politeuma occurs only at Phil. 3:20 where Paul contrasts the Christian life-style with that of the "enemies of the cross of Christ" (3:18): "But our commonwealth [politeuma] is in heaven, and from it we await our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ" (RSV). The older translation" citizenship" (RV) stresses the status of the believers, whereas "conversation (AV [KJV]), i.e. way of life, has affinities with the vb. politeuomai... M. Dibelius suggests "colony"... But the meaning is more likely to be that of "capital or native city, which keeps the citizens on its registers"... The second half of the verse requires a place to be meant here, in order to make sense of the remark "and from it we await". Moreover, "the background of the word in this context, is the situation related to the capital city of Rome."... As Roman subjects, the Phillipian Christians owed an allegiance to the far off capital city of Rome. At the same time, they had "another king, one Jesus" (Acts 17:7). Hence, on earth they are resident aliens who dwell temporarily in a foreign country but who have their capital and homeland elsewhere (cf. 1 Pet. 1:1; 2:11; Jas. 1:1; Heb. 11:13; Ep. Diog. 5).