Overview
The Bible addresses heathen, the across 35 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Isaiah, Romans and Psalms. Closely related themes include Church (2), Excellency and Glory of the Church, the, Judgment and Psalms. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jehoshaphat, Jesus and Jesse.
Key Bible verses about heathen, the
Old Testament
Psalms
That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.
Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. govern: Heb. lead
Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
A Psalm. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. openly: or, revealed
He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Isaiah
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. established: or, prepared
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. pruninghooks: or, scythes
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. shine: or, be enlightened; for thy light cometh
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. abundance: or, noise of the sea shall be turned toward thee forces: or, wealth
The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
Joel
Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. cause: or, the LORD shall bring down
Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
Habakkuk
Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs. breadth: Heb. breadths
They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. their judgment: or, from them shall proceed the judgment of these, and the captivity of these
Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. fierce: Heb. sharp
They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand. their: or, the supping up of their faces, etc: or, their faces shall look (Heb. the opposition of their faces) toward the east
New Testament
Romans
For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) their conscience: or, the conscience witnessing with them the mean: or, between themselves
In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
People in the Bible and heathen, the
Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying heathen, the for yourself
- Begin with Psalms 67:2, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Isaiah, Romans and Psalms each treat the theme.
- Consider the lives of Jehoshaphat, Jesus and Jesse and how their stories intersect with it.
- Widen the study to related themes: Church (2), Excellency and Glory of the Church, the, Judgment and Psalms.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about heathen, the?
The Bible addresses heathen, the across 35 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Isaiah, Romans and Psalms. Closely related themes include Church (2), Excellency and Glory of the Church, the, Judgment and Psalms. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jehoshaphat, Jesus and Jesse.
How many Bible verses are about heathen, the?
The Bible references heathen, the in 35 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention heathen, the?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is Psalms 67:2: “That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.”
Which people in the Bible are associated with heathen, the?
Jehoshaphat, Jesus and Jesse.
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