What Does The Word Epistle Mean?

The word epistle usually refers to a type of letter, a formal or didactic one. An epistle basically is a text which is directed or sent to an individual, generally a letter and a very official often educational and stylish one.

The letters in the New Testament from Apostles to Christians are typically addressed as epistles, those customarily from Paul are known as Pauline epistles and the others are known catholic or general epistles. Epistles were put down in stern agreement to formalized, Hellenistic custom, mainly the Pauline epistles.

This replicates the amount of Hellenistic influence upon the epistle writers. Any kind of deviancy is not the out come of accident but normally specifies an extraordinary motive of the writer. To English reader, the epistles may emerge in a more formalized manner than when originally read, because of the method of translation.

The word epistle is a noun which is usually applied to a letter, in particular a formal one. It could be a literary composition which is in the structure of a letter.

In biblical terms an epistle could refer to one of the letters which are integrated as a book in the Bible's New Testament. It could also be extended to mean an extract taken from any one of these letters, typically read as an element of a religious service.

The term epistle is believed to have come from the Middle English word epistle; from the Old French term epistle, which comes from the Latin word epistola, from the Greek word epistol; which comes from epistellein, meaning 'to send a message to'. It is a break up of epi-, epi- + stellein, meaning to send.