1482. ethnikos

Lexicon

ethnikos: Gentile, heathen, pagan

Original Word: ἐθνικός
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: ethnikos
Pronunciation: eth-nee-KOS
Phonetic Spelling: (eth-nee-kos')
Definition: Gentile, heathen, pagan
Meaning: pagan, heathen, gentile; subst: a Gentile, non-Jew.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

a Gentile

From ethnos; national ("ethnic"), i.e. (specially) a Gentile -- heathen (man).

see GREEK ethnos

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 1482 ethnikós(from 1484/éthnos, "nation") – Gentile; heathen, usually referring to non-Israelites; a pagan, a "non-covenant person," standing outside God's covenant (salvation). See 1484 (ethnos).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from ethnos
Definition
national, foreign, i.e. spec. a Gentile
NASB Translation
Gentile (1), Gentiles (3).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1482: ἐθνικός

ἐθνικός, ἐθνικη, ἐθνικον (ethnos);

1. adapted to the genius or customs of a people, peculiar to a people, national: Polybius, Diodorus, others.

2. suited to the manners or language of foreigners, strange, foreign; so in the grammarians (cf. our 'gentile'].

3. in the N. T. savoring of the nature of pagans, alien to the worship of the true God, heathenish; substantively, ὁ ἐθνικός, the pagan, the Gentile: Matthew 18:17; plural, Matthew 5:47 G L T Tr WH; ; and 3 John 1:7 L T Tr WH.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from ἔθνος (ethnos), meaning "nation" or "people."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of Gentiles or nations in the Hebrew Bible is often represented by the word גּוֹי (goy, Strong's Hebrew 1471), which similarly denotes a nation or people, typically used to refer to non-Israelite nations.

Usage: The term ἐθνικός is used in the New Testament to describe individuals or practices that are characteristic of the Gentiles, often in contrast to Jewish customs or Christian teachings. It appears in contexts where the behavior or beliefs of non-Jews are being discussed or critiqued.

Context: The term ἐθνικός appears in the New Testament primarily in the context of distinguishing between Jewish and Gentile practices. In Matthew 5:47, Jesus uses the term to challenge His followers to exceed the righteousness of the Gentiles: "And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?" (BSB). Here, ἐθνικός is used to highlight the common social practices of the Gentiles, urging believers to demonstrate a higher standard of love and hospitality.

In Matthew 18:17, the term is used in the context of church discipline: "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector." (BSB). This passage underscores the separation between the community of believers and those who persist in unrepentant sin, likening the latter to Gentiles who are outside the covenant community.

The use of ἐθνικός in the New Testament reflects the early Christian understanding of the church as a distinct community, called to live according to the teachings of Christ, in contrast to the surrounding pagan cultures. It serves as a reminder of the transformative nature of the Gospel, which calls individuals from all nations to a new way of life in Christ.

Forms and Transliterations

εθνικοι εθνικοί ἐθνικοί ἐθνικοὶ εθνικος εθνικός ἐθνικὸς εθνικων ἐθνικῶν ethnikoi ethnikoí ethnikoì ethnikon ethnikôn ethnikōn ethnikō̂n ethnikos ethnikòs

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 5:47 Adj-NMP
GRK: καὶ οἱ ἐθνικοὶ τὸ αὐτὸ
NAS: [than others]? Do not even the Gentiles do
INT: also the The Gentiles the same

Matthew 6:7 Adj-NMP
GRK: ὥσπερ οἱ ἐθνικοί δοκοῦσιν γὰρ
NAS: do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose
KJV: as the heathen [do]: for
INT: as the pagans they think indeed

Matthew 18:17 Adj-NMS
GRK: ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ
NAS: to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
KJV: as an heathen man and
INT: as the pagan and the

3 John 1:7 Adj-GMP
GRK: ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνικῶν
NAS: accepting nothing from the Gentiles.
INT: from the Gentiles

Strong's Greek 1482
4 Occurrences

ἐθνικῶν — 1 Occ.
ἐθνικοὶ — 2 Occ.
ἐθνικὸς — 1 Occ.