ἐκκλησία

G1577 G:N-F

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 ; __(b) of local communities : Act.8:3 , 1Co.4:17 ; with name added, Act.8:1 , Rom.16:1 , 1Th.1:1 , al.; pl., Act.15:41 , 1Co.7:17 ; τ. Χριστοῦ, Rom.16:16; τ. Ἀσίας, 1Co.16:19; τ. ἁγίων, 1Co.14:33; εἰπο]ν τ. ἐκκλησίᾳ, Mat.18:17 (but see Hort, Ecclesia , 10); of a house-congregation ( DB , i, 431a), Rom.16:5 , 1Co.16:19 , Col.4:15 , Phm 2; __(with) of the whole body of Christians : Mat.16:18 , 1Co.12:28 , Eph.1:22 , Php.3:6 , al.; τ. θεοῦ, Act.20:28 (Κυρίου, T, R, mg.), 1Co.15:9 , Gal.1:13 , 1Ti.3:15 ; ἐ. προτοτόκων ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν οὐρανοῖς, Heb.12:23. SYN. : συναγωγή, which see (see Tr., Syn. , §i; DB , i, 426; Hort, Ecclesia , esp. 4ff., 107ff.; Hamilton, People of God , ii, 37ff.; reff. s.vv. "Church," "Congregation," in DB and DCG ; Cremer, 332). (AS)