The Greek adjective hēlikos (ἡλίκος) means how great, how large, of what size or magnitude. It appears twice in the NT — Colossians 2:1 and James 3:5. The word functions as a correlative adjective expressing magnitude, often with an exclamatory force.
In Colossians 2:1, Paul wants the believers to know 'how great (hēlikon) a struggle' he has for them and for those at Laodicea — the word conveys the intensity of his apostolic labor and intercessory agony. In James 3:5, the word creates a devastating comparison: 'How great (hēlikon) a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!' — the tongue, a tiny member, can destroy entire communities. Both uses leverage the word's inherent sense of scale: the greatness of Paul's struggle for souls, the greatness of destruction a careless word can ignite.