Κολοσσαί (Kolossai)
Kolossai
Colossae
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun Kolossai refers to an ancient city located in the Lycus Valley within the region of Phrygia Major. Situated in what is now modern-day Turkey, it lay near the junction of the Lycus and Maeander rivers, close to the more prominent towns of Laodicea and Hierapolis. In the time of the Roman geographer Strabo, it had declined from its earlier status as a large and flourishing center into a smaller town.
The name itself carries an interesting etymological weight. Lexical sources suggest it derives from kolossos, meaning "colossal" or "monstrosity," likely referring to statues or monuments that once stood there. This single place name appears only once in the New Testament, specifically in Colossians 1:2, where Paul addresses the believers gathered in this modest but significant community.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Colossae was not one of the great capitals of the ancient world. By the time Paul wrote, it had declined into a smaller town in the Lycus Valley, overshadowed by its larger neighbors Laodicea and Hierapolis. Yet God chose to send His grace specifically to this modest community. The name itself may have come from words meaning "colossal" or referring to large statues, but the church there stood not on human monuments, but on the living Christ.
This reminds us that God’s presence is not limited to famous places or powerful institutions. He meets people where they are, in ordinary towns and simple gatherings. When Paul addressed the believers at Colossae, he offered them grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:2). No matter how small your local church may seem, or how distant you feel from the center of religious activity, you are seen and known by God.
Your faith matters wherever you live. You do not need to be in a major city or part of a large movement to experience God’s love. The same grace that reached Colossae reaches you today. We can trust that God values every believer, regardless of location or status.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Colossae1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Κολοσσαῖς1×
Key Verses
-
Colossians 1:2
to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This verse identifies Colossae as the specific community receiving Paul's greeting, grounding the letter in a real historical location rather than an abstract audience.