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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And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, that their widows were neglected in the daily ministry.
And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they came into Antioch, spoke unto the Greeks, preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus.
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Christ; for it is the power of God to give saving health to every one that believes: to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
(for he that showed himself forth in Peter for apostleship of the circumcision, the same also showed himself forth in me toward the Gentiles);
(for he that showed himself forth in Peter for apostleship of the circumcision, the same also showed himself forth in me toward the Gentiles);
Here there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight
who now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fulfill in my flesh that which is lacking of the tribulations of the Christ for his body's sake, which is the congregation ,
in all things showing thyself as an example of good works, in doctrine showing integrity, seriousness, purity,
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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Then he came to Derbe and Lystra; and, behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman, who was faithful, but his father was a Gentile,
Paul desired to have him go forth with him and took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those quarters, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.
I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise.
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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By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands, each one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
And it came to pass in those days that Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of the Gentiles
and in thy seed shall all the Gentiles of the earth be blessed because thou hast hearkened unto my voice.
Now therefore, if ye will give ear to hearken unto my voice and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a special treasure unto me above all peoples; for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be my kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the sons of Israel.
And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
And if ye walk contrary unto me and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. I will also send wild beasts among you which shall rapture your children and destroy your animals and make you few in number, and your ways shall be desolate. read more. And if ye will not be corrected by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me, then will I also walk contrary unto you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.
the king of Dor in the province of Dor, another; the king of the Gentiles in Gilgal, another;
And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor, the captain of whose host was Sisera, and he dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren, the Jews who had been sold unto the Gentiles; and will ye even sell your brethren? And shall they be sold unto us? Then they remained silent, for they had nothing to answer.
He declares his words unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He has not dealt so with the other nations, which have not known his judgments. Halelu-JAH.
He has exalted the horn of his people; let all his merciful ones praise him; even of the sons of Israel, the people near unto him. Halelu-JAH.
And it shall come to pass in the last of the days or times, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be confirmed as the head of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills; and all the Gentiles shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. read more. And he shall judge among the Gentiles and shall rebuke many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Nevertheless this darkness shall not be the same as the affliction that came upon her when they lightly touched the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, nor afterward when they more grievously afflicted her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles.
But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD; men shall call you the Ministers of our God; ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and with their glory ye shall be lifted up.
And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my slave; and even the beasts of the field I have given him that they might serve him. And all the Gentiles shall serve him and his son and his son's son, until the time of his own land shall come also; and many nations and great kings shall serve him.
I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it, and it shall be no more until he comes whose right it is; and I will give it unto him.
And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples as the dew of the LORD, as the rains upon the grass, which did not expect a man, nor did they expect the sons of men.
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
And it came to pass in Iconium that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews and so spoke, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.
And some of them believed and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the noble women not a few.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Christ; for it is the power of God to give saving health to every one that believes: to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every human soul that does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek; but glory, honour, and peace to everyone that works good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
What advantage then has the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much in every way: first, certainly, that the oracles of God have been entrusted unto them.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
I say then, Have they stumbled in such a manner that they should fall completely? No, in no wise; but rather through their fall, saving health is come unto the Gentiles to provoke them unto jealousy. And if the fall of them is the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their fullness be? read more. For (I call you Gentiles) inasmuch as I am truly the apostle of the Gentiles, my honorable ministry, if in any manner I may provoke my nation to jealousy and cause some of them to be saved. For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit is holy, so shall the rest be; and if the root is holy, so shall be the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them and hath been made participant of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if thou boast, know that thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in. Good; because of their unbelief they were broken off, but thou by faith art standing. Do not be highminded, but fear that if God did not forgive the natural branches, neither shall he forgive thee. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity, but toward thee, goodness if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And even them, if they do not continue in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is powerful enough to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature and wert grafted contrary to nature into the good olive tree, how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye ignore this mystery, that ye not be arrogant regarding yourselves: that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles are come in. And even if all Israel were saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall take away the ungodliness from Jacob; and this shall be my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins. So that, as concerning the gospel, I have them for enemies for your sakes; but as touching the election of God, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in time past have not obeyed God, yet have now obtained mercy through the occasion of their disobedience, likewise these also have not believed now that through the mercy shown unto you they also may obtain mercy. For God enclosed everyone in disobedience, that he might have mercy upon everyone. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments and his ways past finding out! For who has understood the intent of the Lord? or who has been his counsellor? Or who has first given unto him, that it be recompensed unto him again?
But leave out the court which is within the temple and measure it not, for it is given unto the Gentiles, and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty-two months. And I will give my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. read more. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone desires to hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies; and if anyone desires to hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut the heaven, that it not rain in the days of their prophecy and have power over the waters to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And those of the peoples and kindreds and tongues and Gentiles shall see their dead bodies three days and a half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And those that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry and shall send gifts one to another because these two prophets tormented those that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and a half, the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon those who saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up here. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And in the same hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain the names of seven thousand men; and the others were frightened and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe comes quickly. And the seventh angel sounded the trumpet, and there were great voices in the heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are reduced unto our Lord and to his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
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 shall have come into the land which the LORD thy God gives thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those Gentiles.
Then thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, My father, the Syrian, perishing of hunger went down into Egypt and sojourned there with a few and became there a nation, great, mighty, and many;
Rejoice, O ye Gentiles, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his slaves and will render vengeance to his enemies and will reconcile his land, to his people.
And the Gentiles shall walk to thy light, and the kings to the brightness of thy birth.
And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness and all the kings thy glory; and thou shalt be given a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.
Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you bread and new wine and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no longer make you a reproach among the Gentiles:
for he loves our nation and he has built us a synagogue.
Then the Jews said among themselves, Where will he go that we shall not find him? Will he go unto the dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?
If we let him thus alone, everyone will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and the nation.
And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
When they heard these things, they were silent and glorified God, saying, Then God has also granted repentance unto life to the Gentiles.
Be it known, therefore, unto you that this saving health of God is sent unto the Gentiles and that they will hear it.
Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every human soul that does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek; but glory, honour, and peace to everyone that works good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise; for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin;
Here there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
For he is our peace, who of both has made one, breaking down the middle wall of separation,
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.