Assembly
ἐκκλησίαStrong’s G1577ekklēsia
Appears in 113 verses of the New Testament
In short
An assembly of people called out and gathered together. In the New Testament it means the church: never a building, always the people (Acts 2:47, 1 Timothy 3:15).
“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
Meaning
Usually translated “church”, “churches” and “assembly”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- church 74
- churches 34
- assembly 3
- congregation 1
- an assembly 1
- of churches 1
- of congregation 1
- to church 1
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- Acts 23
- 1 Corinthians 21
- Revelation 19
- 2 Corinthians 9
- Ephesians 9
- Romans 5
19 books in all.
Explore in Scripture
- 2 Thessalonians 1:1In contextPaul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
- 2 Thessalonians 1:4In contextSo that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
- 1 Timothy 3:5In context(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
- 1 Timothy 5:16In contextIf any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.
- Titus 3:15In contextAll that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.
- Philemon 1:2In contextAnd to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:
All 113 verses, by book
Greek dictionary
ἐκκλησία ekklēsia · assembly
ἐκκλησία, -ας, ἡ (ἐκ-καλέω), [in LXX chiefly for קָהָל, otherwise for one of its cogn. forms ;] 1. prop., an assembly of citizens regularly convened (in Thuc., ii, 22, opposite to σύλλογος, a concourse): Act.19:32, 39 41. 2. In LXX of the assembly, congregation, community of Israel (Deu.4:10 23:2, al.): Act.7:38, Heb.2:12" (LXX) . 3. NT, esp. of an assembly or company of Christians, a (the) church; (a) of gatherings for worship: 1Co.11:18 14:19, 34 35; …
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “assembly” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
ASSEM'BLY, noun
- A company or collection of individuals, in the same place; usually for the same purpose.
- A congregation or religious society convened.
- In some of the United States, the legislature, consisting of different houses or branches, whether in session or not.
- a collection of persons for amusement; as a dancing assembly
All definitions
- A convocation, convention or council of ministers and ruling elders delegated from each presbytery; as the General assembly of Scotland or of the United States.
- In armies, the second beating of the drum before a march, when the soldiers strike their tents.
- An assemblage. [Not in use.]
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.