Bible Dictionary

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Barbarian

Government & Society • New Testament
In the New Testament, barbarian means a person of another nation or language, especially one who did not speak Greek. It does not carry the modern sense of a savage or uncivilized person.
Biblical Usage
The word describes people of other nations, those speaking a different language, and the inhabitants of Malta. In one passage it designates non-Greek-speaking peoples within the Roman Empire.
Scripture References
Romans 1:14 Colossians 3:11 1 Corinthians 14:11 Acts 28:1 Acts 28:2 Acts 28:4 Acts 28:24