Preferred Terms

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This glossary gathers the agreed English renderings for key Greek vocabulary across all 27 New Testament books. It is organised by conceptual domain. For each term you will find:

Greek term(s) – the lexical form used in the reference files
Canonical English rendering – the approved surface wording
Avoid – renderings that were deliberately excluded because they import later theological, ecclesiastical, or anachronistic senses
Notes – the practical rule for choosing among senses
Representative references – where the term is used in the New Testament

1. Identity & Agency

Greek term	Canonical English	Avoid	Notes
`θεός` (anarthrous)	god	“God” capitalised by default; “a God”; “the God” when anarthrous	Qualitative or representative sense. Capitalise only if sentence-initial or if it clearly resumes reference to the one God.
`ὁ θεός` (articular)	God	“the God” as a default English article; “Yahweh” unless in a direct quotation	Functions as the proper name of the one God of Israel.
`κύριος`	sir / lord / Lord	“the Lord” as an automatic title for Jesus; “Master”; “Mister”	Vocative `κύριε` before recognition = “sir”; Jesus as confessed agent = “lord”; YHWH in OT citations = “Lord”.
`χριστός`	the Christ / Messiah	“Christ” as a mere surname; “Lord Jesus Christ” when the titular sense is lost	Keep the title audible: “Jesus the Christ.” Use “Jesus Christ” only where the Greek treats it as a fixed name.
`μεσσίας`	Messiah	“Christ” (transliteration switch)	Always the Jewish titular sense.
`υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου`	the son of the man (articular) / a son of man (anarthrous)	“the Son of Man” (fixed title capitalisation); “the son of man”	Preserves the Danielic representative-human figure.
`υἱὸς θεοῦ`	son of God / a son of God	“Son of God” capitalised by default	A royal/covenantal title (Ps 2:7; 2 Sam 7:14), not a later metaphysical claim.
`ἐγώ εἰμι` (absolute)	I am he	“I AM” capitalised; “I am that I am”; paraphrases	A recognition/self-identification formula unless the text explicitly cites Exodus 3:14.
`ἀπόστολος`	sent one / apostle	“the Apostle” as a capitalised title; “missionary”	Emphasises the agency of one sent with the sender’s authority.
`υἱὸς Δαυίδ`	son of David	“Son of David” capitalised	Royal covenantal title, always lowercase.
`ὁ ἐρχόμενος`	the coming one	“he who is to come”; “the One Who Comes” capitalised	Messianic expectation title; preserve the participial form.

2. Worship & Cultic Terms

Greek term	Canonical English	Avoid	Notes
`προσκυνέω`	pay homage / do obeisance	“worship” when the object is Jesus or a human	The standard gesture of prostration before a king/superior. “Worship” is reserved for cultic worship of God.
`λατρεύω`	cultic service / offer cultic service	“worship” (generic); “serve” bare	In NT usage, reserved for God alone.
`εὐλογητός`	blessed	“praised”	Doxological adjective.
`ἁγιάζω / ἁγιασμός`	consecrate / consecration	“sanctify / sanctification” as default	Preserves the cultic sense of setting apart for God.
`θυσία`	sacrifice	“offering” when blood sacrifice is meant	In LXX, standard term for blood sacrifice.
`ἱλαστήριον`	mercy seat / means of atonement	“propitiation” as default; “expiation” when location is lost	In Rom 3:25 and Heb 9:5, the mercy-seat imagery is primary.
`προσφορά`	offering / gift	“oblation”; secular “gift”	Distinct from θυσία in LXX usage.
`λειτουργέω / λειτουργός`	minister / attendant / perform public service	“liturgist”; “worship leader”; “officiate”	Retains public/cultic service overtones.

3. Institutions & People

Greek term	Canonical English	Avoid	Notes
`ἐκκλησία`	assembly	“church” as default	The gathered, summoned community; echoes the Hebrew qahal.
`Ἰουδαῖοι`	Judeans	“the Jews” as a monolithic religious label	Geographic/ethnic/covenantal label; context determines the referent.
`Ἰσραήλ`	Israel	“the Jews”; “Israelites”	The covenant name of God’s people.
`ἔθνη`	nations / Gentiles	“heathen”; “pagans”	Use “nations” when political plurality is in view; “Gentiles” when contrasting with Israel.
`ἅγιοι`	holy ones	“saints” default	The consecrated people of God.
`ἐπίσκοπος`	overseer	“bishop”	A local leadership role.
`διάκονος`	servant / attendant	“deacon” as default	“Deacon” only where a distinct local office is clearly in view (Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3).
`πρεσβύτερος`	elder / older man	“presbyter”; “priest” when age is meant	Context decides age vs local leadership role.
`γραμματεύς`	scribe	“teacher of the law” as default	Professional Torah scholar and interpreter.
`ἀρχιερεύς`	high priest	“chief priest” as the only plural rendering	Plural refers to the high-priestly families / ruling class.
`συναγωγή`	synagogue / gathering	“congregation” for the building; “church”	“Gathering” for the meeting (Jas 2:2); “synagogue” for the institution.
`ἀποσυνάγωγος`	expelled-from-synagogue	“excommunicated”; “cast out of the assembly”	Captures the social reality of exclusion from the Jewish assembly.
`Φαρισαῖος`	Pharisee	—	Lay Jewish party of Torah piety and purity.
`Σαδδουκαῖος`	Sadducee	—	Priestly-aristocratic party; deny resurrection.

4. Politics & Empire

Greek term	Canonical English	Avoid	Notes
`εὐαγγέλιον`	gospel / glad-tidings	“good news” with loss of royal gravity; “message”	Royal announcement; subverts imperial use of the term.
`παρουσία`	arrival	“presence”; “coming” when the royal visit is lost	Technical term for the official visit of a ruler/dignitary.
`ἐπιφάνεια`	appearing	“manifestation” as default; “epiphany”	Visible royal appearance.
`σωτήρ`	savior	“Saviour” capitalised by default; “deliverer” when imperial resonance is needed	Imperial title transferred to God and Jesus.
`εἰρήνη`	peace	—	Subverts the imperial Pax Romana.
`βασιλεύς`	king	“King” capitalised by default	General political title.
`βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ / τῶν οὐρανῶν`	kingdom of God / kingdom of the heavens	“reign of God”; “rule of God”	In Matthew, “heavens” is a reverential circumlocution for God.
`ἐξουσία`	authority / governing authority	“power” when authority is the legal sense	Delegated right to act.
`λῃστής`	insurgent	“robber”; “thief”; “bandit”; “brigand”	In Josephus and the Gospels, the word denotes resistance fighters.
`ναός`	sanctuary	“temple” when ἱερόν is “temple”	The inner shrine / house of God.
`ἱερόν`	temple	“sanctuary” when ναός is “sanctuary”	The wider temple precinct, including courts.
`πολίτευμα`	citizenship / commonwealth	“conversation” (KJV archaism); “community”	Political community metaphor (Phil 3:20).

5. Eschatology & Time

Greek term	Canonical English	Avoid	Notes
`αἰών`	age	“world” when age is meant; “forever” when the two-ages framework should be audible	The present age / the age to come.
`εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα`	for the age	“forever” as generic default	“Into the age.”
`ζωὴ αἰώνιος`	eternal life / life of the age	“everlasting life” as default	The life of the age to come, present already in the Messiah.
`ἀνάστασις`	resurrection / raising	—	Prefer “raising” where the divine passive sense can be preserved.
`κατάπαυσις`	rest	—	The Sabbath-rest of God (Heb 3–4).
`τελειόω / τελείωσις`	complete / completion	“perfect / perfection” as default moral sense	To bring to its appointed goal/end.
`ἐλπίς`	hope	“wish”; neutral “expectation”	Confident covenantal expectation.

6. Key Theological Nouns

Greek term	Canonical English	Avoid	Notes
`λόγος`	word	“Word” capitalised by default	Personified in John 1 as God’s creative utterance; lowercased and impersonal until 1:14.
`πνεῦμα ἅγιον`	holy spirit	“Holy Spirit” capitalised by default; “Holy Ghost”	Neuter noun; pronoun “it” in English; God’s empowering presence.
`παράκλητος`	helper	“Comforter”; “Counselor”; “Advocate” as default	Same English word for Jesus (1 John 2:1) and the spirit (John 14–16).
`πίστις`	faith / allegiance / faithfulness	“belief” (bare cognitive assent); “religion”	Patron-client loyalty; context decides the nuance.
`χάρις`	grace / benefaction	“grace” when the patronage sense is lost	The uncoerced gift of a benefactor.
`δικαιοσύνη`	righteousness / justice	“righteousness” when the social-field “justice” is better	Covenant faithfulness, vindication, right order.
`νόμος`	law	“Law” capitalised by default; “legalism”	Articular “the law” = Torah; anarthrous “under law” = law-regime.
`ἁμαρτία`	sin	“the Sin” capitalised as a mythical entity in all contexts	Covenantal transgression.
`μετάνοια`	turning / repentance	“penance”; “sorrow” (mere regret)	A full reorientation of allegiance.
`μυστήριον`	mystery	“sacrament”; “secret”	God’s long-hidden plan, now revealed.
`δόξα`	glory	Capitalised as a proper name when abstract	Radiant presence/weight of God; also human honour.
`ἀλήθεια`	truth	—	Covenant faithfulness as well as propositional accuracy.
`ἀγάπη`	love	“charity”	Covenant/person-giving love.
`κόσμος`	world	“universe” when the human order is meant; “world-system”	Predominantly the human order in rebellion and redemption.
`σάρξ`	flesh	“human nature” (abstraction); “sinful nature” (crude binary)	Embodied human weakness/earthly sphere.
`ψυχή`	life / soul	“soul” as default when life/self is meant	The whole living self.
`ὄνομα`	name	“the Name” mystically capitalised	Name = authority and presence; acting in the name is delegated agency.
`μονογενής`	unique / only-begotten	Fixed capitalised title; “one and only Son” if it loses filial sense	Unique filial status.
`πρωτότοκος`	firstborn	“first-created”	Pre-eminent rank and inheritance rights (Ps 89:27).
`μορφή`	form / image	“nature”; “essence”	Visible expression/likeness.
`σατανᾶς`	Satan / the Adversary	“Lucifer”; “the devil” as a proper-name mixture	Subordinate accuser in God’s court.
`διάβολος`	devil / slanderer	—	The slandering accuser.
`ἄγγελος`	angel / messenger	“Angel” capitalised by default	Lowercased; context decides heavenly or human messenger.
`θῆριον`	beast	“Beast” capitalised; “monster”	Imperial power symbol in Revelation.
`ἀρνίον`	lamb	“Lamb” capitalised by default	Apocalyptic title in Revelation; the slain-yet-standing agent.

7. Fixed Phrases & Idioms

Greek phrase	Canonical English	Avoid	Notes
`ἀπεκρίθη καὶ εἶπεν`	answered and said	“replied”; “responded”; “answered, saying” reordered	Preserve the Semitic doubling.
`ἀμὴν ἀμήν`	amen, amen	“verily, verily”; “truly, truly”; paraphrase	Solemn assertion formula in John; single “amen” in the Synoptics.
`ἰδού / ἴδε`	behold	“look” (too casual); “see here”; “lo”	Demonstrative attention-getter.
`τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί`	What is that to me and to you?	“What do I have to do with you?”; archaic “thee”	Hebrew idiom of non-involvement.
`γενηθήτω`	let it be / may it happen	“be it done”; “let it be done to me” (wooden literal)	Often a divine passive.
`γίνομαι`	came to be	“became” in creation/new-creation contexts	Double-referent catchword in John’s prologue: creation and incarnation.
`ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο`	the word came to be flesh	“the Word became flesh”	Creation-language as realisation.
`τετέλεσται`	it is finished / it has been completed	“it is consummated”; “it is done”	Divine passive; the appointed work is complete.
`παρέδωκεν τὸ πνεῦμα`	delivered up the spirit / let the spirit go	“gave up the ghost”; “breathed his last”; “committed his spirit”	Natural death language.
`ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι`	in the name	“in My Name” capitalised; “in my authority”	Delegated authority of the sender.
`υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου` (John 5:27)	a son of man	“the son of the man” as fixed articular title here	Anarthrous; echoes Dan 7:13 LXX.
`καινὴ κτίσις`	new creation	“new creature” (individual-only)	The eschatological order inaugurated in the Messiah.
`ἐν Χριστῷ / ἐν κυρίῳ`	in Christ / in the lord	“by means of Christ”; “through Christ” when the locative sense is primary	Participatory, corporate union.
`σύν-` prefixed verbs	co-crucified, co-live, co-raise, co-glorify	“with Christ” paraphrase	Preserves corporate solidarity.

8. Verbal Mechanics

Greek feature	Canonical English	Avoid	Notes
Divine passives	Preserve the passive construction	Active voice that implies Jesus raised/glorified himself independently	“he was raised” rather than “he rose.”
`ἀναστάς / ἐγερθείς`	having been raised / rising	“having risen” when the passive should be preserved	Keep the passive where Greek uses the passive participle.
`μέλλω + infinitive`	about to + verb	—	Imminence/impending action.
`ὀψία / πρωΐ`	evening / early morning	“late”; “dawn” when πρωΐ means early	Simple time markers.

9. Site / Place Names & Personal Names

Greek term	Canonical English	Avoid	Notes
`ἱερουσαλήμ / Ἱεροσόλυμα`	Jerusalem	—	One English name covers both Greek spellings.
`Ἰησοῦς`	Jesus	“Jeshua”	Greek form of the Hebrew Yeshua/Yehoshua.

10. Book-Specific Overrides

Greek term	Canonical English	Avoid	Notes
`ναός / ἱερόν` (John, 2 Thess, Rev)	sanctuary / temple	“temple” for ναός when ἱερόν is temple; reverse	Distinguish inner shrine from precinct.
`λῃστής` (Gospels)	insurgent	“robber”, “thief”, “bandit”	Passion-narrative sedition context.
`ἐκκλησία` (Matt 16:18; 18:17)	assembly	“church”	The new-covenant assembly.
`παράκλητος` (1 John 2:1; John 14–16)	helper	“Advocate”, “Comforter”, “Counselor”	Single surface for both Jesus and the spirit.
`προσκυνέω` (Revelation)	pay homage	“worship” as default	Homage to the lamb vs homage to the beast; `λατρεύω` reserved for God.