"a city, an enclosed and walled town, Mt. 10:5, 11; 11:1; meton. the inhabitants of a city, Mt. 8:34; 10:15; with a gen. of person, or a personal pronoun, the city of any one, the city of one’s birth or residence, Mt. 9:1; Lk. 2:4, 11; ἡ πόλις, the city, κατ’ ἐξοχήν, Jerusalem, Mt..."
Definition and meaning
a city, an enclosed and walled town, Mt. 10:5, 11; 11:1; meton. the inhabitants of a city, Mt. 8:34; 10:15; with a gen. of person, or a personal pronoun, the city of any one, the city of one’s birth or residence, Mt. 9:1; Lk. 2:4, 11; ἡ πόλις, the city, κατ’ ἐξοχήν, Jerusalem, Mt. 21:18; 28:11; met. a place of permanent residence, abode, home, Heb. 11:10, 16; 13:14. The frequency count does not include its occurrence in the name Νέαν πόλιν in Acts 16:11
In the original Greek the word is written: πόλις
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of polis (G4172) across the King James Bible.
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
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Common questions
Strong's G4172 (polis) is a Greek word that means: a city, an enclosed and walled town, Mt. 10:5, 11; 11:1; meton. the inhabitants of a city, Mt. 8:34; 10:15; with a gen. of person, or a personal pronoun, the city of any one, the city of one’s birth o... It appears 155 times in the King James Bible.
The word polis (G4172) appears 155 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4172 is polis, a Greek word defined as: a city, an enclosed and walled town, Mt. 10:5, 11; 11:1; meton. the inhabitants of a city, Mt. 8:34; 10:15; with a gen. of person, or a personal prono. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
polis is a Greek word found in the New Testament.