porch

Or vestibule. 1 A forecourt or central court of a house (1Kgs 7:6; Mark 14:68) or the pillared hall on a flat roof (Judg 3:23). Private homes during the Greco-Roman period often had porches that opened onto the street just outside the front door. 2 A colonnaded portico or passageway, often part of a public building or temple (e.g., the stoa at Athens; Solomon’s Portico). These frequently provided shelter for travelers or those in ill health (John 5:2) and a forum for religious and philosophical discussions (Acts 17:16-32). 3 An area of the throne from which the king of Israel pronounced judgment (1Kgs 7:6-7).