In the New Testament, the word appears 56 times, mostly in the Synoptic Gospels, but also in the Gospel of John () and the Book of Revelation (). It is used in the sense of 'assembly' in the Epistle of James (). Alternatively, the epistle of James, in Greek is clearly Ἰάκωβος or יעקב or anglicized to Jacob is place of assembly that was indeed Jewish and Jacob ben Joseph perhaps the elder. James (Jacob) 2:2 could easily be rendered "synagogue or συναγωγὴν". This was a Jewish house of worship and or teaching where Jesus was taught as Messiah.