ἐπιστολ-ή G1992
letter, epistle — a written communication sent to recipients, especially the apostolic letters to churches
Epistole denotes a written letter or formal communication dispatched to one or more recipients, appearing 24 times in Acts and the Pauline and General Epistles. In Acts, the word covers a variety of official correspondence: the letters of authorization Saul carried from the high priest to arrest Christians in Damascus (Acts 9:2; 22:5), the Jerusalem Council's decree sent to Gentile believers (Acts 15:30), and the Roman commander Claudius Lysias's letter to Governor Felix (Acts 23:25, 33). In Paul's writings, epistole often refers to his own letters and their apostolic authority — he defends himself against charges that 'his letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak' (2 Cor 10:9-11). Paul also deploys the word metaphorically: the Corinthian believers are 'a letter of Christ, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God' (2 Cor 3:2-3). Peter acknowledges Paul's letters as containing 'some things hard to understand' (2 Pet 3:16). Spanish 'carta/epistola,' French 'epitre/lettre,' and German 'Brief' map the semantic field cleanly.
Senses
1. letter, epistle — A written communication or dispatch sent to recipients, covering official documents, apostolic correspondence, and figurative usage. In Acts, it denotes letters of authorization (Acts 9:2; 22:5), conciliar decrees (Acts 15:30), and legal dispatches (Acts 23:25, 33). Paul uses it for his own apostolic letters, defending their weight and authority (2 Cor 10:9-11; 2 Thess 2:2, 15; 3:14, 17; Col 4:16), and metaphorically for the Corinthian church as 'a letter of Christ' inscribed by the Spirit (2 Cor 3:2-3). Peter references Paul's collected epistolai as recognized yet challenging scripture (2 Pet 3:16). Spanish 'carta/epistola,' French 'epitre,' German 'Brief' confirm a unified semantic range. 24×
AR["الرَّسائِلُ", "الرَّسائِلِ", "الرِّسالَةُ", "الرِّسالَةِ", "الرِّسَالَةَ", "رَسائِلَ", "رَسَائِلَ", "رِسالَةٍ", "رِسالَةَ", "رِسالَةُ", "رِسالَةُ-تِلكَ", "رِسالَةِ", "رِسالَتُنا", "رِسَالَةً", "رِسَالَةِ،"]·ben["চিঠি", "চিঠিতে,", "চিঠির", "পত্র", "পত্রগুলি", "পত্রগুলির", "পত্রগুলির।", "পত্রসমূহ", "পত্রে,", "পত্রের", "পত্রের,"]·DE["Brief", "ἐπιστολήν", "ἐπιστολὰς", "ἐπιστολὴν"]·EN["a-letter", "letter", "letters"]·FR["Brief", "épître"]·heb["אִגְָּרוֹת", "אִגְּרוֹת", "אִגֶּרֶת", "הָאִגֶּרֶת"]·HI["पत्र", "पत्र-को", "पत्रको", "पत्रियाँ", "पत्री", "पत्रों-की", "पत्रों-के"]·ID["surat", "surat,", "surat-ini,", "surat-surat", "surat-surat,"]·IT["epistolē", "epistolēn", "epistolēs", "lettera"]·jav["-serat-serat", "layang", "layang,", "serat", "serat,", "serat-serat"]·KO["서신-을", "서신들", "편지", "편지가", "편지들-을", "편지들에서", "편지들은", "편지들을", "편지로", "편지를", "편지이다"]·PT["carta", "carta,", "carta.", "cartas", "epístola"]·RU["-Господе", "Письма", "писем", "письма", "письмо", "письмом", "послание", "послании,"]·ES["carta", "cartas", "epístola"]·SW["barua", "barua,", "barua."]·TR["mektubu", "mektup", "mektuplar", "mektuplarla", "mektupları", "mektupların", "o-", "siz"]·urd["خط", "خط-کے", "خطوط", "خطوں", "خطوں-کے"]
Acts 9:2, Acts 15:30, Acts 22:5, Acts 23:25, Acts 23:33, Rom 16:22, 1 Cor 5:9, 1 Cor 16:3, 2 Cor 3:1, 2 Cor 3:2, 2 Cor 3:3, 2 Cor 7:8 (+12 more)
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐπιστολ-ή, ἡ, (ἐπιστέλλω) anything sent by a messenger, message, order, commission, whether verbal or in writing, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐξ ἐπιστολῆς by command, Refs 5th c.BC+: used by Trag. always in plural, Refs 5th c.BC+; Πενθέως ἐπιστολαῖς by his commands, Refs 5th c.BC+; τέκνων ἐπιστολὰς ἔγραψεν commands about her children, Refs __2. letter, ἐ. διαπέμπειν, ἀποδοῦναι, Refs 5th c.BC+; πέμπειν τινί…