In brief
Nympha is a believer from the region of Laodicea, in Asia Minor, mentioned only once in the Bible, at the end of Paul's letter to the Colossians. The apostle asks the readers to greet the brothers in Laodicea, Nympha and the church that meets in her house. This short verse shows that in the first century Christians gathered in homes, and that believers like Nympha opened their houses to welcome the community.
What does the name Nympha mean?
Nympha is a Greek name, generally linked to the word meaning young bride or nymph. The ancient manuscripts hesitate between the feminine form Nympha and the masculine form Nymphas: the Louis Segond Bible keeps Nymphas, but many recent translations read Nympha and the church in her house, understanding that she is a woman.
The story of Nympha
A letter for Colossae and its neighbors
Colossians 4:12-13Paul writes to the Christians of Colossae, in Asia Minor. At the end of his letter, he passes on greetings from his companions. He mentions Epaphras, who struggles for them in his prayers and who has deep concern for those in Colossae, Laodicea and Hierapolis, three nearby towns in the Lycus valley.
A greeting for Laodicea
Colossians 4:15Paul asks that the brothers in Laodicea be greeted, along with Nympha and the church that is in her house. The mention is brief, but it places Nympha among the believers known to the apostle and shows that a Christian community met at her home.
Letters to be shared
Colossians 4:16Paul asks that his letter also be read in the church of the Laodiceans, and that the Colossians in turn read the one coming from Laodicea. The communities of the region, including the one that meets at Nympha's house, are thus bound together by the same Word and the same fellowship.
What Nympha teaches us
- Opening one's home for fellowship is a real service to the Body of Christ.
- The Church is not first a building: it is the people of God gathered, even in a simple home.
- Little-known believers, mentioned in a single line, have a real place in God's work.
- Christian hospitality helps root the faith in a city and a region.
Key verses
The only mention of Nympha in the Bible. Paul greets the church that meets in her house, a sign that the first Christians gathered in welcoming homes.
Paul also greets the church in the house of Prisca and Aquila. Nympha is one of those believers who, in the first century, placed their homes at the service of the community.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Nympha in the Bible?
Nympha is a believer in Laodicea or its surroundings, greeted by Paul in Colossians 4:15. The Bible says only that a church met in her house. The text gives neither her family nor her exact role in the community, so it is wise not to say more than this verse does.
Was Nympha a man or a woman?
The Greek manuscripts differ: some carry the feminine name Nympha with her house in the feminine, others the masculine name Nymphas. The Louis Segond keeps Nymphas, while many recent translations and critical editions read Nympha, a woman. The question does not change the teaching of the verse.
What does the church in her house mean?
In the first century, Christians had no church buildings. They met in the homes of believers who welcomed the community for prayer, teaching and the Lord's Supper. We find the same thing with Prisca and Aquila (Romans 16:5) or Philemon (Philemon 1:2).