genuine Christian fellowship among believers | cái hôn thánh — Medium (reuse holy = thánh); note this is a cultural greeting custom, not a Vietnamese social practice, and modern equivalents (e.g. a holy embrace/handshake) are typically substituted in practice while the phrase itself is retained in translation. |
| χάρις, ἀγάπη, κοινωνία | charis, agapē, koinōnia | ”grace, love, fellowship” | the concluding Trinitarian benediction: grace (Christ), love (God/Father), fellowship (Spirit) | “grace … love … fellowship” | The Trinitarian shape of apostolic blessing — reuse baseline grace/fellowship exactly | ân điển, tình yêu thương, sự thông công (reuse baseline exactly) — High. Must be rendered identically wherever this benediction is quoted elsewhere in the curriculum, per the cross-document consistency principle established in the baseline (12_ai_translation_requirements.md). |
Summary Note on Full-Book Coverage
Every chapter of 2 Corinthians (1–13) has been reviewed. No chapter was found to introduce zero new theological vocabulary; even chapters covering primarily narrative/travel material (e.g., ch. 1–2’s autobiographical material, ch. 8–9’s collection logistics) carry load-bearing doctrinal vocabulary documented above. All terms already fixed in the baseline Romans translation memory (grace, faith, righteousness, salvation, apostle, holy, saints, sanctification, resurrection, lord, glory, covenant, church, sin, gentiles, holy_spirit, god, jesus, father, gospel, fellowship, thanksgiving, exhort, power_of_god, imputed_righteousness) are reused exactly as recorded and are not re-litigated here except where 2 Corinthians introduces genuinely new contextual nuance (noted inline above).