Cos

About Cos

Cos, also known as Kos, is an island in the Aegean Sea, located off the coast of ancient Caria in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It is mentioned once in the Bible, in Act.21.1, as one of the stops on Paul's return journey to Jerusalem after his third missionary journey.

After leaving Miletus, where Paul had met with the elders of the Ephesian church (Act.20.17-38), he and his companions set sail and came to Cos. The next day, they went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. This brief mention of Cos provides insight into the route taken by Paul and his companions as they navigated the islands of the Aegean Sea.

Cos was known in ancient times for its strategic location, fertile land, and medical school associated with Hippocrates, the famous Greek physician. The island was also a center of the worship of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine.

Although the Bible does not provide any details about Paul's activities or experiences on Cos, the mention of the island in the context of his journey demonstrates the apostle's determination to return to Jerusalem, despite the warnings he had received about the hardships that awaited him there (Act.20.22-23; 21:4, 11-14). The inclusion of Cos in the itinerary also highlights the extensive travel and maritime connections in the ancient Mediterranean world, which facilitated the spread of the gospel.

Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.