The Hebrew word goi is also translated 'Gentiles,' and 'people,' and very often 'nations:' it is used in contrast to Israel irrespective of those designated being civilised or not. All the nations were idolaters, but this is not implied in the word goi, nor in the ἔθνος of the N.T., which is more frequently translated 'nations' and 'Gentiles.' In Matthew 18:17 ἐθνικός has a peculiar application: if an offending brother will not bear the church, the injunction is "let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican," that is, as an outsider, the heathen being outside the privileges of Israel, as one to be avoided: cf. Romans 16:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14 .
Originally published with the title A New and Concise Bible Dictionary by George Morrish (London), the Morrish Bible Dictionary is more than a dictionary of Bible words.Wikipedia
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