noun · neuter
ethnem
Strong’sG1484
a race, people, the Gentiles
stem ethn-160 times in the New Testamentin 16 of 27 books6 of 6 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
ἔθνος most basically means a nation or people — a group of persons united by a common identity 124.
In the singular, the word can also be used specifically of the Jewish nation, referring to Israel as a people 1.
In the plural, "the nations" (τὰ ἔθνη) denotes the Gentiles — the nations of the world as distinct from Israel, i.e. non-Jewish peoples, often with the sense of "foreign" or "pagan" 123; the same plural form is also used of Gentile believers within the early church 1.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ἔθνος, -ους, τό,
[in LXX chiefly for עַם,גּוֹי;]
SYN.: λαός (v. DCG, ii, 229; Cremer, 226).
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1484 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saideth'-nos
a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan)
Fromprobably from G1486;
King JamesGentile, heathen, nation, people.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
(ϝέθνος,Refs 8th c.BC+: - number of people living together, company, body of men, ἑτάρων ἔ., ἔ. ἑταίρων, band of comrades, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἔθνος λαῶν host of men, Refs; of particular tribes, Αυκίων μέγα ἔ. Refs 8th c.BC+; of animals, ἔ. μελισσάων, ὀρνίθων, μυιάων, swarms, flocks, etc., Refs 8th c.BC+; ἔ. ἀνέρων, γυναικῶν, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἔ. βρότεον, θνατόν, Refs; ἔ. τόδε, of the Erinyes, Refs 4th c.BC+
2 after Refs 8th c.BC+, nation, people, τὸ Μηδικὸν ἔ. (γένος being a subdivision of ἔθνος) Refs 5th c.BC+; ἔ. ἠπειρογενές, μαχαιροφόρον, Refs 5th c.BC+
2.b later, τὰ ἔ. foreign, barbarous nations, opposed to Ἕλληνες, Refs 4th c.BC+; ἔ. νομάδων, of Bedawîn, Refs; at Athens, athletic clubs of non-Athenians, Refs, non-Jews,LXX+NT
2.c at Rome, = provinciae, Refs 2nd c.AD+: so in singular, province, ὁ τυραννήσας τοῦ ἔθνους Refs 1st c.AD+; ὁ ἡγούμενος τοῦ ἔθνους the governor of the province, Refs 3rd c.AD+
3 class of men, caste, tribe, τὸ Θετταλῶν.. πενεστικὸν ἔ. Refs 5th c.BC+; οἶσθά τι ἔ. ἠλιθιώτερον ῥαψῳδῶ; Refs 5th c.BC+; δημιουργικὸν ἔ. Refs 5th c.BC+; τὰ ἱερὰ ἔ. the orders of priests, Refs 2nd c.BC+; trade-associations or guilds, ἔθνη καὶ ἐργαστήρια Refs 3rd c.BC+; class in respect to rank or station, οὐ πρὸς τοῦτο βλέποντες.. ὅπως.. ἕν τι ἔ. ἔσται διαφερόντως εὔδαιμον Refs 5th c.BC+
4 sex, θῆλυ, ἄρρεν ἔ., Refs 5th c.BC+
5 part, member, Refs 5th c.BC+
II of a single person, a relation, Refs 5th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject or object direct | ethnem6×ἔθνος | ethneim24×ἔθνη |
| of, belonging to genitive | ethneu7×ἔθνους | ethneiu45×ἐθνῶν |
| to, for dative | ethne7×ἔθνει | ethnei32×ἔθνεσιν |
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
ethne is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
160 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
ethnem“nation”subject or objectdirect singular6×
Matthew 24:7egeriti gar ethnem epi ethnem kai basileias epi basileian, …Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will …
Mark 13:8egeriti gar ethnem epi ethnem kai basileias epi basileian, …Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will …
Luke 21:10tote legate autoi; Egeriti ethnem epi ethnem kai basileias epi basileian,… told them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
John 11:50… tou laou kai mē holem tem ethnem apoleteia.… the people than that the whole nation perish.”
John 18:35“nation”… Pilatos; Mēti mis Ioudaios amō? tem ethnem tem sem kai tois archierevois paradōala …“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me …
1 Peter 2:9Vis de genem eklektem, basileiem hierateumem, ethnem hagiem, laos eis peripoiēsian, hopōs tain …… people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession …
ethneu“nation”of, belonging togenitive singular7×
John 11:51… hoti mellate Iēsus apothnēskarō huper teu ethneu,… that Jesus would die for the nation,
John 11:52kai ouk huper teu ethneu monem, alla hina kai teim tekneim …and not only for the nation, but also for the scattered children …
Acts 2:5… katoikarōntois Ioudaiois, androis eulabois apo panteu ethneu teiu hupo ton ouranon;… in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.
Acts 10:22… theon marturorōntos tē hupo holeu teu ethneu toiu Ioudaioiu, chrēmatizita hupo angelou hagiou …… good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to …
Acts 28:19… anankazima epikalera Kaisaron, ouk hōs teu ethneu mu echarōntos tinem katēgorarō.… no charge to bring against my nation.
Revelation 5:9… fulau kai glōssau kai laou kai ethneu,… tribe and tongue and people and nation.
Revelation 7:9… arithmara auton oudenos dunote, ek panteu ethneu kai fulaiu kai laoiu kai glōssaiu, …… too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue …
ethne“nation”to, fordative singular7×
Matthew 21:43… tas basileias tou theou kai dōiti ethne poiarōnte toin karpoin autau.… from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
Acts 10:35alla en pante ethne tos foborōntos auton kai ergazorōntos dikaiosunan …but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what …
Acts 24:2… dia su kai diorthōmeiu genorōnteiu te ethne houte dia tau sau pronoiau… foresight has brought improvements to this nation.
Acts 24:10… polleiu eteiu arōnton sin kriton te ethne houte epistorōntos euthumōs teim peri miautou …… have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make …
Acts 26:4… tan apo archau generantan en te ethne mu en tē Hierosolumei oidalē pantois …… my earliest childhood among my own people, and also in Jerusalem.
Romans 10:19… legatō; Mis parazēlami vin epi ouk ethne, epi ethne asunete parorgizami vin.… by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by …
Romans 10:19… parazēlami vin epi ouk ethne, epi ethne asunete parorgizami vin.… will make you angry by a nation without understanding.”
ethneim“gentiles”subject or objectdirect plural24×, 16 shown
Matthew 6:32panteim gar houteim teim ethneim epizētalō; oidatē gar tos patros vu …For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and …
Matthew 12:21“gentiles”kai te onome autou ethneim elpizali.In His name the nations will put their hope.”
Matthew 25:32kai sunagili emprosthen autou panteim teim ethneim, kai aforizati autoin apo allēloiu, hōsper …All the nations will be gathered before Him, and …
Luke 12:30“nations”houteim gar panteim teim ethneim tou kosmou epizētalō, vu de tos …For the Gentiles of the world strive after all these things, and your Father knows …
Acts 4:25“gentiles”… David paidou su legarantos; Hinati fruassala ethneim kai laois meletala keneim?… mouth of Your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
Acts 11:1… kata tan Ioudaian hoti kai teim ethneim dechela ton logon tou theou.… throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of …
Acts 13:48akouarōnteim de teim ethneim chairale kai doxazale ton logon tou …When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified …
Acts 15:17… anthrōpoiu ton kurion, kai panteim teim ethneim epi hoin epikalotē tem onomem mu …… seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name …
Romans 2:14hotan gar ethneim teim mē nomon echarōnteim fusia teim …Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law …
Romans 9:30Tinem oun legani? hoti ethneim teim mē diōkarōnteim dikaiosunan katalabata dikaiosunan, …… then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have …
Romans 15:12… tos anastēorōntos archarō ethneiu; epi auto ethneim elpizali.… over the Gentiles; in Him the Gentiles will put their hope.”
Romans 15:27… gar tei pneumatikei autoiu koinōnala teim ethneim, ofeilalō kai en tei sarkikei leitourgara …… it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings …
1 Corinthians 12:2oidavē hoti hote ethneim ave pros teim eidōleim teim afōneim …You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray …
Galatians 3:8… hoti Eneulogili en si panteim teim ethneim.… foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
Ephesians 2:11Dio mnēmoneuavōr hoti pote vis teim ethneim en sarka, tois legorōntois akrobustias hupo …… remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised …
Ephesians 4:17… mēketi vin peripatarō kathōs kai teim ethneim peripatatō en mataiota tou nouou auteiu,… must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their …
ethneiu“gentiles”of, belonging togenitive plural45×, 17 shown
Matthew 4:15… thalassau, peran tou Iordanou, Galilaias teiu ethneiu,… beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles —
Matthew 10:5… Iēsus parangelarantos autoi legarōntos; Eis hodan ethneiu mē aperchaveia kai eis polan Samaritoiu …… go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the …
Matthew 20:25… legata; Oidavē hoti tois archontois teiu ethneiu katakurieualō auteiu kai tois megois katexousiazalō …… know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their …
Matthew 24:9… kai evi misorōntois hupo panteiu teiu ethneiu dia tem onomem mu.… you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
Mark 10:42… Oidavē hoti tois dokarōntois archarō teiu ethneiu katakurieualō auteiu kai tois megois auteiu …… those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their …
Luke 2:32fōtem eis apokalupsian ethneiu kai doxan laou su Israēl.a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people …
Luke 21:24… panteim, kai Ierousalēm eti patorōntas hupo ethneiu, achri hou plērileia kairois ethneiu.… will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles …
Luke 21:24… hupo ethneiu, achri hou plērileia kairois ethneiu.… Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Luke 21:25… astrei, kai epi tau gēau sunochas ethneiu en aporia ēcheu thalassau kai salou,… on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the …
Luke 22:25… de legata autoi; Tois basilevois teiu ethneiu kurieualō auteiu kai tois exousiazarōntois auteiu …… Jesus declared, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those …
Acts 7:45… meta Iēsu en ta kataschesia teiu ethneiu heiu exōthata tos theos apo prosōpeu …… with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It …
Acts 9:15… teu bastazara tem onomem mu enōpion ethneiu tē kai basilevoiu huioiu tē Israēl,… to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the …
Acts 13:47… tos kurios; Tithamē sin eis fōtem ethneiu teu arō sin eis sōtērēan heōs …… made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends …
Acts 14:2… epegerala kai kakala tain psuchain teiu ethneiu kata toiu adelfoiu.… the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the …
Acts 14:5hōs de geneta hormas teiu ethneiu tē kai Ioudaioiu sun toi archontoi …But when the Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers …
Acts 15:3… kai Samareian ekdiēgorōntois tan epistrofan teiu ethneiu, kai poiale charan megan pantoi toi …… Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all …
Acts 15:14… prōtem tos theos episkepteta labara ek ethneiu laon te onome autou.… us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people …
ethnei“gentiles”to, fordative plural32×, 17 shown
Matthew 10:18… mu eis marturiem autoi kai tei ethnei.… witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
Matthew 12:18“gentiles”… mu epi auton, kai krisian tei ethnei apangelati.… will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.
Matthew 20:19kai paradōali auton tei ethnei eis tem empaizara kai mastigara kai …… will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and …
Matthew 24:14… ta oikoumena eis marturiem pantei tei ethnei, kai tote hēkati tem telem.… world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Mark 10:33… auton thanato kai paradōali auton tei ethnei… will deliver Him over to the Gentiles,
Mark 11:17… mu oikos proseuchau kaliti pantei tei ethnei? vis de poiavē auton spēlaiem lēstoiu.… house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it ‘a …
Luke 18:32paradōiti gar tei ethnei kai empaiziti kai hubriziti kai emptuiti,… will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted …
Acts 4:27… Hērōdos tē kai Pontios Pilatos sun ethnei kai laoi Israēl,… and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against …
Acts 11:18… ton theon legarōntois; Ara kai tei ethnei tos theos tan metanoian eis zōan …… then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
Acts 14:27… meta autoiu kai hoti anoigata tei ethnei thuran pistiau.… the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Acts 15:12… theos sēmeim kai terateim en tei ethnei dia autoiu.… wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
Acts 21:19… heiu poiata tos theos en tei ethnei dia tau diakoniau autou.… that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
Acts 26:20… tan chōran tau Ioudaiau, kai tei ethnei apangelame metanoarō kai epistrefarō epi ton …… of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent …
Acts 26:23… katangelarō to tē lao kai tei ethnei.… to our people and to the Gentiles.”
Acts 28:28gnōstem oun atōr vi hoti tei ethnei apostelita houtem tem sōtēriem tou theou; …… salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”
Romans 1:5… eis hupakoan pistiau en pantei tei ethnei huper teu onomeu autou,… to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from …
Romans 1:13… vi kathōs kai en tei loipei ethnei.… I have had among the other Gentiles.
ethneim18×
Matthew 28:19poreuirantois oun mathēteuavar panteim teim ethneim, baptizarōntois autoin eis tem onomem tou …… go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of …
Mark 13:10kai eis panteim teim ethneim prōtem datō kērussira tem euangeliem.… first be proclaimed to all the nations.
Luke 21:24… stome machairau kai aichmalōtizili eis teim ethneim panteim, kai Ierousalēm eti patorōntas hupo …… be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down …
Luke 24:47… kai afesian hamartaiu eis panteim teim ethneim archerantois apo Ierousalēm;… sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
Acts 10:45… to Petro, hoti kai epi teim ethneim tas dōreas teu hagieu pneumeu ekchotē;… been poured out even on the Gentiles.
Acts 13:19kai kathairarantos ethneim hepta en gēa Chanaan kataklēronomata tan …And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land …
Acts 13:46… aiōniau zōau, idou strefonō eis teim ethneim;… life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
Acts 14:16… tai paroichorēntai geneai easata panteim teim ethneim poreuorō tai hodai auteiu;In past generations, He let all nations go their own way.
Acts 15:7… dia teu stomeu mu akouara teim ethneim ton logon teu euangelieu kai pisteuara,… a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the …
Acts 18:6… mis; apo tou nun eis teim ethneim poreuemi.… on I will go to the Gentiles.”
Acts 21:21… didaskasō apo Mōusou toin kata teim ethneim pantoin Ioudaioin, legarōntos mē peritemarō autoin …… the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not …
Acts 22:21… pros min; Poreuosōr, hoti mis eis ethneim makran exapostelami sin.… send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”
Romans 15:9teim de ethneim huper eleseu doxazara ton theon; kathōs …so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy …
Romans 15:16… min leitourgon Christou Iēsu eis teim ethneim, hierourgarōnton tem euangeliem tou theou, hina …… minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the …
Galatians 2:8… peritomau energata kai mi eis teim ethneim,… work in my apostleship to the Gentiles.
Galatians 2:9… Barnabo koinōniau, hina nis eis teim ethneim, autois de eis tan peritoman;… that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
Romans 15:10kai palin legatō; Eufranivar, ethneim, meta tou laou autou.Again, it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.”
Romans 15:11kai palin; Ainavōr, panteim teim ethneim, ton kurion, kai epainalar auton pantois …… again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and extol Him, all you peoples.”
ethnem12×
Matthew 24:7egeriti gar ethnem epi ethnem kai basileias epi basileian, kai eli …Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom …
Mark 13:8egeriti gar ethnem epi ethnem kai basileias epi basileian, eli seismois …Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom …
Luke 7:5agapatō gar tem ethnem nu kai tan sunagōgan autos oikodomata …for he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”
Luke 21:10tote legate autoi; Egeriti ethnem epi ethnem kai basileias epi basileian,Then He told them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom …
Luke 23:2… autou legarōntois; Houton heuriskana diastrefarōnton tem ethnem nu kai kōluarōnton foroin Kaisaro dōarō …… We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar …
John 11:48… nu kai ton topon kai tem ethnem.… away both our place and our nation.”
Acts 7:7kai tem ethnem he ean douleuali krinami mis, tos …‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and …
Acts 8:9… ta pola mageuarōntos kai ekstēarōntos tem ethnem tau Samareiau, legarōntos arō tinon heauton …… in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be …
Acts 17:26poiata tē ek henou pantem ethnem anthrōpoiu katoikarō epi panteu prosōpeu tau …From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit …
Acts 24:17“nation”… de pollotereiu eleēmosunain poiarintos eis tem ethnem mu paragenema kai prosforain,After several years, then, I returned to Jerusalem to bring alms to my people and to present offerings.
Revelation 13:7… fulan kai laon kai glōssan kai ethnem.… tribe and people and tongue and nation.
Revelation 14:6… epi tau gēau kai epi pantem ethnem kai fulan kai glōssan kai laon,… dwell on the earth — to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.