4176. politeuomai

Lexicon

politeuomai: to live as a citizen, to conduct oneself

Original Word: πολιτεύομαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: politeuomai
Pronunciation: po-li-TEU-o-mai
Phonetic Spelling: (pol-it-yoo'-om-ahee)
Definition: to live as a citizen, to conduct oneself
Meaning: I live the life of a citizen, live.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

let conversation be, live.

Middle voice of a derivative of polites; to behave as a citizen (figuratively) -- let conversation be, live.

see GREEK polites

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from polités
Definition
to live as a citizen
NASB Translation
conduct (1), lived...life (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4176: πολιτεύω

πολιτεύω: middle (cf. Winer's Grammar, 260 (244)), present imperative 2 person plural πολιτεύεσθε; perfect πεπολίτευμαι; (πολίτης);

1. to be a citizen (Thucydides, Xenophon, Lysias, Polybius, others).

2. to administer civil affairs, manage the state (Thucydides, Xenophon).

3. to make or create a citizen (Diodorus 11, 72); middle a. to be a citizen; so in the passages from Philo and the Ep. ad Diogn. cited in πολίτευμα, 3.

b. to behave as a citizen; to avail oneself of or recognize the laws; so from Thucydides down; in Hellenistic writings to conduct oneself as pledged to some law of life: ἀξίως τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, Philippians 1:27 (R. V. text let your manner of life be worthy of etc.); ἀξίως τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Polycarp, ad Philip. 5, 2 [ET]; ἀξίως τοῦ Θεοῦ, Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 21, 1 [ET]; ὁσίως, ibid. 6, 1 [ET]; κατά τό καθῆκον τῷ Χριστῷ, ibid. 3, 4 [ET]; μετά φοβοῦ καί ἀγάπης, ibid. 51, 2 [ET]; ἐννόμως, Justin Martyr, dialog contra Trypho,

c. 67; ἠρξάμην πολιτεύεσθαι τῇ Φαρισαίων ἁιρεσει κατακολουθῶν, Josephus, Vita2; other phrases are cited by Grimm on 2 Macc. 6:1; τῷ Θεῷ, to live in accordance with the laws of God, Acts 23:1 (A. V. I have lived etc.).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek word πολίτης (polites), meaning "citizen."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for πολιτεύομαι, the concept of living according to divine laws and principles can be related to Hebrew terms such as הלך (halak, Strong's 1980), meaning "to walk" or "to conduct oneself," and ישב (yashab, Strong's 3427), meaning "to dwell" or "to inhabit," which often carry connotations of living in accordance with God's commandments.

Usage: The verb πολιτεύομαι is used in the New Testament to describe the conduct or behavior of individuals, particularly in relation to their duties and responsibilities as members of a community or kingdom. It emphasizes the idea of living in a manner worthy of one's citizenship.

Context: The term πολιτεύομαι appears in the New Testament in contexts that highlight the importance of living in accordance with the values and principles of the heavenly kingdom. It is used to encourage believers to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects their identity as citizens of heaven.

In Philippians 1:27, the Apostle Paul exhorts the believers: "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Here, πολιτεύομαι is translated as "conduct yourselves," emphasizing the call for Christians to live in a way that honors the message and mission of the gospel. This involves embodying the virtues and ethics of the Christian faith, such as love, humility, and unity.

The concept of πολιτεύομαι also appears in Acts 23:1, where Paul declares, "Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day." In this context, Paul is defending his actions and character, asserting that he has lived with integrity and faithfulness to God's standards.

The use of πολιτεύομαι in these passages underscores the dual citizenship of believers: while they reside on earth, their ultimate allegiance is to the kingdom of God. This duality calls for a life that reflects heavenly values, impacting how believers interact with the world around them.

Forms and Transliterations

πεπολιτευμαι πεπολίτευμαι πολιτευεσθε πολιτεύεσθε pepoliteumai pepolíteumai politeuesthe politeúesthe

Englishman's Concordance

Acts 23:1 V-RIM/P-1S
GRK: συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ θεῷ
NAS: Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly
KJV: I have lived in all
INT: conscience good have conducted myself to God

Philippians 1:27 V-PMM/P-2P
GRK: τοῦ χριστοῦ πολιτεύεσθε ἵνα εἴτε
NAS: Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy
KJV: Only let your conversation be as it becometh
INT: of Christ conduct yourselves that whether

Strong's Greek 4176
2 Occurrences

πεπολίτευμαι — 1 Occ.
πολιτεύεσθε — 1 Occ.