primarily "a town enclosed with a wall" (perhaps from a root ple---, signifying "fullness," whence also the Latin pleo, "to fill," Eng., "polite, polish, politic, etc."), is used also of the heavenly Jerusalem, the abode and community of the redeemed, Hebrews 11:10,16; 12:22; 13:14 . In the Apocalypse it signifies the visible capital of the Heavenly Kingdom, as destined to descend to earth in a coming age, e.g., Revelation 3:12; 21:2,14,19 . By metonymy the word stands for the inhabitants, as in the English use, e.g., Matthew 8:34; 12:25; 21:10; Mark 1:33; Acts 13:44 .
Note: In Acts 16:13 , the most authentic mss. have pule, "gate," RV, "without the gate."