Bill Mounce

For an Informed Love of God

ἔθνος

ἔθνος means “nation (singular); the gentiles (plural).”

“ἔθνος will rise against ἔθνος, and kingdom against kingdom” (Luke 21;10).

“A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the ἔθνος has come in” (Rom 11:25).

Mounce's Expository Dictionary (abridged): 

Noun: ἔθνος (ethnos), GK G1620 (S G1484), 162x. ἔθνος means, “nation” and “Gentile.” In the latter sense, it refers specifically to all non-Jews, specifically those groups that do not profess faith in the God of Israel (Mt. 10:18; Acts 11:1; 14:5). By extension, ἔθνος also sometimes refers to non-Israelite Christians (Rom. 16:4; Gal. 2:12).