Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morphemes rare (られ) or are (され) are affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, nemuri ni tsuk-are-ru (眠りにつかれる) or “fall asleep” is used.

Also, when the referent is God or a person or persons to be greatly honored, the honorific prefix go- (御 or ご) can be used, as here in go-senzo (ご先祖), a combination of “ancestor” (senzo) and the honorific prefix go-.

And lastly, an appropriate suffix title referred to as keishō (敬称) can be used with –sama. This title is distinct from nominal titles such as “teacher” or “king.” Here, ō-sama (王様) “king” is a combination of the nominal title ō “king” and the suffix title –sama.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )