πόλις (polis)
polis
city
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 156 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun polis refers to a city, typically understood as an urban center with walls, distinguishing it from smaller villages or open country. In the New Testament, this distinction is clear when Jesus sends his disciples out to towns while contrasting them with the surrounding rural areas (Matthew 9:35). The word appears frequently in Acts and Luke, anchoring the narrative of the early church in specific geographical locations where the gospel was proclaimed.
Beyond its physical definition, polis often stands for the people who live there. When a crowd gathers or a town reacts to a miracle, the text uses the city name to represent its inhabitants (Matthew 8:34). This metonymy highlights the social and communal weight of urban life in the ancient world, where the city was not just a place but a collective body.
The term carries significant theological depth in Revelation, where it describes both earthly Jerusalem and the heavenly Jerusalem. John uses the image of the holy city to depict the final dwelling of God’s people (Revelation 21:2). This usage connects the historical reality of urban centers with the ultimate hope of a restored community, showing how the word bridges human geography and divine promise.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for city in the New Testament points to more than just a collection of buildings or streets. It represents a community of people living together, sharing life and decisions. When Jesus speaks about cities, He often highlights how our surroundings shape us and how we can influence those around us. The early church grew by moving from one urban center to another, showing that faith is meant to be lived out in the midst of daily life and social interaction.
For your own walk, this reminds you that your faith is not meant to be hidden away in isolation. Just as a city on a hill cannot be hidden, your presence in your community can reflect God’s light. Whether in a large town or a small village, your actions speak to those around you. This word invites you to see your neighborhood as a place where God’s love can be shown through kindness and truth.
Ultimately, the New Testament looks forward to a heavenly city where God dwells with His people. This hope gives meaning to our current struggles and joys. It assures us that every effort to build community here is part of a larger story that ends in restoration and peace. You are part of this ongoing narrative, called to live in a way that points toward that final, perfect gathering.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 156 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- city97×
- cities11×
- city,9×
- town6×
- city.6×
- a city6×
- towns3×
- cities.3×
- a town3×
- [the] city3×
- [the] city,2×
- [the] City2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πόλιν50×
- πόλεως29×
- πόλις22×
- πόλει21×
- πόλεις10×
- πόλιν,7×
- πόλεως,5×
- πόλιν.3×
- πόλεων3×
- πόλιν·2×
- πόλιν.¶2×
- πόλεων.¶2×
Key Verses
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Matthew 5:14
“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.
Jesus uses the image of a city on a hill to show that a believer's life should be visible and influential in the world.
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Matthew 9:35
Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.
This verse shows Jesus actively moving through cities to teach and heal, setting a pattern for spreading the Gospel in populated areas.
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Matthew 8:34
Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders.
Here the entire city comes out to meet Jesus, illustrating how a single place can act as one collective body responding to Him.
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Matthew 10:23
But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man has come.
Jesus instructs His disciples to flee from one city to another when persecuted, highlighting the mobile and urgent nature of early ministry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Greek word polis mean?
How is polis different from kome?
Why is the word city important in the New Testament?
Every Occurrence (156 verses across 13 books)
Matthew 25 verses
and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets that he…
Matthew 4:5Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple,
Matthew 5:14“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.
Matthew 5:35nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Matthew 8:33Those who fed them fled and went away into the city and told everything, including what happened to those who were…
Matthew 8:34Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders.
Matthew 9:1He entered into a boat and crossed over, and came into his own city.
Matthew 9:35Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the…
Matthew 10:5Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of…
Matthew 10:11Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go on.
Matthew 10:14Whoever doesn’t receive you or hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.
Matthew 10:15Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for…
Matthew 10:23But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone…
Matthew 11:1When Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.
Matthew 11:20Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t repent.
Matthew 12:25Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every…
Matthew 14:13Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place apart. When the multitudes heard it,…
Matthew 21:10When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”
Matthew 21:17He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and camped there.
Matthew 21:18Now in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry.
Matthew 22:7When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Matthew 23:34Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of…
Matthew 26:18He said, “Go into the city to a certain person, and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand. I will keep the…
Matthew 27:53and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.
Matthew 28:11Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests all the things that…