UBS Greek Dictionary Article

Form 1

Part of speech: adjc.

Inflections: βάρβαρος; -ον

Sense 1: non-Greek

Semantic entry: 11.95

Semantic domains: Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes

Subdomains: Ethnic-Cultural

Definition: a person not participating in Greek culture and civilization (βάρβαρος contrasts with Ἕλλην[a] ‘Greek,’ 11.90: Ἕλλην, with the focus on culture rather than on language; see OET CO1 14:11 at 11.94: βάρβαρος)

Notes: It would be a mistake in the case of OET ROM 1:14 to speak merely of ‘Greeks and barbarians’ or ‘Greeks and savages.’ By NT times Ἕλλην (see 11.90: Ἕλλην) would have included most of those who participated in one way or another in the culture of the Greco-Roman world. Accordingly, one may render the contrast in OET ROM 1:14 as ‘the civilized and the uncivilized.’

Show passage in OET: ROM 1:14

OET-RV ROM 1:14

14 Whether it’s Hellains (Greeks) or other foreigners, wise people or foolish, I have an obligation,

OET-LV ROM 1:14

14 To _Hellaʸns both and to _foreigners, to_the_wise both and the_foolish, a_debtor I _am.

Jump to OET ROM 1:14 section.

Sense 2: native people, uncivilized, foreigners

Semantic entry: 11.94

Semantic domains: Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes

Subdomains: Ethnic-Cultural

Definition: the native people of an area in which a language other than Greek or Latin was spoken (such persons would be regarded as being outside the civilized world of NT times)

Notes: In rendering this expression in OET ACT 28:2 it would be possible in some languages to translate ‘the people there who spoke a strange language were friendly to us’ or ‘the local inhabitants of that island were kind to us.’ ἔσομαι τῷ λαλοῦντι βάρβαρος καὶ ὁ λαλῶν ἐν ἐμοὶ βάρβαρος ‘I will be a foreigner to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks will be a foreigner to me’ OET CO1 14:11. In OET CO1 14:11 βάρβαρος implies being a foreigner from a country outside of the so-called civilized world.

Show passage in OET: ACT 28:2

OET-RV ACT 28:2

2 And the people there showed incredible kindness to us as they welcomed us and lit a fire, as it started raining again and was very cold.

OET-LV ACT 28:2

2 And the foreigners were _bringing _about not just the having _been _ordinary human _kindness to _us, because/for having _lit a_fire, they _received all us, because _of the rain which having _approached, and because _of the cold.

Show passage in OET: ACT 28:4

OET-RV ACT 28:4

4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand they decided that he must be a murderer who had survived the shipwreck but now fate had finally decided his time was up.

OET-LV ACT 28:4

4 And when the foreigners saw the wild _animal being _hanged from the hand of _him, they _were _saying to one _another:
Certainly this the man is a_murderer, whom having _been _brought _safely _through from the sea, the justice not allowed him to _be _living.

Jump to OET ACT 28:2 section.

Jump to OET ACT 28:4 section.

All 3 recorded passages for this sense

ACT: OET ACT 28:2 · OET ACT 28:4

CO1: OET CO1 14:11

Sense 3: uncivilized, barbarian

Semantic entry: 41.31

Semantic domains: Behavior and Related States

Subdomains: Particular Patterns of Behavior

Definition: a pattern of behavior associated with a low cultural level

Notes: Regardless of the level of culture or civilization, each ethnic group seems to be able to point to some other group regarded as being uncivilized. In some languages such a group is identified as ‘those who live far away’ or ‘those who do not live in towns’ or ‘those who are very strange.’ In OET COL 3:11 Σκύθης ‘Scythian’ (93.583: Σκύθης) may represent a state of civilization even lower than that implied by βάρβαρος ‘barbarian.’

Show passage in OET: COL 3:11

OET-RV COL 3:11

11 where there’s no distinctions between ethnicities or religion, locals and foreigners, slaves or free, but Messiah is everything and in all of us.

OET-LV COL 3:11

11 where there _is not Hellaʸn and Youdaios, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner, Skuthaʸs, slave, free, but chosen _one /messiah is all things and in all things.

Jump to OET COL 3:11 section.

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

βάρβαρος

Form 1

Sense 1: non-Greek

Sense 2: native people, uncivilized, foreigners

Sense 3: uncivilized, barbarian