The 21 letters of the New Testament — 13 by Paul, the rest by other apostles — addressing early Christian communities.
The Epistles (Greek for 'letters') are the 21 letters of the New Testament addressing early Christian communities and individuals. They make up the second-largest division of the New Testament after the Gospels and form much of the foundation of Christian theology. The Epistles divide into two main groups. (1) Pauline Epistles — 13 letters traditionally attributed to the apostle Paul: Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, 1-2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. (2) General Epistles (also called Catholic Epistles, meaning 'universal') — 8 letters by other apostles: Hebrews (anonymous, traditionally attributed to Paul), James, 1-2 Peter, 1-2-3 John, and Jude. The Epistles were written between approximately 50 and 95 AD — making them, surprisingly, the earliest documents of the New Testament. Paul's letters (especially Galatians, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians) predate even the Gospel of Mark. The Epistles arose from concrete pastoral situations. Paul wrote Romans to introduce himself to a church he had not yet visited. He wrote 1 Corinthians to address disputes and questions in a congregation he had founded. He wrote Galatians to confront the spread of a 'different gospel.' He wrote Philemon as a personal letter on behalf of a runaway slave. The letters are not abstract theology written for academic purposes — they are pastoral responses to real problems. But because the apostles addressed those problems with the full depth of Christian theology, the Epistles contain the most systematic theological content in the New Testament. Romans is Paul's most systematic exposition of the gospel. Ephesians lays out the cosmic scope of Christ's work. Hebrews develops the theology of Christ as priest. James addresses the practical fruit of faith. 1 John focuses on love and assurance. The Epistles are also where the structure and ethics of the Christian church developed. Qualifications for elders and deacons (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1), instructions on worship and the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11, 14), guidance on family relationships (Ephesians 5-6, Colossians 3-4), and many other practical teachings come from the Epistles. Christian ethics and church practice for 2,000 years have been shaped by these letters.
Paul's most systematic exposition of the gospel
Addressing disputes in a divided church
Paul's defense of his apostolic ministry
Justification by faith, not works of the law
The cosmic scope of Christ's work
Joy in Christ; Paul's prison letter
The supremacy of Christ
Encouragement; Christ's return
Further teaching on the end times
Pastoral instructions to a young pastor
Paul's final letter before martyrdom
Instructions for church leadership in Crete
Personal letter on behalf of a runaway slave
Christ's superior priesthood
Practical wisdom; faith and works
Suffering and Christian hope
False teachers and Christ's return
Love, light, and the assurance of salvation
Brief letter on truth and love
Personal letter about hospitality
Warning against false teachers
The Epistles are the 21 letters of the New Testament addressed to early Christian communities and individuals. 13 are attributed to Paul (Romans through Philemon). 8 are by other apostles (Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter, 1-2-3 John, Jude). They were written between c. 50-95 AD and form the foundation of Christian theology and church practice.
13 letters in the New Testament are traditionally attributed to the apostle Paul: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. (Hebrews is also sometimes attributed to Paul in tradition but is anonymous in the text itself; modern scholarship doubts Pauline authorship.)
Pauline Epistles are the 13 letters written by the apostle Paul. General Epistles (also called Catholic Epistles, meaning 'universal') are the other letters — Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter, 1-2-3 John, Jude. The Pauline letters were typically addressed to specific churches or individuals. The General Epistles were often addressed more broadly to Christian readers in general.