In the Bible and Christian tradition, a pagan is someone who does not follow the God of Israel or Christian teachings. The word comes from the Latin paganus, which means a person from the countryside. In ancient times, people in rural areas often kept their old religious practices longer than those in cities.
Pagans usually believe in many gods, unlike Christians and Jews who believe in one God. They may worship nature or follow traditions from before Christianity spread. In the Old Testament, pagans are often called "gentiles."
Pagans in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, God often warns the Israelites to stay away from pagan practices:
Deuteronomy 12:31 tells the Israelites not to worship God in the same way pagans worship their gods.
In Exodus 23:24, God tells the Israelites to destroy the idols of pagan peoples.
The story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18 shows a contest between the God of Israel and the pagan god Baal.
Many of Israel's kings are criticized for allowing pagan worship (for example, King Solomon in 1 Kings 11:4–8).
The prophets often spoke against the influence of pagan religions on Israel. They saw pagan practices as a threat to the worship of the one true God.
Pagans in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the early Christians dealt with paganism in new ways:
Jesus talks about pagans (gentiles) in Matthew 6:7–8, telling his followers not to pray like them.
The apostle Paul often preached to pagans. In Acts 17:16–34, he speaks to philosophers in Athens about the Christian God.
Paul's letters, like 1 Corinthians, give advice to new Christians who used to follow pagan practices.
The book of Revelation warns against compromising with pagan culture and worship (for example, Revelation 2:14).
The early church had to figure out how to live among pagans and how to welcome pagan converts to Christianity.
Today, "pagan" can mean different things. It might refer to modern people who follow old nature-based religions, or more generally to those who are not part of major world religions.