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Lesson 4 Hope of Israel Ministries BIBLE Correspondence Course 7

GENTILE under heaven! and was rendered Greek 20 times and Gentile(s)
14. Now read Acts 10:22. Would it have 7 times.
made sense to say that Cornelius was “of good
report among all the GENTILE of the Jews
(Judeans)”?
COMMENT: As in the case of the
Hebrew word goy, the Greek word ethnos also
has GENERAL applicability; it can refer to any
group of people with the CONTEXT
determining which PARTICULAR ones. To say As was the case with the Greek word
that ethnos always refers to the same group of ethnos, the word Hellen was translated
people just ISN’T ACCURATE OR HONEST. INCONSISTENTLY. A look at several
The following examples from the Bible will passages in the New Testament will illustrate
illustrate this point: this point.
15. In Luke 7:5 what nation (ethnos) is Strong’s Concordance defines this word
referred to? (#1672) as follows: “a Hellen (Grecian) or
COMMENT: This event took place in inhabitant of Hellen (Greece); A Greek-
the city of Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee. speaking person.”
16. Read, now, John 11:48. What nation 1. According to Strong’s, the Greek
(ethnos) were the chief priests and Pharisees word Hellen refers to a person of what nation?
afraid to lose? 2. Complete the following phrase found
17. In Acts 4:27 the people of Israel are in Romans 1:16: “...the Jew (Judean) first, and
mentioned as well as other people. What name is also the______.”
given to these other non-Israelites? 3. This word is translated from what
18. In Acts 13:19 what seven nations Greek word?
(ethnos) are referred to? See also Deuteronomy COMMENT: The apostle Paul is
7:1. distinguishing between Judeans and Greeks.
19. Read Revelation 15:4. Nations 4. Verses 9 and 10 of Romans 2 both
(ethnos) is a reference to what kinds of people? contain the phrase “...the Jew (Judean) first, and
COMMENT: The scriptures in also the__________.”
questions 15 and 16 show that the Greek word 5. These words -- in each case -- are
ethnos (usually translated “Gentile”) was used translated from what Greek word?
to refer to two separate ISRAELITE nations COMMENT: Again, Paul is
(Galilee and Judea). The scriptures in questions distinguishing between Judeans and Greeks.
17 and 18 use ethnos to refer to NON- In the above three verses, the SAME
ISRAELITE nations, while the scripture in PHRASE is used containing the Greek word
question 19 uses ethnos to mean ALL KINDS of Hellen. However, in the first case the translators
peoples -- including Israelites. used the English word Greek, while in the other

two verses they used the word Gentile.
Hellen As you can see from the above verses,
the English words Gentile and Greek were both
Now we will turn our attention to the translated from the SAME Greek word -- hellen!
SECOND Greek word that was rendered Check out the other times Hellen (Strong’s
Gentile in the New Testament: Hellen. Looking #1672) was translated “Gentile” and you will see
at the following chart we can see that this Greek that the translators SHOULD have ALWAYS
word was used 27 times in the New Testament rendered it Greek instead of substituting -- at

Understanding Word Meanings