A proselyte describes an individual who has entered a religious community through a recognized process of adoption, initiation, or conversion. In many historical contexts, the term is used for those who fully accept the practices, obligations, and social identity of their new community, not merely its ideas, but can also reflect those who only partially convert. Ancient and later texts often distinguish proselytes from outsiders by shared customs, legal status, and participation in communal life. The term focuses on belonging and status rather than personal motivation or spiritual experience.
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- Baker, Murray, Paul and the Salvation of Israel: Paul's Ministry, the Motif of Jealousy, and Israel's Yes
- Feldman, Louis H., Jew and Gentile in the Ancient World: Attitudes and Interactions from Alexander to Justinian
- Piñero, Antonio, "On the Hellenization of Christianity One Example: The Salvation of Gentiles in Paul" in Hilhorst, A., et al. Flores Florentino: Dead Sea Scrolls and Other Early Jewish Studies in Honour of Florentino Garcia Martinez
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