Laos (G2992) means people — often the people in a special covenantal sense. It translates the Hebrew am (people) in the Septuagint and refers to Israel as God's covenant community. In the NT it is applied to the new covenant people of God from every nation.
1 Peter 2:9–10 applies the great laos language of the OT directly to the church: 'You are a chosen people... a people belonging to God... once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.' This represents one of the NT's boldest claims — the church as the continuation and expansion of the covenant people. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) is the formation of a new laos from all nations.