Lexicon
prosélutos: Proselyte, convert
Original Word: προσήλυτος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: prosélutos
Pronunciation: pro-SAY-loo-tos
Phonetic Spelling: (pros-ay'-loo-tos)
Definition: Proselyte, convert
Meaning: (lit: that has come to), a proselyte, that is a non-Jew, who has been circumcised and has adopted the Jews' religion.
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
proselyte.
From the alternate of proserchomai; an arriver from a foreign region, i.e. (specially), an acceder (convert) to Judaism ("proselyte") -- proselyte.
see GREEK proserchomai
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
proserchomaiDefinitionone who has arrived (at Judaism), a proselyte
NASB Translationproselyte (2), proselytes (2).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4339: προσήλυτοςπροσήλυτος,
προσηλύτου,
ὁ (from
προσέρχομαι, perfect
προσελήλυθα, cf.
Buttmann, 74 (64); (
Winer's Grammar, 24, 26, 97 (92)));
1. a newcomer (Latinadvena; cf. πρός, IV. 1); a stranger, alien (Schol. ad Apoll. Rhod. 1, 834; the Sept. often for גֵּר (cf. Philo de monarch. 1, 7 at the beginning)).
2. a proselyte, i. e. one who has come over from a Gentile religion to Judaism (Luther, Judengenosse): Matthew 23:15; Acts 2:11 (); . The rabbis distinguish two classes of proselytes, viz. הַצֶּדֶק גֵּרֵי proselytes of righteousness, who received circumcision and bound themselves to keep the whole Mosaic law and to comply with all the requirements of Judaism, and הַשַּׁעַר גֵּרֵי, proselytes of the gate (a name derived apparently from Exodus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5:14; (); (), ()), who dwelt among the Jews, and although uncircumcised observed certain specified laws, especially the seven precepts of Noah (as the rabbis called them), i. e. against the seven chief sins, idolatry, blasphemy against God, homicide, unchastity, theft or plundering, rebellion against rulers, and the use of flesh with the blood thereof. (Many hold that this distinction of proselytes into classes is purely theoretical, and was of no practical moment in Christ's day; cf. Lardner, Works, 11:306-324; cf. vi. 522-533; Schürer in Riehm as below.) Cf. Leyrer in Herzog xii., p. 237ff (rewritten in edition 2 by Delitzsch (xii. 293ff)); Steiner in Schenkel iv., 629f; (BB. DD.); Schürer, Neutest. Zeitgesch., p. 644 ((whose views are somewhat modified, especially as respects classes of proselytes, in his 2te Aufl. § 31 V., p. 567, and his article 'Proselyten' in Riehm, p. 1240f)) and the books he refers to.
Topical Lexicon
Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb προσέρχομαι (proserchomai), meaning "to come to" or "to approach."Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent of προσήλυτος is גֵּר (ger), Strong's Hebrew 1616, which refers to a foreigner or sojourner who resides among the Israelites and is often associated with those who have embraced the worship of Yahweh.
Usage: The term προσήλυτος is used in the New Testament to refer to Gentiles who have converted to Judaism. It appears in contexts that highlight the inclusion of non-Jews into the religious community of Israel.
Context: The term προσήλυτος is significant in the context of the New Testament, reflecting the broader theme of inclusion and the expansion of God's covenant community. In the first-century Jewish context, a proselyte was a Gentile who had fully embraced Judaism, including adherence to the Law of Moses, circumcision for males, and participation in Jewish religious practices and festivals.
The New Testament references to proselytes underscore the early Christian understanding of God's plan for salvation extending beyond ethnic Israel to include all nations. In Matthew 23:15, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for their zeal in making proselytes, highlighting the potential for misguided religious fervor. In Acts 2:10, proselytes are mentioned among those present at Pentecost, indicating their participation in the early Christian community. Acts 6:5 refers to Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, who was chosen as one of the seven deacons, demonstrating the active role of converts in the early Church.
The inclusion of proselytes in the New Testament narrative reflects the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the nations coming to worship the God of Israel. It also prefigures the later mission to the Gentiles, as the early Church grappled with questions of identity and the scope of the Gospel.
Forms and Transliterations
προσέθλιψεν προσηλυτοι προσήλυτοι προσηλύτοις προσηλυτον προσήλυτον προσήλυτος προσηλύτου προσηλύτους προσηλύτω προσηλυτων προσηλύτων προσηνές πρόσθεμα πρόσθεσις προσκατέστησαν proselutoi prosēlutoi proseluton prosēluton prosēlutōn proselytoi prosēlytoi prosḗlytoi proselyton proselýton prosēlyton prosēlytōn prosēlýtōn prosḗlytonLinks
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