Reference: Gentiles
American
A name given by the Hebrews to all those that had not received the Law of Moses. Foreigners who embraced Judaism, they called proselytes. Since the promulgation of the gospel, the true religion has been extended to all nations; God, who had promised by his prophets to call the Gentiles to the faith, with a superabundance of grace, having fulfilled his promise; so that the Christian church is composed principally of Gentile converts, the Jews being too proud of their privileges to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Redeemer. In the writings of Paul, the Gentiles are generally called Greeks, Ro 1:14,16; 1Co 1:22,24; Ga 3:28. So also in those of Luke, in the Ac 6:1; 11:20; 18:4. Paul is commonly called the apostle of the Gentiles, Ga 2:8; 1Ti 2:7, because he preached Christ principally to them; whereas Peter, etc., preached generally to the Jews, and are called apostles of the circumcision, Ga 2:8.
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But, in these days, the disciples, multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, in that, their widows, were being overlooked in the daily ministry.
And there were some from among them, Cyprians and Cyrenians, who, indeed, coming unto Antioch, began speaking, even unto the Grecian Jews, announcing the glad tidings as to the Lord Jesus;
And he began reasoning in the synagogue every sabbath, and was persuading both Jews and Greeks.
Both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to wise and to unwise, a debtor, I am:
For I am not ashamed of the joyful message; for it is God's power unto salvation, to every one that believeth, both to Jew firstand to Greek;
For, he that energised in Peter, into an apostleship to the circumcision, energised also in me, for the nations, -
For, he that energised in Peter, into an apostleship to the circumcision, energised also in me, for the nations, -
There cannot be Jew or Greek, there cannot be bond or free, there cannot be male and female, for, all ye, are one, in Christ Jesus:
In his body of flesh, through means of his death, to present you holy and blameless and unaccusable before him, -
Now, am I rejoicing in the sufferings on your behalf, and am filling up the things that lack of the tribulations of the Christ, in my flesh, in behalf of his body, which is the assembly,
In all things, shewing, thyself, an ensample of noble works, - in thine instruction, uncorruptness, gravity,
Easton
(Heb, usually in plural, goyim), meaning in general all nations except the Jews. In course of time, as the Jews began more and more to pride themselves on their peculiar privileges, it acquired unpleasant associations, and was used as a term of contempt.
In the New Testament the Greek word Hellenes, meaning literally Greek (as in Ac 16:1,3; 18:17; Ro 1:14), generally denotes any non-Jewish nation.
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And he came even unto Derbe, and unto Lystra; and lo! a certain disciple, was there, by name Timothy, son of a believing Jewish woman, but whose father was a Greek, -
The same, would Paul have go forth with him, and took and circumcised him, on account of the Jews who were in those places; for they one and all knew that, his father, was, a Greek.
But they all, laying hold of Sosthenes the ruler of the synagogue, began to strike him before the judgment-seat; and, for none of these things, did Gallio care.
Both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to wise and to unwise, a debtor, I am:
Fausets
Hebrew Gowy, "the nations" (or "pagan," derived from the Greek ethnee), as opposed to Israel (Ne 5:8). In Ge 10:5, "isles of the Gentiles," the term is used geographically in no invidious sense. In Ge 14:1, Tidal "king of nations" was probably chief of several nomadic wandering tribes of western Asia. In Jos 12:23 we read, "the king of the nations (the gentile foreigners) of Gilgal," the modern Moslem village Jiljule, six Roman miles N. of Antipatris. Goim is especially used of Galilee, bordering on and, even in Israelite times, much peopled with the Gilgal (Jg 4:2; Isa 9:1.) (See GALILEE.) "Greeks" in New Testament is used for Gentiles (Ac 14:1; 17:4; Ro 1:16; 10:12; 2:9-10; 1Co 10:32 margin).
With all the superiority of the gentile great world kingdoms, in military prowess, commerce, luxury, and the fine arts, Israel stood on an immense moral elevation above them, in the one point, nearness to God, and possession of His revealed will and word (Ex 19:5-6; Ps 147:19-20; 148:14; Ro 3:1-2). But this superiority was in order that Israel, as priests unto God, might be mediator of blessings unto all nations (Isa 61:6). The covenant from the first with Abraham contemplated that "in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed" (Ge 22:18). The Jews in national pride failed to see this, and despised the Gentiles Rejecting Messiah, they were "broken oft" from the olive, that the Gentiles might be" grafted in" (Ro 11:11-35).
The times of the Gentiles began with Judah's depression and captivity under Nebuchadnezzar, to whom God delegated the world empire (Jer 27:6-7), from whence Jeremiah's counsel to the Jews to submit to hint was true patriotism, not cowardice. Jerusalem has more or less been ever since "trodden down of the Gentiles," and shall be so "until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Lu 21:24). Then shall the times of Israel begin with a glory eclipsing her past glory. "All Israel shall be saved." "The receiving of them shall be life from the dead" to the whole world (Mic 5:7; Isa 2:2-4; Re 11:2-15). The theocracy shall be restored with unparalleled splendor at the coming of Him "whose right it is" (Eze 21:27). The times of the gentile monarchies answer to Israel's seven times punishment (Le 26:18,21-24).
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From these, were dispersed the inhabitants of the coastlands of the nations, in their lands, each man by his tongue, by their families in their nations.
And it came to pass, in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, - Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goim,
So shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves in thy seed, - Because thou didst hearken unto my voice.
Now, therefore, if ye will, indeed hearken, to my voice, And keep my covenant, Then shall ye be mine as a treasure beyond all the peoples, For, mine, is all the earth; But, ye, shall be mine, As a kingdom of priests, And a holy nation. These, are the words, which thou shalt speak unto the sons of Israel.
And, if even with these things, ye will not hearken unto me, Then will I yet further correct you seven times, for your sins.
If therefore, ye will go in opposition to me, And not be willing to hearken unto me, Then will I yet further plague you seven times according to your sins; And will send among you the wild-beast of the field And it shall rob you of your children, And cut off your cattle, And make you few in number; And your roads shall be silent. read more. And, if, by these things, ye will not be corrected by me, - But will go in opposition to me, Then will, I also, go in opposition to you. And, I, even I, will plague you seven times for your sins;
So Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor, - now, the prince of his host, was Sisera, and, he, dwelt in Harosheth of the nations.
and I said unto them, We, have bought our brethren the Jews, who had sold themselves unto the nations, according to our ability, and will, ye, even sell your brethren, or shall they sell themselves unto us? And they were silent, and found no answer.
Declaring his word unto Jacob, His statutes and his regulations, unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation, and, his regulations, he maketh not known to them. Praise ye Yah!
Therefore hath he exalted a horn for his people, a praise for all his men of lovingkindness, for the sons of Israel - a people near him, Praise ye Yah!
But it shall come to pass, in the afterpart of the days, That the mountain of the house of Yahweh Shall be, set up, as the head of the mountains, And be exalted above the hills, - And all the nations, shall stream thereunto; And many peoples shall go and say - Come ye, and let us ascend Unto the mountain of Yahweh Unto the house of the God of Jacob, That he may teach us of his ways, And we may walk in his paths, - For, out of Zion, shall go forth a law, And the word of Yahweh out of Jerusalem; read more. And he will judge between the nations, And be umpire to many peoples, - And they will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning-hooks, Nation - against nation, shall not lift up sword, Neither shall they learn any more to make war,
For there is no gloom to her who had been in anguish, In the former time, he brought into dishonour The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, In the latter time, hath he brought into honour The Lake-way over the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
But, ye, the priests of Yahweh, shall be called, The attendants of our God, shall ye be named, - The riches of the nations, shall ye eat, And in their glory, shall ye boast yourselves.
Now, therefore, I, have given all these lands, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon my servant, - Moreover also, the wild beast of the field, have I given him, to serve him. Therefore shall all the nations serve him, and his son, and his sons son, - until the time even of his own land, itself arrive, when many nations and great kings, shall use him as a slave.
An overthrow, overthrow, overthrow, will I make it, - Even this hath not befallen unto the coming of One to whom belongeth the right Then will I bestow it.
And, the remnant of Jacob, shall be, in the midst of many peoples, as dew from Yahweh, as myriad drops on plants, - which tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of Adam.
And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be carried away captive into all the nations, and, Jerusalem, shall be trodden down by the nations, until the seasons of the nations shall be fulfilled and shall be.
And it came to pass in Iconium that they together entered into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake that there believed, both of Jews and Greeks, a great throng.
And, some from among them, were persuaded, and cast in their lot with Paul and Silas; also, of the devout Greeks, a great throng, and, of the chief women, not a few.
For I am not ashamed of the joyful message; for it is God's power unto salvation, to every one that believeth, both to Jew firstand to Greek;
tribulation and anguish - against every soul of man who worketh out what is base, both of Jew first and of Greek, - But glory and honour and peace - unto every one who worketh what is good, both unto Jew first and unto Greek:
What, then, is the preeminence of the Jew? Or what, the profit of his circumcision? Much, every way: - First, indeed, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
For there is no distinction - of Jew or Greek, - for, the same Lord , is Lord of all, being rich unto all who call upon him;
I say then - Did they stumble in order that they might fall? Far be it! But, by their fall, salvation hath come unto the nations, to the end of provoking them to jealousy. If, moreover, their fail, is the riches of a world, and their loss, the riches of nations, how much rather their fullness? read more. Unto you, however, am I speaking, - you of the nations; inasmuch, indeed, then, as, I, am an apostle to the nations, my ministry, I glorify, If by any means I may provoke to jealousy my own flesh, and save some from among them; - For, if, the casting away of them, hath become the reconciling of a world, what shall, the taking of them in addition, be, but life from among the dead? If, moreover, the first fruit is holy, the lump shall be also; and, if the root is holy, the branches shall be also. If, however, some of the branches, have been broken out, and, thou, being a wild olive hast been grafted in among them, and hast become a joint partaker of the root of the fatness of the olive, Be not boasting over the branches! Howbeit, if thou boast, it is not, thou, that bearest the root, but the root, thee! Thou wilt say, then - Branches were broken out in order that, I, might he grafted in. Well: by their want of faith, they have been broken out, - and, thou, by thy faith, dost stand! - Regard not lofty things, but be afraid; For, if, God, hath not spared, the natural branches, neither, thee, will he spare! See, then, the kindness and the severity of God: upon them who have fallen, severity, - but, upon thee, the kindness of God, if thou abide still in the kindness, - otherwise, thou also, shalt he cut out; Whereas, they also, unless they abide still in their want of faith, shall be grafted in, for God is, able, again to engraft them! For, if, thou, out of the naturally wild olive was cut out, and, beyond nature, hast been engrafted into the good olive, how much rather, shall these, the natural branches be engrafted into their own olive tree? For I wish not, ye should be ignorant, brethren, of this sacred secret, lest within yourselves ye be presumptuous, that, a hardening in part, hath befallen Israel, until, the full measure of the nations, shall come in; And, so, all Israel shall be saved: even as it is written - There shall have come out of Zion the Deliverer, - He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; And, this, for them, is the covenant from me, as soon as I take away their sins. As touching the joyful-message, indeed, they are enemies for your sake, but, as touching the election, beloved for their father's sake; For, not to be regretted, are the gifts and the calling of God: - For, just as, ye, at one time had not yielded unto God, and yet now have received mercy by their refusal to yield, So, these also, have now refused to yield, by your own mercy, in order that, themselves also, should now become objects of mercy; For God hath shut up all together, in a refusal to yield, in order that, upon all, he may bestow mercy. Oh! the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments! and untraceable his ways! For who hath come to know the mind of the Lord? Or who hath become his counselor? Or who hath first given unto him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?
and, the court that is outside the Sanctuary, cast thou outside, and do not measure, it, because it hath been given unto the nations, and, the holy city, shall they tread under foot, forty and two months. And I will give unto my two witnesses, that they shall prophesy, a thousand two hundred and sixty days, arrayed in sackcloth. read more. These, are the two olive-trees, and the two lamps, which, before the Lord of the earth, do stand. And, if any one, upon them, chooseth to inflict injury, fire, cometh forth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies; and, if anyone shall choose, upon them, to inflict injury, thus, must he be slain. These, have authority to shut heaven, in order that, no rain, be moistening in the days of their prophesying; and, authority, have they, over the waters, to be turning them into blood, and to smite the land, with any manner of plague, as often as they will. And, as soon as they have completed their witnessing, the wild-beast that is to come up out of the abyss, will make war with them, and overcome them, and slay them. And their dead bodies lie upon the broadway of the great city, the which is called, spiritually, Sodom and Egypt, where, their Lord also was crucified. And some of the peoples, and tribes, and tongues, and nations, see, their dead bodies three days and a half, and, their dead bodies, do they not suffer to be put into a tomb. And, they who are dwelling upon the earth, rejoice over them, and make merry, and, gifts, will they send one to another, - because, these two prophets, tormented them that were dwelling upon the earth. And, after thethree days and a half, a spirit of life from God, entered within them, and they stood upon their feet; and, great fear, fell upon them who were beholding them. And they heard a loud voice out of heaven, saying unto them - Come up hither! And they went up into heaven, in the cloud, and, their enemies, beheld them. And, in that hour, there came to be a great earthquake; and, the tenth of the city, fell, and there were slain, in the earthquake, names of men - seven thousand. And, the rest, became, greatly afraid, and gave glory unto the God of heaven. The second Woe, hath passed away, - lo! the third Woe, cometh speedily. And, the seventh messenger, sounded; and there came to be loud voices in heaven, saying - The kingdom of the world, hath become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign unto the ages of ages.
Hastings
Morish
A name commonly used in scripture to denote any and every nation except Israel. At times, when Israel as a people is referred to, the same words are used for them. Thus
1. goi, qno" -->???, ?????, is translated 'nation,' and refers to the Jewish nation. De 26:5; Lu 7:5; Joh 11:48. In the plural the same words refer to the nations generally in distinction from Israel, and are translated 'nations,' 'Gentiles,' and 'heathen.' De 18:9; 32:43; Isa 60:3; 62:2; Joe 2:19; Ac 11:1,18; Acts:13:19; Ac 28:28; etc.
2. ????? (in plural) is translated 'Gentiles' in Joh 7:35; Ro 2:9-10; 3:9; 1Co 10:32; 12:13, in contrast to the Jews; but would be better translated 'Greeks,' as it is in most places.
God had raised a wall between the Jews and the Gentiles, which in Christ's death was broken down for believers, "to make in himself of twain one new man." Eph 2:14. "There is neither Jew nor Greek . . . . for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Ga 3:28. This does not touch unbelieving Jews and Gentiles, who are kept separate in God's present and future dealings.
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When thou art coming into the land which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee, thou shalt not learn to do according to the abominable doings of those nations.
And thou shalt respond and say before Yahweh thy God - A Syrian ready to perish, was my father, so he went down to Egypt, and became a sojourner there with men only few; but he became there a nation great, mighty and numerous;
Shout for joy O ye nations with his people, For the blood of his servants, he avengeth, - And, vengeance, he returneth unto his adversaries, And is propitious unto the soil of his people.
So shall nations come to thy light, And kings to the brightness of thy dawning.
So shall nations see thy righteousness, And all kings, thy glory; And thou shalt be called by a new name, which, the mouth of Yahweh, will name.
Then answered Yahweh, and said to his people: - Behold me! sending you the corn, and the new wine and the oil, so shall ye be satisfied therewith; and I will not make you, any more, a reproach among the nations.
for he loveth our nation, and, the synagogue, he, built for us.
The Jews, therefore, said unto themselves - Whither, is, this one, about to go, that we shall not find him? Unto the dispersion of the Greeks, is he about to go, and teach the Greeks?
If we let him alone thus, all, will believe on him, and the Romans will come, and take away, both our place and nation.
Now the Apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judaea heard that, the nations also, had welcomed the word of God.
And, having heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying - Hence, even unto the nations, God hath granted repentance unto life.
Be it, known unto you, therefore, that, unto the nations, hath been sent forth this salvation of God: they, will also hear.
tribulation and anguish - against every soul of man who worketh out what is base, both of Jew first and of Greek, - But glory and honour and peace - unto every one who worketh what is good, both unto Jew first and unto Greek:
What then? do we screen ourselves? Not at all! For we have before accused both Jews and Greeks of being, all under sin;
There cannot be Jew or Greek, there cannot be bond or free, there cannot be male and female, for, all ye, are one, in Christ Jesus:
He, in fact, is our peace - who made both one, and, the enclosing middle-wall, took down,
Smith
Gen'tiles
(nations). All the people who were not Jews were so called by them, being aliens from the worship, rites and privileges of Israel. The word was used contemptuously by them. In the New Testament it is used as equivalent to Greek. This use of the word seems to have arisen from the almost universal adaption of the Greek language.
Watsons
GENTILES, COURT OF THE. Josephus says there was, in the court of the temple, a wall, or balustrade, breast-high, with pillars at particular distances, and inscriptions on them in Greek and Latin, importing that strangers were forbidden from entering farther; here their offerings were received, and sacrifices were offered for them, they standing at the barrier; but they were not allowed to approach to the altar. Pompey, nevertheless, went even into the sanctuary, but behaved with strict decorum; and the next day he commanded the temple to be purified, and the customary sacrifices to be offered. A little before the last rebellion of the Jews, some mutineers would have persuaded the priests to accept no victim not presented by a Jew; and obliged them to reject those which were offered by command of the emperor, for the Roman people. The wisest in vain remonstrated with them on the danger this would bring on their country; urged that their ancestors had never rejected the presents of Gentiles; and that the temple was mostly adorned with the offerings of such people; at the same time, the most learned priests, who had spent their whole lives in the study of the law, testified that their forefathers had always received the sacrifices of strangers.
From the above particulars, we learn the meaning of what the Apostle Paul calls "the middle wall of partition," between Jews and Gentiles, broken down by the Gospel.