πραιτώριον G4232
The Praetorium: the Roman governor's official residence, military headquarters, or by extension the imperial guard.
Borrowed directly from Latin, praitorion designates the official seat of Roman provincial authority. In the Gospels it refers to Pilate's Jerusalem headquarters where Jesus was tried and mocked by soldiers (Matt 27:27; John 18:28, 33). Mark 15:16 identifies it with the interior courtyard (aule). In Philippians 1:13, Paul uses the term more broadly, likely meaning the praetorian guard or imperial household in Rome. Spanish and French renderings ('Pretorio,' 'pretoire') preserve the Latin loanword virtually unchanged, underscoring how universally recognized this Roman institution was across cultures.
Senses
1. Praetorium (Roman governor's residence or military headquarters) — The Roman governor's official residence or military headquarters, and by metonymy the praetorian guard itself. In the trial narratives, all four Gospels locate Jesus's sentencing within this building complex (John 18:28 contrasts the Jews' refusal to enter it for purity reasons). Paul's use in Phil 1:13 extends the term to encompass the imperial guard quarters, as reflected in translations across languages — German 'Praetoriums,' Spanish 'Pretorio,' French 'pretoire' — all preserving the Latin root with minimal adaptation. 8×
AR["دارِ-الوِلايَةِ", "دَارُ-الوِلَايَةِ", "دَارِ-الوِلَايَةِ", "دَارِ-الْوِلَايَةِ"]·ben["প্রাইতোরিয়নে", "প্রাইতোরিয়ামে", "প্রাসাদে", "প্রৈতোরিয়ন", "বিচারালয়ে", "বিচারালয়ে,", "বিচারালয়ে।"]·DE["Praetoriums", "πραιτωρίῳ", "πραιτώριον"]·EN["Praetorium", "praetorium", "the-Praetorium"]·FR["prétoire"]·heb["הַפְּרָאִיטוֹרִיוֹן", "פְּרֵטוֹרְיוֹן", "פְּרֵטוֹרִיוֹן,", "פְּרַיטוֹרִיוֹן", "פְּרָיטוֹרִיוֹן"]·HI["प्राइटोरियम", "प्राइटोरियममें", "प्राइतोरिउम", "प्रैतोरियुम", "रकशभवनमे,"]·ID["Praetorium", "istana", "praetorium"]·IT["praitōriō", "pretorio"]·jav["Praitoryum,", "Pretorium", "balé-gupernur", "praetorium", "praetorium,", "praetorium.", "praétori"]·KO["관저", "관저에", "관저이다", "친위대,"]·PT["Pretório", "pretório"]·RU["Претория", "претории", "преторию", "преторию,", "преторию."]·ES["Pretorio", "pretorio"]·SW["Praitorio", "ikulu", "jumba-la-Herode", "pretoriamu", "ukumbi-wa-mtawala"]·TR["Praetorium", "praetorium'unda", "sarayına", "vali-konagiinda", "valilik-sarayına"]·urd["قلعہ", "قلعے-میں", "محل", "محل-میں"]
Related Senses
H4941 1. justice, righteousness (134×)H4941 2. judgment, judicial decision (119×)H4941 3. ordinances, statutes (plural) (110×)H8199 1. to judge, adjudicate (98×)G2919 1. judge, pass judgment (76×)H8199 2. judge (person, office-holder) (61×)G2920 1. judgment / condemnation (48×)H7378 1. Qal: quarrel, contend, strive (42×)H4941 4. prescribed ordinance, regulation (34×)G1832 1. it is lawful, it is permitted (32×)G2917 1. judgment, condemnation (27×)G2919 2. be judged, stand trial (27×)H5360 1. vengeance, retribution (27×)H7378 2. Qal: plead, defend, litigate (22×)G2723 1. accuse, bring charges against (20×)G2923 1. judge (one who judges/decides) (19×)G2632 1. condemn, pass judgment against (18×)H1777 1. judge, adjudicate (18×)H1576 1. recompense, retribution (17×)H5359 1. vengeance, retribution (17×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πραιτώριον, τό, = Latin Praetorium, official residence of a governor, NT; later, of private residences, Refs 6th c.AD+ __II praetorian guard: ἔπαρχος πραιτωρίον, τοῦ π., = praefectus praetorio, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __II.2 imperial household, Ep. Phil.1.13.