Matthew 1–28 | Koine Greek Source Analysis for Vietnamese Destination Language
Core passage: Matthew 5:1–12 (the Beatitudes)
Scope: Full book, Matthew 1–28, every chapter reviewed for load-bearing theological vocabulary
Baseline authority: All renderings recorded in the Romans translation_memory.json and bible_term_registry.json are reused exactly wherever the same Greek term or doctrine recurs in Matthew. New terms specific to Matthew’s theology (Kingdom of Heaven, Son of David/Son of Man, fulfillment formulas, church discipline, Great Commission, judgment/end-of-age) are analyzed fresh below and are candidates for addition to translation memory in Phase 2.
Method note: For chapters that introduce no new load-bearing theological vocabulary beyond terms already treated earlier in this document or in the Romans baseline, this is stated explicitly rather than omitted, per the full-book coverage mandate.
PART 1 — CORE PASSAGE: Matthew 5:1–12 (The Beatitudes), Verse by Verse
Matthew 5:1
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ὄρος (oros)
mountain, hill
any elevated landform; in Matthew often carries Sinai/revelation overtones
mountain / mountainside / hill
Jesus ascends a mountain to teach, echoing Moses at Sinai — the new lawgiver-teacher motif
núi
Medium — must not be flattened to a bare geographic note; carries typological weight for “Authority of Jesus’ Teaching”
καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ (kathisantos autou)
he having sat down
seated posture of a teacher with recognized authority
sat down / took his seat
Sitting is the posture of authoritative rabbinic teaching, not casual repose
Ngài ngồi xuống
Medium — omitting the posture detail loses the authority signal developed further in 7:28–29
μαθηταὶ (mathētai)
learners, disciples
those who follow and are instructed by a teacher; can range from casual hearer to committed follower
disciples / followers / students
The immediate audience is the committed community, though crowds are present (5:1; cf. 7:28)
môn đồ
Medium — distinguish from a martial-arts or philosophical master-disciple hierarchy defined by technique transmission; biblical discipleship is covenantal allegiance to Christ’s person
Matthew 5:2
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ἐδίδασκεν (edidasken)
he was teaching
ongoing, authoritative instruction
taught / began to teach
Introduces the first and paradigmatic block of Jesus’ authoritative teaching in Matthew
Ngài dạy
Medium — ties directly to the Authority of Jesus’ Teaching doctrine; should not be rendered as mere informal speaking
Matthew 5:3
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
μακάριοι (makarioi)
blessed, fortunate, flourishing
a state of divine favor and flourishing, not mere emotional happiness
blessed / happy / fortunate
Pronounces God’s own verdict of favor on those the world does not consider fortunate
phước
High — “phước” alone must not be read through the lens of “phước đức” (Buddhist accumulated merit, already rejected in the baseline grace entry); this is a Christ-conferred, unearned status
πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι (ptōchoi tō pneumati)
poor in spirit; destitute in the inner person
spiritual bankruptcy/neediness before God, not literal economic poverty alone, nor a self-cultivated detachment
poor in spirit / spiritually poor / humble
Recognition of utter spiritual need and dependence on God as entry into the kingdom
những kẻ có lòng khó khăn
High — must not collapse into material poverty (khó khăn also means economic hardship) nor into Buddhist non-attachment/renunciation as a self-achieved virtue
βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν (basileia tōn ouranōn)
kingdom of the heavens
God’s reign, present and coming, as proclaimed specifically by Matthew using the plural “heavens” idiom
kingdom of heaven / heaven’s kingdom / God’s reign
The Beatitudes describe kingdom citizens; the kingdom is both present possession and future inheritance
Nước Thiên Đàng
High — see full note in Chapter 3 and Core Glossary; risk that Vietnamese readers hear only “the place one goes after death” rather than God’s present-and-coming reign
Matthew 5:4
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
πενθοῦντες (penthountes)
those mourning, grieving
grief over sin, brokenness, or the fallen state of the world
those who mourn
Godly grief over sin and the world’s brokenness, not mere personal loss
những kẻ than khóc
Medium — standard term; note should specify grief has a spiritual/moral object, not only bereavement
παρακληθήσονται (paraklēthēsontai)
will be comforted, consoled
comfort in sorrow; related to but distinct from the exhortation sense of the same root
will be comforted / will be consoled
God himself will personally console those who grieve over sin and brokenness
sẽ được yên ủi
Medium — context-sensitive root shared with baseline’s “khích lệ” (exhort/encourage, Romans doctrine); here the sense is comfort-in-grief, not exhortation-to-action; keep the two senses distinct across documents
Matthew 5:5
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
πραεῖς (praeis)
meek, gentle
strength held under control, not weakness or passivity
meek / gentle / humble
Kingdom character marked by gentleness modeled on Christ himself (11:29; 21:5)
nhu mì
Medium — risk of being read as weakness or lack of assertiveness in a culture with strong hierarchical role expectations; must be taught as strength under God’s control
κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν (klēronomēsousi tēn gēn)
will inherit the earth
eschatological inheritance of the renewed creation, echoing Psalm 37:11
will inherit the earth / will inherit the land
Future possession of the renewed world granted by God, not present acquisition by strength or lineage
sẽ hưởng được đất
Medium — parallels ancestral land-inheritance customs in Vietnamese patrilineal culture; must be taught as an eschatological gift from God, not inheritance secured through family lineage or merit, consistent with baseline’s adoption/inheritance framing (Romans 8)
Matthew 5:6
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες (peinōntes kai dipsōntes)
hungering and thirsting
intense, desperate appetite/longing
hunger and thirst
Deep longing for right relationship with God and his righteous rule to be established
đói khát
Medium — standard idiom; low syncretism risk on its own
τὴν δικαιοσύνην (tēn dikaiosynēn)
righteousness
reuse of baseline term; here denotes both personal righteous conduct and the longing for God’s righteous vindication/justice to be established
righteousness / justice
Distinct nuance from Romans’ forensic “declared righteous” sense — here a hungered-for righteous character and a hungered-for righting of wrongs
sự công bình
High — same Vietnamese term as the baseline’s forensic justification doctrine; requires a teaching note distinguishing Matthew’s “hungered-for righteous living/vindication” sense from Romans’ “declared righteous status” sense, while affirming both are gifts of grace, not self-achievement
χορτασθήσονται (chortasthēsontai)
will be filled, satisfied
to be fed to satisfaction (a term originally used of feeding animals fodder)
will be filled / will be satisfied
God himself will fully satisfy this longing
sẽ được no đủ
Low
Matthew 5:7
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ἐλεήμονες (eleēmones)
merciful, compassionate
active compassion shown to those in need or fault
merciful / compassionate
Mercy shown flows from mercy already received from God, not a self-generated virtue that produces merit
những kẻ hay làm sự thương xót
Medium — must be distinguished from Buddhist “từ bi” (compassion) cultivated as a virtue accruing merit toward one’s own liberation; biblical mercy is a grateful response to grace already received
ἐλεηθήσονται (eleēthēsontai)
will receive mercy
future passive; God’s reciprocal mercy toward the merciful
will be shown mercy / will receive mercy
God’s own mercy answering the mercy shown by his people, not an earned exchange
sẽ được thương xót
Medium — care that this is not read as a merit-for-mercy transaction akin to karmic reciprocity
Matthew 5:8
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ (katharoi tē kardia)
pure/clean in heart
inward moral and relational integrity, not ritual purity
pure in heart / clean of heart
Undivided, sincere devotion to God as the condition for relational access to him
có lòng trong sạch
Medium — must not be reduced to ritual cleanliness (OT/folk purity categories) or to Buddhist mental purification through meditative discipline as a path to enlightenment; this is moral/relational integrity before a personal God
ὄψονται τὸν Θεόν (opsontai ton theon)
will see God
direct, personal, relational — and ultimately eschatological — vision of God
will see God
The believer’s ultimate hope: unmediated relational communion with God himself
sẽ thấy Đức Chúa Trời
Critical — must not be softened into “kiến tánh” (seeing one’s true nature, a Zen Buddhist enlightenment goal) or generic spiritual insight; this is a real, relational, future seeing of the personal, covenant God face to face
Matthew 5:9
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
εἰρηνοποιοί (eirēnopoioi)
peacemakers
those who actively make/create peace, not merely those who avoid conflict
peacemakers
Active reconciling work reflecting God’s own reconciling character
những kẻ làm cho người hòa thuận
Medium — must be distinguished from passive social harmony-preservation (“giữ hòa khí”), a strongly valued Vietnamese social norm; this is active gospel-shaped reconciliation, building on baseline’s “sự bình an” (peace with God)
υἱοὶ Θεοῦ κληθήσονται (huioi Theou klēthēsontai)
will be called sons of God
corporate, adoptive sonship granted to believers
children of God / sons of God
Believers are declared/recognized as God’s own family because of kingdom character
sẽ được gọi là con Đức Chúa Trời
Critical — must be kept visibly distinct in Vietnamese phrasing from the baseline’s “Con Đức Chúa Trời” (capitalized title, Christ’s unique, eternal, singular Sonship, Critical risk per Romans registry). Because Vietnamese script carries no case distinction, translators must use context and phrasing (e.g., “trở nên con của Đức Chúa Trời”) to prevent believers’ adoptive sonship from being conflated with Christ’s unique divine Sonship
having been persecuted for the sake of righteousness
suffering specifically because of righteous, kingdom-shaped living
persecuted for righteousness’ sake
Suffering is not incidental but the expected cost of embodying kingdom righteousness
bị bắt bớ vì sự công bình
High — reuses the flagged “sự công bình” term; connects directly to the Discipleship and Cost of Following Jesus doctrine — persecution here is for righteous character, distinct from persecution “for my sake” in v.11
Matthew 5:11
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ὀνειδίσωσιν (oneidisōsin)
they revile, insult
verbal reproach/shaming
revile / insult / mock
Shame-based persecution in an honor-shame culture
nhục mạ
Medium
διώξωσιν (diōxōsin)
they persecute
active hostile pursuit/harassment
persecute
Active hostility directed at believers
bắt bớ
Medium
ψευδόμενοι (pseudomenoi)
lying, falsely speaking
slander, false accusation
falsely say / lying
The persecution is unjust — grounded in falsehood, not genuine wrongdoing
nói dối / vu cáo
Medium
ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ (heneken emou)
for my sake, because of me
causal — the reason for suffering is allegiance to Christ specifically
because of me / for my sake / on my account
Distinguishes Christ-centered suffering from suffering for righteousness generally (v.10); the persecution is explicitly Christological
vì cớ ta
High — must retain the explicitly Christ-centered (not generically moral) ground of this blessing, central to the Discipleship and Cost doctrine
Matthew 5:12
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε (chairete kai agalliasthe)
rejoice and exult/leap for joy
commanded joy, intensified by a second, stronger verb of exultation
rejoice and be glad / rejoice and be exceedingly glad
Joy is commanded even amid persecution, because of the reward secured
hãy vui vẻ và nức lòng mừng rỡ
Low–Medium
μισθὸς (misthos)
wage, reward, recompense
a reward given for service; can carry either a merit-based commercial sense or a grace-based gift sense depending on context
reward / recompense
The eschatological reward is God’s gracious gift in response to faithful, persecuted discipleship, not wages earned by merit
phần thưởng
Medium — must be taught within the grace framework (baseline “ân điển”), not as “công đức” (accumulated merit); the reward is given by a gracious God, not earned as commercial wages
ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς (en tois ouranois)
in the heavens
the heavenly, eternal realm where God’s reward is kept
in heaven
The reward is secure, future, and heavenly — not earthly compensation
ở trên trời
Low
προφῆται (prophētai)
prophets
reuse of baseline term
prophets
Believers join the line of God’s persecuted OT spokespeople
tiên tri
Low (reuse baseline exactly)
PART 2 — FULL BOOK, CHAPTER BY CHAPTER
Chapter 1 — Genealogy, Virgin Birth, Naming of Jesus
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
Χριστός (Christos)
Anointed One
title/name used throughout Matthew, functionally overlapping with baseline’s “messiah” entry but transliterated separately per Vietnamese Protestant convention
Christ / Messiah / Anointed One
Establishes Jesus’ identity as the promised Anointed King from the book’s opening verse
Đấng Christ
High — functionally synonymous with baseline “Đấng Mê-si-a”; keep both forms consistent with the Greek term actually used (Χριστός vs. explicit messianic-fulfillment language)
υἱὸς Δαυίδ (huios Dauid)
son of David
royal-messianic title rooted in the 2 Samuel 7 covenant
son of David
Frames Jesus as the promised royal heir fulfilling God’s covenant with David
Con Đa-vít
High — reuses baseline “Đa-vít” exactly; must not be flattened to a mere genealogical note, but taught as fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant doctrine
παρθένος (parthenos)
virgin
a woman who has not had sexual relations; in 1:23 citing Isaiah 7:14
virgin / young woman
Affirms the historical, miraculous, Spirit-wrought virgin conception of Jesus
gái đồng trinh
Critical — must never be softened to a generic “young woman” reading; must also be distinguished from Vietnamese/Chinese folk hero-birth legends (miraculous conception from a dragon, spirit, or divine visitation), which are mythic-genre narratives, whereas this is a unique, historical, Spirit-wrought act of the one true God
Ἐμμανουήλ (Emmanouēl)
“God with us”
transliterated Hebrew name applied to Jesus
Immanuel / “God with us”
Direct affirmation that the child is God himself present with his people
Em-ma-nu-ên (“Đức Chúa Trời ở cùng chúng ta”)
Critical — foundational to the Deity of Christ; must retain both the transliteration and the explanatory gloss
πληρωθῇ (plērōthē)
might be fulfilled
the fulfillment formula recurring throughout Matthew
Medium — ties to baseline “lời tiên tri”/prophecy doctrine; must retain linear, historical, one-time fulfillment sense, never a cyclical framing
Chapter 2 — The Magi, Herod, Flight to Egypt
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων (basileus tōn Ioudaiōn)
king of the Jews
royal title sought by the Magi, later mocked at the crucifixion (27:37)
King of the Jews
Frames Jesus’ kingship as recognized even by Gentile outsiders from birth
Vua dân Do Thái
Medium
προσκυνέω (proskyneō)
to bow down, do homage, worship
ranges from respectful obeisance to a human superior, to full religious worship of deity, depending on context
worship / bow down / pay homage
The Magi’s act (2:11) is presented as worship of the divine child-king
thờ phượng
Critical — shares the root “thờ” with “thờ cúng” (ancestor veneration/worship at the family altar); every occurrence in Matthew (here, 4:9–10, 14:33, 28:9,17) requires a teaching note distinguishing exclusive worship due to Christ’s divine identity from honoring/venerating ancestors
πληρωθῇ (fulfillment formula, recurring)
—
—
—
Two further fulfillment citations in this chapter (Bethlehem, “out of Egypt I called my son,” Rachel weeping)
được ứng nghiệm
Medium (reuse ch.1 entry)
Chapter 3 — John the Baptist, Baptism of Jesus
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
μετάνοια / μετανοέω (metanoia / metanoeō)
change of mind, turning
a fundamental reorientation of heart and life toward God, not a ritual act
repent / repentance
John’s and Jesus’ foundational call in view of the coming kingdom
ăn năn / sự ăn năn
High — rejected alternative: “sám hối” (Buddhist ritual repentance/confession aimed at reducing negative karma). Ăn năn must be taught as a relational turning toward a personal God, not a merit-offsetting ritual
βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν (basileia tōn ouranōn)
kingdom of heaven
first occurrence of Matthew’s signature phrase (3:2)
kingdom of heaven
God’s reign is imminent and demands a response
Nước Thiên Đàng
High (see Beatitudes entry above; establish as Matthew’s distinctive phrase, distinct from but synonymous with baseline’s “Nước Đức Chúa Trời”)
βαπτίζω / βάπτισμα (baptizō / baptisma)
to dip, immerse / immersion
a public, once-for-all act of identification and covenant sign
baptize / baptism
John’s baptism of repentance; Jesus’ own baptism inaugurates his public ministry and reveals the Trinity
báp-têm / phép báp-têm
Medium — distinguish from generic ritual washing (tẩy uế); establish consistent transliterated form for reuse at the Great Commission (28:19)
υἱός ἀγαπητός (huios agapētos)
beloved son
divine declaration at the baptism
beloved Son / my dear Son
Confirms Jesus’ unique Sonship, echoed at the Transfiguration (17:5)
Con yêu dấu
Critical (reuse baseline “Con Đức Chúa Trời” doctrine — Sonship of Christ)
Chapter 4 — Temptation, Calling of Disciples, Galilean Ministry Begins
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
πειράζω / πειρασμός (peirazō / peirasmos)
to test, tempt
testing that may prove or attempt to corrupt character
tempt / temptation / test
Satan’s temptation attacks Jesus’ identity as Son of God; Jesus resists by Scripture, unlike Israel’s failures
cám dỗ / sự cám dỗ
Medium
βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν (repeat)
—
—
kingdom of heaven is at hand
Jesus begins public preaching of the same kingdom message as John
Nước Thiên Đàng
High (reuse)
ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων (halieis anthrōpōn)
fishers of men
metaphor for gathering people into discipleship
fishers of men / fishers of people
Calls the first disciples to a mission of gathering people to Christ
những người đánh lưới người
Low
Chapter 5 (continued, 5:13–48) — Salt and Light, Fulfilling the Law, The Antitheses
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ἅλας / φῶς (halas / phōs)
salt / light
metaphors for preserving, purifying, and illuminating influence
salt of the earth / light of the world
Disciples’ visible kingdom character affects the surrounding world
muối / sự sáng
Low–Medium
πληρῶσαι τὸν νόμον (plērōsai ton nomon)
to fulfill the Law
completing/bringing to its intended fullness, not abolishing
fulfill the Law
Jesus affirms continuity with and fulfillment of the OT Law, reframing its true intent
làm cho luật pháp được trọn
Medium — reuses baseline “luật pháp” exactly; connects to the Fulfillment of OT Prophecy doctrine
”You have heard… but I say to you” (antithesis formula)
—
Jesus’ own authoritative reinterpretation set alongside/against traditional legal interpretation
”but I say to you”
A direct claim to an authority equal to or greater than Moses’ Law itself
”nhưng ta nói cùng các ngươi”
High — central to the Authority of Jesus’ Teaching doctrine; must retain the force of a personal, sovereign teaching claim, not a mere rabbinic opinion among others
Introduces the Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees doctrine: authentic heart-level righteousness versus external legal performance
sự công bình
High (see full note under Chapter 23 and Core Glossary)
τέλειος (teleios)
complete, whole, mature
wholehearted covenant integrity/maturity, not flawless moral perfectionism
perfect / complete / mature
Disciples are called to reflect God’s own undivided, all-encompassing goodness
trọn vẹn
High — must not be taught as sinless self-achieved moral perfection (a works-righteousness reading) nor equated with Buddhist enlightened perfection (giác ngộ); this is covenant wholeness modeled on God’s character, received and lived by grace
Chapter 6 — The Lord’s Prayer, Fasting, Treasures, Anxiety
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου (hagiasthētō to onoma sou)
let your name be sanctified
reuse of baseline “holy”
hallowed be your name
Prayer begins with God’s honor, not human need
thánh (danh Cha được thánh)
Medium (reuse baseline exactly)
ἄρτος ἐπιούσιος (artos epiousios)
bread for the coming day / daily bread
dependence on God’s provision for immediate need
daily bread
Trust in God’s ongoing provision, not anxious self-sufficiency
bánh đủ dùng hằng ngày
Low–Medium
ἀφίημι τὰ ὀφειλήματα (aphiēmi ta opheilēmata)
release the debts
forgiveness modeled on cancelling a debt outright
forgive us our debts / trespasses
Forgiveness is a release of debt, not a favor requiring future repayment
tha nợ
High — must not be modeled on the Confucian-style reciprocal-obligation favor (ơn nghĩa, already rejected for “grace” in the baseline); this is a debt cancelled outright, not a gift creating a future obligation to repay
μαμωνᾶς (mamōnas)
mammon, wealth (personified)
wealth treated as a rival master/deity
mammon / money / wealth
Wealth is personified as a false god competing for ultimate loyalty
Tiền Tài (Ma-môn)
Medium
Chapter 7 — Judging, Narrow Gate, Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ψευδοπροφῆται (pseudoprophētai)
false prophets
those who claim divine authority falsely
false prophets
Warns against deceptive teachers who look outwardly convincing
tiên tri giả
High — must be distinguished from baseline’s “thầy bói” (fortune-teller) risk already flagged for “prophet”; this is specifically about false claims to speak for God within the believing community, a live and serious risk in a religiously plural Vietnamese context
ἐξουσία (exousia)
authority, right, delegated power
inherent right/authority to act or command, distinct from mere capability
authority
7:28–29: the crowds are astonished because Jesus teaches “as one having authority, and not as their scribes” — the Authority of Jesus’ Teaching doctrine’s key text
quyền / uy quyền
Critical — must be distinguished from baseline’s “quyền năng” (dynamis, raw power/might); this is inherent right to command, and must not be taught as authority earned through scholarly study (as with the scribes) or through spiritual attainment (as with religious teachers/monks) — Jesus’ authority is inherent and self-attesting
Chapters 8–9 — Healing Ministry, Authority over Sickness and Sin, Calling of Matthew
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (huios tou anthrōpou)
son of man
Danielic (Dan 7:13–14) title combining true humanity with divine, universal authority; Jesus’ preferred self-designation
Son of Man
8:20 (first use), 9:6 (authority to forgive sins) — Jesus claims both full humanity and divine authority in one title
Con Người
Critical — must not be reduced to a modest self-reference meaning merely “a human being”; carries the full weight of the divine-authority figure of Daniel 7, essential to the doctrines of the Authority of Jesus’ Teaching and Deity of Christ
ἐξουσία (repeat, 8:9, 9:6)
authority
—
authority
The centurion recognizes Jesus’ authority operates like his own military chain of command, but sourced in God; 9:6 links authority to forgive sin with authority to heal
quyền / uy quyền
Critical (reuse ch.7 entry)
υἱὸς Δαυίδ (repeat, 9:27)
son of David
—
Son of David
First of several blind men’s cries recognizing Jesus’ messianic identity (repeated 15:22, 20:30–31, 21:9,15)
Con Đa-vít
High (reuse ch.1 entry)
ἁμαρτωλοί (hamartōloi)
sinners
reuse of baseline “tội lỗi” root
sinners
Jesus’ association with “sinners” (tax collectors) demonstrates the Universal Human Accountability and mercy themes
những kẻ có tội
Medium (reuse baseline)
ἔλεος (eleos)
mercy
God’s compassionate favor toward the needy, as opposed to ritual performance
mercy
9:13, 12:7: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (citing Hosea 6:6) — mercy takes priority over ritual religious performance
sự thương xót
Medium (reuse Beatitudes entry, 5:7)
Chapter 10 — Sending of the Twelve, Cost of Discipleship
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ἀπόστολοι (apostoloi)
ones sent
delegated, authoritative sent-ones
apostles
First formal naming of the Twelve as apostles (10:2)
sứ đồ
Medium (reuse baseline exactly)
μάχαιρα (machaira)
sword
metaphor for the relational division Christ’s claim on a disciple’s loyalty causes, not literal violence
sword / not peace but a sword
Following Christ can fracture family loyalty, including intergenerational and ancestral loyalty structures
gươm
High — must be carefully taught as relational conflict caused by supreme allegiance to Christ, not a call to literal violence; acutely sensitive given the weight of Vietnamese filial duty (đạo hiếu) and ancestor-veneration obligations, a tension already flagged in the Romans baseline’s treatment of adoption/fatherhood
σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ (stauron autou, 10:38)
his cross
first explicit “take up your cross” saying
take up his cross
Costly, public, potentially fatal identification with Christ
cây thập tự / vác thập tự giá mình
High — must not be flattened into a vague metaphor for “burdens”; retains the concrete force of a Roman execution instrument voluntarily taken up
ψυχή (psychē)
soul, life
one’s whole life/self, in the sense of ultimate self-orientation, not merely biological existence
life / soul
”Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” — losing self-oriented life to gain covenant life with Christ
mạng sống / linh hồn
Critical — must not be assimilated to the Buddhist “vô ngã” (no-self) doctrine, where dissolving the self is the goal of liberation itself; here loss of self-oriented life is relational and Christ-directed, not a metaphysical negation of selfhood as an end in itself
Chapter 11 — John the Baptist’s Question, Jesus’ Yoke
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ὁ ἐρχόμενος (ho erchomenos)
the one who is to come
messianic expectation formula
the one who was to come
John’s question tests whether Jesus is the promised Messiah; Jesus answers with messianic-fulfillment works
Đấng phải đến
High (reuse baseline “Đấng Mê-si-a” doctrine)
ζυγός (zygos)
yoke
a burden of instruction/obligation placed on a disciple, contrasted with the burdensome “yoke” of Pharisaic legal tradition
yoke
Jesus’ yoke is “easy” and “light,” unlike the burdens of merit-based religious systems
ách / gánh
Medium
ἀνάπαυσις (anapausis)
rest, repose
relational rest found in communion with Christ, not cessation of desire/selfhood
rest for your souls
Rest is relational communion with a personal Savior, offered as gift
sự yên nghỉ
High — must not be conflated with “niết bàn” (nirvana, the cessation of craving and extinguishing of self); Christ’s rest is relational communion with a personal God, not metaphysical extinguishing
Chapter 12 — Sabbath Controversies, the Unforgivable Sin
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
σάββατον (sabbaton)
Sabbath
the seventh-day rest commanded in the Law
Sabbath
Jesus, as “Son of Man,” claims lordship over the Sabbath’s true purpose
ngày Sa-bát
Medium
βλασφημία εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον (blasphēmia eis to Pneuma to Hagion)
blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
willful, hardened, final rejection of the Spirit’s testimony to Christ
unforgivable sin / blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
The one sin Matthew describes as unforgivable — decisive rejection of the Spirit’s witness, not any single sin against a spirit-being generally
sự nói phạm đến Đức Thánh Linh
Critical — reuses baseline “Đức Thánh Linh” exactly; must be taught with precision as final, hardened rejection of Christ’s Spirit-attested identity, and never generalized to any offense against the broad Vietnamese folk category of “thần linh” (spirits)
σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ (sēmeion Iōna)
sign of Jonah
typological pointer to the Resurrection
sign of Jonah
Foreshadows Christ’s three-day burial and resurrection
dấu lạ của Giô-na
Medium (reuse baseline “sự sống lại” doctrine)
Chapter 13 — Parables of the Kingdom
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
μυστήριον (mystērion)
mystery, hidden thing now revealed
previously hidden divine truth disclosed by revelation, not esoteric ritual/occult knowledge
mysteries / secrets
”The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” are disclosed to disciples through Jesus’ teaching, understood by faith
những điều kín nhiệm / mầu nhiệm
High — must not be associated with esoteric occult secret knowledge, magical formulas, or a hidden gnosis attained through ritual/initiation; this is gospel truth revealed to faith
συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος (synteleia tou aiōnos)
the completion/end of the age
the final, linear, one-time consummation of the present age at Christ’s return
the end of the age
Parables of the weeds and the net describe a final, decisive separation and judgment at history’s close
sự tận thế / sự cuối cùng của thời đại này
Critical — must not be rendered in a way suggesting a cyclical kalpa-style world-ending-and-reforming (Buddhist cosmology) or an era-decline framework (as in the Buddhist concept of “mạt pháp”); this is history’s single, final, linear consummation under Christ’s judgment
Chapter 14 — Death of John the Baptist, Feeding of the 5,000, Walking on Water
No new theological vocabulary requiring fresh treatment; reuses Son of God (Chapter 3/baseline), worship/thờ phượng (Chapter 2), and faith/đức tin (baseline). Reviewed and confirmed: no new load-bearing terms.
Chapter 15 — Tradition of the Elders, the Canaanite Woman’s Faith
inherited human religious tradition, here set against God’s actual commandment
tradition of the elders / human tradition
Jesus critiques traditions that nullify God’s Word, not the honoring of elders itself
truyền thống của các trưởng lão
High — extremely sensitive given the deep, positive value Vietnamese Confucian culture places on honoring elders and ancestral tradition; teaching must clarify precisely that the critique targets traditions that override God’s Word, not filial respect or the honoring of elders as such
καθαρός / κοινός (katharos / koinos)
clean / common (ritually unclean)
ritual purity categories reinterpreted by Jesus as matters of the heart
clean / unclean
True defilement comes from the heart, not from ritual food categories
tinh sạch / không tinh sạch (ô uế)
Medium
Chapter 16 — Peter’s Confession, the Church, the Keys of the Kingdom
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ὁ Χριστός, ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος (16:16)
the Christ, the Son of the living God
Peter’s climactic confession
”You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”
The full-book turning-point confession of Jesus’ messianic and divine identity
16:18: “I will build my church” — the foundational Church doctrine text
Hội Thánh
Medium (reuse baseline exactly)
κλεῖδας τῆς βασιλείας… δήσῃς… λύσῃς (16:19)
keys of the kingdom… you bind… you loose
authoritative, Spirit-empowered declaration/application of gospel truth and church discipline, delegated to the apostolic/church community
keys of the kingdom / bind and loose
Authority to open/close the kingdom’s message through gospel proclamation and to exercise church discipline, grounded in Christ’s own authority
chìa khóa Nước Thiên Đàng; sự buộc lại và mở ra
Critical — must never be modeled on “bùa chú” (Vietnamese/East Asian folk magical binding/loosing charms or curses) or occult ritual power over spirits; this is delegated authority to apply gospel truth and exercise church discipline under Christ’s lordship, foundational to the Church and Church Discipline doctrine (see also Chapter 18)
Chapter 17 — The Transfiguration
No significant new theological vocabulary beyond terms already established. “Listen to him” (ἀκούετε αὐτοῦ) reinforces the Authority of Jesus’ Teaching doctrine (reuse Chapters 5, 7). Beloved Son reuses the Chapter 3/baseline Sonship of Christ entry. Reviewed and confirmed: no new load-bearing terms beyond reinforcement of existing doctrine.
Chapter 18 — Church Discipline, Forgiveness
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
”tell it to the church” / ἐκκλησία (18:17)
—
reuse of Chapter 16 term
tell it to the church
The formal process of church discipline for unrepentant sin, culminating in the local congregation’s authority
nói với Hội Thánh
High (reuse baseline “Hội Thánh”; central Church Discipline doctrine text)
δήσῃς… λύσῃς (repeat, 18:18)
bind… loose
reuse of Chapter 16 term applied specifically to church discipline outcomes
bind and loose
The local church’s disciplinary decisions carry heaven-ratified weight
buộc lại… mở ra
Critical (reuse Chapter 16 entry)
συνηγμένοι εἰς τὸ ὄνομά μου (18:20)
gathered together in my name
Christ’s promised presence with the gathered church
”where two or three are gathered in my name”
Christ himself is present with the disciplining/worshiping congregation
nhóm lại trong danh ta
Medium — must not be modeled as invoking ancestral or spirit presence at a shrine or family altar; this is the risen Christ’s own promised personal presence with his gathered people
ἀφίημι (repeat, unforgiving servant parable)
forgive/release debt
reuse of Chapter 6 term, dramatized in parable form
forgive
Forgiven people must forgive; failure to forgive contradicts the grace received
tha thứ / tha nợ
High (reuse Chapter 6 entry; reinforces grace-not-debt doctrine)
Chapter 19 — Divorce, the Rich Young Man, Eternal Life
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ὃ οὖν ὁ Θεὸς συνέζευξεν (ho oun ho Theos synezeuxen)
what God has joined together
God as the active agent uniting a marriage
what God has joined together
Marriage’s permanence is grounded in God’s own joining act
Đức Chúa Trời đã phối hợp
Medium
ζωὴ αἰώνιος (zōē aiōnios)
eternal life, life of the age (to come)
unending personal fellowship with God secured through Christ, not an escape from an impersonal cycle
eternal life
The rich young man’s question frames the entire chapter’s concern: how one receives unending life with God
sự sống đời đời
Critical — must not be conflated with the Buddhist goal of escaping saṃsāra (the cycle of rebirth) or achieving nirvana; this is unending personal, relational fellowship with the living God, secured through Christ, paralleling but distinct from the baseline’s “sự cứu rỗi”
Chapter 20 — Workers in the Vineyard, the Ransom
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
(Parable of the vineyard workers, no new lexical term)
—
Equal pay regardless of hours worked
”the last will be first”
A vivid narrative illustration of the baseline Grace doctrine — reward given by the master’s generosity, not earned by labor performed
(reinforces “ân điển”)
High — strong doctrinal note: this parable directly illustrates the Romans baseline’s grace-versus-merit distinction; must not be taught as endorsing unfairness but as revealing grace’s non-transactional generosity
λύτρον (lytron)
ransom, price of release
a payment made to secure the release of one in bondage
ransom
20:28: “the Son of Man came… to give his life as a ransom for many” — foundational atonement statement
giá chuộc
Critical — must convey a substitutionary payment by Christ that secures release from sin’s bondage as an unmerited gift, never as repayment of an impersonal karmic debt that could in principle be paid off by the debtor’s own effort
Chapter 21 — Triumphal Entry, Cleansing the Temple, Parable of the Tenants
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ὡσαννά (hōsanna)
“save now,” an acclamation of praise
transliterated Hebrew acclamation
Hosanna
The crowd’s acclamation of Jesus as the Son of David, the coming Savior-King
Hô-sa-na
Medium
λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν… κεφαλὴν γωνίας (21:42)
the stone which they rejected… the cornerstone
Messianic citation of Psalm 118: the rejected stone becomes the foundational cornerstone
the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone
The rejected, crucified Messiah is vindicated as the foundation of God’s building, the church
đá bị loại ra đã trở nên đá đầu góc nhà
High
βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ (basileia tou Theou, 21:43)
kingdom of God
Note: here Matthew uses the Markan/Lukan phrase, not “kingdom of heaven”
kingdom of God
The kingdom is taken from unfruitful leadership and given to a fruitful people
Nước Đức Chúa Trời
High — translators must render the actual Greek phrase used in each verse; use baseline’s exact “Nước Đức Chúa Trời” here (as at 6:33, 12:28, 19:24) rather than “Nước Thiên Đàng,” while teaching that both phrases refer to the same divine reign
Chapter 22 — The Wedding Feast, Render to Caesar, the Greatest Commandment
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ἀγαπήσεις (agapēseis)
you shall love
wholehearted, covenantal, self-giving love toward God and neighbor
you shall love
The Greatest Commandment (love God, love neighbor) as the summary of the whole Law
yêu / kính mến
High — must convey wholehearted covenantal love flowing from relationship with God, not primarily a Confucian reciprocal filial duty (“hiếu”) owed by role or hierarchy; connects directly to the baseline’s “sự vâng phục của đức tin” (obedience of faith) doctrine
ἀνάστασις (repeat, resurrection debate)
resurrection
reuse of baseline term
resurrection
”God of the living, not the dead” affirms bodily resurrection against the Sadducees’ denial
sự sống lại
Critical (reuse baseline exactly)
Chapter 23 — Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ὑποκριτής (hypokritēs)
hypocrite, stage-actor
one whose outward performance masks inward reality
hypocrite
Central charge against externalized religious performance without heart transformation — the negative counterpart to Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees
kẻ giả hình
Medium
διάκονος (diakonos)
servant, one who serves
one who serves others rather than seeking honor
servant
”The greatest among you shall be your servant” (23:11) — kingdom greatness is inverted from worldly honor-seeking
đầy tớ
Medium
κλείετε τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν (23:13)
you shut the kingdom of heaven
denying others access to the kingdom through false teaching
”you shut the kingdom of heaven against people”
Religious leaders can become an obstacle to, rather than a gateway into, the kingdom
đóng cửa Nước Thiên Đàng
High (reuse ch.3 kingdom entry)
Chapter 24 — The Olivet Discourse: Signs of the End
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως (bdelygma tēs erēmōseōs)
abomination of desolation
Danielic apocalyptic image of a horrific act of desecration signaling final judgment
abomination of desolation
A concrete, historically-anchored sign preceding the great tribulation, not a vague symbol
sự gớm ghiếc tàn nát
Critical — must retain the concrete, historically-anchored apocalyptic force from Daniel; not to be softened into generalized moral decline language
θλῖψις μεγάλη (thlipsis megalē)
great tribulation
an unprecedented period of distress before the end
great tribulation
Intensifies the urgency of watchfulness before Christ’s return
”The sign of the Son of Man” — a visible, bodily, glorious return, not a symbolic or purely spiritual “coming”
sự đến (của Con Người)
Critical — must not be softened into a vague “spiritual presence” or purely symbolic renewal; this is Christ’s future, visible, personal, bodily return in glory
συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος (repeat, 24:3, 24:14)
end of the age
reuse of Chapter 13 entry
the end of the age
The gospel’s proclamation to all nations precedes the final, linear consummation
sự tận thế
Critical (reuse Chapter 13 entry)
Chapter 25 — Ten Virgins, Talents, Sheep and Goats
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
κόλασιν αἰώνιον (kolasin aiōnion)
eternal punishment
unending, conscious judgment, not a temporary corrective state
eternal punishment
The final sentence on the unrighteous at the last judgment, explicitly parallel in duration to eternal life
sự hình phạt đời đời
Critical — must not be rendered in a way suggesting a temporary purgative realm (as in the Buddhist địa ngục/naraka, exited upon exhaustion of negative karma); this is conscious, unending judgment, directly parallel in force to “sự sống đời đời” (eternal life)
ζωὴ αἰώνιος (repeat, 25:46)
eternal life
reuse of Chapter 19 entry
eternal life
The parallel, unending destiny of the righteous
sự sống đời đời
Critical (reuse Chapter 19 entry)
οἱ ἀδελφοί μου οἱ ἐλάχιστοι (25:40)
the least of these my brothers
the vulnerable and needy, identified with Christ himself
the least of these my brothers
Practical mercy toward the vulnerable is treated as service rendered to Christ himself
những người bé mọn nhất trong anh em ta
Medium
Chapter 26 — The Last Supper, Gethsemane, Betrayal and Arrest
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ σῶμά μου (26:26)
this is my body
institution of the Lord’s Supper
”this is my body”
Christ’s own body given for his disciples, commemorated in the ongoing practice of the church
đây là thân thể ta
Critical — foundational to the church’s ongoing sacrament/ordinance; must be taught with clarity that avoids both a literalistic misunderstanding and any loss of its sacrificial, covenantal significance
τὸ αἷμά μου τῆς διαθήκης (26:28)
my blood of the covenant
covenant-inaugurating, sacrificial blood, once for all
”this is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”
Institutes the new covenant, fulfilling and superseding the Mosaic covenant sacrifices
huyết của sự giao ước (huyết ta)
Critical — reuses baseline “giao ước” exactly; must never be modeled on “huyết thệ” (the East Asian/Vietnamese folk practice of sworn blood-oath brotherhood pacts); this is a once-for-all, sacrificial, covenant-inaugurating death, not a reciprocal oath-bond ritual between equals
High — must retain full doctrinal weight as a real experience of substitutionary abandonment within the Godhead’s plan of atonement, not softened into a generic lament devoid of atonement significance
καταπέτασμα (katapetasma)
veil, curtain
the temple curtain separating the Holy of Holies
veil / curtain (of the temple)
Its tearing (27:51) symbolizes newly opened access to God through Christ’s death
màn trong đền thờ
High
ἀληθῶς Θεοῦ υἱὸς ἦν οὗτος (27:54)
truly this was the Son of God
the centurion’s confession
”Truly this was the Son of God”
A Gentile’s unwitting confirmation of Christ’s divine Sonship at the cross
”Người này thật là Con Đức Chúa Trời”
Critical (reuse baseline “Con Đức Chúa Trời” exactly)
Chapter 28 — The Resurrection and the Great Commission
Term
Literal Meaning
Semantic Range
English Variants
Theological Meaning in Context
Vietnamese Rendering
Risk
ἠγέρθη (ēgerthē)
he was raised
reuse of baseline resurrection term
he has risen
Bodily, historical, once-for-all resurrection confirmed by the empty tomb and appearances
sống lại
Critical (reuse baseline “sự sống lại” exactly)
προσεκύνησαν (repeat, 28:9, 28:17)
they worshiped
reuse of Chapter 2 term, now directed to the risen Christ
they worshiped him
The disciples’ worship of the risen Christ confirms his full deity
thờ phượng
Critical (reuse Chapter 2 entry)
μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη (28:19)
make disciples of all the nations
the Great Commission’s central command
”go and make disciples of all nations”
The church’s ongoing mission mandate to every people group
khiến muôn dân trở nên môn đồ ta
Critical — foundational mission text; “muôn dân” (all peoples/nations) is broader than baseline’s “dân ngoại” (Gentiles, the ethnic non-Jew category used in Romans’ Jew/Gentile discussions); use the missional “muôn dân” here to avoid the Jew/Gentile binary framing where it is not in view
baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
the Trinitarian baptismal formula — one singular divine “name,” three Persons
”baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”
The full Trinity is invoked as a single divine name in the ordinance of baptism
làm báp-têm cho họ trong danh Đức Cha, Đức Con và Đức Thánh Linh
Critical — must retain the singular “danh” (name, not “names”): one divine name shared by three co-equal, co-eternal Persons, never rendered in a way that suggests three separate deities invoked together, as in a syncretistic multi-spirit invocation
This document must be loaded alongside analysis/08_core_glossary.md and the Romans baseline translation_memory.json before any Phase 2 translation of Matthew begins. New terms identified above are candidates for formal addition to translation memory; see Core Glossary for consolidated entries and risk tiers.
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