Colossians 4:15
in Colossians 4Greet the brothers in Laodicea, as well as Nympha and the church that meets at her house.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Salute the brethren that are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church that is in their house.
KJV
Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
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This verse in Colossians 4
Commentary
10 notes on this verseSalute the brethren which are in Laodicea,.... Where there was a church mentioned in the following verse, of which see on Gill Rev 2:10. And Nymphas; which some, unskilful in the Greek language, have took for a woman; whereas it is the name of a man, as the following words show; and is a contraction of Nymphios, or Nymphidios, or Nymphodoros: and the church which is in his house.
This site's exposition
Luke, the beloved physician
on Colossians 4:14-15
Luke, the beloved physician, is the companion whose we-passages carried Acts to Rome, and this verse is the one that names his profession. Demas greets without epithet, and the silence becomes audible only later, at 2 Timothy 4:10, having loved this present world; here he still stands among the workers and the letter says nothing against him. Nymphas hosts the Laodicean believers, and the church in his house shows the assemblies of the valley still meeting in homes.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Salute the brethren that are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the Church that is in their house." See how he cements, and knits them together with one another, not by salutation only, but also by interchanging his Epistles. Then again he pays a compliment by addressing him individually. And this he doth not without a reason, but in order to lead the others also to emulate his zeal. For it is not a small thing not to be numbered with the rest. Mark further how he shows the man to be great, seeing his house was a church.
A commentator
Ignatius of AntiochEpistle of Pseudo-Ignatius to Hero, a Deacon of Antioch · Written before 108.
proposed
Salute Cassian, my host, and his most serious-minded partner in life, and their very dear children, to whom may "God grant that they find mercy of the Lord in that day," on account of their ministrations to us, whom also I commend to thee in Christ. Salute by name all the faithful in Christ that are at Laodicea. Do not neglect those at Tarsus, but look after them steadily, confirming them in the Gospel. I salute in the Lord, Maris the bishop of Neapolis, near Anazarbus.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Look how he brings them closer together, how he binds them to one another. This was a famous man, whose entire household were believers, which is why his house was called a church. Therefore Paul also shows his affection toward him, greeting him separately. He …
Next, he mentions those whom the Colossians ought to greet: first, those from another church, and secondly, those in their own.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. The apostle proceeds with the duty of masters to their servants, which might have been joined to the foregoing chapter, and is a part of that discourse. Justice is required of them: Give unto your servants that which is just and equal (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
They must attend to the main design of their ministry, without troubling themselves or the people with things foreign to it, or of less moment. Observe, (1.) The ministry we have received is a great honour; for it is received in the Lord, and is by his appointment and command. (2.) Those who have received it must fulfil it, or do the full duty of it.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea - Notes, Col 2:1. And Nymphas - This person is nowhere else mentioned, and nothing more is known of him. And the church which is in his house - Notes, Rom 16:5.
Salute - Nymphas, and the Church - in his house - This person, and his whole family, which probably was very numerous, appear to have received the Gospel; and it seems that, for their benefit and that of his neighbors, he had opened his house for the worship of God. In those primitive times there were no consecrated places, for it was supposed that the simple setting apart of any place for the worship of God was a sufficient consecration. See of those domestic churches, Rom 16:5 (note); 1Co 16:19 (note)
The words behind it
13 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀσπάσασθε | aspasasthe | do greet | G782 → | 57 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Λαοδικείᾳ | laodikeia | Laodicea | G2993 → | 6 times |
| ἀδελφοὺς | adelphous | brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| καὶ | kai | and also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Νύμφαν | numphan | Nympha | G3564 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κατ᾽ | kat᾽ | in | G2596 → | 468 times |
| οἶκον | oikon | house | G3624 → | |
| αὐτῆς | autes | of her | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐκκλησίαν. | ekklesian | church. | G1577 → | 113 times |
Ἀσπάσασθεdo greet
aspasastheG782 →57 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ΛαοδικείᾳLaodicea
laodikeiaG2993 →6 times
ἀδελφοὺςbrothers
adelphousG80 →343 times
καὶand also
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ΝύμφανNympha
numphanG3564 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
κατ᾽in
kat᾽G2596 →468 times
οἶκονhouse
oikonG3624 →
αὐτῆςof her
autesG846 →5565 times
ἐκκλησίαν.church.
ekklesianG1577 →113 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 16:9because a great door for effective work has opened to me, even though many oppose me.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 2:12
Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and a door stood open for me in the Lord,
- Acts 14:27
When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
- Colossians 4:3
as you pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
- Revelation 3:7–8
To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut,…
- 2 Corinthians 1:8–10
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired…
- 2 Corinthians 2:12
Through
Romans 16:5Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my beloved Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 16:19
The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Philemon 1:2
to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your house:
- 1 Corinthians 16:19
Through
Philemon 1:2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your house:
it leads to
- Philippians 2:25
But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs.
- Philippians 2:25
Where this verse is studied
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About Colossians
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle of Pseudo-Ignatius to Hero, a Deacon of Antioch; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Colossians 12; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Colossians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Colossians.