EBD: Colossae
ISBE: COLOSSAE
SMITH: COLOSSE
BRIDGEWAY: COLOSSAE
Colossae
In Bible versions:
Colossae: NET AVS NRSV NASB TEVColosse: NIV
punishment; correction
NET Glossary: Array
Greek
Strongs #2857: Kolossai Kolossai
Colosse = "monstrosities"1) anciently a large and flourishing city, but in Strabo's time
a small town of Phrygia Major situated on the Lycus not far from
its junction with the Maeander and in the neighbourhood of
Laodicea and Hierapolis
2857 Kolossai kol-os-sah'-ee
apparently feminine plural of kolossos ("colossal"); Colossae, a place in Asia Minor: KJV -- Colosse.Colossae [ebd]
or Colosse, a city of Phrygia, on the Lycus, which is a tributary of the Maeander. It was about 12 miles above Laodicea, and near the great road from Ephesus to the Euphrates, and was consequently of some mercantile importance. It does not appear that Paul had visited this city when he wrote his letter to the church there (Col. 1:2). He expresses in his letter to Philemon (ver. 1:22) his hope to visit it on being delivered from his imprisonment. From Col. 1:7; 4:12 it has been concluded that Epaphras was the founder of the Colossian church. This town afterwards fell into decay, and the modern town of Chonas or Chonum occupies a site near its ruins.
COLOSSAE [isbe]
COLOSSAE - ko-los'-e (Kolossai, "punishment"; the King James Version Colosse): A city of Phrygia on the Lycus River, one of the branches of the Meander, and 3 miles from Mt. Cadmus, 8,013 ft. high. It stood at the head of a gorge where the two streams unite, and on the great highway traversing the country from Ephesus to the Euphrates valley, 13 miles from Hierapolis and 10 from Laodicea. Its history is chiefly associated with that of these two cities. Early, according to both Herodotus and Xenophon, it was a place of great importance. There Xerxes stopped 481 BC (Herodotus vii.30) and Cyrus the Younger marched 401 BC (Xen. Anab. i.2,6). From Col 2:1 it is not likely that Paul visited the place in person; but its Christianization was due to the efforts of Epaphras and Timothy (Col 1:1,7), and it was the home of Philemon and Epaphras. That a church was established there early is evident from Col 4:12,13; Rev 1:11; 3:14. As the neighboring cities, Hierapolis and Laodicea, increased in importance, Colosse declined. There were many Jews living there, and a chief article of commerce, for which the place was renowned, was the collossinus, a peculiar wool, probably of a purple color. In religion the people were specially lax, worshipping angels. Of them, Michael was the chief, and the protecting saint of the city. It is said that once he appeared to the people, saving the city in time of a flood. It was this belief in angels which called forth Paul's epistle (Col 2:18). During the 7th and 8th centuries the place was overrun by the Saracens; in the 12th century the church was destroyed by the Turks and the city disappeared. Its site was explored by Mr. Hamilton. The ruins of the church, the stone foundation of a large theater, and a necropolis with stones of a peculiar shape are still to be seen. During the Middle Ages the place bore the name of Chonae; it is now called Chonas.E. J. Banks
COLOSSE [smith]
more properly Colos?sae, was a city of Phrygia in Asia Minor, in the upper part of the basin of the Maeander, on the Lycus. Hierapolis and Laodicea were in its immediate neighborhood. (Colossians 1:2; 4:13,15,16) see Reve 1:11; 3:14 St. Paul is supposed by some to have visited Colosse and founded or confirmed the Colossian church on his third missionary journey. (Acts 18:23; 19:1)COLOSSAE [bridgeway]
Although Colossae was on the main highway from Syria to Ephesus, Paul apparently did not visit the church there during his missionary travels recorded in Acts (Col 1:4; 2:1). Colossae was situated in a part of the province of Asia where Paul was forbidden to preach during his second missionary journey (Acts 16:6-8; for map see ASIA).The church in Colossae was probably founded during Paul’s stay in Ephesus on his third missionary journey, when the Ephesian converts took the gospel to the towns of the surrounding countryside (Acts 19:8-10). Epaphras appears to have been the person chiefly responsible for the establishment of the church in Colossae (Col 1:7). At the time Paul wrote his letter to the Colossian church, it met in the home of Philemon (Col 4:9; Philem 1-2,10-12; see COLOSSIANS, LETTER TO THE).
