ἐθνικῶς (ethnikōs)
ethnikōs
Gentile-way
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adverb ethnikōs describes acting "in the manner of Gentiles" or according to non-Jewish customs. With only one occurrence in the New Testament, it appears in Galatians 2:14, where Paul confronts Peter for withdrawing from table fellowship with Gentile believers. The word highlights a social and religious boundary, marking behavior that aligns with the surrounding pagan culture rather than the distinct identity of God’s people.
Its root relates to ethnos, meaning "nation" or "people group." In this context, it does not merely refer to ethnicity but to a way of life defined by separation from Jewish law and tradition. Paul uses the term to illustrate the inconsistency of forcing Gentiles to live like Jews while expecting Jews to abandon their distinct practices when associating with believers from other nations.
This single usage underscores the tension in the early church between cultural identity and gospel unity. The word serves as a sharp critique of hypocrisy, showing that social segregation based on ethnic lines contradicts the shared faith in Christ. It reminds readers that Christian community transcends traditional ethnic divisions, calling for a new way of living together that defies conventional societal norms.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ethnikōs appears just once in the New Testament, found in Galatians 2:14. Paul uses it to describe living in the manner of Gentiles. This was not a simple comment on ethnicity but a critique of social segregation. Peter had withdrawn from eating with Gentile believers, effectively separating himself by Jewish custom. Paul called this out because it contradicted the unity found in Christ.
This single occurrence reminds us that faith breaks down artificial barriers. When we exclude others based on cultural habits or social comfort, we act inconsistently with the gospel. The call is to share life across differences, reflecting a community where identity in Jesus supersedes traditional divisions. It invites us to examine our own tables and friendships for hidden walls.
May your life reflect this radical unity, welcoming others as Christ has welcomed you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- like a Gentile1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐθνικῶς1×
Key Verses
-
Galatians 2:14
But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?
Paul uses this adverb to rebuke Peter for separating from Gentile believers, showing that such social withdrawal contradicts the truth of the gospel.