4174. politeia
Lexical Summary
politeia: Citizenship, commonwealth, state, way of life

Original Word: πολιτεία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: politeia
Pronunciation: po-lee-TEH-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (pol-ee-ti'-ah)
KJV: commonwealth, freedom
NASB: citizenship, commonwealth
Word Origin: [from G4177 (πολίτης - citizens) ("polity")]

1. citizenship
2. (concretely) a community

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
citizenship

From polites ("polity"); citizenship; concretely, a community -- commonwealth, freedom.

see GREEK polites

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from politeuomai
Definition
citizenship
NASB Translation
citizenship (1), commonwealth (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4174: πολιτεία

πολιτεία, πολιτείας, (πολιτεύω);

1. the administration of civil affairs (Xenophon, mem. 3, 9, 15; Aristophanes, Aeschines, Demosthenes (others)).

2. a state, commonwealth (2 Macc. 4:11 2Macc. 8:17 2Macc. 13:14; Xenophon, Plato, Thucydides (others)): with a genitive of the possessor, τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, spoken of the theocratic or divine commonwealth, Ephesians 2:12.

3. citizenship, the rights of a citizen (some make this sense the primary one): Acts 22:28 (3Macc. 3:21, 23; Herodotus 9, 34; Xenophon, Hell. 1, 1, 26; 1, 2, 10; (4, 4, 6, etc.); Demosthenes, Polybius, Diodorus, Josephus, others).

Topical Lexicon
Historical Setting of Citizenship in the Greco-Roman World

Citizenship in the first-century Mediterranean carried legal privileges, social status, and a sense of communal identity. Roman civitas granted appeal rights, exemption from degrading punishments, and political access. In Jewish thought, belonging to Israel’s covenant community brought spiritual privilege, temple access, and participation in the promises given to the patriarchs. Into this environment the New Testament writers used πολιτεία to speak both of tangible Roman rights and of Israel’s covenant life, preparing the way for the greater citizenship believers now enjoy in Christ.

Acts 22:28 — Legal Shield and Missionary Advance

Facing a Roman flogging, Paul appealed to his πολιτεία:

“The commander answered, ‘I paid a high price for my citizenship.’ ‘But I was born a citizen,’ Paul replied.” (Acts 22:28)

1. Verification of Status: The tribune immediately halted the scourging, illustrating how Roman citizenship could override local authority.
2. Strategic Use: Paul’s legal standing preserved his life, enabling further gospel proclamation before rulers (Acts 23:11; 24:24; 26:32).
3. Divine Providence: The episode shows God’s sovereign use of earthly structures to safeguard His servant, fulfilling Acts 9:15 that Paul would bear Christ’s name “before kings.”
4. Ethical Model: Paul neither boasted in status nor despised it; he used legitimate rights for the advance of the gospel, demonstrating lawful engagement without compromising witness.

Ephesians 2:12 — The Covenant Commonwealth

Paul reminds Gentile believers to recall that they were once “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel” (Ephesians 2:12).

1. Covenant Exclusion: Outside political Israel, Gentiles lacked temple access, Mosaic worship, and knowledge of the promises.
2. Christ-Centered Inclusion: Through the cross “He Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14); believing Gentiles are now “fellow citizens with the saints” (Ephesians 2:19).
3. Continuity of Revelation: The one redemptive plan progresses from Israel’s πολιτεία to the multi-ethnic household of God, preserving Scriptural unity.
4. Eschatological Outlook: Present inclusion anticipates the consummated kingdom where “the nations will walk by its light” (Revelation 21:24).

Doctrinal Themes and Connections

• Earthly versus Heavenly Citizenship – While Acts stresses temporal rights, Philippians 3:20 highlights an eternal polity: “our citizenship is in heaven.” The two are not contradictory; earthly responsibilities are avenues for heavenly allegiance.
• Identity and Assurance – Believers possess an irrevocable status secured by Christ’s blood, surpassing even birthright Roman citizenship.
• Covenantal Solidarity – The church is grafted into historic Israel (Romans 11:17-24), inheriting promises, responsibilities, and the mission to bless the nations (Genesis 12:3).

Old Testament Foundations

Exodus 19:6 presents Israel as a “kingdom of priests,” the prototype πολιτεία under divine kingship.
Psalm 87 celebrates foreigners registered in Zion, foreshadowing Gentile inclusion.

These texts frame Ephesians 2:12 within a trajectory of expanding covenant community.

Ministry and Discipleship Implications

1. Teaching Identity – Ground new believers in their secure citizenship to combat spiritual insecurity and cultural pressures.
2. Civic Engagement – Encourage lawful participation (Romans 13:1-7) while prioritizing gospel witness.
3. Unity Across Ethnicity – Use Ephesians 2 to confront division; all in Christ share one πολιτεία.
4. Suffering and Rights – Model Paul’s balanced approach: assert legal protections when they serve gospel ends, yet willingly endure loss for Christ (1 Corinthians 9:12).

Missional Perspective

The church acts as an embassy of the coming kingdom, calling outsiders to receive heavenly citizenship. Awareness of πολιτεία equips believers to articulate both the cost and privilege of following Christ: loss of ultimate allegiance to earthly powers but gain of an imperishable inheritance (1 Peter 1:4).

Forms and Transliterations
πολιτειαν πολιτείαν πολιτειας πολιτείας politeian politeían politeias politeías
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Acts 22:28 N-AFS
GRK: κεφαλαίου τὴν πολιτείαν ταύτην ἐκτησάμην
NAS: this citizenship with a large
KJV: I this freedom. And Paul
INT: sum the citizenship this bought

Ephesians 2:12 N-GFS
GRK: ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι τῆς πολιτείας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ
NAS: excluded from the commonwealth of Israel,
KJV: being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
INT: alienated from the commonwealth of Israel

Strong's Greek 4174
2 Occurrences


πολιτείαν — 1 Occ.
πολιτείας — 1 Occ.

4173
Top of Page
Top of Page