Bible Dictionaries
Assemble

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"to assemble" (sun, "together," ago, "to bring"), is used of the "gathering together" of people or things; in Luke 12:17,18 , "bestow," with reference to the act of "gathering" one's goods; so in Luke 15:13 , suggesting that the Prodigal, having "gathered" all his goods together, sold them off; in John 6:12 , of "gathering up" fragments; in John 18:2 , "resorted," with reference to the "assembling" of Christ with His disciples in the garden of Gethsemane, there in the Passive Voice (unsuitable, however, in an English translation). In Acts 11:26 , the RV has "were gathered together (with the church)," for AV, "assembled themselves" (possibly "they were hospitably entertained by"). The verb is not found in the most authentic mss. in Revelation 13:10 . See BESTOW , GATHER , LEAD , TAKE , No. 29.

Note: Episunago, "to gather together," is found only in the synoptic Gospels; twice of the "gathering" together of people, Mark 1:33; Luke 12:1; twice of the desire of the Lord to "gather" together the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34; twice of His future act in "gathering" together His elect through the instrumentality of the angels, Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27 . See GATHER.

"to gather together, to assemble," with the suggestion of a crowded meeting (sun, "with," halizo, "to crowd, or mass:" the corresponding adjective is hales, "thronged"), is used in Acts 1:4 . The meaning "to eat with," suggested by some, as if the word were derived from hals, "salt," is not to be accepted.

"to come together" (sun, "together," erchomai, "to come"), is once rendered "assemble," Mark 14:53 , AV. It is frequently used of "coming together," especially of the "gathering" of a local church, 1 Corinthians 11:17,18,20,33,34; 14:23,26; it is rendered "resorted" in Acts 16:13 , AV, where the RV adheres to the lit. rendering, "came together." See ACCOMPANY.

Notes: (1) In Acts 15:25 , ginomai, "to become," is translated "having come to (one accord)," correcting the AV, "being assembled with (one accord)."

(2) Sunagoge, akin to A, No. 1, is lit., "a place where people assemble." In Acts 13:43 the RV suitably has "synagogue," for the AV "congregation," the building standing by metonymy for the people therein (cp. Matthew 10:17 , etc.). In James 2:2 (AV, "assembly") the word is "synagogue" (RV). See SYNAGOGUE.

(3) Episunagoge, akin to No. 1, Note, "an assembling together," is used in 2 Thessalonians 2:1 , of the rapture of the saints into the air to meet the Lord, "our gathering together;" in Hebrews 10:25 , of the "gatherings" of believers on earth during the present period. See GATHERING.