Greek word · G1179

Δεκάπολις

dekapolis

Decapolis

"Ten Cities": a loose group of Greek-style cities, mostly east of the Jordan and the Sea of Galilee. They were not a formal league with fixed membership.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

Δεκά-πολις, -εως, ὴ

Decapolis, a region east of the Jordan con­taining ten cities: Matthew 4:25, Mark 5:20 7:31.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Mark 5:20

Range of meaning

"Ten Cities": a loose group of Greek-style cities, mostly east of the Jordan and the Sea of Galilee. They were not a formal league with fixed membership. Pliny the Elder (Natural History 5.74) lists Damascus, Philadelphia, Raphana, Scythopolis, Gadara, Hippos, Dion, Pella, Gerasa and Canatha, and notes that writers disagreed about which cities belonged.

Against the English

Most versions keep the name "Decapolis." NLT translates it as "the Ten Towns," which explains the name but can make them sound like villages. Several were major cities with theatres, temples and colonnaded streets.

Used elsewhere in the period

Pliny, Natural History 5.74; Josephus (Jewish War 3.446; Life 341–342); Ptolemy, Geography 5.15. Inscriptions and coins of Gerasa and Gadara show Greek civic life and the worship of Zeus, Dionysus, Tyche and others. The region also appears in Mark 7:31 and Matthew 4:25.

From the study of Matthew 4:25

Range of meaning

Literally "Ten Cities." It refers to a group of Greek-founded or Greek-style cities, mostly east of the Jordan and the Sea of Galilee. Scythopolis (Beth-shean) was the one west of the river. After Pompey took the region in 63 BC, Rome freed these cities from Jewish (Hasmonean) rule and placed them under oversight from the province of Syria.

Against the English

Most versions keep "Decapolis." NLT translates the name as "the Ten Towns." That explains what the word means, but it hides the fact that this was a known Gentile region with Greek culture.

Used elsewhere in the period

Pliny the Elder (Natural History 5.74) lists ten cities: Damascus, Philadelphia (Amman), Raphana, Scythopolis, Gadara, Hippos, Dion, Pella, Galasa (Gerasa) and Canatha. He also notes that lists varied. Josephus mentions the Decapolis (e.g. Life 341–342; War 3.446). In the New Testament it appears only here and in Mark 5:20; 7:31. Scholars disagree on whether it was a formal league or just a regional label.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 4:25 Δεκαπόλεως [the] Decapolis

    Large crowds followed Him, having come from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

    Here: A group of Greek-style cities, mostly east and south-east of the Sea of Galilee, where most people were not Jews. This is the only time Matthew uses the name.

Mark · 2

  1. Mark 5:20 Δεκαπόλει Decapolis

    So the man went away and began to proclaim throughout the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.

    Here: A group of Greek-culture cities mostly east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan, with a largely non-Jewish population. Jesus sent him home, but the area he covers is wider than his household and town.

  2. Mark 7:31 Δεκαπόλεως. of [the] Decapolis.

    Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.