Nymphas

Nympha, or the masculine rendering Nymphas () was an early Christian leader noted in the New Testament for hosting a house church, as mentioned in . Her brief appearance in the Pauline epistle, generally dated to 62 CE, has led scholars to view her as an established and influential member of the early Christian community in the Lycus Valley region of Asia Minor (Turkey). Most scholars now agree that Nympha was female, contrary to the male reading found in some 5th-century Western text-type revisions.

Biblical mention

Information on Nympha is sourced from two brief verses in ', a letter traditionally attributed to Paul and written around 62 CE. The passage reads:

From the text, the following can be concluded about Nympha:

# 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.Sumney, J. L. (2008). Colossians: A Commentary. United Kingdom: Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. pp. 278-279.
# She is explicitly mentioned alongside the broader Laodicean church, suggesting she held a significant position.
# She was known to Paul or the author of Colossians, as evidenced by the instruction to greet her.Dunn, J. D. G. (1994). The epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon. Eerdmans. pp. 283–285.
# She was active around Paul’s ministry and the writing of Colossians (62 CE).

Etymology of name

Meaning

"Nympha" (pronounced nim'-fl) is a feminine noun meaning "a bride" or "a nymph." Its origins lie in the Latin word ''nympha'', which was derived from the Greek word (νύμφη). "Nymphas" is a masculine noun meaning "bridegroom" Greek (''numphios).'' According to Abarim Publications, it is understood to derive from a very ancient Proto-Indo-European 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."

Dr. Balabanski speculates that the name is associated with nature deities in Greco-Roman religion. Thus, the pagan etymology of her name might indicate a non-Jewish background. She also suggests that its connection to monumental public fountains (nymphaea), which were common in ancient Anatolian 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 Christian symbolism, this connection is notably absent in Pauline writings.Balabanski, V. S. (2020). ''Colossians: An Earth Bible commentary: An eco-stoic reading''. Bloomsbury Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567693013. 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!"

Gender

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 Codex Vaticanus (4th century) uses a feminine pronoun, indicating a female leader. Later texts in the early 5th century adopt a masculine pronoun. Codex Sinaiticus (4th century) uses a plural pronoun (“their house”).Sumney, J. L. (2008). Colossians: A Commentary. United Kingdom: Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. p. 278.

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 Ben Witherington III 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. James D. G. Dunn concurs, stating the feminine "Nympha" is original, aligning with Paul’s recognition of women like Phoebe and Junia.

House church

Location

The location of Nympha’s house church is debated. Biblical scholar Robert Wilson 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:Wilson, R. M. (2005). ''Colossians and Philemon''. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 305. https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Colossians_and_Philemon/9ZaqEqJcySIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Nympha%22+of+Colossae&pg=PA305&printsec=frontcover

# Laodicea: 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.
# Colossae: Some theories propose that the house was in Colossae, about 10 miles from Laodicea, although the text offers no explicit evidence for this location.
# Hierapolis: Other scholars, including Dr. A.E. Edebe and D. Campbell, advocate for the possibility.

Plural churches in Laodicea speculation

Scholars such as Dunn and Wayne A. Meeks, posit that Laodicea likely hosted multiple house churches. Some scholars disagree, saying there is only one church.

Social context

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.

Role and economic background speculation

Societal status

Her title would be Householder, or Hostess.Wood, B. (2011). The People Paul Admired: The House Church Leaders of the New Testament. United States: Wipf & Stock Publishers. p. 30.
J. Sumney and Beulah Wood contends she is probably a widow.

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. This would indicate that her house was large enough to accommodate such a significant assembly.

According to D’Angelo, Nympha’s leadership contrasts with the patriarchal household codes 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 Pauline "school" that integrated cultural norms to regulate Christian communal life.

Economic background

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. James D. G. Dunn (1994) notes that hosting a house church required financial resources to provide space and support for gatherings, aligning her with other early Christian patrons. 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.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 Rubai tinctoria L. ( madder), grown around the city." Similarly, Robert McLachlan Wilson (2005) notes that owning a home large enough to host a church was a clear indicator of wealth in the Roman world. Together, these scholars argue that Nympha’s prominence in Paul’s greetings and her social context point to her status as a wealthy patron.

See Also

* House churches in early Christianity
* Women in the New Testament
* Laodicean Church

References

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People in the Pauline epistles
1st-century Christians
Women in the New Testament