Proselyte facts for kids

A proselyte is a person who joins a new religion. The word comes from an old Greek word, proselytos, which meant "stranger" or "newcomer."

In ancient times, it was used to describe someone who came to live in Israel. Later, it also meant someone who converted to Judaism from other religions. The Hebrew word for this is ger.

Two Kinds of Proselytes in Judaism

In Judaism, there were mainly two types of proselytes:

• Ger tzedek (righteous proselyte): This was a person who fully converted to Judaism. They followed all the Jewish laws and traditions. They were considered a complete member of the Jewish people.
• Ger toshav (gate proselyte): This was a "resident alien" or a non-Jew who lived in the Land of Israel. They followed some basic customs, but they did not fully convert to Judaism.

Proselytes in Early Christianity

In early Christian writings, when they talked about "religious proselytes," they usually meant the righteous proselytes. These were people who had fully converted to Judaism before becoming Christians.

Related pages

• Proselytism