General Epistles facts for kids
General epistles (also known as Catholic Epistles) are a group of books found in the New Testament part of the Bible. They are written in the form of letters. Unlike the letters written by Paul, which are usually named after the church or person they were sent to, the General Epistles are named after the person who wrote them. Most of these letters were written for all Christians, not just one specific church or person. However, the Second Epistle of John might have been written to an unnamed lady, and the Third Epistle of John was written to a friend named Gaius.
Contents
What are General Epistles?
The word "epistle" simply means a letter. So, the General Epistles are a collection of letters in the New Testament. The New Testament is the second main part of the Christian Bible. These letters share important teachings and advice for Christians.
Why are they called "General"?
They are called "General" because most of them were meant for a wide audience, like all Christians everywhere, rather than a specific church in a particular city (like Paul's letters to the Romans or Corinthians). Think of them as open letters for everyone to read and learn from.
Who Wrote These Letters?
These letters are named after their authors. The writers include:
These authors were important early leaders in the Christian faith.
List of General Epistles
Here are the General Epistles, listed in the order they appear in the New Testament:
- Epistle of James
- First Epistle of Peter
- Second Epistle of Peter
- First Epistle of John
- Second Epistle of John
- Third Epistle of John
- Epistle of Jude
Related Topics
See Also
You can also find information about Catholic Epistles for kids in Spanish: Epístolas católicas para niños
