1675. Hellénistés

Lexicon

Hellénistés: Hellenist

Original Word: Ἑλληνιστής
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Hellénistés
Pronunciation: hel-lay-nis-TACE
Phonetic Spelling: (hel-lay-nis-tace')
Definition: Hellenist
Meaning: a Hellenist, Grecian Jew, a Greek-speaking Jew, that is one who can speak Greek only and not Hebrew (or Aramaic).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Grecian.

From a derivative of Hellen; a Hellenist or Greek-speaking Jew -- Grecian.

see GREEK Hellen

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from Hellénizó (to Hellenize)
Definition
a Hellenist (Greek-speaking Jew)
NASB Translation
Hellenistic (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1675: Ἑλληνιστής

Ἑλληνιστής, ἑλληνιστου, ὁ (from ἑλληνίζω to copy the manners and worship of the Greeks or to use the Greek language (Winers Grammar, 94 (89f), cf. 28)), a Hellenist, i. e. one who imitates the manners and customs or the worship of the Greeks, and uses the Greek tongue; employed in the N. T. of Jews born in foreign lands and speaking Greek (Grecian Jews): Acts 11:20 R (WH; see in Ἕλλην, 2); Acts 9:29; the name adhered to them even after they had embraced Christianity, Acts 6:1, where it is opposed to οἱ Ἑβραῖοί, which see Cf. Winers RWB, under the word Hellenisten; Reuss in Herzog see p. 701ff; (BB. DD., under the word ; Farrar, St. Paul, chapter vii.; Wetstein (1752) on Acts 6:1).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from Ἑλληνίζω (G1672), meaning "to speak Greek" or "to adopt Greek customs."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Hebrew equivalent for Ἑλληνιστής, as it specifically refers to a cultural and linguistic identity that emerged during the Hellenistic period. However, the concept of Jews living in diaspora and interacting with surrounding cultures can be related to terms describing the Jewish people in exile or dispersion, such as גּוֹלָה (H1473, "exile") or תְּפוּצָה (H6327, "dispersion").

Usage: The term is used in the New Testament to refer to Jews who spoke Greek and were influenced by Greek culture, as opposed to those who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic. It appears in contexts where cultural and linguistic differences among Jewish communities are highlighted.

Context: The term Ἑλληνιστής (Hellēnistēs) is found in the New Testament, specifically in the Book of Acts. It refers to Jews who, during the Hellenistic period, adopted the Greek language and, to some extent, Greek customs. This group is distinct from the Hebraic Jews, who maintained traditional Jewish customs and spoke Hebrew or Aramaic.

In Acts 6:1, the term is used to describe a group within the early Christian community: "In those days, as the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists began to grumble against the Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food." (BSB) This passage highlights the cultural and linguistic tensions that existed within the early church, necessitating the appointment of deacons to ensure fair treatment and distribution of resources.

The Hellenists played a significant role in the spread of Christianity beyond the confines of traditional Jewish society. Their ability to speak Greek and navigate Hellenistic culture facilitated the transmission of the Gospel to Gentile regions. The Apostle Paul, himself a Hellenistic Jew, exemplifies this bridge between Jewish and Gentile worlds, using his background to effectively communicate the message of Christ across diverse cultural settings.

The presence of Hellenists in the early church underscores the inclusive nature of the Gospel, breaking down barriers between different ethnic and cultural groups. It also reflects the broader historical context of the Jewish diaspora, where many Jews lived outside of Judea and were influenced by the dominant Greek culture of the time.

Forms and Transliterations

Ελληνιστας Ἑλληνιστάς Ελληνιστων Ἑλληνιστῶν Ellenistas Ellēnistas Elleniston Ellēnistōn Hellenistas Hellenistás Hellēnistas Hellēnistás Helleniston Hellenistôn Hellēnistōn Hellēnistō̂n

Englishman's Concordance

Acts 6:1 N-GMP
GRK: γογγυσμὸς τῶν Ἑλληνιστῶν πρὸς τοὺς
NAS: arose on the part of the Hellenistic [Jews] against
KJV: a murmuring of the Grecians against
INT: a grumbling of the Hellenists against the

Acts 9:29 N-AMP
GRK: πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστάς οἱ δὲ
NAS: and arguing with the Hellenistic [Jews]; but they were attempting
KJV: against the Grecians: but
INT: with the Hellenists moreover

Acts 11:20 N-AMP
GRK: πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστάς εὐαγγελιζόμενοι τὸν
KJV: unto the Grecians, preaching
INT: to the Hellenists proclaiming the gospel [of] the

Strong's Greek 1675
3 Occurrences

Ἑλληνιστάς — 2 Occ.
Ἑλληνιστῶν — 1 Occ.