Colossae: 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
(Colossians 1:2) He
expresses in his letter to Philemon
(Philemon 1:22) his hope to visit it on
being delivered from his imprisonment. From
(Colossians 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.
