Original Word: πυλών
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: pulón
Pronunciation: poo-lone'
Phonetic Spelling: (poo-lone')
KJV: gate, porch
NASB: gates, gate, gateway
Word Origin: [from G4439 (πύλη - gate)]

1. a gate-way, door-way of a building or city
2. (by implication) a portal or vestibule

a vestibule, gateway

From pule; a gate-way, door-way of a building or city; by implication, a portal or vestibule -- gate, porch.

see GREEK pule

Cognate: 4440 pylṓn (a masculine noun) – "properly, 'the passage which led from the street through the front part of the house to the inner court,' closed by a heavy 4439 (pýlē) at the streetward end, 'entrance passage, gateway; gate' " (Souter).

Word Origin
from pulé
Definition
a porch, gateway
NASB Translation
gate (5), gates (12), gateway (1).

STRONGS NT 4440: πυλών

πυλών, πυλῶνος, ὁ (πύλη) (Aristotle, Polybius, others), the Sept. often for פֶּתַח, sometimes for שַׁעַר;

1. a large gate: of a palace, Luke 16:20; of a house, Acts 10:17; plural (of the gates of a city), Acts 14:13; Revelation 21:12, 13, 15, 21, 25; Revelation 22:14.

2. the anterior part of a house, into which one enters through the gate, porch: Matthew 26:71 (cf. 69 and 75); Acts 12:14; hence, ἡ θύρα τοῦ πυλῶνος, Acts 12:13.

Entry: Strong’s Greek 4440 – πυλών (gate, gateway, gatehouse)

Architectural and Cultural Background

First-century Mediterranean homes, estates, and civic centers customarily featured a covered gatehouse that separated public streets from private courts. This structure provided security, controlled access, and served as a social waypoint where news, commerce, and justice converged (compare Deuteronomy 21:19; Proverbs 31:23 for the Hebrew parallel). Because of its strategic placement, the πυλών naturally became a setting where the decisive movements of persons and the unveiling of hearts could be observed.

Threshold Moments in the Gospels

• Matthew 26:71 locates Peter’s second denial “at the gateway,” where the flickering light of a courtyard fire exposed the wavering disciple. The gateway stands as the place where allegiance to Christ is either concealed or confessed.
• Luke 16:20 pictures “a beggar named Lazarus” laid “at his gate,” juxtaposing opulence and destitution at the one architectural point where compassion could easily flow. The scene grants the πυλών moral weight, reminding believers that mercy begins at the perimeter of daily life.

Gates and the Early Church’s Mission

• At Joppa (Acts 10:17), Gentile visitors stand “at the gate” of Simon the tanner’s house while Peter is still grappling with the unclean-clean vision. The literal threshold matches the theological threshold: the gospel is about to cross into the nations.
• In Jerusalem (Acts 12:13-14) the same apostle, newly released from prison, knocks at the outer gate of Mary’s home. Within, a prayer meeting implores God for the very deliverance now waiting outside. The narrative illustrates how answered prayer often stands at the gate, awaiting recognition.
• At Lystra (Acts 14:13) the priest of Zeus brings bulls and garlands “to the gates,” eager to deify Paul and Barnabas. Here the πυλών becomes a battleground of worship, exposing the heart’s direction—idolatry or the living God.

Eternal Gates of Revelation

John’s vision elevates the word from common architecture to eschatological glory. Twelve gates of pearl (Revelation 21:12-13, 21) symbolize perfect access through God’s covenant order—tribes, apostles, angels, and precise measurements all in harmony. “Its gates will never be shut… because there will be no night there” (Revelation 21:25), affirming perpetual security and unhindered fellowship. Final beatitude crowns the theme: “Blessed are those who wash their robes… and may enter the city by its gates” (Revelation 22:14). The long biblical journey from guarded entry to everlasting welcome is complete.

Theological Themes

1. Access and Exclusion: Gates control entry; Scripture consistently links them to moral and spiritual qualification (Psalm 118:19-20; Revelation 22:15).
2. Witness at the Margin: Many kingdom encounters occur before one ever steps inside—Peter’s denial, Lazarus’ plight, Cornelius’ messengers. Evangelism often begins at the threshold.
3. Prayer and Providence: The praying church may be surprised to find God’s answer already knocking (Acts 12).
4. Worship’s Direction: Gates either become stages for idolatry (Acts 14) or portals to true worship (Revelation 21).

Practical Ministry Implications

• Cultivate hospitality that turns every “gate” of the home or church into a place of mercy and gospel welcome.
• Maintain spiritual vigilance; choices made at life’s figurative thresholds determine future course.
• Expect God to work at the margins—doorsteps, foyers, sidewalks—just as certainly as in sanctuaries.
• Anchor hope in the unshut gates of the New Jerusalem, motivating perseverance and purity now.

Key References

Matthew 26:71; Luke 16:20; Acts 10:17; Acts 12:13-14; Acts 14:13; Revelation 21:12-25; Revelation 22:14

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