Upu Taua i le Tusi Pa'ia
Key Biblical Terms in Samoan Scripture
Twelve Samoan terms used in scripture and church contexts, with practical meanings and passage references for comparison.
7 min read
Words that carry theology
Translation involves choices, and one word can carry a wider range than a single English gloss. Compare each Samoan term with its named passage and with the wording in your preferred Samoan Bible edition.
The core twelve
Alofa — love or compassion (Ioane 3:16). Alofa tunoa — grace or freely given love (Efeso 2:8). Agaga — spirit or breath, including le Agaga Pa'ia, the Holy Spirit (Ioane 14:26). Fa'atuatua — faith or trust (Eperu 11:1).
Fa'amagalo — to forgive (Efeso 4:32). Filemu — peace (Ioane 14:27). Fa'amoemoe — hope or expectation (Roma 15:13).
Fa'amaoni — faithfulness or honesty (1 Korinito 4:2). Onosa'i — patience or endurance (Kalatia 5:22). Loto maualalo — humility (Filipi 2:3). Afioga — an honorific term for speech or address (Salamo 119:105). Auaunaga — service or ministry (Mareko 10:45).
How to study one word well
Take one term a week. Read each named passage and compare the Samoan term, its immediate context and the English wording. Differences can prompt useful questions for further study.
Then use the word in a sentence of your own, spoken aloud to a family member. Vocabulary that stays on the page does not survive into the next generation.
Sources & further reading
- Pratt’s Grammar & Dictionary of the Samoan Language (1911 record) — National Library of New Zealand
A historical language reference, not proof of every modern usage.
- Gagana Sāmoa Orthography Guidelines — Ministry for Pacific Peoples
Official best-practice guidance for writing and orthography, developed with language experts.
- World English Bible — public-domain status — eBible.org
Copyright and public-domain information for the English scripture text used here.