Strong's Lexicon sunagógé: Synagogue, assembly, gathering Original Word: συναγωγή Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb συνάγω (sunagó), meaning "to gather together" or "to assemble." Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H4150 מוֹעֵד (moed): Often translated as "appointed time" or "assembly," referring to gatherings for worship or festivals. - H6951 קָהָל (qahal): Meaning "assembly" or "congregation," used for gatherings of the people of Israel. Usage: The term "sunagógé" primarily refers to a gathering or assembly of people, particularly for religious purposes. In the New Testament, it is most commonly used to denote a Jewish place of worship and community gathering. The synagogue served as a center for prayer, reading of the Scriptures, teaching, and community activities. Cultural and Historical Background: The synagogue emerged as a central institution in Jewish life during the Babylonian exile when the Temple in Jerusalem was inaccessible. By the time of Jesus, synagogues were well-established throughout the Jewish diaspora. They functioned not only as places of worship but also as centers for education and community governance. The synagogue played a crucial role in maintaining Jewish religious and cultural identity, especially in regions far from Jerusalem. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sunagó Definition a bringing together, by ext. an assembling, hence a synagogue NASB Translation assembly (1), synagogue (31), synagogues (24). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4864: συναγωγήσυναγωγή, συναγωγῆς, ἡ (συνάγω), the Sept. for קָהָל and very often for עֵדָה. In Greek writings a bringing together, gathering (as of fruits), a contracting; an assembling together of men. In the N. T. 1. an assembly of men: τοῦ Σατανᾶ, whom Satan governs, Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9. 2. a synagogue, i. e., a. "an assembly of Jews formally gathered together to offer prayer and listen to the reading and exposition of the Holy Scriptures"; assemblies of the sort were held every sabbath and feast-day, afterward also on the second and fifth days of every week (see references below): Luke 12:11; Acts 9:2; Acts 13:43; Acts 26:11; the name is transferred to an assembly of Christians formally gathered for religious purposes, James 2:2 (Epiphanius haer. 30, 18 says of the Jewish Christians συναγωγήν οὗτοι καλουσι τήν ἑαυτῶν ἐκκλησίαν καί οὐχί ἐκκλησίαν (cf. Lightfoot on Philippians, p. 192)); (cf. Trench, Synonyms, § 1, and especially Harnack's elaborate note on Hermas, mand. 11, 9 [ET] (less fully and accurately in Hilgenfeld's Zeitschr. f. wiss. Theol. for 1876, p. 102ff) respecting the use of the word by the church Fathers of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries; cf. Hilgenfeld's comments on the same in his 'Hermae Pastor', edition alt., p. 183f). b. the building where those solemn Jewish assemblies are held (Hebrew הַכְּנֶסֶת בֵּית, i. e. 'the house of assembly'). Synagogues seem to date their origin from the Babylonian exile. In the time of Jesus and the apostles every town, not only in Palestine but also among the Gentiles if it contained a considerable number of Jewish inhabitants, had at least one synagogue, the larger towns several or even many. That the Jews held trials and even inflicted punishments in them, is evident from such passages as Matthew 10:17; Matthew 23:34; Mark 13:9; Luke 12:11; Luke 21:12; Acts 9:2; Acts 22:19; Acts 26:11. They are further mentioned in Matthew 4:23; Matthew 6:2, 5; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 12:9; Matthew 13:54; Matthew 23:6; Mark 1:21, 23, 29, 39; Mark 3:1; Mark 6:2; Mark 12:39; Luke 4:15f, 20, 28, 33, 38, 44; Luke 6:6; Luke 7:5; Luke 8:41; ( From (the reduplicated form of) sunago; an assemblage of persons; specially, a Jewish "synagogue" (the meeting or the place); by analogy, a Christian church -- assembly, congregation, synagogue. see GREEK sunago Englishman's Concordance Matthew 4:23 N-DFPGRK: ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ NAS: teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming KJV: in their synagogues, and preaching INT: in the synagogues of them and Matthew 6:2 N-DFP Matthew 6:5 N-DFP Matthew 9:35 N-DFP Matthew 10:17 N-DFP Matthew 12:9 N-AFS Matthew 13:54 N-DFS Matthew 23:6 N-DFP Matthew 23:34 N-DFP Mark 1:21 N-AFS Mark 1:23 N-DFS Mark 1:29 N-GFS Mark 1:39 N-AFP Mark 3:1 N-AFS Mark 6:2 N-DFS Mark 12:39 N-DFP Mark 13:9 N-AFP Luke 4:15 N-DFP Luke 4:16 N-AFS Luke 4:20 N-DFS Luke 4:28 N-DFS Luke 4:33 N-DFS Luke 4:38 N-GFS Luke 4:44 N-AFP Luke 6:6 N-AFS Strong's Greek 4864 |