ἐκκλησίαekklēsía
a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both)
Greek (New Testament) · G1577
Meanings
1. properly, an assembly of citizens regularly convened: Acts 19:32, Acts 19:39, Acts 19:41.
2. In LXX of the assembly, congregation, community of Israel (De 4:10 23:2, and elsewhere): Acts 7:38, Hebrews 2:12 (LXX).
3. NT, especially of an assembly or company of Christians, a (the) church
(a) of gatherings for worship: 1 Corinthians 11:18, 1 Corinthians 14:19, 1 Corinthians 14:34, 1 Corinthians 14:35
(b) of local communities: Acts 8:3, 1 Corinthians 4:17; with name added, Acts 8:1, Romans 16:1, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, and elsewhere; plural, Acts 15:41, 1 Corinthians 7:17; τ. Χριστοῦ, Romans 16:16; τ. Ἀσίας, 1 Corinthians 16:19; τ. ἁγίων, 1 Corinthians 14:33; εἰπὸν τ. ἐκκλησίᾳ, Matthew 18:17; of a house-congregation, Romans 16:5, 1 Corinthians 16:19, Colossians 4:15, Philemon 1:2
(c) of the whole body of Christians: Matthew 16:18, 1 Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 1:22, Philippians 3:6, and elsewhere; τ. θεοῦ, Acts 20:28 (Κυρίου, T, R, margin), 1 Corinthians 15:9, Galatians 1:13, 1 Timothy 3:15; ἐ. προτοτόκων ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν οὐρανοῖς, Hebrews 12:23.
Synonyms
συναγωγή, see that word.
Same root
Where it appears
Appears 114 times in the Bible.
- Matthew 16:18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
- Matthew 18:17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.
- Acts 5:11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.
- Acts 7:38 Moses was with our ancestors, the assembly of God’s people in the wilderness, when the angel spoke to him at Mount Sinai. And there Moses received life-giving words to pass on to us.
- Acts 8:1 Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.
- Acts 8:3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.
See every passage
- Matthew 16:18, 18:17
- Acts 5:11, 7:38, 8:1, 8:3, 9:31, 11:22, 11:26, 12:1, 12:5, 13:1, 14:23, 14:27, 15:3, 15:4, 15:22, 15:41, 16:5, 18:22, 19:32, 19:39, 19:41, 20:17, 20:28
- Romans 16:1, 16:4, 16:5, 16:16, 16:23
- 1 Corinthians 1:2, 4:17, 6:4, 7:17, 10:32, 11:16, 11:18, 11:22, 12:28, 14:4, 14:5, 14:12, 14:19, 14:23, 14:28, 14:33, 14:34, 14:35, 15:9, 16:1, 16:19
- 2 Corinthians 1:1, 8:1, 8:18, 8:19, 8:23, 8:24, 11:8, 11:28, 12:13
- Galatians 1:2, 1:13, 1:22
- Ephesians 1:22, 3:10, 3:21, 5:23, 5:24, 5:25, 5:27, 5:29, 5:32
- Philippians 3:6, 4:15
- Colossians 1:18, 1:24, 4:15, 4:16
- 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2:14
- 2 Thessalonians 1:1, 1:4
- 1 Timothy 3:5, 3:15, 5:16
- Philemon 1:2
- Hebrews 2:12, 12:23
- James 5:14
- 3 John 1:6, 1:9, 1:10
- Revelation 1:4, 1:11, 1:20, 2:1, 2:7, 2:8, 2:11, 2:12, 2:17, 2:18, 2:23, 2:29, 3:1, 3:6, 3:7, 3:13, 3:14, 3:22, 22:16
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.