Glossary Term
Risk: Medium- Approved rendering
- Mataifa
- Transliteration
- Mataifa
- Rejected alternatives
- wapagani (pagans, too pejorative for Paul's general use)
Gentiles
Mataifa (‘the nations’) is the standard Union Version rendering, correctly conveying ‘non-Jewish peoples’ without the pejorative charge wapagani (pagans/heathens) would carry. Use wapagani only where the source text specifically intends idol-worshippers, not as a general synonym for Gentiles.
Referenced passages