“Gentiles” is a term seen often in the Bible—exclusively in the New Testament—and it represents an important category of people which we ought to know if we are going to read Scripture carefully and grasp its theological implications. The word Gentile is found over 160 times in over half of the books of the New Testament.
So who are the Gentiles?
In its simplest definition, Gentiles are anyone who is not Jewish. Broadly speaking, the Bible, particularly the New Testament, often presents humanity in two categories: Jews and everyone else.
The English word Gentile is the translation of the Greek word ἔθνος (ethnos), plural ἔθνη (ethnē). And that Greek word is where we get our English word ethnic. The basic meaning of ethnos is nation, people group, ethnic group.
And so, while in a very general way, Gentile means everyone who is not Jewish, the word truly means nations, which is important to remember because, for instance, in the Great Commission, Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη)” (Matthew 28:19). Clearly, the word itself simply means a nation; it does not inherently mean “non-Jew.”
And so, the meaning of Gentile ultimately depends on context but it generally speaks of those who are not Jewish.
So how did we get the English word “Gentile”? The word Gentile comes as an adaptation of the Latin.
- The Latin: gens (plural gentes)means“clan,” “nation,” or “people.”
- The Hebrew:גּוֹי(gôy) means “nation.”
- The Greek:ἔθνος(ethnos) means “nation.”
The history is that when the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament were translated into Latin (a version of the Bible known as the Vulgate), both the Hebrew word for nations (gôy) and the Greek word for nations (ethnos) were often translated into the Latin words gens or gentilis. These Latin words are the root of the English word Gentile.
Over time though, in Christian theological usage, the Latin gentilis came to refer specifically to non-Jews. So while the original Hebrew and Greek words mean “nation,” the English word Gentile actually reflects the later theological distinction that developed in Jewish and Christian history.
If we go back, though, in the Old Testament, the Hebrew word גּוֹי (gôy) (plural גּוֹיִם, gôyim), while simply meaning “nation,” can also refer to Israel itself.
For example, God says to Israel through Moses, “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (gôy)” (Exodus 19:6). Because of passages like this, English translations of the Old Testament generally render gôy as “nation” rather than “Gentile.” So, again, translators use “nation(s)” in the Old Testament to preserve the original Hebrew sense.
The natural question, then, is: Why is it “nation” in the Old Testament but “Gentile” in the New? Well, as with many things concerning the Bible, it comes down to context and theological clarity.
In the Old Testament, Israel is one nation among many nations, and so the word gôy is primarily geopolitical or ethnic; but in the New Testament, the distinction between Jews and non-Jews becomes central, especially as it relates to the covenant—and so the Greek word ethnos often carries the meaning of “the nations” as in contrast to Israel.
So, what we see in translating the word ethnos in the New Testament is that “Nation(s)” is used when the sense is political or general, and “Gentile(s)” is used when the sense is meant to contrast with Israel.
But again, in our common usage, when we speak of Gentiles, we are speaking of anyone who is not Jewish. Yes, it’s a very broad category of people, and as we discussed, there are some translation nuances we need to be aware of; but regardless, I hope this short article is helpful for you as you read the Bible and study God’s Word, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, God may reveal His plan and His truth to you.
And so, may this short study of the word Gentile remind you that God’s plan through the Gospel and the Covenant is truly a global effort, meant to extend not just to Israel, but to all nations, both Jew and Gentile.
