Abart | perversion |
Abendmahl | Lord’s table / communion / eucharist |
abfallen (vom Glauben) | fall away (from the faith) |
ablehnen | reject |
Ablehnung | rejection |
abschaffen | abolish |
absichtlich | deliberate |
Absolution | absolution (Catholic term for forgiveness spoken by a priest) |
Abtreibung | abortion |
abweichen | deviate |
Abweichung | deviation |
Abwesenheit | absence |
acht haben | be watchful |
Achtung | respect |
Adler | eagle |
adoptieren | adopt |
Advent, Ankunft | advent |
Ähnlichkeit | likeness / similarity |
Akkord | chord |
Alkohol | alcohol |
Alkoholiker/in | alcoholic |
Allerheiligstes | Holy of Holies (specially holy part of Old Testament worship buildings) |
allgemeines Priestertum | priesthood of all believers (the belief that all Christians have direct access to God and do not need a priest as a go-between) |
allmächtig | almighty / omnipotent |
Alt | alto |
Altar | altar |
altertümlich | ancient |
Altes Testament | Old Testament (the part of the Bible written before the time of Jesus) |
Älteste/r | elder / presbyter (member of the church leadership, particularly in free churches) |
Anabaptist | Anabaptist |
anbefehlen: ich befehle dich der Gnade Gottes an | I commit you to the grace of God |
anbeten | worship |
Anbetung | worship (honour given to God in prayer and/or song) |
anbieten | offer |
Andacht | devotion, reverence (as an attitude) |
Andacht | devotions (as a personal time of prayer) |
Andacht | short church service |
Andreas | Andrew |
Anerkennung | recognition |
Anfechtung | temptation, tribulation |
Angebot | offer |
Angriff | attack |
anklagen | accuse |
ankündigen | announce |
Anliegen | concern |
anmaßend | arrogant |
annehmen | accept |
anrufen | call (on God) in prayer |
anrühren | touch |
Anskar-Kirche | Anskar Church (independent charismatic movement from a Lutheran background) |
Anspruch: in Anspruch nehmen | appeal to, claim, call on |
Anstand | propriety (correct behaviour) |
anständig | decent, respectable |
Anstrengung | effort |
Anteil | share |
Antlitz (veraltet/antiquated) | countenance |
Apostel | apostle |
apostolisch | apostolic |
appellieren (an) | appeal (to) |
Arbeitslosigkeit | unemployment |
Arche | ark |
arm | poor |
Armut | poverty |
Artikel | article (statement of belief) |
Astrologie | astrology |
Atem | breath (sometimes a symbol of life or of the Holy Spirit) |
Atheismus | atheism |
Atheist/in | atheist |
aufdecken | uncover |
Auferstehung | resurrection (especially refers to Jesus rising from death after the crucifixion; also used for the life of Christians after death) |
Aufgabe | task |
aufgehen | rise (especially sun and moon) |
Auflehnung | rebellion |
Aufmerksamkeit | attention |
aufopferungsvoll | sacrificial |
aufrechterhalten | uphold |
aufrichtig | upright |
Aufruf | appeal (GB) / altar call (USA) |
Aufruhr | commotion, turmoil |
aufrütteln | stir up |
aufrüttelnd | stirring |
Aufsicht | supervision |
auftanken | recharge one’s (spiritual) batteries |
aufzeichnen | record |
Aufzeichnung | record |
Auge um Auge | an eye for an eye (principle of revenge in the Old Testament) |
ausbreiten, erweitern | expand |
Ausbreitung | expansion |
Ausdauer | perseverance |
auserwählt | chosen |
die Auserwählten | the elect, the chosen ones (i.e. those who have come to faith) |
Ausgestoßene/r | outcast |
ausgießen | pour out (refers especially to occasions when God gives the Holy Spirit to people in observable ways) |
ausgraben | excavate |
Ausgrabung | excavation (especially at historical sites, such as places that are mentioned in the Bible) |
aushalten | endure |
ausharren | persevere |
auslassen | omit |
Auslegung | interpretation |
ausliefern: sich ausliefern | commit oneself |
ausrüsten | equip |
Ausrüstung | equipment |
aussäen | sow |
ausschweifend | wild, excessive, dissipated |
Außensstehende/r | outsider (particularly used of people who have no link to the church) |
Aussiedlergemeinde | church made up largely of immigrants from German ethnic groups in Eastern Europe |
Austeilung | distribution |
austreiben | drive out |
Auswahl | selection |
Auszug aus Ägypten | exodus from Egypt |
Autor/in | writer |
Autorität | authority |
Band | volume |
barmherzig | merciful |
Barmherzigkeit | mercy |
Bartholomäus | Bartholomew |
Bass | bass |
Bassgitarre | bass guitar |
beabsichtigen | intend |
Beamte/r | civil servant |
beanspruchen | claim |
beaufsichtigen | supervise |
bedenken | consider |
Bedeutung | meaning, significance |
beenden | finish |
beerdigen | bury |
befähigen | enable |
befestigen | fix |
befreie uns von dem Bösen | deliver us from evil |
befreien | deliver |
Befreiung | |
Befreiung | deliverance, liberation |
begehen (Mord/Ehebruch begehen) | commit (murder/adultery) |
begehren | desire, envy |
Begierde | lust |
behindert | disabled |
behütet | sheltered |
Bekanntmachungsblatt | bulletin |
bekennen | confess |
Bekenntnis | confession |
Bekenntnisbewegung | Confession movement (conservative evangelical movement within the established churches in Gemany) |
belohnen | reward |
Belohnung | reward |
bemerkenswert | remarkable |
beobachten | observe |
Beobachter/in | observer |
berauben | rob |
bereichern | enrich |
Bereicherung | enrichment |
Bereitschaft | willingness |
bereuen | regret |
Berg | mountain, mount |
Bergpredigt | Sermon on the Mount (open air sermon preached by Jesus, reported in the gospels) |
berühren | touch |
beschämend | shameful |
beschneiden | circumcise |
Beschneidung | circumcision (Old Testament rite; was performed on male babies) |
Beschwerde | complaint |
besessen | possessed (under the control of evil spirits) |
besessen (von einer Idee) | obsessed (with an idea) |
besiegen | defeat |
besinnen (sich besinnen) | come to one's senses |
Besitz | possession(s) |
besitzen | possess |
besonnen | sober, level-headed |
besorgt | concerned, worried |
besprechen | discuss |
besprengen | sprinkle (especially as a method of child baptism) |
bestätigen | confirm, acknowledge |
Bestätigung | confirmation, acknowledgement |
beten | pray (speaking to God, can be aloud or silent, alone or in public) |
betrügen | deceive, defraud |
Betrüger | deceiver |
beugen: sich beugen | humble oneself (literally: bow down) |
Bewegung | movement |
beweisen | prove |
bewusstlos | unconscious |
bezeugen | testify (give an account of one’s faith, usually from subjective experience) |
Bibelschule | Bible college |
Bibelstunde | Bible study meeting |
Bibelwort | Bible verse, Bible passage |
biblisch | scriptural (related to the Bible; consistent with the teaching of the Bible) |
Bild | picture (sometimes used to describe a vision-like inner image with a spiritual significance) |
Bischof/Bischöfin | bishop |
bischöflich | episcopal |
Bitte | request, prayer |
bitten | ask |
bleiben | remain |
böse | wicked; angry |
boshaft | malicious |
Bosheit | malice |
Bote/Botin | messenger |
Botschafter/in | ambassador |
brauchbar | useful |
brechen | vomit |
Brechen des Brotes | breaking of bread |
Brot für die Welt | Protestant Third World aid agency |
Brüdergemeinde | Brethren church |
Bücher der Bibel | books of the Bible (the Bible is a collection of separate “books” – 66 in Protestant Bibles, 74 in Catholic Bibles) |
Bund | association (national organisation of a church denomination) |
Bund | covenant (an agreement involving mutual promises, especially between God and humans) |
Bund freier evangelischer Gemeinden (FEG) | Association of Free Evangelical Churches in Germany |
Bund Freikirchlicher Pfingstgemeinden (BFP) | Association of Free Pentecostal Churches in Germany |
Bund: der neue Bund | the New Covenant (the new relationship with God that was made possible by Jesus) |
Bürger/in | citizen |
Bürgerrechte | civil rights |
Buß- und Bettag | “Repentance and prayer day” (moveable feast in November in the German Protestant church calendar) |
Buße | repentance |
Buße tun | repent |
Bußfertigkeit | brokenness, willingness to repent |
Chor | choir |
Choral | chorale |
Chorleiter/in | choirmaster, choirmistress |
Chorus | chorus (short, relatively modern worship song) |
Christ/in | Christian |
Christentum | Christianity |
christlich | Christian |
Christliches Zentrum | central charismatic/Pentecostal church in a town/city |
Dämon | demon |
Dämonenaustreibung | driving out demons, deliverance, exorcism |
dankbar | thankful, grateful |
Dankbarkeit | gratitude |
danken | thank |
Dankopfer | thank offering |
Danksagung | thanksgiving |
Dekan/in | dean |
Demonstration | demonstration |
Demut | humility |
demütig | humble |
Demütigung | humilitation |
denken: der Mensch denkt, aber Gott lenkt | man proposes, but God disposes |
Depression | depression |
Deserteur | deserter |
Diakon/in | deacon |
Diakonie | social ministry |
Diakonisse | uniformed "sister" in Protestant church-based social ministry |
dienen | serve |
Diener/in | servant |
Dienst | ministry, service |
Dienst | service |
Disziplin | discipline |
Donner | thunder |
Dorn | thorn |
Drache | dragon |
drängen | urge |
Dreieinigkeit | trinity (belief that the one God exists as three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit) |
dreschen | thresh |
dringend | urgent |
Dringlichkeit | urgency |
dunkel | dark |
Dunkelheit | darkness |
durchbohren | pierce |
dürfen | be allowed to |
dürres Land | thirsty land |
Durst | thirst |
echt | genuine |
edel | noble |
Ehebrecher | adulterer |
Ehebrecherin | adulteress |
Ehebruch | adultery |
Ehefrau | wife |
Ehemann | husband |
Ehescheidung | divorce |
Ehrfurcht | awe |
ehrlich | honest |
ehrlich währt am längsten | honesty is the best policy |
Eid | oath |
Eifer | zeal |
eifersüchtig | jealous (sometimes used to show that God wants us to follow him completely, without any compromise) |
eigensüchtig | self-seeking |
Eigenwille | self will |
Eile mit Weile | more haste, less speed |
eindringlich bitten | urge |
einfältig | simple-minded |
Eingang | entrance |
eingebildet | vain |
Eingebung | inspiration (unexpected insight; often used for thoughts that are believed to come directly from God) |
eingegeben: von Gott eingegeben | inspired (especially used of the divine origin of the texts of the Bible) |
Einheit | unity |
Einigkeit macht stark | united we stand, divided we fall |
Einkehrtage | retreat |
Einkehrzeit | retreat |
einladen | invite |
Einladung | invitation |
einsam | lonely |
Einsamkeit | loneliness |
einschließen | surround |
Einwand | objection |
eitel | vain |
Eitelkeit | vanity |
Elia | Elijah |
Elisa | Elisha |
Eltern | parents |
Elternteil | parent |
empfehlen | recommend |
Empfehlung | recommendation |
empfindlich (für) | sensitive (to) |
Ende gut, alles gut | all’s well that ends well |
enge Pforte | narrow gate/door |
Engel | angel |
enger Pfad | narrow path (symbol of a life-style as a follower of Christ) |
entehren | dishonour (GB), dishonor (USA) |
entfernen | remove |
Enthaltsamkeit | temperance |
enthüllen | reveal |
entmutigen | discourage |
Entmutigung | discouragement |
Entmythologisierung | demythologism |
Entrückung | Rapture (doctrine that Christians will be taken from the earth before the Last Days) |
entscheiden | decide |
Entscheidung | decision |
Entschlossenheit | determination |
enttäuschen | disappoint |
Entweihung | desecration |
erbaulich | edifying (encouraging, building up a person’s faith) |
Erbe | heir (person); inheritance (property etc.) |
erben | inherit |
Erbsünde | original sin (doctrine that all men and women are sinners, and that this goes back to the sin of Adam and Eve) |
erfrischen | refresh |
erfüllt mit dem Heiligen Geist | filled with the Holy Spirit |
ergreifen | seize |
ergründen | fathom |
Erlass | edict |
erleuchten | enlighten, illuminate |
Erlöser | redeemer, Saviour (term used for Jesus) |
Erlösung | redemption (refers to the belief that Jesus has freed us from the guilt of our sin) |
ermahnen | exhort |
Ermahung | exhortation |
ermutigen | encourage |
Ermutigung | encouragement |
erneuern | renew |
Erneuerung | renewal (used to describe a renewed intensity of spiritual life) |
Ernte | harvest |
Erntedankfest | harvest festival (harvest thanksgiving celebration in the church year) |
erquicken | refresh |
erreichen | attain |
Erscheinung | appearance |
Erschöpfung | exhaustion |
erschrecken | scare, frighten |
Erstgeborener | firstborn (the first son had a special status in Jewish families in biblical times) |
Erstlinge | firstfruits (the first part of the harvest and the first offspring of farm animals played a special role in the Old Testament) |
Erwählung | election (belief that we become Christians because God has chosen us) |
Erweckung | revival (especially when many people come to faith converted in a short time; sometimes used to describe personal renewal) |
Erzählung | story, narration |
Erzbischof/in | archbishop |
Erzengel | archangel |
Eschatologie | eschatology (doctrine of the final days before the second coming of Jesus) |
Esel | donkey |
evangelikal | conservative evangelical |
Evangelisation | evangelism |
evangelische (Landes-)Kirche | state church, established Protestant church |
Evangelische Allianz | Evangelical Alliance |
Evangelisch-Freikirchliche Gemeinde (Baptisten & Brüdergemeinden) | association of Baptist and Brethren churches in Germany |
Evangelisch-methodistische Kirche (Methodisten) | Methodist church |
Evangelium | gospel |
Existentialismus | Existentialism |
Existenz | existence |
Existenz Gottes | existence of God |
existieren | exist |
Exorzismus | exorcism (term used for driving out evil spirits; usually in a sensationalist context) |
Fähigkeit | ability |
Falle | trap |
fasten | fast |
Faulheit | laziness |
feiern | celebrate |
Feige | fig |
Festmahl | banquet |
Festung | stronghold |
Feuer | fire (sometimes used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit or of God’s judgement) |
Feuersäule | pillar of fire (visible phenomenon that accompanied the Israelites under Moses on the way from Egypt to Canaan) |
feurige Pfeile | fiery arrows (symbol of temptation or difficulties) |
Fischer | fisher(men) |
Fleischwerdung | incarnation (refers to the fact that the Son of God became human) |
Fluch | curse (term used to describe misfortune, condemnation or other negative circumstances) |
freier Wille | free will |
Freiheit | freedom |
Freiwillige/r | volunteer |
Freizeit | houseparty, retreat |
Freude | joy |
freuen: sich freuen | rejoice |
Friede | peace |
Friedefürst | Prince of Peace (title used for Jesus) |
Friedensbewegung | pacifist movement |
Friedensstifter | peacemaker |
Friedhof | cemetery |
frohlocken | rejoice |
fromm | pious |
fromm werden | get religious |
Frömmigkeit | piety |
Frucht des Geistes | fruit of the Spirit (character qualities looked for in Christians) |
fruchtbar | fruitful |
Führung | guidance (especially used for insights from God which are helpful in making important decisions) |
Fülle | fullness (often a symbol of a life style that shows the power and love of God) |
Fundamentalismus | fundamentalism (movement that adheres strictly to the letter of the biblical text, largely excluding contextual questions) |
für immer | for ever |
Fürbitte | intercession (prayer for specific people or situations) |
Fürbitte tun | intercede |
Fürbitter/in | intercessor |
Fußstapfen | footsteps |
Gabe | gift, gifting (special ability given by God) |
Gabe der Heilung | gift of healing |
Garten Eden | garden of Eden (sometimes known as "paradise") |
Gastfreundschaft | hospitality |
Gastgeber/in | host |
Gebet | prayer (speaking to God, can be aloud or silent, alone or in public) |
Gebetsanliegen | prayer request |
Gebetskette | prayer chain (arrangement to pass on prayer requests to others so that several people can pray for a situation) |
Gebiet | territory, region |
Gebot | commandment |
Gebundenheit | bondage (sometimes denotes slavery to negative thoughts, habits etc.) |
Gedächtnis | memory |
Gedränge | crush |
Geduld | patience |
geduldig | patient |
Gefährte | companion |
gefallen | give pleasure to |
Gefangene/r | prisoner |
Gefängnis | prison |
gefühlsmäßig | emotional |
Gegenwart Gottes | presence of God |
gegenwärtig | present |
gehässig | spiteful |
Geheimnis | secret |
geheimnisvoll | mysterious |
geh’ in Frieden | go in peace |
gehorchen | obey |
Gehorsam | obedience |
Geist | spirit |
Geistesgabe | spiritual gift (supernatural ability given by the Holy Spirit) |
Geisteskrankheit | mental illness |
geistig | mental (sometimes wrongly used to mean spiritual) |
geistlich | spiritual |
geistliche Kampfführung | spiritual warfare (the struggle against invisible supernatural forces that oppose God) |
geistliche Nahrung | spiritual food |
geistlicher Hunger | spiritual hunger |
Geistlichkeit | clergy (general term for ordained ministers) |
gelähmt | paralysed, paralytic |
Gelehrte/r | scholar |
gelobtes Land | promised land (especially the land of Canaan for the Israelites under Moses) |
Gelübde | vow |
gemäßigt | temperate |
Gemeindegründung | church planting (setting up new local churches) |
Gemeindestunde | church meeting |
Gemeindewachstum | church growth (growth in the quality of church life or the number of church members) |
Gemeindezucht | church discipline (means used to enforce the church’s standards of morals or faith; in extreme cases exclusion from the church) |
gen Himmel fahren | ascend to heaven |
Generation | generation |
gerade | straight; upright |
gerecht | righteous |
Gerechtigkeit | justice, righteousness |
gerettet | saved (used especially of people who have experienced "conversion") |
Gericht | judgement |
Gericht: das Jüngste Gericht | the Last Judgement (final judgement of human beings after death/after the end of the world) |
Gerichtsverhandlung | trial |
geschaffen | created |
Geschäftsleute des vollen Evangeliums | Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship (a Pentecostal/charismatic organisation) |
Geschlecht | generation |
geschlechtlich | sexual |
Gesetz | law |
Gesetzestafeln | tablets of the law (the stone tablets received by Moses) |
Gespenst | ghost |
gesund | healthy |
Gesundheit | health |
gewaltfrei | non-violent |
Gewaltfreiheit | non-violence |
gewalttätig | violent |
Gewalttätigkeit | violence |
Gewand | robe |
Gewicht | weight |
Gewissen | conscience |
Gewitter | thunderstorm |
gießen | pour |
Gift | poison |
Gitarre | guitar |
Glanz | splendour |
glänzen | shine |
Gläserrücken | ouija board (occult method of communicating with spirits) |
Glaubensbekenntnis | creed (short statement of the most important elements of the faith) |
Glaubensbewegung | faith movement (a movement that emphasises belief in miracles through prayer) |
Glaubensschritt | bold step of faith |
Glaubenstaufe | |