Gentile, heathen, nation, people
“Gentiles” From Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:
(nations). In O. T. sense, all peoples not Jewish (Gen. 10:5; 14:1; Neh. 5:8). In N. T., Greeks and Romans seem to type Gentiles (Luke 2:32; Acts 26:17-20; Rom. 1:14-16; 9:24). “Isles of the Gentiles” (Gen. 10:5), supposed to embrace Asia Minor and Europe.
“Heathen” From Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:
(dwellers on the heath). All except Jews (Psa. 2:1). Nonbeliever (Matt. 18:17).
“Gentiles” From Concise Bible Dictionary:
A name commonly used in scripture to denote any and every nation except Israel. At times, when Israel as a people is referred to, the same words are used for them. Thus
1. goi, ἔθνος, is translated “nation,” and refers to the Jewish nation (Deut. 26:5; Luke 7:5; John 11:48). In the plural the same words refer to the nations generally in distinction from Israel, and are translated “nations,” “Gentiles,” and “heathen” (Deut. 18:9; Deut. 32:43; Isa. 60:3; Isa. 62:2; Joel 2:19; Acts 11:1,18; Acts 13:19; Acts 28:28; etc).
2. “Έλλην (in plural) is translated “Gentiles” (John 7:35; Rom. 2:9-10; Rom. 3:9; 1 Cor. 10:32; 1 Cor. 12:13), in contrast to the Jews; but would be better translated “Greeks,” as it is in most places.
God had raised a wall between the Jews and the Gentiles, which in Christ’s death was broken down for believers, “to make in himself of twain one new man” (Eph. 2:14). “There is neither Jew nor Greek.... for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). This does not touch unbelieving Jews and Gentiles, who are kept separate in God’s present and future dealings.
“Heathen” From Concise Bible Dictionary:
The Hebrew word goi is also translated “Gentiles,” and “people,” and very often “nations:” it is used in contrast to Israel irrespective of those designated being civilized or not. All the nations were idolaters, but this is not implied in the word goi, nor in the ἔθνος of the New Testament, which is more frequently translated “nations” and “Gentiles.” In Matthew 17 ἐθνικός has a peculiar application: if an offending brother will not hear the church, the injunction is “let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican,” that is, as an outsider, the heathen being outside the privileges of Israel, as one to be avoided (compare Rom. 16:17; 2 Thess. 3:6,14).
Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:
Meaning:
probably from 1486; a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan)
KJV Usage:
Gentile, heathen, nation, people