2 Bible Verses about Heathen

So, I tell you this, and insist [on it] by [the authority of] the Lord: Do not continue to live with worthless thoughts as [unconverted] Gentiles do. Their understanding [of spiritual things] is darkened and excluded from the [spiritual] life that God gives, because of the ignorance in their minds and the stubbornness in their hearts. They have stopped caring [i.e., about morality], so God has abandoned them to lives of unrestrained indecency and to engage in all kinds of [moral] impurity, with a constant desire for more.

For the time you have [already] spent in the past [i.e., as Gentile unbelievers] was long enough to have practiced unrestrained, indecent conduct, improper sexual cravings, riotous living, wild parties, drunken orgies and disgusting idol worship.

And, predicting that God would consider the Gentiles right with Him by [their] faith, the Scriptures previously recorded [this promise of] the Gospel to Abraham by saying [Gen. 12:3], "All nations will receive a blessing through your descendant [i.e., Jesus]."

And when you pray, do not use worthless repetitions like the [unconverted] Gentiles, for they think their lengthy, repetitious wording [in prayer] is more likely to be heard [by God].

And when He had arrived at Capernaum, a military officer approached Him, begging, "Sir, my slave-boy is at home sick in bed with a paralyzing disease and in serious pain." Jesus said, "I will go and heal him." read more.
But the military officer answered, "Sir, I do not deserve for you to come into my house; just say the word and [I know] my slave-boy will be healed. For I also am a man [who serves] under the authority [of others], and I have soldiers [who serve] under me. I can say to this one 'Go,' and he goes, and to another one, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave 'Do this,' and he does it." And when Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those who were following [along], "It is true when I tell to you, I have never found [anyone with] such great faith, not [even] among the Israelites. And I [also] say to you, that many people will come from the east and the west and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children who [are supposed to] belong to the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness where there will be crying and excruciating pain." And Jesus said to the military officer, "Go on your way; since you have believed [in my power to heal], what you desired will be done for you." And the slave-boy was healed that [very] hour.

And a certain military officer's slave [was there], whom the officer highly valued. This slave was [so] sick that he was about to die. And when the officer heard about Jesus, he sent [some] Jewish elders to Him asking that He come and heal his slave. And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying, "This officer deserves that you should do this for him [i.e., heal his slave], read more.
for he loves our nation and he is the one who built the synagogue for us." So, Jesus went with them. And when He got close to the military officer's house, the officer sent [his] friends to Jesus, saying to Him [i.e., speaking on behalf of the military officer], "Sir, do not trouble yourself, for I do not deserve for you to come into my house; miles southeast of Nazareth]. His disciples and a large crowd [also] went with Him. [and] for the same reason I did not think I deserved to come to you either. So, [just] say the word and [I know] my slave will be healed. For I also am a man [who was] placed under the authority [of others], and I have soldiers [who serve] under me. I can say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another one, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." And when Jesus heard these things, He was amazed and said to the crowd that was following Him, "I tell you, I have never found [anyone with] such great faith, not [even] among the Israelites."

And when He had arrived at Capernaum, a military officer approached Him, begging, "Sir, my slave-boy is at home sick in bed with a paralyzing disease and in serious pain." Jesus said, "I will go and heal him." read more.
But the military officer answered, "Sir, I do not deserve for you to come into my house; just say the word and [I know] my slave-boy will be healed. For I also am a man [who serves] under the authority [of others], and I have soldiers [who serve] under me. I can say to this one 'Go,' and he goes, and to another one, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave 'Do this,' and he does it." And when Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those who were following [along], "It is true when I tell to you, I have never found [anyone with] such great faith, not [even] among the Israelites. And I [also] say to you, that many people will come from the east and the west and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children who [are supposed to] belong to the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness where there will be crying and excruciating pain." And Jesus said to the military officer, "Go on your way; since you have believed [in my power to heal], what you desired will be done for you." And the slave-boy was healed that [very] hour.

And a certain military officer's slave [was there], whom the officer highly valued. This slave was [so] sick that he was about to die. And when the officer heard about Jesus, he sent [some] Jewish elders to Him asking that He come and heal his slave. And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying, "This officer deserves that you should do this for him [i.e., heal his slave], read more.
for he loves our nation and he is the one who built the synagogue for us." So, Jesus went with them. And when He got close to the military officer's house, the officer sent [his] friends to Jesus, saying to Him [i.e., speaking on behalf of the military officer], "Sir, do not trouble yourself, for I do not deserve for you to come into my house; miles southeast of Nazareth]. His disciples and a large crowd [also] went with Him. [and] for the same reason I did not think I deserved to come to you either. So, [just] say the word and [I know] my slave will be healed. For I also am a man [who was] placed under the authority [of others], and I have soldiers [who serve] under me. I can say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another one, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." And when Jesus heard these things, He was amazed and said to the crowd that was following Him, "I tell you, I have never found [anyone with] such great faith, not [even] among the Israelites."

but that whoever respects Him and does what is right, whatever country he may be from, is acceptable to Him.

Now Jesus was born in Bethlehem [a small town] in Judea during the time when Herod [the Great] was king [of Judea]. About that time some astrologer/sages from the east [i.e., Persia] came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the one who was born to be king of the Jews? For we saw a star [signifying his birth while we were still] in the east, and have come here to worship him." And when King Herod heard this, he and the entire city of Jerusalem were [very] upset. read more.
So, he gathered all the leading priests and experts in the law of Moses from among the people and asked them where the Christ [child] was to be born. They replied to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what was written by the prophet [Micah 5:2], And you, Bethlehem in the country of Judah, are not among the least [towns in furnishing] rulers for Judah, for you will produce a leader who will become shepherd of my [i.e., God's] people Israel.'" Then Herod summoned the astrologer/sages and learned from them exactly when the star had appeared. So, he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and find out the details about the young child, and when you have found him, come and tell me, so I can go and worship him myself." After hearing the king they left and the star, which they had seen [while still] in the east, moved on ahead of them until it stopped over [the house] where the young child was staying. [See verse 11]. And when they saw the star, they were extremely happy. Then they went into the house and saw the young child with His mother Mary. They fell to the ground and worshiped Him, and unpacking their treasures, they offered Him gifts of gold, incense and aromatic spices.

Now there was a certain man in Caesarea named Cornelius. He was [a military man] in charge of one hundred soldiers and belonged to the "battalion of Italy." He was very devoted [to his religious principles] and had great respect for God, along with the members of his household. He gave [money] liberally to poor people and prayed to God regularly. About three o'clock one afternoon [Note: This is based on Jewish time calculations; if Roman time were employed, it would have been read more.
As he stared at [the angel] in fright, he asked, "What is it, Lord?" [Note: The word "Lord" here could also be translated "Sir," and its correct rendering depends on whether or not Cornelius understood the angel to be from God]. And the angel replied, "Your [continual] prayers and [generous] gifts to poor people have not gone unnoticed before God. And now send men to Joppa to get Simon Peter; he is staying with Simon, a tanner [of animal hides], whose house is close to the [Mediterranean] sea." AM if calculating by Roman time], to the top of the house to pray [Note: The roofs of houses were flat areas, often used for resting, meals, prayer, etc.]. When the angel who spoke with him had left, Cornelius called two of his house servants and a soldier who was devoted [to God], men who worked for him regularly,

Now Jesus was born in Bethlehem [a small town] in Judea during the time when Herod [the Great] was king [of Judea]. About that time some astrologer/sages from the east [i.e., Persia] came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the one who was born to be king of the Jews? For we saw a star [signifying his birth while we were still] in the east, and have come here to worship him." And when King Herod heard this, he and the entire city of Jerusalem were [very] upset. read more.
So, he gathered all the leading priests and experts in the law of Moses from among the people and asked them where the Christ [child] was to be born. They replied to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what was written by the prophet [Micah 5:2], And you, Bethlehem in the country of Judah, are not among the least [towns in furnishing] rulers for Judah, for you will produce a leader who will become shepherd of my [i.e., God's] people Israel.'" Then Herod summoned the astrologer/sages and learned from them exactly when the star had appeared. So, he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and find out the details about the young child, and when you have found him, come and tell me, so I can go and worship him myself." After hearing the king they left and the star, which they had seen [while still] in the east, moved on ahead of them until it stopped over [the house] where the young child was staying. [See verse 11]. And when they saw the star, they were extremely happy. Then they went into the house and saw the young child with His mother Mary. They fell to the ground and worshiped Him, and unpacking their treasures, they offered Him gifts of gold, incense and aromatic spices. Then they were warned by God in a [supernatural] dream not to return to Herod, so they left and returned to their own country by a different route.