The World
The term 'Nations' and the term 'World' (when referring to people) have very similar meanings.
These terms generally refer to all peoples but particularly 'the unsaved' especially when used in contrast to God's people (the Children of Israel in the Old Testament and the Born Again Believers in the New Testament)
The word 'World' appears 55 times in the Old Testament compared to 206 times in the New Testament
The word 'Nations' appears 521 times in the Old Testament compared to 39 times in the New Testament
In the Old Testament, the term 'Nations' referred to Peoples other than Israel (ie not Jews) and the Term 'World' refers to all peoples (or the planet or universe that they live in)
In the New Testament, the term 'Nations' usually refers to all peoples, (particularly the unsaved) and the term 'World' usually refers to those who are not of God
In the Old Testament, God's chosen people were the Jews and all peoples on Earth were meant to be blessed through them. (Genesis 12:2-3) In the New Testament (since the death and resurrection of our savior Jesus Christ), God's Chosen people are taken from every nation, tribe and language. (Revelation 7:9-14)
The 'Nations' are therefore like the 'Field' (Matthew 13:37-43) or the 'World' where God sows his seed. God's kingdom is a subset of these people as not all will be saved. (Matthew 13:11-23)
See Nations
Old Testament
Genesis 11:1 Genesis 11:9 Genesis 41:57 Exodus 34:10 1 Samuel 2:8 1 Samuel 17:46 1 Kings 4:34 1 Kings 8:53 1 Kings 10:24 2 Kings 5:15 1 Chronicles 16:30 2 Chronicles 32:19 Job 18:18 Job 34:13 Psalms 9:8 Psalms 17:14 Psalms 19:4 Psalms 24:1 Psalms 33:8 Psalms 49:1 Psalms 50:12 Psalms 77:18 Psalms 89:11 Psalms 90:2 Psalms 93:1 Psalms 96:10 Psalms 96:13
Psalms 97:4 Psalms 98:7 Psalms 98:9 Proverbs 8:23 Proverbs 8:26 Proverbs 8:31 Isaiah 12:5 Isaiah 13:11 Isaiah 14:9 Isaiah 14:17 Isaiah 14:26 Isaiah 18:3 Isaiah 24:4 Isaiah 26:9 Isaiah 26:18 Isaiah 27:6 Isaiah 34:1 Isaiah 38:11 Isaiah 40:23 Jeremiah 10:12 Jeremiah 51:15 Ezekiel 20:32 Daniel 4:1 Nahum 1:5 Zephaniah 1:18 Zephaniah 3:8 Zechariah 1:11 Zechariah 6:5
New Testament
Matthew 4:8 Matthew 5:14 Matthew 13:35 Matthew 13:38 Matthew 16:26 Matthew 18:7 Matthew 24:14 Matthew 24:21 Matthew 25:34 Matthew 26:13 Mark 8:36 Mark 9:3 Mark 13:19 Mark 14:9 Mark 16:15 Luke 2:1 Luke 4:5 Luke 9:25 Luke 11:50 Luke 12:30 Luke 16:8 Luke 21:26 John 1:9 John 1:10 John 1:29 John 3:16 John 3:17 John 3:19 John 4:42 John 6:14 John 6:33
John 6:51 John 7:4 John 7:7 John 8:12 John 8:23 John 8:26 John 9:5 John 9:39 John 10:36 John 11:27 John 12:19 John 12:25 John 12:31 John 12:46 John 12:47 John 13:1 John 14:17 John 14:19 John 14:22 John 14:27 John 14:30 John 14:31 John 15:18 John 15:19 John 16:8 John 16:11 John 16:20 John 16:21 John 16:28 John 16:33 John 17:5 John 17:6 John 17:9 John 17:11
John 17:13 John 17:14 John 17:15 John 17:16 John 17:18 John 17:21 John 17:23 John 17:24 John 17:25 John 18:20 John 18:36 John 18:37 John 21:25 Acts 11:28 Acts 17:6 Acts 17:24 Acts 17:31 Acts 19:27 Acts 19:35 Acts 24:5 Romans 1:8 Romans 1:20 Romans 3:6 Romans 3:19 Romans 4:13 Romans 5:12 Romans 5:13 Romans 10:18 Romans 11:12 Romans 11:15 Romans 12:2
1 Corinthians 1:20 1 Corinthians 1:21 1 Corinthians 1:27 1 Corinthians 1:28 1 Corinthians 2:12 1 Corinthians 3:19 1 Corinthians 3:22 1 Corinthians 4:13 1 Corinthians 5:10 1 Corinthians 6:2 1 Corinthians 7:31 1 Corinthians 7:33 1 Corinthians 7:34 1 Corinthians 8:4 1 Corinthians 11:32 1 Corinthians 14:10 2 Corinthians 1:12 2 Corinthians 5:19 2 Corinthians 10:2 2 Corinthians 10:3
2 Corinthians 10:4 2 Corinthians 11:18 Galatians 3:22 Galatians 4:3 Galatians 6:14 Ephesians 1:4 Ephesians 2:2 Ephesians 2:12 Ephesians 6:12 Colossians 1:6 Colossians 2:8 Colossians 2:20 1 Timothy 1:15 1 Timothy 3:16 1 Timothy 6:7 1 Timothy 6:17 2 Timothy 4:10 Hebrews 1:6 Hebrews 2:5 Hebrews 4:3 Hebrews 9:26 Hebrews 10:5 Hebrews 11:7 Hebrews 11:38
James 1:27 James 2:5 James 3:6 James 4:4 1 Peter 1:1 1 Peter 1:20 1 Peter 2:11 1 Peter 5:9 2 Peter 1:4 2 Peter 2:5 2 Peter 2:20 2 Peter 3:6 1 John 2:2 1 John 2:15 1 John 2:16 1 John 2:17 1 John 3:1 1 John 3:13 1 John 4:1 1 John 4:3 1 John 4:4 1 John 4:5 1 John 4:9 1 John 4:14 1 John 4:17 1 John 5:4 1 John 5:5 1 John 5:19 2 John 1:7
Revelation 3:10 Revelation 11:15 Revelation 12:9 Revelation 13:3 Revelation 13:8 Revelation 16:14 Revelation 17:8