An epistle is a formal letter that is written or sent to a person or group of people. It often includes teaching or explanations. Writing letters in this style was a common part of the writing lessons in ancient Egypt's schools for scribes. In the New Testament, letters written by apostles to early Christians are called epistles. Letters traditionally believed to be written by Paul are known as Pauline epistles, while the other letters are called catholic epistles, which means "general" letters.

Ancient Egyptian epistles

The ancient Egyptians wrote letters, usually for teaching purposes. Egyptologist Edward Wente (1990) suggests that Pharaoh Djedkare Isesi of the Fifth Dynasty was one of the first to use letters in this way, as seen in his many messages to his advisors. Letters were known during the Sixth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom and are described in the educational guide The Book of Kemit from the Eleventh Dynasty. By the Middle Kingdom, there were standard formats for writing letters. The letter styles used during the Ramesside Period were based on letters written during the Amarna Period of the Twentieth Dynasty. Wente notes that the "Satirical Letter" on the Papyrus Anastasi I from the Nineteenth Dynasty was often copied by Egyptian students on ceramic ostraca, with over eighty examples found by archaeologists. Letters were also written to the dead, and later, to the gods. This practice became more common during the Persian and Greek rule of Egypt.

Ancient Greece and Rome

Epistles, which are letters written in both prose and verse, were an important type of writing for the Greeks and especially the Romans. The letters of Cicero are a key source of information about the late Roman Republic and show how people spoke in everyday Latin, which is less common in his speeches and other writings. Similarly, the letters of Pliny the Younger are studied for their examples of well-written Latin prose and for the historical details they provide. Ovid wrote three groups of verse letters in a specific poetic style called elegiac couplets: the Heroides, which are letters written from the perspective of famous women to their distant lovers; and the Tristia and Ex Ponto, which Ovid wrote in his own voice during his time in exile. The letters of Seneca, which often include moral or philosophical ideas, had an impact on later religious writers.

Form of Christian epistles

Christian letters, including those in the New Testament and from early Christian leaders, were written following a formal tradition. This tradition was influenced by Hellenistic culture, especially in the letters of Paul. Classicist Steve Reece studied thousands of Greek, Roman, and Jewish letters from the same time as Paul and found that Paul used many common letter-writing practices.

Unlike modern letters, ancient epistles often began by naming the author, followed by the recipient (for example, Philippians 1:1). The person who wrote the letter, called a scribe (or more correctly, an amanuensis), was sometimes named at the end (e.g., Romans 16:22). Without a postal system, the person who delivered the letter might also be mentioned (e.g., Ephesians 6:21–22).

After the author and recipient were named, Paul’s letters often began with the greeting “Grace and peace to you.” “Grace” was a common greeting in Hellenistic culture, while “peace” (shalom) was a common greeting in Jewish culture. This reflected Paul’s connection to both Jewish faith and Hellenistic traditions. Some letters also included a statement of thanks to the readers. In secular letters, a prayer or wish for health often followed.

The main part of the letter usually began with a short statement that introduced the main topic of the entire letter.

New Testament epistles

The epistles of the New Testament are usually divided into groups. The Pauline epistles, also known as the Epistles of Paul or Letters of Paul, are thirteen books in the New Testament that are believed to have been written by Paul the Apostle. However, some of these letters are debated by scholars about whether Paul actually wrote them. These epistles include some of the earliest known Christian writings. They help explain the beliefs and disagreements among early Christians. As part of the New Testament, they are important for understanding Christian teachings and moral values. The Epistle to the Hebrews is not signed by Paul, but it was once thought to be written by him. However, some ancient scholars, like Origen, questioned this in the 3rd century CE. By the 16th century, most scholars no longer believed Paul wrote it, mainly because its style and content differ from his other letters. Most scholars agree that Paul wrote seven of the Pauline epistles. Some believe four letters (Ephesians, First Timothy, Second Timothy, and Titus) may have been written by Paul’s followers instead of Paul himself. Two other letters (Second Thessalonians and Colossians) are even less likely to have been written by Paul. Some scholars suggest Paul used a secretary, or amanuensis, to help write his letters, which might have influenced their style but not their religious ideas.

In modern editions of the Bible, the Pauline epistles are usually placed between the Acts of the Apostles and the Catholic epistles. However, many ancient Greek manuscripts list the General epistles first. A few older manuscripts (numbers 175, 325, 336, and 1424) place the Pauline epistles at the end of the New Testament.

The Catholic epistles, also called the General epistles, are seven letters in the New Testament. These epistles appear in the order listed in the New Testament.

The Book of Revelation includes seven short letters addressed to seven churches in Asia Minor: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. According to Revelation 1, Jesus appears to John in a vision and tells him to write down what he sees and send it to these seven churches with specific messages.

Other epistles and references include:
– Correspondence of Paul and Seneca, a set of 14 letters that are forgeries.
– Third Epistle to the Corinthians, which was once included in the Armenian Orthodox Bible but is not considered official.
– Epistle to the Laodiceans, which appears in a Latin version of the Bible found in Codex Fuldensis.
– Letter of Peter to Philip.

References to other letters in the Bible include:
– The first Epistle to Corinth, mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:9.
– The third Epistle to Corinth, called the Severe Letter, mentioned in 2 Corinthians 2:4 and 2 Corinthians 7:8–9.
– The Corinthian letter to Paul, mentioned in 1 Corinthians 7:1.
– The Earlier Epistle to the Ephesians, mentioned in Ephesians 3:3–4.
– The Epistle to the Laodiceans, mentioned in Colossians 4:16.
– The Earlier Epistle of Jude, mentioned in Jude 1:3.
– The Earlier Epistle of John, mentioned in 3 John 1:9.

Epistles of Apostolic Fathers

These are letters written by early Christian leaders during the 1st or 2nd century. These letters are not part of the New Testament but are generally seen as important in shaping Christian tradition. The word "epistle" is used partly because these letters were written in Greek, close in time to the New Testament letters, which gives them added importance.

• Epistle of the Romans to the Corinthians (1 Clement)
• Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians
• Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians
• Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians
• Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans
• Epistle of Ignatius to the Philadelphians
• Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans
• Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp
• Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians
• Epistle of Barnabas
• Epistle to Diognetus

Liturgical use

In religious services, the term "epistle" often refers to a specific part of the New Testament, such as letters written by Paul or other early Christian writers. These passages may also come from the Book of Acts or the Revelation of John, but not from the Four Gospels. These readings are planned for certain days or events in the church calendar.

During the Roman Catholic Mass and Anglican Eucharist, an epistle is read between the Collect (a prayer) and the Gospel reading. These readings are often sung with a special musical style called the "tonus epistolae." In solemn Masses, a subdeacon typically sings or chants the epistle. In Lutheran services, an Elder or Bishop may read the epistle between the gradual (a hymn) and the Gospel.

In the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Byzantine Rite Catholics, the epistle reading is called the "Apostol." This term also refers to the book from which the readings are taken. The Apostol includes the Acts of the Apostles and letters from the New Testament, but never the Revelation of John. Unlike in Latin liturgical traditions, there are no Old Testament readings in these services. Epistle lessons are scheduled for every day of the year except during Great Lent, when the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated. These readings are connected to the Paschal cycle, which depends on the date of Easter. Special lessons are also planned for feast days of saints and other events. A service may include one, two, or three readings from the Apostol. The epistle is read between the Prokeimenon (a short hymn) and the Alleluia (a joyful chant). The epistle is always paired with a Gospel reading, except in some services like Matins (a morning prayer service) or Vespers (an evening prayer service) on certain feast days. Other services, such as baptisms or weddings, may also include an epistle and Gospel reading. These services often include a Prokeimenon and Alleluia. In most cases, a reader chants the epistle. However, during a Hierarchical Liturgy (a service led by a bishop), a deacon reads the epistle. The person who chants the epistle also reads the verses of the Prokeimenon.

Medieval epistles

During the Middle Ages, the skill of writing letters was taught using special books, and a type of writing instruction called ars dictaminis became important. People needed to write letters because life in cities was getting worse, and the roads that the Romans built were falling apart. Because of these problems, people who could read and had business to handle sent letters instead of traveling. Many letters and writing guides were written in Latin, which was the common language of the time.