1577

1577 ἐκκλησία ekklesia [ek-klay-see’-ah] from a compound of 1537 and a derivative of 2564 call or 2753 to command; n f; TDNT- 3:501,394; [{See TDNT 352 }] AV-church 115, assembly 3; 118

1) a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly

1a) an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating

1b) the assembly of the Israelites

1c) any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously

1d) in a Christian sense

1d1) an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting

1d2) a company of Christians, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order’s sake

1d3) those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body

1d4) the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth

1d5) the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven

For Synonyms see entry 5897

• Ekklesia "an assembly of citizens summoned by the crier, the legislative assembly." [R. Scott, and H.G. Liddell, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 206.]
• "The assembly of the people, which in Greek cities had the power of final decision in public affairs" [ A German classical philologist, Oskar Seyffert, A Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, pp. 202-203].