07 Semantic Analysis — Luke (English → Vietnamese)
Methodology
This document analyzes the Greek text of the Gospel of Luke, chapter by chapter, for every load-bearing theological term relevant to the curriculum doctrines:
- Jesus as Savior for All Nations and All People (Jew and Gentile, Rich and Poor)
- The Holy Spirit’s Work in Salvation History
- Good News to the Poor and Marginalized
- Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins
- Prayer and Dependence on God
- The Kingdom of God Present and Future
- The Cost and Joy of Discipleship
- Jesus’ Compassion and Table Fellowship with Sinners
Term reuse rule: Every term already recorded in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json / bible_term_registry.json is reused here with its EXACT established Vietnamese rendering. Such terms are marked [REUSED — Romans TM] and are not re-argued; only their new Lukan context is noted. New terms coined for Luke are marked [NEW — Luke] and receive full risk justification. All new terms are compiled with their final risk tier in analysis/08_core_glossary.md.
For each chapter, only load-bearing theological vocabulary is treated (proper names with no theological weight, e.g., minor place names, are skipped). Chapters that introduce no new theological vocabulary beyond what has already been treated are explicitly marked as such — never silently omitted.
PART 1 — CORE PASSAGE VERSE-BY-VERSE: LUKE 4:16–21
This is Luke’s programmatic statement of Jesus’ mission — he reads Isaiah 61:1–2 in the Nazareth synagogue and announces its fulfillment “today.” It anchors nearly every curriculum doctrine at once: Spirit-anointing, good news to the poor, release/forgiveness, the kingdom present, and Jesus as the Isaianic Servant-Savior.
Luke 4:16
καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς Ναζαρά, οὗ ἦν τεθραμμένος, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρ�ᾳ τῶν σαββάτων εἰς τὴν συναγωγήν, καὶ ἀνέστη ἀναγνῶναι.
- συναγωγή (synagōgē) — “synagogue.” Literal meaning: “a bringing together, assembly.” Semantic range: the building of local Jewish assembly and worship; by extension the gathered congregation itself. English variants: synagogue, assembly, meeting place. Contextual theological meaning: the institutional setting of Jewish Scripture-reading and instruction into which Jesus, as a Jewish teacher, deliberately steps to announce fulfillment of Jewish Scripture. [NEW — Luke] Vietnamese rendering: nhà hội (established Vietnamese Protestant Bible term). Risk: Medium — must be distinguished from Hội Thánh (Church, reused baseline term) and must not be confused with chùa/đền (Buddhist/folk temple buildings); nhà hội names a place of Torah instruction and communal Jewish worship, historically prior to and distinct from the Church.
- σάββατον (sabbaton) — “Sabbath.” Literal meaning: the seventh-day rest. Semantic range: the weekly holy day of rest and worship under Mosaic Law. English variants: Sabbath, sabbath day. Contextual theological meaning: the customary day and setting of Jesus’ regular practice (“as was his custom”), showing his ordinary faithfulness to covenant worship before his extraordinary announcement. [NEW — Luke] Vietnamese rendering: ngày Sa-bát (established transliterated form). Risk: Low-Medium — standard term, low syncretism risk, but should be taught with reference to luật pháp (law, reused baseline term).
- ἀναγινώσκω (anaginōskō) — “to read aloud.” Literal meaning: to know again, to read. Semantic range: public/liturgical reading of a text, as distinct from private reading. Contextual theological meaning: Jesus takes the public, authoritative role of reader/interpreter of Scripture in the assembly — an implicit claim to teaching authority. [NEW — Luke] Vietnamese rendering: đọc (standard). Risk: Low.
Luke 4:17
καὶ ἐπεδόθη αὐτῷ βιβλίον τοῦ προφήτου Ἠσαΐου, καὶ ἀναπτύξας τὸ βιβλίον εὗρεν τὸν τόπον οὗ ἦν γεγραμμένον…
- βιβλίον (biblion) — “scroll, book.” Literal meaning: a small book/scroll. Semantic range: any written document; here specifically the Isaiah scroll. Contextual theological meaning: physical, historical Scripture, not oral legend or later commentary — Jesus reads from the fixed prophetic text itself. Vietnamese rendering: cuốn sách / sách (Isaiah scroll rendered contextually as sách tiên tri Ê-sai). Risk: Low.
- προφήτης (prophētēs) [REUSED — Romans TM: tiên tri]. Contextual note: here specifically Isaiah, the OT prophet whose word Jesus is about to declare fulfilled — reinforces the doctrine of Fulfillment of Prophecy already established in the Romans package, now applied to Jesus’ own self-identification.
- Ἠσαΐας (Ēsaias) — “Isaiah.” Proper name. Vietnamese rendering: Ê-sai (established Bản Dịch Truyền Thống form, per the baseline’s transliteration standards). Risk: Low.
- γεγραμμένον (gegrammenon) — “it was written” (perfect passive of γράφω). Literal meaning: having been written, standing written. Semantic range: a fixed, abiding written record — not a proverb in circulation. Contextual theological meaning: the permanence and prior authority of the written prophetic word which Jesus is now fulfilling. Vietnamese rendering: đã được chép rằng (established Bible idiom). Risk: Low.
Luke 4:18
Πνεῦμα Κυρίου ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ, οὗ εἵνεκεν ἔχρισέν με εὐαγγελίσασθαι πτωχοῖς, ἀπέσταλκέν με κηρύξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν καὶ τυφλοῖς ἀνάβλεψιν, ἀποστεῖλαι τεθραυσμένους ἐν ἀφέσει,
This verse is the theological heart of the core passage and carries the highest concentration of Critical/High risk terms in the entire curriculum.
- Πνεῦμα Κυρίου (Pneuma Kyriou) — “Spirit of the Lord.” Combines holy_spirit [REUSED — Romans TM: Đức Thánh Linh] and lord [REUSED — Romans TM: Chúa]. Contextual theological meaning: the Spirit’s active empowering presence resting on the Messiah at the outset of his public ministry — Luke’s programmatic statement of the Holy Spirit’s Work in Salvation History (curriculum doctrine 2), continuing the pattern begun at Jesus’ conception (1:35) and baptism (3:22). Risk: Critical — must be read as the same divine, personal Spirit, not an impersonal empowering force (cf. baseline warning against bare thần linh).
- χρίω (chriō) — “to anoint.” Literal meaning: to smear/rub with oil. Semantic range: the ritual act of consecrating kings, priests, and prophets for office in the OT; by extension, to appoint/empower for a divinely given task. English variants: anoint, appoint, consecrate. Contextual theological meaning: Jesus identifies himself as the Anointed One (Χριστός) of Isaiah 61 — the Spirit’s anointing, not oil, is the fulfillment sign; directly underwrites the Messianic title already flagged Critical in Romans (messiah [REUSED — Romans TM: Đấng Mê-si-a]). [NEW — Luke] Vietnamese rendering: xức dầu (established Vietnamese Bible verb for this ritual/theological act). Risk: High — must be taught as a unique, once-for-all divine commissioning of the Messiah, not a generic ritual anointing repeatable for any leader, and not confused with folk-religious anointing/blessing rites performed by a thầy cúng.
- εὐαγγελίζομαι (euangelizomai) — “to proclaim good news.” Verbal form of gospel [REUSED — Romans TM: Tin Lành]. Contextual theological meaning: Jesus’ commission is specifically to proclaim Tin Lành — this is the OT root of the term already established in Romans; Luke supplies the concrete recipients (the poor) that Romans leaves more general. Vietnamese rendering: truyền/rao giảng Tin Lành. Risk: Medium (inherits Romans’ Medium rating, reinforced by specificity here).
- πτωχός (ptōchos) — “poor.” Literal meaning: one who crouches/cowers, i.e., utterly destitute (stronger than πένης, “working poor”). Semantic range: economically destitute; by biblical extension, the powerless, marginalized, and those with no social leverage — sometimes (as in Matthew 5:3, not Luke 6:20) extended metaphorically to “poor in spirit,” but Luke consistently retains the literal, economic-and-social sense (cf. 1:53, 6:20, 7:22, 14:13, 16:20-22, 21:3). English variants: poor, destitute, needy, powerless. Contextual theological meaning: central to curriculum doctrine 3 (Good News to the Poor and Marginalized) — Jesus’ mission is explicitly and materially directed toward those without social or economic standing, not merely a spiritualized “poor in spirit” audience. [NEW — Luke] Vietnamese rendering: người nghèo (also kẻ nghèo in more classical/liturgical register, matching Bản Dịch Truyền Thống). Risk: High — two distinct risks: (1) softening into a purely “spiritual poverty” metaphor that removes the real economic/social referent Luke intends; (2) unintentional resonance with the Buddhist ideal of voluntary renunciate poverty (khất thực, monks’ begging-bowl poverty as a path of merit) — Jesus’ good news is announced TO the poor as an act of divine grace and reversal, not modeling poverty as a meritorious ascetic achievement.
- ἀποστέλλω (apostellō) — “to send.” Root of apostle [REUSED — Romans TM: sứ đồ]. Contextual theological meaning: Jesus himself is the one sent (by the Father, in the Spirit) — establishing the pattern of divine sending that later extends to the Twelve and the Seventy-Two (Luke 9–10) and ultimately “to all nations” (24:47). Vietnamese rendering: sai / được sai đến. Risk: Medium.
- κηρύσσω (kēryssō) — “to proclaim, herald.” Literal meaning: to act as a herald announcing a king’s decree. Semantic range: authoritative public proclamation, not private opinion-sharing. Contextual theological meaning: what Jesus proclaims are decree-like, authoritative announcements of release and favor — royal/prophetic, not merely descriptive speech. [NEW — Luke] Vietnamese rendering: công bố / rao ra. Risk: Medium.
- αἰχμάλωτος (aichmalōtos) — “captive.” Literal meaning: one taken by the spear, a prisoner of war. Semantic range: literal war-captives/exiles (its OT background in Isaiah 61 is the Babylonian exile); by NT extension, those held captive to sin, oppression, or spiritual bondage. English variants: captive, prisoner, exile. Contextual theological meaning: Jesus’ proclamation reaches both the literally oppressed and the spiritually enslaved — continuing the doctrine of good news to the marginalized. [NEW — Luke] Vietnamese rendering: kẻ bị cầm / tù binh. Risk: Medium.
- ἄφεσις (aphesis) — “release, forgiveness, liberty.” Literal meaning: a sending away, a letting go. Semantic range: this single Greek word covers BOTH (a) forgiveness of sins (its dominant NT sense, e.g., Luke 1:77, 3:3, 24:47) AND (b) physical release from captivity/bondage (its sense here, echoing the Jubilee legislation of Leviticus 25). English variants: release, forgiveness, liberty, remission, freedom. Contextual theological meaning: in 4:18 the primary referent is liberation from captivity (echoing Jubilee/Isaiah 61), inseparably linked by Luke’s theology to spiritual release from sin proclaimed elsewhere with the same word. [NEW — Luke — CRITICAL] Vietnamese rendering: sự giải phóng or được tự do (NEVER sự giải thoát). Risk: Critical — this term sits directly adjacent to the baseline’s single most important forbidden substitution. The baseline registry permanently forbids sự giải thoát for “salvation” because it names Buddhist liberation from the cycle of rebirth (samsara). Because ἄφεσις in 4:18 genuinely means “release/liberty,” there is a strong temptation for a translator to reach for giải thoát as the natural-sounding Vietnamese word for “liberation” — this must be resisted in every single occurrence. Every occurrence of ἄφεσις (4:18; and its sense as “forgiveness of sins” at 1:77, 3:3, 24:47) requires a translator note distinguishing biblical release/forgiveness — a relational act of God through Christ — from Buddhist self-attained liberation from rebirth. Recommend sự giải phóng (liberation from a specific bondage, a general secular/political term with no Buddhist soteriological loading) or được tự do (become free) over any term built on giải thoát.
- τυφλός (typhlos) — “blind.” Literal and by extension. English variants: blind. Vietnamese rendering: người mù. Risk: Low.
- ἀνάβλεψις (anablepsis) — “recovery of sight.” Vietnamese rendering: được thấy / được sáng mắt lại. Risk: Low.
- τεθραυσμένος (tethrausmenos, perfect passive participle of θραύω) — “bruised, crushed, oppressed.” Literal meaning: shattered, broken in pieces. Semantic range: physically crushed; by extension, those broken by social oppression. English variants: oppressed, bruised, crushed, downtrodden. Contextual theological meaning: reinforces doctrine 3 — Jesus’ mission targets those broken by unjust social and structural power, paired again with ἄφεσις (release). [NEW — Luke] Vietnamese rendering: kẻ bị áp bức / kẻ bị hà hiếp. Risk: Medium-High — the social-justice dimension of the gospel must not be flattened into purely private/individual comfort language.
Luke 4:19
κηρύξαι ἐνιαυτὸν Κυρίου δεκτόν.
- ἐνιαυτός (eniautos) — “year.” Literal meaning: a full cycle of a year. Contextual theological meaning: names a specific, bounded period, alluding to the OT Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25), the sabbatical year of debt-release and land-restoration — not an indefinite or repeating cosmic cycle. Vietnamese rendering: năm.
- δεκτός (dektos) — “acceptable, favorable, welcome.” Literal meaning: received, accepted. Semantic range: pleasing, welcomed, favorably regarded — describes a time particularly marked by God’s favor. English variants: acceptable, favorable, welcome. Contextual theological meaning: this “year” is one of God’s own gracious initiative and timing, not human achievement or ritual merit-earning; it directly anticipates the doctrine of grace [REUSED — Romans TM: ân điển]. [NEW — Luke] Combined phrase ἐνιαυτὸν Κυρίου δεκτόν (“the acceptable/favorable year of the Lord”) Vietnamese rendering: năm thi ân của Chúa (an established phrase in Vietnamese Protestant usage, “thi ân” = “to bestow favor”). Risk: High — must be taught with its Jubilee (Leviticus 25) background so it is understood as an act of God’s initiated favor, not a fixed lucky calendar year (avoid any resonance with Vietnamese lunar-calendar “good year” fortune-telling concepts, e.g., a “năm tốt” determined by horoscope).
Luke 4:20
καὶ πτύξας τὸ βιβλίον ἀποδοὺς τῷ ὑπηρέτῃ ἐκάθισεν· καὶ πάντων οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ ἦσαν αὐτῷ ἀτενίζοντες.
- ὑπηρέτης (hypēretēs) — “attendant, assistant.” Literal meaning: an under-rower, servant. Contextual theological meaning: minor administrative role in the synagogue (the one who kept the scrolls); low theological weight. Vietnamese rendering: người giúp việc. Risk: Low.
- ἀτενίζω (atenizō) — “to gaze intently, stare fixedly.” Contextual theological meaning: conveys the assembly’s rapt, expectant attention immediately before Jesus’ climactic announcement — heightens the dramatic weight of v. 21. Vietnamese rendering: nhìn chăm chú / nhìn sửng sốt. Risk: Low.
Luke 4:21
ἤρξατο δὲ λέγειν πρὸς αὐτούς ὅτι Σήμερον πεπλήρωται ἡ γραφὴ αὕτη ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶν ὑμῶν.
- σήμερον (sēmeron) — “today.” Literal meaning: on this day, now. Semantic range: a simple temporal adverb, but in Luke’s Gospel it repeatedly marks decisive moments of the arrival of God’s saving action within ordinary history (2:11 “today a Savior is born”; 19:9 “today salvation has come to this house”; 23:43 “today you will be with me in Paradise”). English variants: today, this day, now. Contextual theological meaning: signals Luke’s distinctive “today” theology — the inaugurated, present reality of the Kingdom of God (curriculum doctrine 6) breaking into historical time, not merely a future hope or a cyclical repeatable moment. [NEW — Luke] Vietnamese rendering: hôm nay. Risk: Medium — the ordinary word carries no doctrinal danger in itself, but every theologically loaded occurrence (2:11; 4:21; 19:9; 23:43) should be flagged so translators preserve its recurring “already-arrived” force across the whole Gospel rather than treating each occurrence as an isolated, generic time marker.
- πληρόω (plēroō) — “to fulfill.” Related to the doctrine of Fulfillment of Prophecy already established (prophecy [REUSED — Romans TM: lời tiên tri]). Literal meaning: to fill up, complete. Semantic range: bringing a previously spoken word to its intended completion. Contextual theological meaning: Jesus claims, in his own voice, that the Isaiah 61 text is fulfilled in his own person and action at this very moment — the strongest possible messianic self-claim, made without qualification. Vietnamese rendering: được ứng nghiệm (established rendering; matches the baseline’s “fulfillment of prophecy” doctrine vocabulary, e.g., “ứng nghiệm lời tiên tri”). Risk: High — this is the interpretive key of the whole core passage; the translation must not soften “has been fulfilled” (a completed, perfect-tense claim) into a weaker “is coming true” or “relates to.”
- γραφή (graphē) — “Scripture.” Literal meaning: a writing. Contextual theological meaning: names the fixed, authoritative text of Isaiah as “Scripture” — reinforces the Inspiration of Scripture doctrine already in the baseline registry. Vietnamese rendering: Kinh Thánh / lời Kinh Thánh này. Risk: Medium.
PART 2 — LUKE CHAPTER 4 (REMAINDER, vv. 1–15, 22–44)
The chapter surrounding the core passage supplies essential context terms.
| Original | Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / English variants | Contextual theological meaning | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| πειρασμός / πειράζω | peirasmos / peirazō | testing, trial | temptation, testing, trial | The devil’s testing of Jesus in the wilderness, showing Jesus’ sinless obedience where Israel failed (cf. Exodus/Deuteronomy background) | sự cáo dỗ / sự thử thách — Medium. Must not be confused with karmic testing/trials attributed to past-life causes. |
| διάβολος | diabolos | slanderer, accuser | the Devil, Satan | Personal, malevolent spiritual adversary, not an impersonal principle of evil or misfortune | ma quỷ / quỷ Sa-tan — High. Must be taught as a personal fallen being opposed to God, distinct from the broad Vietnamese folk category of wandering malevolent spirits (ma) placated through ritual, and distinct from an impersonal “bad luck” force. |
| πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον | pneuma akatharton | unclean spirit | demon, evil/unclean spirit | Personal demonic beings subject to Christ’s authority and expelled by his word alone | tà linh — High. Distinguish sharply from Vietnamese folk exorcism practice (trừ tà) performed by spirit mediums (đồng bóng/thầy pháp); Jesus’ authority over demons is unique, direct, and not a ritual technique to be replicated by human practitioners. |
| δαιμόνιον | daimonion | demon | evil spirit, demon | Same as above | quỷ — High, same note as πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον. |
| ἐξουσία | exousia | authority, right to act | authority, power, right | Jesus’ teaching and exorcisms carry inherent divine authority, not derived or borrowed power | quyền / uy quyền — Medium. |
| βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | basileia tou theou | kingdom of God | reign, rule, kingdom | First mention (4:43) that Jesus “must preach the good news of the kingdom of God” — establishes Kingdom of God (doctrine 6) as the content of his entire itinerant ministry, not only Nazareth | [REUSED — Romans TM: Nước Đức Chúa Trời] |
PART 3 — CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDY, LUKE 1–24
Luke 1
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| angel | ἄγγελος / angelos | messenger | angel, messenger | Gabriel as God’s personal messenger announcing both John’s and Jesus’ births — personal divine communication, not an ancestor-spirit visitation | thiên sứ — Medium. Distinguish from thần linh (folk spirits) and from deceased ancestors appearing to the living, a common Vietnamese folk-narrative motif. |
| favor (found favor with God) | χάρις / charis | grace, favor | grace, favor, gift | Mary “found favor” (1:30) — same root as grace [REUSED — Romans TM: ân điển]; God’s initiative toward Mary, not a reward for her virtue | ân điển / được ơn — High, inherits Romans’ High risk; must not be read as merit Mary accumulated. |
| Most High | Ὕψιστος / Hypsistos | highest | Most High (a divine title) | Title for God the Father used of Jesus’ divine sonship (“Son of the Most High,” 1:32) | [NEW — Luke] Đấng Rất Cao — High. Must be clearly identified with Đức Chúa Trời [REUSED], not left as a generic superlative that could be applied to Ông Trời or a supreme folk deity. |
| Son of the Most High / Son of God | υἱὸς Ὑψίστου / υἱὸς θεοῦ | Son of the Most High / Son of God | — | Christ’s unique divine sonship announced before birth | [REUSED — Romans TM: Con Đức Chúa Trời] — Critical, cross-referenced with Đấng Rất Cao above. |
| overshadow | ἐπισκιάζω / episkiazō | to cast a shadow over | to overshadow, cover | The Holy Spirit’s unique creative act causing the virginal conception (1:35) — Luke’s version of the Incarnation event | [NEW — Luke — CRITICAL] che phủ / rợp bóng trên — Critical. Must never be rendered with any word suggesting a deity temporarily taking human form for an episode (cf. baseline’s rejection of bare hóa thân for Incarnation); this is a permanent, unique, historical act, cross-referenced to the baseline’s incarnation entry (Ngôi Lời trở nên xác thịt). |
| virgin | παρθένος / parthenos | virgin | virgin, young unmarried woman | Mary’s virginal state is the necessary condition of the sign given to her — foundational supporting term for the Incarnation | [NEW — Luke — CRITICAL] nữ đồng trinh / gái đồng trinh — Critical, supports the Incarnation doctrine; must be stated plainly and not softened to “young woman” alone. |
| Holy Spirit filling / prophesying | πνεύματος ἁγίου ἐπλήσθη | filled with Holy Spirit | to be filled with the Spirit | Both Elizabeth (1:41) and Zechariah (1:67) are filled with the Spirit and prophesy — the Spirit actively initiating the salvation narrative before Christ’s birth, establishing doctrine 2 from the opening chapter | [NEW — Luke] được đầy dẫy Đức Thánh Linh, built on [REUSED: Đức Thánh Linh] — Critical, given the doctrine’s centrality; the Spirit’s fullness must be conveyed as personal divine empowerment, not an ecstatic folk-trance state (as sometimes associated with spirit possession, đồng bóng). |
| mercy | ἔλεος / eleos | mercy, compassion | mercy, lovingkindness | Repeated refrain in the Magnificat and Benedictus — God’s covenant mercy to Israel and “those who fear him” | [NEW — Luke] sự thương xót — Medium. |
| covenant / oath to Abraham | διαθήκη / ὅρκος | covenant / oath | — | God’s remembered covenant faithfulness to Abraham, fulfilled now — reinforces Fulfillment of Prophecy doctrine | [REUSED — Romans TM: giao ước] |
| forgiveness of sins | ἄφεσις ἁμαρτιῶν / aphesis hamartiōn | release of sins | forgiveness, remission | Zechariah’s prophecy (1:77) names John’s role as preparing for “the forgiveness of their sins” — first occurrence of this key doctrinal phrase in Luke | [NEW — Luke — CRITICAL, see also 4:18 note] sự tha tội — High. Same collision risk as ἄφεσις above: never rendered with giải thoát; must convey a relational pardon granted by God, not the cancellation of impersonal karmic debt (nghiệp xấu, already forbidden for “sin” in the baseline). |
| prophet of the Most High | προφήτης Ὑψίστου | prophet of the Most High | — | John’s identity and role, subordinate to and preparing for the Lord | [REUSED — Romans TM: tiên tri], combined with Đấng Rất Cao above. |
| servant of the Lord | δούλη Κυρίου | female servant/slave of the Lord | servant, slave, bondservant | Mary’s self-description (1:38) — willing submission, not enforced servitude | [NEW — Luke] đầy tôi (nữ) của Chúa / tôi tớ của Chúa — Medium. Must convey glad, voluntary submission to God’s will, not a hierarchical, obligation-bound servitude modeled on Confucian social rank. |
| horn of salvation | σωτηρία / κέρας σωτηρίας | horn of salvation | salvation, deliverance | Zechariah’s prophecy uses OT royal-power imagery for God’s saving act through David’s line | [REUSED — Romans TM: sự cứu rỗi], combined with [REUSED: Đa-vít]. |
Luke 2
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| good news of great joy | εὐαγγελίζομαι χαρὰν μεγάλην | to announce good news of great joy | good news, gospel announcement | The angel’s announcement of Jesus’ birth to shepherds — lowly, marginalized recipients (doctrine 3) receive the first gospel proclamation | [REUSED — Romans TM: Tin Lành], combined with sự vui mừng lớn. |
| Savior | σωτήρ / sōtēr | one who saves, deliverer | savior, deliverer, rescuer | ”A Savior has been born to you” (2:11) — the first explicit title given to the infant Jesus, directly grounding curriculum doctrine 1 | [NEW — Luke — CRITICAL] Cứu Chúa (established Vietnamese Protestant rendering). Risk: Critical — must be taught as a personal, historical rescuer sent by God for both Jew and Gentile, rich and poor (doctrine 1), never softened into a generic “helper” or “benefactor,” and never allowed to blend with a folk guardian-deity’s protective function. |
| Christ the Lord | Χριστὸς Κύριος | Anointed Lord | Messiah, Lord | Combines [REUSED: Đấng Mê-si-a / Đấng Christ] and [REUSED: Chúa] in a single unqualified title for the infant Jesus | Critical, inherited from both baseline entries — must be rendered together without qualification. |
| glory of the Lord | δόξα Κυρίου | glory of the Lord | glory, radiance, majesty | The glory that appears to shepherds — same divine glory associated with theophany throughout Scripture | [REUSED — Romans TM: sự vinh hiển] |
| peace on earth | εἰρήνη ἐπὶ γῆς | peace on earth | peace | The angels’ proclamation; peace flowing from God’s saving initiative, not human political achievement | [REUSED — Romans TM: sự bình an] |
| all the people | πᾶς ὁ λαός | all the people | all people, whole people | 2:10, “good news… for all the people” — λαός in Luke often names the covenant people but is expanded here toward universal scope, anticipating doctrine 1 | [NEW — Luke] hết thảy dân chúng / mọi người — Medium-High; care must be taken not to restrict this to an ethnically bounded reading when Luke’s trajectory is toward all nations (cf. 24:47). |
| light for revelation to the Gentiles | φῶς εἰς ἀποκάλυψιν ἐθνῶν | light for revelation of nations | light, revelation | Simeon’s prophecy (2:32) — Jesus as light and salvation reaching beyond Israel to the Gentiles, key text for doctrine 1 | ánh sáng + [NEW] mặc khải (revelation) + [REUSED: dân ngoại] — High. The universal scope must not be narrowed or explained away. |
| circumcision | περιτομή / peritomē | circumcision | circumcision | Jesus’ submission to the Mosaic covenant sign | phép cắt bì — Low-Medium, standard term. |
| grew in wisdom | ηὔξανεν σοφίᾳ | grew in wisdom | growth, wisdom | Jesus’ genuine human development (12-year-old temple visit) — affirms full, real humanity | khôn ngoan — Low; supports (without new risk) the Humanity of Christ doctrine already flagged Critical in the baseline. |
Luke 3
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins | βάπτισμα μετανοίας εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν | baptism of change-of-mind for release of sins | repentance-baptism | John’s ministry defined by this compound phrase — the foundational statement of doctrine 4 for the whole Gospel | See repentance and forgiveness of sins below, combined with [NEW] phép báp-têm (baptism, established Vietnamese Protestant term). Risk: High. |
| repentance | μετάνοια / metanoia | change of mind, turning | repentance, conversion, turning around | A genuine reorientation of the whole person toward God, evidenced by changed behavior (“fruit,” 3:8) — not a ritual act that earns merit | [NEW — Luke] sự ăn năn. Risk: High — must never be rendered with sám hối, the term more associated with Buddhist ritual confession aimed at reducing karmic consequence; ăn năn conveys a relational turning of the heart toward the personal God of the gospel, resulting in, but not itself constituted by, a change in outward conduct. |
| forgiveness of sins | ἄφεσις ἁμαρτιῶν | see above | — | See Luke 1 and 4:18 notes | [NEW — Luke — CRITICAL] sự tha tội — High/Critical, per notes above. |
| fruits (of repentance) | καρποί | fruits | fruit, results | Concrete ethical fruit as evidence, not cause, of true repentance | bông trái — Medium; must not imply works-merit earning forgiveness. |
| Son of God (genealogy, “son of Adam, son of God”) | υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ | Son of God | — | Luke’s genealogy traces Jesus back through Adam to God, universalizing his identity beyond Israel alone (supports doctrine 1) | [REUSED — Romans TM: Con Đức Chúa Trời] |
| Spirit descending like a dove / voice from heaven | πνεῦμα ἅγιον / φωνὴ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ | Holy Spirit / voice from heaven | — | Trinitarian theophany at Jesus’ baptism — Father’s voice, Spirit’s descent, Son’s baptism — inaugurates doctrine 2 for Jesus’ own ministry | [REUSED — Romans TM: Đức Thánh Linh], combined with Cha — Critical, given Trinitarian weight. |
Luke 4 — see Parts 1 & 2 above (core passage plus chapter remainder). Introduces: πειρασμός, διάβολος, πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον, δαιμόνιον, ἐξουσία (Medium-High risk cluster on spiritual authority and conflict), plus the core passage terms already fully treated above.
Luke 5
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| disciple | μαθητής / mathētēs | learner, pupil | disciple, follower, student | Simon, James, John called to leave their nets and “follow” — introduces discipleship (doctrine 7) as a concrete, costly, relational summons | [NEW — Luke] môn đồ (established Vietnamese Protestant term). Risk: Medium — should be distinguished from a Confucian “đệ tử” (disciple of a master in a hierarchical teacher-student transmission system valued for preserving tradition); biblical discipleship centers on personal allegiance to Christ’s person and mission, not primarily on preserving inherited teaching. |
| authority to forgive sins | ἐξουσίαν ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας | authority to release sins | — | Jesus claims divine prerogative to forgive sins directly (5:20-24), tying [REUSED: Chúa]-level authority to the forgiveness doctrine | [NEW — Luke], built on ἄφεσις family — Critical, since this is an implicit deity claim; must be preserved without softening. |
| sinners | ἁμαρτωλός / hamartōlos | sinner | sinner, sinful person | Levi’s tax-collector associates; Jesus’ table fellowship with them (5:29-32) is the first concrete instance of doctrine 8 | [NEW — Luke] kẻ có tội / người tội lỗi, built on [REUSED: tội lỗi]. Risk: Medium-High — the social scandal of eating with such people must be preserved, not smoothed into generic hospitality language. |
| ”I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” | οὐ…καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν | — | — | Programmatic mission statement combining called [REUSED: được kêu gọi], righteousness [REUSED: sự công bình] (negated), and repentance [NEW: sự ăn năn] | High — key text for doctrines 4 and 8 together. |
Luke 6
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| blessed | μακάριος / makarios | happy, fortunate, blessed | blessed, happy, favored | The Lukan Beatitudes (6:20-22) pronounce God’s favor specifically on the poor, hungry, weeping, and hated — the clearest single text for doctrine 3 | [NEW — Luke] phước cho (the established Vietnamese Beatitude formula, “Phước cho những kẻ…”). Risk: High — although this rendering is deeply established in Vietnamese Bible tradition, phước on its own is also the ordinary Vietnamese word for accumulated Buddhist merit/fortune (cf. baseline’s rejection of phước đức for “grace”). Every occurrence must be taught as God’s own sovereign pronouncement of favor on those who lack merit or worldly standing (the poor, the hungry, the persecuted) — the very opposite of merit-based fortune — not a report that the poor have, in fact, accumulated good karma. |
| woe | οὐαί / ouai | woe, alas | woe, lament, warning of judgment | Paired warnings to the rich, full, and laughing (6:24-26) — the reversal accompanying the Beatitudes, reinforcing doctrine 1’s “rich and poor” scope | khốn cho — Medium. |
| love your enemies | ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθρούς | love enemies | — | Radical ethic distinct from reciprocal social obligation | yêu kẻ thù nghịch — Medium; contrasts with reciprocity-based Confucian relational ethics (ơn nghĩa, already flagged in baseline for grace). |
Luke 7
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| centurion’s faith / “not even in Israel have I found such faith” | πίστις / pistis | faith | faith, trust | A Gentile Roman officer’s faith exceeds Israel’s — early, concrete enactment of doctrine 1’s Jew/Gentile scope | [REUSED — Romans TM: đức tin], combined with [REUSED: dân ngoại] and [REUSED: Y-sơ-ra-ên]. |
| raised (widow’s son at Nain) | ἐγέρθητι / ἀνέστη | arise, get up | raised up, resuscitated | A historical resuscitation back into mortal life — distinct from Christ’s own unique, once-for-all, unrepeatable resurrection into imperishable life | sống lại (same verb family as [REUSED: sự sống lại]) — Medium note: translators/teachers should distinguish these temporary resuscitations (this person, Jairus’s daughter in ch. 8, and the son in the prodigal parable’s language in ch. 15) from the doctrinally unique Resurrection of Christ, even though the same Vietnamese verb is properly used for both. |
| ”the one who is to come” | Ὁ ἐρχόμενος | the one coming | the Coming One | John the Baptist’s question about Jesus’ messianic identity | Đấng phải đến, tied to [REUSED: Đấng Mê-si-a] — High. |
| her sins, which are many, are forgiven / saved | ἀφέωνται / σέσωκέν | forgiven / has saved | — | The sinful woman’s anointing of Jesus (7:36-50) — forgiveness and salvation joined explicitly with love and faith, an early full enactment of doctrines 4 and 8 together | [NEW/REUSED combo] built on sự tha tội and [REUSED: sự cứu rỗi] — High. |
Luke 8
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| word of God | λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ | word of God | — | The seed of the sower parable — God’s active, effective communication, not passive information | lời Đức Chúa Trời — Medium. |
| kingdom of God (mysteries/parables of) | βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | — | — | Parabolic teaching mode of the kingdom, hidden to some, revealed to disciples — supports doctrine 6’s “present” dimension | [REUSED — Romans TM: Nước Đức Chúa Trời] |
| faith (woman with the flow of blood, “your faith has made you well”) | πίστις / σέσωκέν | faith / has saved-healed | — | σῴζω here means physical healing as well as ultimate salvation — the same verb covers both, deliberately blurring bodily and eternal restoration | [REUSED: đức tin, sự cứu rỗi] — High note: translators must recognize σῴζω’s dual healing/salvation sense contextually rather than mechanically choosing one meaning. |
Luke 9
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| Christ of God | ὁ Χριστὸς τοῦ θεοῦ | the Christ of God | — | Peter’s confession (9:20) — the central messianic identity statement | [REUSED — Romans TM: Đấng Mê-si-a / Đấng Christ], combined with [REUSED: Đức Chúa Trời] — Critical. |
| transfigured | μεταμορφόω / metamorphoō | to change form | transfiguration, transformed | Jesus’ glory momentarily unveiled, not assumed or acquired — a disclosure of what was already true of his person | [NEW — Luke] sự biến hình — Medium-High. Risk: must be carefully taught as the unveiling of Christ’s own inherent, eternal glory, NOT a deity’s or spirit’s shape-shifting into a different form or manifestation, a common motif in Vietnamese folk-religious and Taoist-influenced tales of deities changing appearance; this is disclosure of true identity, not transformation into another being. |
| my Son, my Chosen One / beloved | υἱός μου ὁ ἐκλελεγμένος / ἀγαπητός | my chosen Son / beloved | — | The Father’s voice at the Transfiguration, echoing the baptism | Con yêu dấu, combined with [REUSED: sự lựa chọn] and [REUSED: Con Đức Chúa Trời] — Critical. |
| must suffer (first Passion prediction) | δεῖ παθεῖν | it is necessary to suffer | — | Jesus’ first explicit prediction of his suffering and death — introduces the cost of discipleship theme (doctrine 7) at its Christological root | phải chịu thương khó — High, since it grounds the entire discipleship-cost teaching that follows in chs. 9-14. |
| take up his cross daily / lose his life to save it | ἆρᾳ τὸν σταυρὸν… ἀπολέσῃ τὴν ψυχὴν…σώσει | — | — | The foundational statement of the Cost and Joy of Discipleship (doctrine 7) | [NEW] cây thập tự combined with [REUSED: sự cứu rỗi/σώζω family] — High. |
| Kingdom of God, sending of disciples to proclaim | βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | — | — | The Twelve sent out to heal and “proclaim the kingdom of God” (9:2) | [REUSED: Nước Đức Chúa Trời] |
Luke 10
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| the kingdom of God has come near | ἤγγικεν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | has drawn near | — | Sending of the Seventy-Two — the kingdom’s nearness is proclaimed, not merely predicted; reinforces doctrine 6’s “present” pole | [REUSED: Nước Đức Chúa Trời] + đã đến gần — High, since “has come near” (perfect tense, an accomplished nearness) must not be softened to a vague future hope. |
| eternal life | ζωὴ αἰώνιος / zōē aiōnios | age-long life, life of the age to come | eternal life, everlasting life | The lawyer’s question (10:25) and the Good Samaritan’s answer — life in permanent, unending relationship with God, not merely unending duration | [NEW — Luke] sự sống đời đời (established Vietnamese Protestant term). Risk: Medium. |
| neighbor | πλησίον / plēsion | one who is near | neighbor, fellow human | Redefined by the Good Samaritan parable to cross ethnic/religious boundary lines — supports doctrine 1’s universal scope | người lân cận — Medium. |
| names written in heaven | τὰ ὀνόματα ἐνγέγραπται ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς | — | — | Assurance language tied to the disciples’ mission | được ghi tên trên trời — Medium, connects to [REUSED: sự cứu rỗi/election family]. |
Luke 11
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| prayer / “Our Father” | προσευχή, προσεύχομαι / Πάτερ | prayer / Father | prayer, petition | The Lord’s Prayer — the foundational text for doctrine 5 (Prayer and Dependence on God); addresses God directly as [REUSED: Cha] | [NEW — Luke] sự cầu nguyện / cầu nguyện. Risk: High — must be distinguished from the baseline’s sự cầu thay (intercession FOR others) as a separate but related category: this is personal address and petition to God as Father, and must also be distinguished from ritual petitions offered at the ancestral altar (cầu xin tổ tiên, already Critical-flagged in the baseline for intercession) — prayer here is direct filial address to a personal, living God, not a ritual offering to a departed family member. |
| ask and you will receive / Holy Spirit given to those who ask | αἰτεῖτε καὶ δοθήσεται / πνεῦμα ἅγιον | ask and it will be given / Holy Spirit | — | Ties dependence-in-prayer (doctrine 5) directly to the Spirit’s gift (doctrine 2) | [REUSED: Đức Thánh Linh] combined with sự cầu nguyện — High. |
| kingdom of God has come upon you | ἔφθασεν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | has arrived upon you | — | Jesus’ exorcisms as present evidence the kingdom has already broken in — doctrine 6’s “present” pole again | [REUSED: Nước Đức Chúa Trời] — High. |
| sign of Jonah | σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ | sign of Jonah | — | Points forward to death/resurrection typology | dấu lạ của Giô-na — Medium. |
Luke 12
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| Gehenna / hell | γέεννα / geenna | Valley of Hinnom | hell, final judgment | 12:5, “authority to cast into hell” — the place of final, ultimate divine judgment, historically rooted, not a mythic underworld realm | [NEW — Luke — CRITICAL] hỏa ngục / địa ngục — Critical. Must be distinguished from âm phủ (see Luke 16 below) and taught carefully against the backdrop of the Vietnamese folk-Taoist/Buddhist cosmology of multiple hell-courts (thập điện) administered by judges (Diêm Vương) who mete out proportionate karmic punishment; biblical Gehenna is a place of final divine judgment under a personal God, not a bureaucratic karmic processing system with possible eventual release/rebirth. |
| blasphemy against the Holy Spirit | βλασφημία εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον | — | — | The unforgivable sin — the gravity of resisting the Spirit’s work | [REUSED: Đức Thánh Linh] combined with sự phạm thượng — High. |
| do not be anxious / seek the kingdom | μὴ μεριμνᾶτε / ζητεῖτε τὴν βασιλείαν | do not worry / seek the kingdom | — | Dependence on God for provision, tied to seeking the kingdom above material security — links doctrines 5 and 6 | [REUSED: Nước Đức Chúa Trời] combined with đừng lo lắng — Medium. |
Luke 13
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| repent or perish | μετανοήσητε… ἀπολεῖσθε | repent… perish | repentance / destruction | Urgency of repentance (doctrine 4) tied to real consequence, not abstract moral advice | [NEW — Luke] built on sự ăn năn, combined with bị chết mất/hư mất — High. |
| mustard seed / leaven (kingdom parables) | βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | — | — | Small, hidden, organically growing present reality of the kingdom — doctrine 6’s “present, growing” dimension | [REUSED: Nước Đức Chúa Trời] |
| many will come from east and west | ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν | from east and west | — | Universal Gentile inclusion at the eschatological banquet — doctrine 1 | [REUSED: dân ngoại family] combined with từ đông sang tây — High. |
Luke 14
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| invite the poor, crippled, lame, blind | κάλεσον πτωχούς, ἀναπείρους, χωλούς, τυφλούς | — | — | Table-fellowship instruction (14:13) explicitly naming the marginalized as honored guests — direct enactment of doctrines 3 and 8 together | [REUSED: người nghèo] combined with người tàn tật, người đi khập khiễng, người mù — High; the social reversal (honoring those with no ability to repay) must be preserved, contrasting with reciprocity-based social-obligation hosting customary in Vietnamese formal banquets. |
| compel them to come in (parable of the great banquet) | ἀνάγκασον εἰσελθεῖν | compel to come in | — | Urgent, gracious invitation extended beyond the expected guest list to the marginalized — doctrines 1, 3, 8 | ép/mời cho được vào — Medium. |
| count the cost / carry his own cross | βαστάζει τὸν σταυρὸν ἑαυτοῦ | carry his own cross | — | The clearest single teaching-block on doctrine 7 (Cost and Joy of Discipleship) | [NEW] cây thập tự — High. |
| hate father and mother (relative priority for discipleship) | μισεῖ τὸν πατέρα… | to hate father… | — | Hyperbolic language of relative priority, not literal hatred | [NEW — Luke] “ghét” (theo nghĩa đặt sau) — Medium-High. Must be taught carefully against Confucian filial piety (đạo hiếu, already flagged in the baseline for Obedience of Faith) — this is not a call to literal hatred or abandonment of family duty, but a statement that loyalty to Christ must take absolute priority over every other relationship, however honored. |
Luke 15
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| lost | ἀπολωλός / apolōlos | perishing, lost | lost, perishing | The lost sheep, lost coin, lost son — the state from which God actively seeks and rescues (doctrine 1’s “for all people” and doctrine 4’s repentance) | [NEW — Luke] kẻ bị lạc mất / người hư mất. Risk: Medium-High — “lost” must be understood as separation from God that Christ actively seeks to rescue, not a fixed unfavorable karmic status or an irreversible fate. |
| joy in heaven over one sinner who repents | χαρὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι | — | — | Direct statement joining doctrines 4 and 6 (heaven’s present joy over repentance) | Built on sự ăn năn and kẻ có tội — High. |
| compassion (father runs to the son) | ἐσπλαγχνίσθη / splanchnizomai | to be moved in one’s inward parts | to feel deep compassion, to be moved with pity | The father’s compassion in the Prodigal Son (15:20) — the interpretive key image for doctrine 8 (Jesus’ Compassion) | [NEW — Luke] động lòng thương xót / chạnh lòng thương xót. Risk: High — Jesus’ (and the Father’s) compassion is a personal, particular, initiating divine action toward a specific repentant sinner, distinct from từ bi (Buddhist compassion), which is typically taught as a cultivated universal virtue/disposition extended impartially to all beings as a spiritual practice; the biblical picture is of God’s own heart moved toward a particular returning child, prior to and apart from that child’s spiritual attainment. |
| this son of mine was dead and is alive again | οὗτος ὁ υἱός μου νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησεν | was dead, came back to life | — | Metaphorical “death and life” language distinct from, though it foreshadows, the literal Resurrection doctrine | đã chết mà bây giờ lại sống — Medium note: keep distinct from the technical [REUSED: sự sống lại] used for Christ’s bodily resurrection; here it is a metaphor for restored relationship, not a resurrection claim. |
Luke 16
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| Hades | Ἅδης / Hadēs | Hades | the realm of the dead, Hades | The rich man’s torment after death, contrasted with Lazarus at “Abraham’s side” — a fixed, conscious intermediate state | [NEW — Luke — CRITICAL] âm phủ. Risk: Critical — this term overlaps heavily with the Vietnamese folk-Taoist/Buddhist cosmology of the underworld (cõi âm), a bureaucratic realm of departed spirits and ancestors administered by judges, closely tied to living ancestor-veneration practice (thờ cúng tổ tiên) which assumes ongoing communication and offerings benefiting the dead. Every occurrence needs a teaching note: biblical Hades is a fixed, non-negotiable state determined by one’s response to God in life, not a realm where the living family’s offerings, merit-transfer, or ritual practice can improve the deceased’s condition — a direct and sensitive collision point. |
| mammon / money | μαμωνᾶς / mamōnas | wealth, money (personified) | money, riches, mammon | ”You cannot serve God and money” — direct competing-master language, relevant to doctrine 1’s “rich” | tiền của — Medium. |
| Moses and the prophets | Μωϋσῆς καὶ οἱ προφῆται | — | — | The sufficiency of Scripture already given, over any sign from the dead | [REUSED: Môi-se, tiên tri] — Medium; directly relevant to the Hades collision note, since the rich man’s request that Lazarus warn his brothers is refused. |
Luke 17
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| if he sins against you seven times… forgive | ἁμαρτήσῃ…ἄφες | sins / forgive | — | Ongoing, repeated interpersonal forgiveness modeled on God’s own forgiveness (doctrine 4 applied to community life) | Built on [REUSED: tội lỗi] and sự tha tội — Medium-High. |
| your faith has made you well / saved you | ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε | your faith has saved you | — | The Samaritan leper’s healing-and-salvation (17:19) — again blends physical restoration with ultimate salvation, and crosses the Jew/Samaritan boundary (doctrine 1) | [REUSED: đức tin, sự cứu rỗi] — High. |
| the kingdom of God is in your midst / among you | ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν | within/among you | in your midst, within you, among you | Debated but theologically important statement of the kingdom’s already-present reality even without visible apocalyptic signs — the clearest single verse for doctrine 6’s “present” pole | [REUSED: Nước Đức Chúa Trời] combined with ở giữa các ngươi — High; the “present, hidden, non-spectacular” nature of the kingdom’s arrival must not be collapsed into a purely future or purely inward-mystical reading. |
Luke 18
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| God, be merciful to me, a sinner / justified | ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ / δεδικαιωμένος | be merciful / having been justified | — | Parable of the Pharisee and tax collector — the tax collector, not the religiously observant Pharisee, “went down justified” — the clearest narrative enactment of the Romans-established doctrine of justification, now inside Luke | [REUSED — Romans TM: sự xưng công bình] combined with kẻ có tội and sự thương xót — Critical, since this is the forensic-declaration doctrine transposed directly into narrative; must not be softened into mere self-improvement. |
| let the children come to me / kingdom of God | ἄφετε τὰ παιδία…τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | — | — | Childlike, unearned receptivity as the model for receiving the kingdom | [REUSED: Nước Đức Chúa Trời] — Medium. |
| what must I do to inherit eternal life? / with man impossible, with God possible | τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω | — | — | The rich ruler’s question and its answer — salvation cannot be self-achieved through wealth or works, only received as God’s own gracious act | [REUSED: sự sống đời đời (see ch10 above), grace/ân điển family] — High; directly reinforces doctrine 1’s “rich” dimension. |
| your faith has saved you (blind beggar) | ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε | — | — | Same formula as ch. 17 | [REUSED: đức tin, sự cứu rỗi] — High. |
Luke 19
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| tax collector | τελώνης / telōnēs | tax collector | tax collector, publican | Zacchaeus, a wealthy but socially despised collaborator figure — doctrines 1, 3, and 8 converge in this single narrative | [NEW — Luke] người thu thuế. Risk: Medium — a marginalized-by-scorn (not by poverty) figure; important for showing the gospel reaches the rich-but-despised as well as the poor. |
| today salvation has come to this house | σήμερον σωτηρία τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ ἐγένετο | — | — | Direct pairing of Luke’s “today” theology with the salvation doctrine — Zacchaeus’s repentance (restitution) and Jesus’ declaration | [REUSED: sự cứu rỗi] combined with hôm nay — Critical; must retain the “today, already accomplished” force. |
| the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost | ἦλθεν ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός | — | — | Luke’s summary mission statement for the whole Gospel | [NEW: Con Người] combined with [REUSED: sự cứu rỗi] and kẻ bị lạc mất — Critical; arguably the single most concentrated summary verse of doctrines 1, 3, 4, and 8 together. |
| minas (parable of stewardship) | μνᾶς / mnas | mina (a sum of money) | talents, minas | Faithful use of what is entrusted, in expectation of the king’s (Christ’s) return | nê-vin bạc/mi-na — Low; standard measure-name, low doctrinal weight beyond stewardship. |
| blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord / triumphal entry | εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος… ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου | blessed is he who comes | — | Messianic acclamation, echoing Psalm 118 | [REUSED: Chúa] combined with được chúc phước — High. |
| Jesus weeps over Jerusalem | ἔκλαυσεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν | wept over it | — | Christ’s compassion extended even to the city that will reject him — doctrine 8’s compassion extended to the point of tears for those who resist | [NEW: động lòng thương xót family] combined with khóc — High. |
| house of prayer | οἶκος προσευχῆς | house of prayer | — | Temple’s true purpose, tied to prayer (doctrine 5) | [REUSED: đền thờ] combined with [NEW: sự cầu nguyện] — Medium. |
Luke 20
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| the stone the builders rejected | λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες | — | — | Parable of the tenants — messianic rejection-and-vindication typology | đá bị loại bỏ — Medium, connects to Christology. |
| render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, to God what is God’s | ἀπόδοτε Καίσαρι… τῷ θεῷ | — | — | God’s ultimate claim over human authority, without directly overturning civil order | [REUSED: Đức Chúa Trời] combined with trả cho Sê-sa — Medium. |
| resurrection / God of the living | ἀνάστασις / θεὸς…ζώντων | resurrection / God of the living | resurrection, rising | Debate with the Sadducees — the formal doctrinal defense of bodily resurrection within Luke, directly reusing the Critical Romans term | [REUSED — Romans TM: sự sống lại] — Critical, per the baseline’s forbidden-substitution rule (never đầu thai/luân hồi). |
| sons of the resurrection | υἱοὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως | sons of the resurrection | — | Those who share in bodily resurrection life — a permanent, transformed state, not a new birth into another mortal existence | [REUSED: sự sống lại family] — Critical, same note. |
| Son of David / Christ | υἱὸς Δαβίδ / Χριστός | — | — | Question of the Messiah’s Davidic and simultaneously divine identity | [REUSED: dòng dõi Đa-vít, Đấng Mê-si-a] — Critical. |
Luke 21
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| the kingdom of God is near | ἐγγύς ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | is near | — | Eschatological signs pointing to the kingdom’s future consummation — doctrine 6’s “future” pole, balancing the “present” texts of chs. 4, 10, 11, 17 | [REUSED: Nước Đức Chúa Trời] — High; must be read together with the “already” texts, not as a contradiction. |
| redemption draws near | ἐγγίζει ἡ ἀπολύτρωσις ὑμῶν | your redemption draws near | redemption, ransom, deliverance | Distinct from [REUSED: sự cứu rỗi] — this word-group specifically carries the sense of a price paid to free a captive or slave | [NEW — Luke] sự cứu chuộc. Risk: High — must be taught with its background in ransoming a slave/captive (echoing the same Jubilee/liberty imagery as ἄφεσις in 4:18), always emphasizing that the “price” is Christ’s own atoning death, never a repayable debt the recipient must eventually discharge (as with an Confucian-style favor ơn nghĩa, already forbidden in the baseline for grace). |
| widow’s mite / sacrificial giving | τὸ βίον | her whole livelihood | — | Connects to doctrine 3 — the poor widow’s costly gift honored above the wealthy’s surplus giving | [REUSED: người nghèo family] — Medium. |
Luke 22
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| Passover | πάσχα / pascha | Passover | Passover | The setting for the Last Supper, deliberately fulfilling and transforming the OT Passover | [NEW — Luke] Lễ Vượt Qua (established Vietnamese Bible term). Risk: Medium — requires OT narrative background (Exodus) for full comprehension. |
| this is my body… my blood… new covenant | τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ σῶμά μου… τὸ αἷμά μου… τὴν καινὴν διαθήκην | — | — | Institution of the Lord’s Supper — the definitive statement of the New Covenant, foundational to all later atonement/covenant doctrine | [REUSED — Romans TM: giao ước], specified as giao ước mới. Risk: High — the “new” covenant must be understood as fulfilling, not discarding, God’s prior covenant faithfulness (cf. doctrine of Fulfillment of Prophecy already in the baseline). |
| the hour… the power of darkness | ἡ ὥρα…ἡ ἐξουσία τοῦ σκότους | the hour, the authority of darkness | — | Names a real, personal spiritual conflict at the crucifixion’s approach, not an impersonal unlucky moment | quyền lực của sự tối tăm — Medium-High. |
| Are you the Christ? / Son of God? | Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός; / ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ | — | — | Formal trial question forcing Jesus’ unambiguous self-identification | [REUSED: Đấng Mê-si-a, Con Đức Chúa Trời] — Critical. |
| pray that you may not enter into temptation | προσεύχεσθε μὴ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς πειρασμόν | — | — | Gethsemane; Jesus’ own model of dependence-in-prayer under extreme distress (doctrine 5) | [NEW: sự cầu nguyện] combined with sự cáo dỗ (ch4) — High. |
Luke 23
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| Father, forgive them | Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς | Father, forgive them | — | Jesus’ own prayer of forgiveness from the cross — doctrines 4 and 5 united at the cross itself | [REUSED: Cha] combined with sự tha tội family — Critical. |
| today you will be with me in Paradise | σήμερον μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ | — | — | Salvation granted immediately, by grace alone, to a dying, repentant criminal with no time for works — an unparalleled single-verse enactment of doctrines 1, 4, and 6 (today = present arrival) | [NEW — Luke — CRITICAL] Ba-ra-đi (transliterated form, an established alternative Vietnamese Bible rendering, preferred here over thiên đàng). Risk: Critical — thiên đàng alone risks assimilation to the Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist concept of the Tây Phương Cực Lạc (the Pure Land / Western Paradise of Amitabha Buddha), a realm popularly understood as reachable through accumulated merit, recitation practice, or a particular teacher’s grace transferred to a devotee at death. The transliterated Ba-ra-đi, ideally accompanied by the phrase “được ở với Đấng Christ” (to be with Christ), keeps the emphasis on personal, immediate presence with Christ granted by grace to a repentant sinner, not entry into a generic blissful realm attained by devotional merit. |
| Father, into your hands I commit my spirit | Πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθεμαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου | — | — | Jesus’ final prayer — total trust and dependence at the moment of death (doctrine 5) | [REUSED: Cha] combined with sự cầu nguyện — High. |
| certainly this man was innocent / righteous | ὄντως ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος δίκαιος ἦν | — | — | Gentile centurion’s confession at the cross — another Jew/Gentile boundary-crossing witness (doctrine 1) | [REUSED: sự công bình family, dân ngoại] — High. |
Luke 24
| Term | Original / Transliteration | Literal meaning | Semantic range / Variants | Theological meaning in context | Vietnamese rendering & risk |
|---|
| why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen | οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε, ἀλλὰ ἠγέρθη | he was raised | — | The empty tomb — the Resurrection doctrine’s climactic statement in Luke, the same Critical term as established in the baseline | [REUSED — Romans TM: sự sống lại] — Critical, per the baseline’s absolute forbidden-substitution rule (never đầu thai/luân hồi). |
| was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? | ἔδει παθεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ | — | — | Emmaus road — Jesus’ own Scriptural self-interpretation, tying suffering, Scripture-fulfillment, and glory together | [REUSED: Đấng Mê-si-a, sự vinh hiển, lời tiên tri] — Critical. |
| repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations | μετάνοιαν εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν…εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη | — | — | The Great Commission-equivalent in Luke (24:47) — the single verse most fully uniting doctrines 1, 3, 4, and the mission implications for the whole curriculum | [NEW — Luke — CRITICAL] combines sự ăn năn + sự tha tội + [NEW] muôn dân (all nations — broader than the baseline’s Jew/Gentile-contrast term dân ngoại; here Luke means literally every nation without remainder, following directly from Jesus’ universal Savior identity in 2:11 and 2:32). Risk: Critical — the universal, unqualified scope (“all nations,” “muôn dân”) must never be narrowed, and the ἄφεσις collision risk applies here exactly as in 1:77, 3:3, and 4:18: never giải thoát. |
| you are witnesses | ὑμεῖς μάρτυρές | you are witnesses | witness, testify | The disciples’ commissioned role in continuing the proclamation | [NEW — Luke] chứng nhân — Medium-High. |
| power from on high | ἐξ ὕψους δύναμιν | power from on high | — | Promise of the Spirit’s coming empowerment (fulfilled at Pentecost in Acts) — final statement of doctrine 2 in Luke, directly continuing the baseline’s quyền năng của Đức Chúa Trời | [NEW — Luke] quyền năng từ trên cao, built on [REUSED: quyền năng của Đức Chúa Trời] and [REUSED: Đức Thánh Linh]. Risk: High. |
| ascended into heaven / worshiped him with great joy | ἀνεφέρετο εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν | was carried up into heaven | ascension | Christ’s bodily ascension — the final vindication of his resurrected, glorified humanity, not a dissolving into an impersonal cosmic state | được đem lên trời — High, closely tied to Resurrection and Deity of Christ doctrines already Critical in the baseline. |
Summary of Coverage
All 24 chapters of Luke have been analyzed. Chapters 1–3 and 5–24 each contribute distinct load-bearing terms as tabulated above; Chapter 4 receives full verse-by-verse treatment for the core passage (4:16-21) plus a chapter-remainder table for its surrounding context (4:1-15, 22-44). No chapter was silently skipped. All terms already established in the baseline Romans Language Package are reused with their exact recorded Vietnamese renderings; all newly identified Luke-specific terms are compiled with full risk assessments in analysis/08_core_glossary.md.