en_tw_old/bible/kt/covenant/01.md

# covenant

## Definition

A covenant is a formal, binding agreement between two parties that one or both parties must fulfill.

* This agreement can be between individuals, between groups of people, or between God and people.
* When people make a covenant with each other, they promise that they will do something, and they must do it.
* Examples of human covenants include marriage covenants, business agreements, and treaties between countries.
* Throughout the Bible, God made several different covenants with his people.
* In some of the covenants, God promised to fulfill his part without conditions. For example when God established his covenant with mankind, promising to never destroy the earth again with a worldwide flood, this promise had no conditions for people to fulfill.
* In other covenants, God promised to fulfill his part only if the people obeyed him and fulfilled their part of the covenant.


## Translation Suggestions



* Depending on the context, ways to translate this term could include, "binding agreement" or "formal commitment" or "pledge" or "contract."
* Some languages may have different words for covenant depending on whether one party or both parties have made a promise they must keep. If the covenant is one-sided, it could be translated as "promise" or "pledge."
* Make sure the translation of this term does not sound like people proposed the covenant. In all cases of covenants between God and people, it was God who initiated the covenant.