What is a GENTILE?

[Reba]

The word 'gentile' what is it's meaning? The idea that comes to my mind is pagan.

[Pilgrim]

Gentile refers to any person who is not of Jewish descent.

[GrayPilgrim]

Gentile is through some route an anglisized version of the Hebrew word "goy" which simply means--nation (like Lawrence comes from Lazarus). Initially it had a neutral connotation, later on however it became a perjorative term to refer to those outside of the Jewish community.

[smilax]

It refers to those outside the community, not necessarily those outside the descent.

Esther viii, 17: "And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them."

[bar Jonah]

I've been told by a Jew who speaks Hebrew that the term "Gentile" most literally means "Lawless," or "one who is without the Law."

[dizzle]

Interesting verse Smilax, thank you.

[Reba]

OT:1471
gowy (go'-ee); rarely (shortened) goy (go'-ee); apparently from the same root as OT:1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:

KJV - Gentile, heathen, nation, people.


NT:1484
ethnos (eth'-nos); probably from NT:1486; a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by implication, pagan):

KJV - Gentile, heathen, nation, people.


NT:1672
Hellen (hel'-lane); from NT:1671; a Hellen (Grecian) or inhabitant of Hellas; by extension a Greek-speaking person, especially a non-Jew:

KJV - Gentile, Greek.

(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)


NT:1484
ethnos, ethnous, to:
1. a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together; a company, troop, swarm
2. a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus
3. race, nation: Matt 21:43; Acts 10:35
4. foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles,
5. Paul uses ta ethnee even of Gentile Christians: Rom 11:13

(from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 2000 by Biblesoft)

OT:1471

gowy rarely (shortened) goy--


as a noun, masculine:

nation, people
a) nation, people
1) usually of non-Hebrew people
2) used of descendants of Abraham
3) used of Israel
b) used of a swarm of locusts or other animals (figurative)

as a proper noun, masculine:

c) Goyim? = "nations"


(from The Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright (c)1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research.)

[Jaltus]

ACK!

Hellen is what Greeks call themselves, it DOES NOT mean Gentile like ethnos does, it means Greek-speaking.

[GrayPilgrim]

RightIdea:
I've been told by a Jew who speaks Hebrew that the term "Gentile" most literally means "Lawless," or "one who is without the Law."

That seems more the conotation that has come to it. The word GOY just means nation, though its usage, especially in modern Hebrew is generally perjorative.

[Carl Smuda]

the New World Translation reads the word in english as "people of the nations." New World Translation is the Jehovah's Witnesses translation. no, I am not now, nor have I ever been a JW. My wife was born and raised as one. Every April we go to their memorial service. (read: communion). And every year they pass around the bread (and no one eats it), and they pass around the wine (and no one drinks it). It's their way. :hrm:

I think of Paul: The Apostle to the Gentiles. Always remember and never forget that. it will help if you ever are so moved to help a JW with their mandatory door-to-door time. Since Paul made it clear that he was the Apostle to the Gentiles then his letters were written primarily for Gentiles NOT the 144,000 jews listed in the book of Revelation. :argh:

[bar Jonah]

Carl Smuda:
the New World Translation reads the word in english as "people of the nations." New World Translation is the Jehovah's Witnesses translation. no, I am not now, nor have I ever been a JW. My wife was born and raised as one. Every April we go to their memorial service. (read: communion). And every year they pass around the bread (and no one eats it), and they pass around the wine (and no one drinks it). It's their way. :hrm:

I think of Paul: The Apostle to the Gentiles. Always remember and never forget that. it will help if you ever are so moved to help a JW with their mandatory door-to-door time. Since Paul made it clear that he was the Apostle to the Gentiles then his letters were written primarily for Gentiles NOT the 144,000 jews listed in the book of Revelation. :argh:
Carl, just curious but why do you and your wife still annually attend the service of an antichrist cult?

[Reba]

OT:1471
gowy (go'-ee); rarely (shortened) goy (go'-ee); apparently from the same root as OT:1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:


Those of you who call your selfs gentiles are you troop animals or locusts? how about a foreign nation?

Eph 2:19-20
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
KJV


I am not a gentile