1483. ethnikós
Lexical Summary
ethnikós: like the Gentiles

Original Word: ἐθνικός
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: ethnikós
Pronunciation: eth-nee-KOS
Phonetic Spelling: (eth-nee-koce')
KJV: after the manner of Gentiles
NASB: like the Gentiles
Word Origin: [adverb from G1482 (ἐθνικός - Gentiles)]

1. as a Gentile

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
after the manner of Gentiles.

Adverb from ethnikos; as a Gentile -- after the manner of Gentiles.

see GREEK ethnikos

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 1483 ethnikṓs(from 1482 /ethnikós, "a Gentile," a non-Israelite) – to live as a non-Israelite, i.e. as a Gentile; someone who fails short of being a full member of the Jewish nation because unwilling to live under the ceremonial rules of Judaism. See 1484 (ethnos).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
adverb from ethnikos
Definition
as a Gentile
NASB Translation
like the Gentiles (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1483: ἐθνικῶς

ἐθνικῶς, adverb (see ἐθνικός), like the Gentiles: Galatians 2:14 (Winers Grammar, 463 (431). Apollonius Dyscolus, p. 190, 5; (Diogenes Laërtius 7, 56).

Topical Lexicon
Linguistic and Cultural Background

The adverb ἐθνικῶς frames behavior “in a Gentile manner”—that is, according to non-Jewish customs and social practices. In the first-century Mediterranean world this included diet, table fellowship, and the absence of ceremonial markers such as circumcision and dietary laws that distinguished Israel from the nations (Leviticus 11; Acts 10).

Biblical Context: Galatians 2:11-14

Paul recounts a public confrontation in Antioch:

“If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” (Galatians 2:14).

Peter had freely eaten with uncircumcised believers, embodying the inclusiveness revealed to him in the vision of Acts 10. When emissaries from James arrived, he withdrew, fearing censure from the circumcision party. Paul’s rebuke exposes the inconsistency: Peter was already “living ethnically”—ἐθνικῶς—yet his retreat implied that Gentiles must adopt Jewish distinctives to enjoy full fellowship.

Theological Significance

1. Unity of the Gospel

ἐθνικῶς highlights that gospel grace transcends ethnicity. Salvation is by faith alone (Galatians 2:16) and creates “one new man” (Ephesians 2:15). Any practice implying first- and second-class believers contradicts the finished work of Christ.

2. Integrity of Christian Witness

The adverb presses for harmony between belief and conduct. Peter’s conduct, albeit temporary, risked “nullifying the grace of God” (Galatians 2:21) by suggesting ritual observance as a prerequisite for fellowship.

3. Freedom from the Law’s Ceremonial Distinctions

The single occurrence underscores the transition from shadow to substance. Dietary and purity laws once served to guard Israel (Galatians 3:23), but with Christ’s arrival believers may now “eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience” (1 Corinthians 10:25).

Historical Insight: Early Church Jew–Gentile Integration

Antioch, a cosmopolitan hub, became the proving ground for practical unity. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) followed shortly, formalizing the principle that Gentile believers were not bound by Mosaic ritual. Paul’s retelling in Galatians functions apologetically—demonstrating continuity between his gospel and that affirmed in Jerusalem—while faithfully preserving the moment when even an apostle stumbled, underscoring sola gratia.

Ministry Applications

• Guard Gospel Consistency: Leaders must ensure that cultural preferences never eclipse gospel essentials (Romans 14:17).
• Cultivate Table Fellowship: Shared meals remain a potent symbol of unity. Churches should model inclusive community that transcends ethnic and social boundaries (Acts 2:46; Revelation 7:9).
• Resist Hypocrisy: Private liberty must align with public practice. Believers are cautioned against behavior that pressures others into legalistic conformity (Colossians 2:16).

Related Passages

Acts 10:34-35; 15:7-11

Romans 3:29-30; 14:1-4

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Ephesians 2:11-19

Galatians 3:26-29

Colossians 3:11

Forms and Transliterations
εθνικως εθνικώς ἐθνικῶς ethnikos ethnikôs ethnikōs ethnikō̂s
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Galatians 2:14 Adv
GRK: Ἰουδαῖος ὑπάρχων ἐθνικῶς καὶ οὐχὶ
NAS: live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews,
KJV: livest after the manner of Gentiles, and
INT: a Jew being like a Gentile and not

Strong's Greek 1483
1 Occurrence


ἐθνικῶς — 1 Occ.

1482
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