There are misconceptions today in Christendom because of the mistranslation of the word GENTILE as used in the King James Bible.

The word GENTILE as used in the King James Bible is defined by Webster as "pagan or heathen - someone who is not a Jew or Christian." A great deal of confusion and misunderstanding exist today among Christians as to who we are because of the use of the word GENTILE in the English translation of the Bible.

The word GENTILE is a translation of the Hebrew word GOI (singular) and GOYIM (plural) and the Greek words ETHNOS (singular) and ETHNE (plural). Using the word GENTILE to translate these words is misleading because it is a misapplication of the Hebrew and Greek words as meant in the original text. The modern use of the word GENTILE is interpreted to mean "non-Jew or non-Israelite," but that meaning cannot be maintained when viewed in its correct translation.

The Hebrew word GOL is a collective noun meaning NATION or NATIONS, but it has been translated in the King James Bible in many different ways. The word GOI occurs 557 times in the Old Testament. The Authorized Version of the Bible translates it GENTILE 30 times, HEATHEN 142 times, NATION 373 times, PEOPLE 11 times, ANOTHER 1 time. The American Standard Revised Version uses the word GENTILE only 9 times, and then shows in the footnotes that 5 of these times the word NATIONS should have been used.

The same thing is true of the Greek word ETHNOS. It occurs 164 times in the New Testament. In the Authorized Version it is translated GENTILES 93 times, HEATHEN 5 times, NATION or NATIONS 64 times and PEOPLE 2 times. In the American Standard Revised Version it is GENTILES 96 times in the text and 7 times in the footnotes making 103 times altogether, but in the footnotes it is corrected 15 times to NATIONS.

The word GENTILE is derived from the Latin word GENTILIS and properly understood means "non-something."

To demonstrate the absurdity of always translating the word GOI or ETHNOS as GENTILE, we will give the following verses as examples and insert the word GENTILE, and you will see how absurd it is.

Genesis 12:2, "I will make of thee a great GENTILE (NATION).

Genesis 17:4-5, "A father of many GENTILES (NATIONS) have I made thee."

Genesis 25:23, "Two GENTILES (NATIONS) are in thy womb."

Genesis 35:11, "... a GENTILE (NATION) and a company of GENTILES (NATIONS).

Jeremiah 31:36, "... shall cease from being a GENTILE (NATION) before Me."

Luke 7:5, "He loveth our GENTILE (NATION) and hath built us a synagogue."

John 11:50, "...that one man should die for the people and that the whole GENTILE (NATION) should perish not."

Acts 24:17, "I came to bring alms to my GENTILE (NATION)."

As absurd as you see the above examples to be, so is the application of the word GENTILE to you or me.

I am not a heathen "gentile or non-something" and neither are you if you are blood-bought. We are Israelites. This erroneous translation of GENTILE has given the false impression that we are heathens, when we, in fact, are Israelites, descendants and heirs of Abraham’s blessings by birth.

As I read my Bible, I change the word GENTILE wherever it appears to either HEATHEN or HEATHENS or to NATION or NATIONS, as the application requires. If you do so in your Bible, you will find this will change your concept of who you are in God’s Kingdom.

(Reprinted from September/October 1985 editIon, Voices From His Excellent Glory)

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