προσήλυτος (prosēlutos)
prosēlutos
proselyte
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective proselētos describes someone who has arrived or come near, functioning as a noun for a "proselyte." In the New Testament, it specifically identifies a Gentile who has converted to Judaism. This term carries the literal sense of a stranger or newcomer who has crossed over from their previous religious context to join the covenant community of Israel.
The word appears in three key passages: Matthew 23:15, Acts 2:10, and Acts 6:5 (with Acts 13:43 also cited in some sources). In Matthew, Jesus critiques religious leaders for making converts difficult to reach. In Acts, the term helps define the diverse makeup of the early church, noting that believers included both native Jews and those who had formally joined the faith. This highlights the significant role of Gentile converts in the first-century Christian movement.
Its etymology points to the idea of arrival or coming over. While it shares roots with words for approaching, its theological weight lies in the identity shift it marks. It distinguishes those born into the covenant from those who have chosen to enter it through circumcision and adherence to Jewish law. This distinction remains relevant as the early church navigates the inclusion of Gentiles without requiring full conversion to Judaism.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word prosēlutos describes someone who has come near. In the New Testament, it refers to a Gentile who had converted to Judaism, leaving their previous life to join the covenant community of Israel. This identity shift was significant, marking a move from being an outsider to becoming part of God's people through faith and obedience.
In Matthew 23:15, Jesus warns against making proselytes with selfish motives, showing that true faith is not about numbers but about genuine transformation. The early church continued this legacy, as seen in Acts 6:5, where Stephen’s colleague Nicolaus was a proselyte from Antioch. His presence reminds us that the gospel has always welcomed those from every background.
Today, this word encourages us to value diversity in the body of Christ. Whether born into the faith or coming from another tradition, all are invited to draw near. God’s grace bridges every gap, uniting believers in one hope through Jesus Christ.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- converts1×
- convert,1×
- a convert1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- προσήλυτον,1×
- προσήλυτον1×
- προσηλύτων1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 23:15
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves.
Jesus uses this term to critique the Pharisees’ aggressive conversion tactics, highlighting that their methods produced hypocrites rather than true disciples.
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Acts 6:5
These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch,
This verse identifies Nicolaus as a proselyte from Antioch, showing that Gentile converts were integral to the early church’s leadership and service.
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Acts 13:43
Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
Paul and Barnabas urge both Jews and devout proselytes to remain in God's grace, indicating that these converts were already seeking truth and ready for the gospel.