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Meaning of CONGREGATION

Pronunciation:  `kânggru'geyshun

WordNet Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. [n]  the act of congregating
  2. [n]  an assemblage of people or animals or things collected together; "a congregation of children pleaded for his autograph"; "a great congregation of birds flew over"
  3. [n]  a group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually attend a given church
 
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 Synonyms: congregating, faithful, fold
 
 See Also: accumulation, aggregation, assemblage, assemblage, assembly, collection, denomination, flock, gathering, social group

 

 

Webster's 1913 Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
\Con`gre*ga"tion\, n. [L. congregatio: cf. F.
congr['e]gation.]
1. The act of congregating, or bringing together, or of
   collecting into one aggregate or mass.
         The means of reduction in the fire is but by the
         congregation of homogeneal parts.     --Bacon.
2. A collection or mass of separate things.
         A foul and pestilent congregation of vapors. --Shak.
3. An assembly of persons; a gathering; esp. an assembly of
   persons met for the worship of God, and for religious
   instruction; a body of people who habitually so meet.
         He [Bunyan] rode every year to London, and preached
         there to large and attentive congregations.
                                               --Macaulay.
4. (Anc. Jewish Hist.) The whole body of the Jewish people;
   -- called also {Congregation of the Lord}.
         It is a sin offering for the congregation. --Lev.
                                               iv. 21.
5. (R. C. Ch.)
   (a) A body of cardinals or other ecclesiastics to whom as
       intrusted some department of the church business; as,
       the Congregation of the Propaganda, which has charge
       of the missions of the Roman Catholic Church.
   (b) A company of religious persons forming a subdivision
       of a monastic order.
6. The assemblage of Masters and Doctors at Oxford or
   Cambrige University, mainly for the granting of degrees.
   [Eng.]
7. (Scotch Church Hist.) the name assumed by the Protestant
   party under John Knox. The leaders called themselves
   (1557) Lords of the Congregation.
 
Easton Bible Dictionary
 
 Definition: 

(Heb. kahal), the Hebrew people collectively as a holy community (Num. 15:15). Every circumcised Hebrew from twenty years old and upward was a member of the congregation. Strangers resident in the land, if circumcised, were, with certain exceptions (Ex. 12:19; Num. 9:14; Deut. 23:1-3), admitted to the privileges of citizenship, and spoken of as members of the congregation (Ex. 12:19; Num. 9:14; 15:15). The congregation were summonded together by the sound of two silver trumpets, and they met at the door of the tabernacle (Num. 10:3). These assemblies were convened for the purpose of engaging in solemn religious services (Ex. 12:27; Num. 25:6; Joel 2:15), or of receiving new commandments (Ex. 19:7, 8). The elders, who were summonded by the sound of one trumpet (Num. 10:4), represented on various occasions the whole congregation (Ex. 3:16; 12:21; 17:5; 24:1).

After the conquest of Canaan, the people were assembled only on occasions of the highest national importance (Judg. 20; 2 Chr. 30:5; 34:29; 1 Sam. 10:17; 2 Sam. 5:1-5; 1 Kings 12:20; 2 Kings 11:19; 21:24; 23:30). In subsequent times the congregation was represented by the Sanhedrim; and the name synagogue, applied in the Septuagint version exclusively to the congregation, came to be used to denote the places of worship established by the Jews. (See CHURCH.)

In Acts 13:43, where alone it occurs in the New Testament, it is the same word as that rendered "synagogue" (q.v.) in ver. 42, and is so rendered in ver. 43 in R.V.

 

 

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