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<span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Etymology of name</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Etymology_of_name-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Etymology of name subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Etymology_of_name-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Meaning" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Meaning"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>Meaning</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Meaning-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Gender" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Gender"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2</span> <span>Gender</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Gender-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-House_church" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#House_church"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>House church</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-House_church-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle House church subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-House_church-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Location" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Location"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1</span> <span>Location</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Location-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Plural_churches_in_Laodicea_speculation" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" 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.infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox biography vcard"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size:125%;"><div class="fn">Nympha</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Other names</th><td class="infobox-data nickname">Nymphas (Masculine rendering)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Occupation(s)</th><td class="infobox-data role">Householder and Hostess of the <a href="/wiki/Laodicean_Church" title="Laodicean Church">Laodicean Church</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Years active</th><td class="infobox-data">Mid-first century CE</td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>Nympha,</b> or the masculine rendering <b>Nymphas</b> (<abbr title="floruit ('flourished' – known to have been active at a particular time or during a particular period)">fl.</abbr><span style="white-space:nowrap;"> mid-1st century CE</span>) was an early Christian leader noted in the New Testament for hosting a house church, as mentioned in <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Colossians%204:15–16&version=nrsv">Colossians 4:15–16</a>. Her brief appearance in the <a href="/wiki/Pauline_epistles" title="Pauline epistles">Pauline epistle</a>, generally dated to 62 CE, has led scholars to view her as an established and influential member of the <a href="/wiki/Early_Christianity" title="Early Christianity">early Christian</a> community in the <a href="/wiki/Laodicea_on_the_Lycus" title="Laodicea on the Lycus">Lycus Valley</a> region of <a href="/wiki/Anatolia" title="Anatolia">Asia Minor</a> (<a href="/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a>). Most scholars now agree that Nympha was female, contrary to the male reading found in some 5th-century <a href="/wiki/Western_text-type" title="Western text-type">Western text-type</a> revisions. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Biblical_mention">Biblical mention</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Biblical mention"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Information on Nympha is sourced from two brief verses in <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Colossians%204:15–16&version=nrsv">Colossians 4:15–16</a></i>, a letter traditionally attributed to Paul and written around 62 CE. The passage reads: </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.</p></blockquote> <p>From the text, the following can be concluded about Nympha: </p> <ol><li>She hosted a house church, as indicated by the phrase "the church in her house." She was associated with the Christian community in Laodicea, a city in the Lycus Valley.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>She is explicitly mentioned alongside the broader Laodicean church, suggesting she held a significant position.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>She was known to Paul or the author of Colossians, as evidenced by the instruction to greet her.<sup id="cite_ref-:1_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>She was active around Paul’s ministry and the writing of Colossians (62 CE).<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ol> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Etymology_of_name">Etymology of name</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Etymology of name"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Meaning">Meaning</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Meaning"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>"Nympha" (pronounced nim'-fl) is a feminine noun meaning "a bride" or "a nymph." Its origins lie in the Latin word <i>nympha</i>, which was derived from the Greek word (νύμφη).<sup id="cite_ref-:5_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:5-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> "Nymphas" is a masculine noun meaning "bridegroom" Greek (<i>numphios).</i> According to Abarim Publications, it is understood to derive from a very ancient <a href="/wiki/Proto-Indo-European_language" title="Proto-Indo-European language">Proto-Indo-European</a> root associated with marriage. This etymological connection is reflected in related Latin terms—such as nuptiae (wedding) and its derivative nuptialis—which in turn gave rise to the English word "nuptial."<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Dr. Balabanski speculates that the name is associated with <a href="/wiki/Nymph" title="Nymph">nature deities</a> in Greco-Roman religion. Thus, the pagan etymology of her name might indicate a <a href="/wiki/Gentile" title="Gentile">non-Jewish background</a>. She also suggests that its connection to monumental public fountains (nymphaea), which were common in ancient <a href="/wiki/Anatolian_languages" title="Anatolian languages">Anatolian</a> cities like Laodicea, could hint at possible ties to water infrastructure or rural landownership. Furthermore, although the name’s meaning ("bride") later resonated with nuptial imagery in <a href="/wiki/Christian_symbolism" title="Christian symbolism">Christian symbolism</a>, this connection is notably absent in Pauline writings.<sup id="cite_ref-:5_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:5-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Gender">Gender</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Gender"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The gender of the name Nymphan (Nympha/Nymphas) in Colossians 4:15 is ambiguous in early manuscripts, as Greek accents (absent in original texts) determine its gender. Pronoun variants following “house” (oikon) further complicate identification. The earliest textual witness, is the <a href="/wiki/Codex_Vaticanus" title="Codex Vaticanus">Codex Vaticanus</a> (4th century) uses a feminine pronoun, indicating a female leader. Later texts in the early 5th century adopt a masculine pronoun. <a href="/wiki/Codex_Sinaiticus" title="Codex Sinaiticus">Codex Sinaiticus</a> (4th century) uses a plural pronoun (“their house”).<sup id="cite_ref-:2_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Interpretations often reflect cultural biases, for example early scholars assumed male leadership (e.g., Lightfoot, Abbott), while mid-20th-century scholars like Lohse deemed the gender indeterminable. New Testament scholar <a href="/wiki/Ben_Witherington_III" title="Ben Witherington III">Ben Witherington III</a> identifies this as an intentional effort to minimize women’s roles in the early church. Modern textual criticism favors the feminine reading, as copyists were unlikely to alter a masculine original to feminine or plural.<sup id="cite_ref-:2_8-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/James_D._G._Dunn" class="mw-redirect" title="James D. G. Dunn">James D. G. Dunn</a> and concurs, stating the feminine "Nympha" is original, aligning with Paul’s recognition of women like <a href="/wiki/Phoebe_(biblical_figure)" title="Phoebe (biblical figure)">Phoebe</a> and <a href="/wiki/Junia_(New_Testament_person)" title="Junia (New Testament person)">Junia</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-:1_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="House_church">House church</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: House church"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Location">Location</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Location"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The location of Nympha’s house church is debated. Biblical scholar <a href="/wiki/R._McL._Wilson" title="R. McL. Wilson">Robert Wilson</a> argued "The location of this house church depends on whether we see a break between the two parts of the verse, or take the whole together." Possible locations are speculated upon are the following:<sup id="cite_ref-:3_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <ol><li><a href="/wiki/Laodicea_on_the_Lycus" title="Laodicea on the Lycus">Laodicea</a>: The immediate context of Colossians 4:15–16 cites Laodicea, where Nympha is mentioned separately from the general greeting to the Laodicean Christians—a view supported by the majority of scholars.<sup id="cite_ref-:3_9-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Colossae" title="Colossae">Colossae</a>: Some theories propose that the house was in Colossae, about 10 miles from Laodicea, although the text offers no explicit evidence for this location.<sup id="cite_ref-:3_9-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hierapolis" title="Hierapolis">Hierapolis</a>: Other scholars, including Dr. A.E. Edebe and D. Campbell, advocate for the possibility.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ol> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Plural_churches_in_Laodicea_speculation">Plural churches in Laodicea speculation</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Plural churches in Laodicea speculation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Scholars such as Dunn and Wayne A. Meeks, posit that Laodicea likely hosted multiple house churches. Some scholars disagree, with there is only one church.<sup id="cite_ref-:1_2-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Social_context">Social context</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Social context"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Lycus Valley’s interconnected urban centers—Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis—shared economic and religious networks. Paul’s instruction to exchange letters between these churches (Colossians 4:16) implies collaboration among their house churches.<sup id="cite_ref-:1_2-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Role_and_economic_background_speculation">Role and economic background speculation</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Role and economic background speculation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Societal_status">Societal status</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Societal status"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Her title would be Householder, or Hostess.<sup id="cite_ref-:4_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:4-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> J. Sumney and Beulah Wood contends she is probably a widow.<sup id="cite_ref-:4_13-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:4-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:2_8-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Scholars propose that the reference to Nympha’s house indicates it functioned as a central meeting place for the churches of Laodicea, or at least for a significant portion of them.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:2_8-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:3_9-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:1_2-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This would indicate that her house was large enough to accommodate such a significant assembly.<sup id="cite_ref-:2_8-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>According to D’Angelo, Nympha’s leadership contrasts with the patriarchal <a href="/wiki/New_Testament_household_code" title="New Testament household code">household codes</a> in Colossians 3:18–4:1, which mandated the submission of women, children, and enslaved people. D’Angelo argues her prominence reflects women’s active but later-marginalized roles in early Christianity. As the earliest canonical text to employ such codes, Colossians marks a shift toward Greco-Roman social hierarchies, signaling the emergence of a <a href="/wiki/Pauline_Christianity" title="Pauline Christianity">Pauline "school"</a> that integrated cultural norms to regulate Christian communal life.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Economic_background">Economic background</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Economic background"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Scholars suggest that Nympha was likely a woman of wealth due to her role as a house church host and her potential connections to regional industries. <a href="/wiki/James_Dunn_(theologian)" title="James Dunn (theologian)">James D. G. Dunn</a> (1994) notes that hosting a house church required financial resources to provide space and support for gatherings, aligning her with other early Christian patrons.<sup id="cite_ref-:1_2-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Victoria S. Balabanski (2020) links her name to the Lycus Valley’s lucrative textile industry and water infrastructure (nymphaea), implying her household may have been involved in these trades, which demanded significant capital.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Similarly, <a href="/wiki/R._McL._Wilson" title="R. McL. Wilson">Robert McLachlan Wilson</a> (2005) notes that owning a home large enough to host a church was a clear indicator of wealth in the Roman world.<sup id="cite_ref-:3_9-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Together, these scholars argue that Nympha’s prominence in Paul’s greetings and her social context point to her status as a wealthy patron. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_Also">See Also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: See Also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/House_church#Origins" title="House church">House churches in early Christianity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women_in_the_New_Testament" class="mw-redirect" title="Women in the New Testament">Women in the New Testament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Laodicean_Church" title="Laodicean Church">Laodicean Church</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-:0-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:0_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Sumney, J. L. (2008). Colossians: A Commentary. United Kingdom: Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. pp. 278-279.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:1-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:1_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_2-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_2-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_2-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Dunn, J. D. G. (1994). The epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon. Eerdmans. pp. 283–285.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Letter-of-Paul-to-the-Colossians">"Letter of Paul to the Colossians | Summary & Facts | Britannica"</a>. <i>www.britannica.com</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2025-01-31</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=www.britannica.com&rft.atitle=Letter+of+Paul+to+the+Colossians+%7C+Summary+%26+Facts+%7C+Britannica&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Ftopic%2FThe-Letter-of-Paul-to-the-Colossians&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANymphas" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Talbert, C. H. (2007). Ephesians and Colossians (Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament). United States: Baker Publishing Group. p. 178.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:5-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:5_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:5_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Balabanski, V. S. (2020). <i>Colossians: An Earth Bible commentary: An eco-stoic reading</i>. Bloomsbury Publishing. <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567693013">https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567693013</a>. Balabanski states "Nympha's name suggests that she had a pagan rather than a Jewish background. In the ancient world, nymphs were female deities living in rural areas (water or forests), and were the ones who crowned Apollo. Her name means 'bride', which has strong symbolic connections within the Johannine tradition with the symbolism of Christ as the bridegroom (e.g. Jn 3.29), though not in Paul's writings. The connection between the name Nympha and water is significant, as monumental fountains were called nymphaea.35 Cities of the region had multiple nymphaea, piping water into the city via clay water pipes or carved travertine stone blocks and distributing it through the city by means of terminals and water towers. Nymphaea were valued!"</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: An Encyclopedic Lexicon of the English Language and a Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of Names in Geography, Biography, Mythology, History, Art, Etc., Together with Atlas of the World. (1895). United States: Century Company. p. 4047.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Nympha.html">"The amazing name Nympha: meaning and etymology"</a>. <i>Abarim Publications</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2025-01-31</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Abarim+Publications&rft.atitle=The+amazing+name+Nympha%3A+meaning+and+etymology&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abarim-publications.com%2FMeaning%2FNympha.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANymphas" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:2-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:2_8-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:2_8-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:2_8-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:2_8-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:2_8-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Sumney, J. L. (2008). Colossians: A Commentary. United Kingdom: Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. p. 278.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:3-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:3_9-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:3_9-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:3_9-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:3_9-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:3_9-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Wilson, R. M. (2005). <i>Colossians and Philemon</i>. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 305. <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Colossians_and_Philemon/9ZaqEqJcySIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Nympha%22+of+Colossae&pg=PA305&printsec=frontcover">https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Colossians_and_Philemon/9ZaqEqJcySIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Nympha%22+of+Colossae&pg=PA305&printsec=frontcover</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Edebe, D. A. E. (2012). Your Women Did Prophesy. United Kingdom: Xlibris US. p. 32.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Campbell, D. A. (2014). Framing Paul: An Epistolary Biography. United Kingdom: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 278.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Meeks, W. A. (2003). <i>The first urban Christians: The social world of the Apostle Paul</i> (2nd ed.). Yale University Press. p. 76. <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://fbcclassroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-First-Urban-Christians-The-Social-World-of-the-Apostle-Paul-by-Wayne-A.-Meeks.pdf">https://fbcclassroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-First-Urban-Christians-The-Social-World-of-the-Apostle-Paul-by-Wayne-A.-Meeks.pdf</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:4-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:4_13-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:4_13-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Wood, B. (2011). The People Paul Admired: The House Church Leaders of the New Testament. United States: Wipf & Stock Publishers. p. 30.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Thomaskutty, J. (2022). <i>An Asian introduction to the New Testament</i>. Augsburg Fortress Publishers. p. 317.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Thurston, B. B. (2004). Women in the New Testament: Questions and Commentary. United States: Wipf & Stock Publishers. p. 133.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Balabanski, V. S. (2020). Colossians: An Earth Bible commentary: An eco-stoic reading. Bloomsbury Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567693013. Balabanski states "Nympha and her household may have been involved in textile production. The wealth of this region came from textile products, manufactured from the wool of the sheep raised in the area, which included raven-coloured, brown and grey as well as white sheep. The yarns were dyed various shades of red and purple, with dye obtained from the roots of a plant named <a href="/wiki/Rubia_tinctorum" title="Rubia tinctorum">Rubai tinctoria L</a>. (<a href="/wiki/Rubia" title="Rubia">madder</a>), grown around the city."</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <ul><li class="mw-empty-elt"></li></ul>    </div><noscript><img src="https://auth.wikimedia.org/loginwiki/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&oldid=1273145648">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nymphas&oldid=1273145648</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:People_in_the_Pauline_epistles" title="Category:People in the Pauline epistles">People in the Pauline epistles</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:1st-century_Christians" title="Category:1st-century Christians">1st-century Christians</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Women_in_the_New_Testament" title="Category:Women in the New Testament">Women in the New Testament</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_is_different_from_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description is different from Wikidata">Short description is different from Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_hCards" title="Category:Articles with hCards">Articles with hCards</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 1 February 2025, at 00:11<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. 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