ἔθνος, -ους, τό,
[in LXX chiefly for עַם,גּוֹי;]
1. a multitude, a company, whether of beasts or men (Hom.).
2. a nation, people: Mt 21:4324:7, Mk 13:8, Lk 22:25, Ac 10:35, al.; in sing., of the Jewish people, Lk 7:523:2, Jo 11:48, 50-5318:35, Ac 10:2224:3, 1026:428:19.
3. In pl., as in OT, τὰ ἔ. (like Heb. הַגּוֹיִם), the nations, as distinct from Israel, Gentiles: Mt 4:156:32, Ac 26:17, Ro 3:2911:1115:10, Ga 2:8, al.; of Gentile Christians, Ro 11:1315:2716:4, Ga 2:12, 14, Eph 3:1.
SYN.: λαός (v. DCG, ii, 229; Cremer, 226).