Cos
Cos is a body of water mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of Asia Minor in modern-day Turkey. Known today as Kos. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Cos (also spelled Kos) is a Greek island in the southeastern Aegean Sea, mentioned once in the New Testament in Acts 21:1. Following the conclusion of Paul's third missionary journey, as he sailed from Miletus toward Jerusalem, Luke records that they came with a straight course unto Cos, and the next day unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara. This brief mention places the island as a one-night stopping point along the well-traveled sea route through the Aegean toward the Levantine coast. Though Cos receives no further biblical treatment, its inclusion in Luke's careful geographical itinerary reflects the historical precision characteristic of the Acts narrative. The island's fame in the ancient world rested primarily on its association with Hippocrates, the father of medicine, whose renowned school of medicine attracted students from across the Mediterranean world. Paul would have been aware of its cultural significance as he passed through on his way to face imprisonment in Jerusalem.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
The island of Kos, situated off the southwestern coast of Turkey in the Dodecanese island group, has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Archaeological investigations have uncovered remains of the Asclepion, the great sanctuary and medical school associated with Hippocrates, featuring Doric temples, stoas, and ritual pools set in a terraced hillside setting. The ancient city of Kos, reconstructed after a devastating earthquake in 366 BC, was laid out on a Hippodamian grid. Hellenistic and Roman remains are extensive, including a well-preserved odeion, gymnasium, and harbor structures. The island remained a prosperous commercial center through the Roman imperial period.
Verse Appearances (1)
Acts
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →