Topical Bible: Aliens

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the context of the Bible, the term "aliens" typically refers to foreigners or strangers—those who are not native to the land in which they reside. The concept of aliens is addressed in various passages, emphasizing themes of hospitality, justice, and the inclusion of non-Israelites within the community of God's people.

Old Testament References

1. Hospitality and Treatment of Aliens: The Old Testament law contains numerous instructions regarding the treatment of aliens. In Leviticus 19:33-34 , it is written: "When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not oppress him. You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God." This command underscores the importance of empathy and kindness towards those who are not native Israelites, reminding the Israelites of their own history as aliens in Egypt.

2. Legal Protections: Aliens were afforded certain legal protections under Mosaic Law. Deuteronomy 24:17-18 states: "Do not deny justice to the foreigner or the fatherless, and do not take a widow’s cloak as security. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I am commanding you to do this." This passage highlights the expectation of justice and fairness for all, including aliens.

3. Participation in Religious Life: Aliens were also allowed to participate in certain religious practices. In Numbers 15:14-16 , it is noted: "And if a foreigner resides with you or someone else is among you and wants to offer a food offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD, he is to do as you do. The assembly is to have the same statute for both you and the foreigner residing with you; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the LORD."

New Testament References

1. Spiritual Aliens: The New Testament expands the concept of aliens to include spiritual dimensions. In Ephesians 2:19 , Paul writes: "Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household." Here, the term "foreigners" is used metaphorically to describe those who were once outside the covenant community but have now been brought near through Christ.

2. The Church as a Welcoming Community: The early Christian community is depicted as one that transcends ethnic and cultural boundaries, welcoming all who come to faith in Christ. In Galatians 3:28 , Paul declares: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." This unity in Christ breaks down the barriers that once separated Jews from Gentiles, including the alien.

3. Pilgrims and Sojourners: Believers are often described as aliens and strangers in the world, emphasizing their temporary status on earth and their ultimate citizenship in heaven. In 1 Peter 2:11 , Peter exhorts: "Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul." This imagery encourages Christians to live with an eternal perspective, recognizing their true home is with God.

Theological Implications

The biblical treatment of aliens reflects God's concern for justice, compassion, and inclusion. It serves as a reminder of the Israelites' own history as aliens and the broader spiritual truth of humanity's alienation from God due to sin. Through Christ, believers are reconciled and welcomed into God's family, transcending earthly divisions and becoming part of a new, inclusive community. The call to love and welcome the alien is a reflection of God's own character and His redemptive plan for all nations.

Topical Bible Verses

Jeremiah 7:6
If you oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:
Topicalbible.org

Matthew 25:43
I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and you visited me not.
Topicalbible.org

Matthew 25:38
When saw we you a stranger, and took you in? or naked, and clothed you?
Topicalbible.org

Matthew 25:35
For I was an hungered, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in:
Topicalbible.org

2 Samuel 22:46
Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places.
Topicalbible.org

Joshua 20:9
These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojournes among them, that whoever kills any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.
Topicalbible.org

Numbers 35:15
These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that kills any person unawares may flee thither.
Topicalbible.org

Numbers 15:14
And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet smell to the LORD; as you do, so he shall do.
Topicalbible.org

Numbers 15:15
One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojournes with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as you are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.
Topicalbible.org

Greek

3927. parepidemos -- sojourning in a strange place
... Word Origin from para and epidemos (sojourning in) Definition sojourning in a strange
place NASB Word Usage exiles (1), reside as aliens (1), strangers (1). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3927.htm - 7k

3941. paroikos -- dwelling near, foreign
... Word Origin from para and oikos Definition dwelling near, foreign NASB Word
Usage alien (1), aliens (3). foreigner, sojourn, stranger. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3941.htm - 7k

4899. suneklektos -- chosen together with
... 1 Pet 1:1,2: " 1 To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, , by the sanctifying work of the Spirit ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4899.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

1481a. gur -- to sojourn
... root Definition to sojourn NASB Word Usage abide* (1), alien (1), aliens (1), assemble
(1), colonize (1), dwell (3), dwells (1), habitation (1), live (4), live ...
/hebrew/1481a.htm - 5k

5237. nokri -- foreign, alien
... Word Origin from the same as neker Definition foreign, alien NASB Word Usage adulteress
(2), adulterous woman (2), alien (2), aliens (1), extraordinary (1 ...
/hebrew/5237.htm - 6k

5236. nekar -- that which is foreign, foreignness
... Word Origin from the same as neker Definition that which is foreign, foreignness
NASB Word Usage aliens* (2), foreign (16), foreigner* (6), foreigners* (10 ...
/hebrew/5236.htm - 6k

2114a. zur -- to be a stranger
... root Definition to be a stranger NASB Word Usage adulteress (3), adulteress* (1),
alien (2), aliens (2), another (2), enemies (1), estranged (4), foreign (2 ...
/hebrew/2114a.htm - 5k

1121. ben -- son
... root Definition son NASB Word Usage afflicted (1), afflicted* (1), age (7), aliens*
(2), Ammonites* (7), anointed* (1), arrow (1), arrows (1), Assyrians* (3 ...
/hebrew/1121.htm - 8k

1616. ger -- a sojourner
... Word Origin from gur Definition a sojourner NASB Word Usage alien (40), aliens
(11), foreigners (1), immigrants (1), sojourner (5), sojourners (2), stranger (25 ...
/hebrew/1616.htm - 6k

Library

Further Examples from the Old Testament in Favour of Fasting.
... offering the holocaust (in no way do we learn that the clemency of God was more
procured than by the abstinence of the people), and the aliens were advancing ...
/.../chapter vii further examples from the.htm

How the Whole and the Sick are to be Admonished.
... Whence it is well said through Solomon, Give not thine honour unto aliens and thy
years unto the cruel, lest haply strangers be filled with thy wealth, and thy ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter xii how the whole.htm

Introduction.
... him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to be with him in the camp." [1012] And so
foreshadowing the future mystery, he demanded a wife of the aliens, which, as ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/introduction 2.htm

Psalm LIV.
... 6. "For aliens have risen up against me" (ver.3). What "aliens"? Was not
David himself a Jew of the tribe of Judah? ... How then "aliens"? ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm liv.htm

On Psalm Lxii. 6
... 6. Aliens (metanastai) properly so called are those who have been despoiled by some
enemies or adversaries, and have then become wanderers; a thing which we ...
/.../hippolytus/the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/vi on psalm lxii 6.htm

Another Fragment .
... it is well to bring you to the testimony of Scriptures, for recollect that the Temple
indeed was at Jerusalem; the Temple was not deserted, aliens had invaded ...
/.../athanasius/select works and letters or athanasius/another fragment 3.htm

Also Another Felix of Ammacura Said: "I Too...
... nowhere have enjoined that heretics baptized among heretics should be baptized afresh,
but that they have shown in many places that all are aliens from the ...
/.../writings in connection with the donatist controversy /chapter 40 77 also.htm

Ephesians ii. 11, 12
... No, the real trouble was this, the being "without Christ," the being "aliens from
the commonwealth of Israel." Whereas this circumcision is not "the ...
/.../homily v ephesians ii 11.htm

Death of Liberius, Bishop of Rome. He is Succeeded by Damasus and ...
... the bishops of several provinces assembled not long after at Rome, and decreed that
Auxentius and those who held his sentiments should be aliens from their ...
/.../chapter xxiii death of liberius bishop.htm

For those who First, when the Persecution Waxed Warm...
... betrayed by the languor and mortification of the body; and since, besides this,
they testify that in their life they have as it were been aliens from their city ...
/.../peter/the writings of peter of alexandria/canon xi for those who.htm

Thesaurus

Aliens (53 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Aliens (53 Occurrences). Acts 7:6 God spoke in
this way: that his seed would live as aliens in a strange ...
/a/aliens.htm - 22k

Oppress (57 Occurrences)
... Exodus 22:21 "You shall not wrong an alien, neither shall you oppress him, for you
were aliens in the land of Egypt. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/o/oppress.htm - 24k

Package (1 Occurrence)
... 4. (n.) A duty formerly charged in the port of London on goods imported or exported
by aliens, or by denizens who were the sons of aliens. ...
/p/package.htm - 7k

Alien (102 Occurrences)
... Among the Hebrews there were two classes of aliens. ... 4. (n.) One excluded from certain
privileges; one alienated or estranged; as, aliens from God's mercies. ...
/a/alien.htm - 39k

Sojourner (81 Occurrences)
... It is also particularly used of free aliens residing among the Israelites,
and it is with the position of such that this article deals. ...
/s/sojourner.htm - 48k

Stranger (152 Occurrences)
... It is also particularly used of free aliens residing among the Israelites,
and it is with the position of such that this article deals. ...
/s/stranger.htm - 57k

Strangers (95 Occurrences)
... Psalms 144:7 Stretch forth thy hand from above; Rescue me, and deliver me
out of great waters, Out of the hand of aliens; (See JPS). ...
/s/strangers.htm - 36k

Valiant (66 Occurrences)
... the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong,
waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ...
/v/valiant.htm - 28k

Violence (98 Occurrences)
... the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong,
waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ...
/v/violence.htm - 38k

Uplifted (26 Occurrences)
... Acts 13:17 The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when
they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led ...
/u/uplifted.htm - 14k

Resources

If aliens were proved to exist, how would that discovery impact the Christian faith? | GotQuestions.org

Are there such things as aliens or UFOs? | GotQuestions.org

How should a Christian respond to illegal aliens/illegal immigrants? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Aliens (53 Occurrences)

Acts 7:6
God spoke in this way: that his seed would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.
(WEB NAS RSV)

Acts 13:17
The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it.
(WEB)

Ephesians 2:12
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
(KJV DBY WBS)

Ephesians 2:19
So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,
(See NAS NIV)

Hebrews 11:13
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
(See NIV)

Hebrews 11:34
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
(KJV ASV WBS YLT)

1 Peter 1:1
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
(See NAS)

1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 6:4
I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their travels, in which they lived as aliens.
(WEB NIV)

Exodus 22:21
"You shall not wrong an alien, neither shall you oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
(WEB NIV)

Exodus 23:9
"You shall not oppress an alien, for you know the heart of an alien, seeing you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
(WEB NIV)

Leviticus 17:8
"You shall say to them,'Any man there is of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice,
(See NAS)

Leviticus 17:10
"'Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who eats any kind of blood, I will set my face against that soul who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
(See NAS)

Leviticus 17:13
"'Whatever man there is of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who takes in hunting any animal or bird that may be eaten; he shall pour out its blood, and cover it with dust.
(See NAS)

Leviticus 18:26
You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you;
(See NIV)

Leviticus 19:34
The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.
(See NAS NIV)

Leviticus 20:2
"Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel,'Anyone of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel, who gives any of his seed to Molech; he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.
(See NAS)

Leviticus 22:18
"Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them,'Whoever is of the house of Israel, or of the foreigners in Israel, who offers his offering, whether it be any of their vows, or any of their freewill offerings, which they offer to Yahweh for a burnt offering;
(See NAS)

Leviticus 25:6
The Sabbath of the land shall be for food for you; for yourself, for your servant, for your maid, for your hired servant, and for your stranger, who lives as a foreigner with you.
(See NAS)

Leviticus 25:23
"'The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and live as foreigners with me.
(See NAS NIV)

Leviticus 25:45
Moreover of the children of the strangers who sojourn among you, of them you may buy, and of their families who are with you, which they have conceived in your land; and they will be your property.
(See NAS)

Numbers 15:26
and all the congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them; for in respect of all the people it was done unwittingly.
(See NIV)

Numbers 19:10
He who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be to the children of Israel, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them, for a statute forever.
(See NIV)

Numbers 35:15
For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the foreigner living among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.
(See NIV(

Deuteronomy 10:19
Therefore love the foreigner; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
(See NAS NIV)

Deuteronomy 14:29
and the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the foreigner living among you, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 16:11
and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates, and the foreigner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are in the midst of you, in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 16:14
and you shall rejoice in your feast, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your female servant, and the Levite, and the foreigner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 24:14
You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he be of your brothers, or of your foreigners who are in your land within your gates:
(See NAS)

Deuteronomy 26:11
You shall rejoice in all the good which Yahweh your God has given to you, and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the foreigner who is in the midst of you.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 29:11
your little ones, your wives, and your foreigner who is in the midst of your camps, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water;
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 31:12
Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and your foreigner who is within your gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear Yahweh your God, and observe to do all the words of this law;
(See NIV)

Joshua 8:35
There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua didn't read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who were among them.
(See NIV)

2 Samuel 4:3
and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have lived as foreigners there until this day).
(See NAS NIV)

1 Chronicles 22:2
David commanded to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to cut worked stones to build the house of God.
(See RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 2:17
Solomon numbered all the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, after the numbering with which David his father had numbered them; and they were found one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 30:25
All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who came out of the land of Israel, and who lived in Judah, rejoiced.
(See NIV)

Psalms 144:7
Stretch forth thy hand from above; Rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, Out of the hand of aliens;
(ASV DBY NAS RSV)

Psalms 144:11
Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of aliens, Whose mouth speaketh deceit, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
(ASV DBY NAS RSV)

Isaiah 1:7
Your country has become waste; your towns are burned with fire; as for your land, it is overturned before your eyes, made waste and overcome by men from strange lands.
(See RSV)

Isaiah 2:6
For thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they are filled with customs from the east, and are'soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners.
(See JPS)

Isaiah 14:1
For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will again make Israel his special people, and will put them in their land; and the man from a strange country will take his place among them and be joined to the family of Jacob.
(See RSV NIV)

Isaiah 25:2
For you have made a town a waste place: a strong town a mass of broken walls; the tower of the men of pride has come to an end; it will never be put up again.
(See RSV)

Isaiah 56:6
Also the foreigners that join themselves to Jehovah, to minister unto him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and holdeth fast my covenant;
(See JPS)

Isaiah 60:10
And foreigners shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favor have I had mercy on thee.
(See JPS)

Isaiah 61:5
And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vine-dressers.
(See JPS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 51:51
We are confounded, because we have heard reproach; confusion has covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of Yahweh's house.
(See NAS RSV)

Lamentations 5:2
Our inheritance is turned to strangers, Our houses to aliens.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 44:7
in that ye have brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to profane it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant, to add unto all your abominations.
(See JPS)

Ezekiel 47:22
It shall happen, that you shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you and to the strangers who sojourn among you, who shall father children among you; and they shall be to you as the native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Hosea 7:9
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he doesn't realize it. Indeed, gray hairs are here and there on him, and he doesn't realize it.
(See RSV)

Hosea 8:7
For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
(See RSV)

Malachi 3:5
I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don't fear me," says Yahweh of Armies.
(See NIV)

Subtopics

Aliens

Aliens: David's Kindness To

Aliens: Forbidden to Eat the Passover

Aliens: Hospitality To, Required by Jesus

Aliens: Jews Authorized to Purchase, As Slaves

Aliens: Jews Authorized to Take Usury From

Aliens: Jews not Permitted to Make Kings of

Aliens: Kindness to Edomites, Enjoined

Aliens: Numerous in Times of David and Solomon

Aliens: Oppressed

Aliens: Partially Exempt from Jewish Law