Bible Dictionaries
Proselyte

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Proselyte, a stranger, sojourner. In the later Jewish sense this term designates a convert from Paganism to Judaism. Matthew 23:15; Acts 2:11; Acts 6:5; Acts 13:43. The Rabbins distinguish two kinds of proselytes. 1. Perfect proselytes, who, submitting to circumcision, embraced the Jewish religion in its full extent, and enjoyed all the rights and privileges of Jewish citizenship. Exodus 12:48; Exodus 20:10; Josephus Ant. xx. 2. 4. 2. Proselytes of the gate, i.e., foreigners, dwelling among the Jews, who, without being circumcised, conformed to certain Jewish laws and customs. Proselytes were found in great numbers, not only in Judea, but in all the principal cities of the empire. Acts 13:43; Acts 16:14; Acts 17:4; Acts 17:17; Acts 18:7.

Bibliography Information
Rice, Edwin Wilbur, DD. Entry for 'Proselyte'. People's Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​rpd/​p/proselyte.html. 1893.