### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **plateîa**, represented by `{{G4113}}`, refers to a wide "plat" or "place", such as an open square or **street**. It appears **9 times** across **9 unique verses** in the Bible. This term denotes public areas within a city, serving as a setting for a variety of interactions and events.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical text, `{{G4113}}` is used to describe several types of public spaces. It is a place of religious hypocrisy, where hypocrites pray on the **streets** to be seen by others [[Matthew 6:5]]. It is also a site for ministry and compassion, where the sick are laid out in the **streets** to be healed [[Acts 5:15]], and where the poor and maimed are gathered [[Luke 14:21]]. In prophetic contexts, it is the place where the bodies of the two witnesses lie [[Revelation 11:8]], and it describes the magnificent **street** of the New Jerusalem, made of pure gold [[Revelation 21:21]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help define the context of a public square or street:
* `{{G4864}}` **synagōgḗ** (assembly, congregation, synagogue): This term for a place of Jewish meeting is often contrasted with the open **street**, both being public venues for religious expression [[Matthew 6:5]].
* `{{G1137}}` **gōnía** (corner, quarter): This word specifies a location within the broader public space, such as the **corners** of the **streets** where conspicuous prayers were offered [[Matthew 6:5]].
* `{{G4172}}` **pólis** (city): This term defines the larger settlement that contains the **streets**. A **street** is a feature within a **city** [[Luke 14:21]].
* `{{G4505}}` **rhýmē** (lane, street): Used alongside **plateîa**, this term denotes a more narrow avenue or alley, highlighting the different types of thoroughfares where a servant was sent to gather people [[Luke 14:21]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G4113}}` is seen in its use as a stage for spiritual and moral activity.
* **A Venue for Public Action:** The **street** is where faith is either demonstrated authentically through acts of healing [[Acts 5:15]] or performed falsely through hypocritical displays [[Matthew 6:5]]. It is also where Christ's humility is noted, as His voice would not be heard in the **streets** [[Matthew 12:19]].
* **A Place of Witness and Proclamation:** The **streets** are where disciples make public declarations, whether it is a message of judgment against a city that rejects them [[Luke 10:10]] or where the bodies of God's prophets lie as a testimony [[Revelation 11:8]].
* **An Image of Eschatological Reality:** In Revelation, the **street** transforms from a common earthly place into a symbol of divine perfection. The **street** of the New Jerusalem is pure gold, signifying its holiness [[Revelation 21:21]], and it is the location of the tree of life, symbolizing eternal healing for the nations [[Revelation 22:2]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{G4113}}` is more than a simple geographical marker. It signifies the public arena of human life, where the sacred and the profane intersect. From a place of humble ministry and arrogant hypocrisy on earth, the **street** is ultimately elevated in scripture to a symbol of the purified and glorious state of the redeemed in the New Jerusalem.
TRV