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{{Short description|Books of the New Testament attributed to Paul the Apostle}}
{{Paul}}{{Life of Paul}}

The '''Pauline epistles''', also known as '''Epistles of Paul''' or '''Letters of Paul''', are the thirteen books of the [[New Testament]] attributed to [[Paul the Apostle]], although the authorship of some is in dispute. Among these [[epistle]]s are some of the earliest extant Christian documents. They provide an insight into the beliefs and controversies of [[early Christianity]]. As part of the [[Biblical canon|canon]] of the New Testament, they are foundational texts for both [[Christian theology]] and [[Christian ethics|ethics]].

Most scholars believe that Paul actually wrote seven of the thirteen Pauline epistles ([[Epistle to the Galatians|Galatians]], [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]], [[1 Corinthians]], [[2 Corinthians]], [[Epistle to Philemon|Philemon]], [[Philippians]], [[1 Thessalonians]]), while three of the epistles in Paul's name are widely seen as [[pseudepigraphic]] ([[1 Timothy]], [[2 Timothy]], and [[Epistle to Titus|Titus]]).<ref name="New Testament Letter Structure">[http://catholic-resources.org/Bible/Paul-Disputed.htm New Testament Letter Structure], from [http://catholic-resources.org Catholic Resources] by Felix Just, S.J.</ref> Whether Paul wrote the three other epistles in his name ([[2 Thessalonians]], [[Ephesians]] and [[Colossians]]) is widely debated.<ref name="New Testament Letter Structure"/> These latter six epistles are believed by some scholars to have come from followers writing in his name, using material from Paul's surviving letters and letters written by him that no longer survive.<ref name="sand">{{cite encyclopedia|last=Sanders|first=E.P.|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Paul-the-Apostle|title=Saint Paul, the Apostle|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|date=27 December 2019|access-date=8 January 2013}}</ref> The [[Epistle to the Hebrews]], although it does not bear his name, was [[Authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews|traditionally considered Pauline]] (although [[Diocese of Rome|Rome]] questioned its authorship), but from the 16th century onwards opinion steadily moved against Pauline authorship and few scholars now ascribe it to Paul, mostly because it does not read like any of his other epistles in style and content and because the epistle does not indicate that Paul is the author, unlike the others.<ref>''The New Jerome Biblical Commentary'', publ. Geoffrey Chapman, 1989, chapter 60, at p. 920, col. 2 "That Paul is neither directly nor indirectly the author is now the view of scholars almost without exception. For details, see Kümmel, I[ntroduction to the] N[ew] T[estament, Nashville, 1975] 392–94, 401–03"</ref>

The Pauline epistles are usually placed between the [[Acts of the Apostles]] and the [[catholic epistles]] (also called the general epistles) in modern editions. Most Greek manuscripts place the general epistles first,<ref>{{cite book | title=The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance | last=Metzger | first=Bruce M. | year=1987 | pages=295–96 | publisher=Clarendon Press | isbn=0198261802 | url=http://ixoyc.net/data/Fathers/134.pdf | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601181717/http://www.ixoyc.net/data/Fathers/134.pdf | archive-date=2013-06-01 }}</ref> and a few [[New Testament minuscule|minuscules]] ([[Minuscule 175|175]], [[Minuscule 325|325]], [[Minuscule 336|336]], and [[Minuscule 1424|1424]]) place the Pauline epistles at the end of the New Testament.

== Authenticity ==
{{Timeline of release years
| title = Possible dates <br />of Pauline epistles
| subtitle = <span style="color:orange"><big>■</big></span> Captivity letters <br /> <span style="color:red"><big>■</big></span> Pastoral letters
| range1 = 0000 – 0061
| range1_color = #0BDA51 #228B22
| range2 = 0062 - 0062
| range2_color = Orange
| range3 = 0064 – 0066
| range3_color = Red
| range4 = 0065 -
| 36 = ''(31–36 AD: conversion of Paul)''
| 50 = [[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
| 51 = [[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
| 48 = [[Epistle to the Galatians]]
| 54 = [[First Epistle to the Corinthians]] 
| 55 = [[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
| 57 = [[Epistle to the Romans]]
| 62a = [[Epistle to the Philippians]]
| 62c = [[Epistle to the Colossians]]
| 62b = [[Epistle to Philemon]]
| 62d = [[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
| 64 = [[First Epistle to Timothy]]
| 65 = [[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
| 66 = [[Epistle to Titus]]
| 67 = ''(64–67 AD: death of Paul)''
}}

[[File:Divi Pauli Apostoli epistolae by Ulrich Zwingli, Einsiedeln 1517, Zentralbibliothek Zürich, RP 15.jpg|thumb|Beginning of the Greek manuscript by [[Huldrych Zwingli]] of the Pauline epistles, written in 1517, preserved in the [[Zentralbibliothek Zürich]]]]
{{Main|Authorship of the Pauline epistles|Pseudepigrapha}}
In all of these epistles, except the [[Epistle to the Hebrews]], the author and writer does claim to be Paul. The contested letters may have been written using Paul's name, as it was common to attribute at that point in history.<ref>[[Joseph Barber Lightfoot]] in his ''Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians'' writes: "At this point [{{bibleverse||Gal|6:11}}] the apostle takes the pen from his [[amanuensis]], and the concluding paragraph is written with his own hand. From the time when letters began to be forged in his name ({{bibleverse|2|Thess|2:2}}; {{bibleverse-nb|2|Thess|3:17}}) it seems to have been his practice to close with a few words in his own handwriting, as a precaution against such forgeries... In the present case he writes a whole paragraph, summing up the main lessons of the epistle in terse, eager, disjointed sentences. He writes it, too, in large, bold characters (Gr. ''pelikois grammasin''), that his handwriting may reflect the energy and determination of his soul."</ref>

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Seven letters (with consensus dates)<ref>{{cite book|first1=Robert|last1=Wall|title=New Interpreter's Bible|volume=X|publisher=Abingdon Press|year=2002|page=373 |isbn=1426739125 }}</ref> considered genuine by most scholars:

* [[Epistle to the Galatians|Galatians]] (c. 48 AD)
* [[First Thessalonians]] (c. 49–51)
* [[First Corinthians]] (c. 53–54)
* [[Second Corinthians]] (c. 55–56)
* [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] (c. 55–57)
* [[Philippians]] (c. 57–59 or c. 62)
* [[Epistle to Philemon|Philemon]] (c. 57–59 or c. 62)

The three letters on which scholars are about evenly divided:<ref name="New Testament Letter Structure"/> If these letters are inauthentic, then the consensus dates are probably incorrect.
* [[Second Thessalonians]] (c. 51–52)
* [[Colossians]] (c. 57–59 or c. 62)
* [[Ephesians]] (c. 62)

The letters thought to be [[pseudepigraphic]] by many scholars (traditional dating given):<ref name="New Testament Letter Structure"/> The content of these letters strongly suggests they were written a decade or more later than the traditional dates.
* [[First Timothy]] (c. 62–64)
* [[Second Timothy]] (c. 62–65)
* [[Epistle to Titus|Titus]] (c. 66–67)

Finally, [[Epistle to the Hebrews]], although anonymous and not really in the form of a letter, has long been included among Paul's collected letters. Although some churches ascribe Hebrews to Paul,<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Arhipov |editor1-first=Sergei |title=The Apostol |date=1996 |publisher=St. Tikhon's Seminary Press |location=New Canaan, PA |isbn=1-878997-49-1 |page=408}}</ref> neither most of Christianity nor modern scholarship does so.<ref name="New Testament Letter Structure"/><ref>{{cite book|last1=Ellingworth|first1=Paul|title=The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Epistle to the Hebrews|date=1993|publisher=Wm. B. Eardmans Publishing Co.|location=Grand Rapids, MI|page=3}}</ref>

==Paul's use of secretaries==

A number of scholars have argued that from biographic details from Paul, he likely suffered from some physical impediment such as vision loss or damaged hands. Paul explicitly states in multiple epistles that he used secretaries, sometimes mentioned by name, a potential explanation for seemingly non-Pauline epistles.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Moss |first1=Candida R |title=The Secretary: Enslaved Workers, Stenography, and the Production of Early Christian Literature |journal=The Journal of Theological Studies |date=29 April 2023 |volume=74 |issue=1 |pages=20–56 |doi=10.1093/jts/flad001|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Blumell |first1=Lincoln H. |title=Scribes and Ancient Letters Implications for the Pauline Epistles |url=https://rsc.byu.edu/how-new-testament-came-be/scribes-ancient-letters |website=Brigham Young University |publisher=How the New Testament Came to Be: The Thirty-fifth Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, ed |page=208-226 |date=2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Marshall |first1=Dr Taylor |title=The Secretaries of Peter, Paul and John |url=https://taylormarshall.com/2015/01/secretaries-peter-paul.html |website=Taylor Marshall |date=30 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Richards |first1=E. Randolph |title=The Secretary in the Letters of Paul |date=1991 |publisher=Mohr Siebeck |isbn=3161455754}}</ref> The six disputed epistles are believed by some scholars to have come from followers writing in his name, using material from Paul's surviving letters and letters written by him that no longer survive.<ref name="sand" /> Paul used scribal secretaries and may have had a team of readers, which adds layers to how Paul's letters were composed.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Longenecker |first1=Bruce W. |title=The New Cambridge Companion to St. Paul |date=2020 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9781108529204 |page=9-11}}</ref> [[Candida Moss]] has argued that [[Slavery|enslaved]] and formerly enslaved [[Secretary|secretaries]] played a significant but overlooked role in the production of early Christian texts such as the Pauline epistles, urging a broader and more ethical recognition of their contributions to authorship beyond traditional assumptions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Moss |first=Candida R |date=2023-04-01 |title=The Secretary: Enslaved Workers, Stenography, and the Production of Early Christian Literature |journal=The Journal of Theological Studies |volume=74 |issue=1 |pages=20–56 |doi=10.1093/jts/flad001 |issn=0022-5185|doi-access=free }}</ref>

== Order ==
In the order they appear in the New Testament, the Pauline epistles are:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! rowspan=2 | Name
! rowspan=2 | Addressees
! rowspan=2 | Greek
! rowspan=2 | Latin
! colspan="2" | Abbreviations
|-
! Full
! Min.
|-
| [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]]
| Church at [[Rome]]
| Πρὸς Ῥωμαίους
| ''Epistola ad Romanos''
| Rom
| Ro
|-
| [[1 Corinthians]]
| Church at [[Corinth]]
| Πρὸς Κορινθίους Αʹ
| ''Epistola I ad Corinthios''
| 1 Cor
| 1C
|-
| [[2 Corinthians]]
| Church at [[Corinth]]
| Πρὸς Κορινθίους Βʹ
| ''Epistola II ad Corinthios''
| 2 Cor
| 2C
|-
| [[Epistle to the Galatians|Galatians]]
| Churches in [[Galatia]]
| Πρὸς Γαλάτας
| ''Epistola ad Galatas''
| Gal
| G
|-
| [[Ephesians]]
| Church at [[Ephesus]]
| Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους
| ''Epistola ad Ephesios''
| Eph
| E
|-
| [[Philippians]]
| Church at [[Philippi]]
| Πρὸς Φιλιππησίους
| ''Epistola ad Philippenses''
| Phil
| Phi
|-
| [[Colossians]]
| Church at [[Colossae]]
| Πρὸς Κολοσσαεῖς
| ''Epistola ad Colossenses''
| Col
| C
|-
| [[1 Thessalonians]]
| Church at [[Thessalonica]]
| Πρὸς Θεσσαλονικεῖς Αʹ
| ''Epistola I ad Thessalonicenses''
| 1 Thess
| 1Th
|-
| [[2 Thessalonians]]
| Church at [[Thessalonica]]
| Πρὸς Θεσσαλονικεῖς Βʹ
| ''Epistola II ad Thessalonicenses''
| 2 Thess
| 2Th
|-
| [[1 Timothy]]
| [[Saint Timothy]]
| Πρὸς Τιμόθεον Αʹ
| ''Epistola I ad Timotheum''
| 1 Tim
| 1T
|-
| [[2 Timothy]]
| [[Saint Timothy]]
| Πρὸς Τιμόθεον Βʹ
| ''Epistola II ad Timotheum''
| 2 Tim
| 2T
|-
| [[Epistle to Titus|Titus]]
| [[Saint Titus]]
| Πρὸς Τίτον
| ''Epistola ad Titum''
| Tit
| T
|-
| [[Epistle to Philemon|Philemon]]
| [[Saint Philemon]]
| Πρὸς Φιλήμονα
| ''Epistola ad Philemonem''
| Philem
| P
|-
| [[Epistle to the Hebrews|Hebrews*]]
| [[Hebrew Christians]]
| Πρὸς Ἑβραίους
| ''Epistola ad Hebraeos''
| Heb
| H
|}

This ordering is remarkably consistent in the manuscript tradition, with very few deviations. The evident principle of organization is descending length of the Greek text, but keeping the three [[pastoral epistles]] addressed to individuals in a separate final section. The only anomaly is that Galatians precedes the slightly longer Ephesians.{{sfn|Trobisch|1994|p=1–27}}

{| class=wikitable
|+Chronological order of Paul's letters<ref name=":11">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w-4MmQEACAAJ |title=ESV Study Bible |publisher=Crossway |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-4335-0241-5 |location=Wheaton, IL |pages=1806–1807 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321210751/https://books.google.com/books?id=w-4MmQEACAAJ |archive-date=March 21, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! style="width:5em" ! | Date !! Name !! Location of authorship
|-
| {{Circa}} 48 || [[Epistle to the Galatians|Galatians]] || [[Antioch]] (uncertain)
|- 
| {{Circa}} 49–51 || [[1 Thessalonians]] || [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]]
|-
| {{Circa}} 49–51 || [[2 Thessalonians]] || [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]]
|-
|{{Circa}} 53–55
|[[1 Corinthians]]
|[[Ephesus]]
|-
|{{Circa}} 55–56
|[[2 Corinthians]]
|[[Macedonia (Roman province)|Macedonia]]
|-
|{{Circa}} 57
|[[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]]
|[[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]]
|-
|{{Circa}} 62
|[[Ephesians]]
|[[Rome]]
|-
|{{Circa}} 62
|[[Philippians]]
|[[Rome]]
|-
|{{Circa}} 62
|[[Colossians]]
|[[Rome]]
|-
|{{Circa}} 62
|[[Epistle to Philemon|Philemon]]
|[[Rome]]
|-
|{{Circa}} 62–64
|[[1 Timothy]]
|[[Macedonia (Roman province)|Macedonia]]
|-
|{{Circa}} 62–64
|[[Epistle to Titus|Titus]]
|[[Nicopolis]]
|-
|{{Circa}} 64–67
|[[2 Timothy]]
|[[Rome]]
|}

In modern editions, the anonymous [[Epistle to the Hebrews]] is placed at the end of Paul's letters and before the [[general epistles]]. This practice was popularized through the 4th century [[Vulgate]] by [[Jerome]], who was aware of ancient doubts about its [[authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews|authorship]], and is also followed in most medieval [[Byzantine text-type|Byzantine]] manuscripts with hardly any exceptions.{{sfn|Trobisch|1994|p=1–27}}

The placement of Hebrews among the Pauline epistles is less consistent in the manuscripts:
* between Romans and 1 Corinthians (i.e., in order by length without splitting the Epistles to the Corinthians): [[Papyrus 46]] and minuscules [[Minuscule 103|103]], [[Minuscule 455|455]], 1961, 1964, 1977, 1994.
* between 2 Corinthians and Galatians: minuscules 1930, 1978, and 2248
* between Galatians and Ephesians: implied by the numbering in [[Codex Vaticanus|B]]. In B, Galatians ends and Ephesians begins on the same side of the same folio (page 1493); similarly 2 Thessalonians ends and Hebrews begins on the same side of the same folio (page 1512).<ref>Digital Vatican Library (DigiVatLib), [https://digi.vatlib.it/view/MSS_Vat.gr.1209 Manuscript – Vat.gr.1209]</ref>
* between 2 Thessalonians and 1 Timothy (i.e., before the Pastorals): [[Codex Sinaiticus|א]], [[Codex Alexandrinus|A]], [[Codex Vaticanus|B]], [[Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus|C]], [[Codex Coislinianus|H]], [[Codex Freerianus|I]], [[Codex Guelferbytanus A|P]], [[Uncial 0150|0150]], [[Uncial 0151|0151]], and about 60 minuscules (e.g. [[Minuscule 218|218]], [[Minuscule 632|632]])
* after Philemon: [[Codex Claromontanus|D]], [[Codex Vaticanus 2061|048]], [[Codex Sangermanensis|E]], [[Codex Mosquensis I|K]], [[Codex Regius (New Testament)|L]] and the majority of minuscules.
* omitted: [[Codex Augiensis|F]] and [[Codex Boernerianus|G]]

==Lost Pauline epistles==
Paul's own writings are sometimes thought to indicate several of his letters that have not been preserved:
* A first, or "zeroth", epistle to Corinth, also called ''A Prior Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Lost Books of the Bible? |url=http://www.icwseminary.org/lostbooks.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060623175757/http://icwseminary.org/lostbooks.htm |archive-date=2006-06-23 |access-date=2006-06-29}}</ref> or ''Paul's previous Corinthian letter'',<ref name=apol>{{cite journal|publisher=Apologetics Press|url=http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/42|title=Are There Lost Books of the Bible?|journal=Reason & Revelation|volume=23|number=12|date=1 December 2003|access-date=12 June 2023}}</ref> possibly referenced at 1 Corinthians 5:9.<ref>{{bibleref2|1 Corinthians|5:9}}</ref>
* A third epistle to Corinth, written in between 1 and 2 Corinthians, also called the [[Severe Letter]], referenced at 2 Corinthians 2:4<ref>{{bibleref2|2 Corinthians|2:4}}</ref> and 2 Corinthians 7:8–9<ref>{{bibleref2|2 Corinthians|7:8–9}}</ref>
* An earlier epistle to the Ephesians referenced at Ephesians 3:3–4<ref>{{bibleref2|Ephesians|3:3–4}}</ref>
* A possible Pauline [[Epistle to the Laodiceans]],<ref name=apol /> referenced at [[Colossians 4]]:16<ref>{{bibleref2|Colossians|4:16}}</ref>

== Pseudepigraphic epistles ==
{{See|Pauline interpolations and forgeries|Pseudepigrapha}}
Several other epistles were attributed to Paul during the course of history but are now considered [[Pseudepigrapha#Pauline epistles|pseudepigraphic]]:
* [[Third Epistle to the Corinthians]], a correspondence of two letters allegedly sent by the Corinthians to Paul, and then a reply letter allegedly sent by Paul to the Church of Corinth.  It was considered genuine for some time by the [[Syriac Orthodox Church]] and the [[Armenian Apostolic Church]], but is now widely dated in the second half of the 2nd century CE.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Charlesworth|first1=James H.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ATBjAwAAQBAJ&dq=%223+corinthians%22+bodmer+earliest&pg=PR19|title=Sacra Scriptura: How "Non-Canonical" Texts Functioned in Early Judaism and Early Christianity|last2=McDonald|first2=Lee Martin|date=2014-04-24|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-0-567-29668-9|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Olshausen|first=Hermann|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7q0GAAAAQAAJ&q=%22the+Corinthians+to+Paul%22&pg=PA16|title=Biblical Commentary on St. Paul's First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians|date=1851|publisher=T. & T. Clark|language=en}}</ref>
*[[Epistle to the Alexandrians]], an alleged epistle written by Paul to the Church of [[Alexandria]]. It is mentioned in the [[Muratorian fragment]] (2nd century CE), which denounces it as a spurious work forged by [[Marcion of Sinope]]. Its text has been lost and nothing is known about its content.<ref name="ehrman" />
* Non-Pauline [[Epistle to the Laodiceans]] versions:
** The Marcionite Epistle to the Laodiceans. The Muratorian fragment (2nd century CE) denounces a claimed Epistle to the Laodiceans as another spurious work forged by Marcion of Sinope. Its text has been lost and nothing is known about its content.<ref name="ehrman" />
** The Latin Epistle to the Laodiceans. It is found in some old Latin [[Bible manuscripts]], but is widely considered a forgery, and is largely a copy of verses from the [[Epistle to the Philippians]]. Theories vary, but it was possibly made as a counterforgery to offset the popularity of the Marcionite epistle.<ref name="ehrman">{{cite book |last=Ehrman |first=Bart |author-link=Bart Ehrman |date=2012 |title=Forgery and Counterforgery: The Use of Literary Deceit in Early Christian Polemics |publisher= Oxford University Press |page=452&ndash;458 |isbn=9780199928033 }}</ref>
* [[Correspondence of Paul and Seneca]], a collection of correspondence claiming to be between Paul and [[Seneca the Younger]]. They are universally considered a forgery from the 4th century CE.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Letters of Paul and Seneca|url=http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/paulseneca.html|access-date=2021-05-26|website=www.earlychristianwritings.com}}</ref>

==Collected epistles==
[[David Trobisch]] finds it likely that Paul first collected his letters for publication himself.<ref name="Trobisch 1994">{{cite book |last=Trobisch|first=David |date=1994|title= Paul's Letter Collection|location=Minneapolis |publisher=Fortress|isbn= 978-0800625979|author-link=David Trobisch |url=https://archive.org/details/paulslettercolle0000trob}}</ref> It was normal practice in Paul's time for letter writers to keep one copy for themselves and send a second copy to the recipient(s); surviving collections of ancient letters sometimes originated from the senders' copies, at other times from the recipients' copies.<ref>Reece, Steve. ''Paul's Large Letters: Pauline Subscriptions in the Light of Ancient Epistolary Conventions.'' London: T&T Clark, 2016.{{page needed|date=July 2020}}</ref> A collection of Paul's letters circulated separately from other early Christian writings and later became part of the New Testament. When the [[Biblical canon#Christian canons|canon]] was established, the [[gospel]]s and Paul's letters were the core of what would become the New Testament.{{r|Trobisch 1994}}{{page needed|date=January 2021}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Bible}}
* [[Biblical apocrypha]]
* [[New Testament athletic metaphors]]
* [[New Testament military metaphors]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliographic resources==
* [[Kurt Aland|Aland Kurt]]. "The Problem of Anonymity and Pseudonymity in Christian Literature of the First Two Centuries." ''[[Journal of Theological Studies]]'' 12 (1961): 39–49.
* Bahr, Gordon J. "Paul and Letter Writing in the First Century." ''[[Catholic Biblical Quarterly]]'' 28 (1966): 465–477. idem, "The Subscriptions in the Pauline Letters." ''[[Journal of Biblical Literature]]'' 2 (1968): 27–41.
* Bauckham, Richard J. "Pseudo-Apostolic Letters." ''[[Journal of Biblical Literature]]'' 107 (1988): 469–494.
* Carson, D.A. "Pseudonymity and Pseudepigraphy." ''Dictionary of New Testament Background''. Eds. Craig A. Evans and Stanley E. Porter. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2000. 857–864.
* Cousar, Charles B. ''The Letters of Paul''. Interpreting Biblical Texts. Nashville: Abingdon, 1996.
* Deissmann, G. Adolf. ''Bible Studies''. Trans. Alexander Grieve. 1901. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1988.
* Doty, William G. ''Letters in Primitive Christianity''. Guides to Biblical Scholarship. New Testament. Ed. Dan O. Via, Jr. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1988.
* Gamble, Harry Y. "Amanuensis." ''Anchor Bible Dictionary''. Vol. 1. Ed. David Noel Freedman. New York: Doubleday, 1992.
* [[Kim Haines-Eitzen|Haines-Eitzen, Kim]]. "'Girls Trained in Beautiful Writing': Female Scribes in Roman Antiquity and Early Christianity." ''[[Journal of Early Christian Studies]]'' 6.4 (1998): 629–646.
* [[David Bentley Hart|Hart, David Bentley]]. "The New Testament." New Haven and London: Yale University Press: 2017. 570–574.
* Kim, Yung Suk. ''A Theological Introduction to Paul's Letters''. Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books, 2011.
* Longenecker, Richard N. "Ancient Amanuenses and the Pauline Epistles." ''New Dimensions in New Testament Study''. Eds. Richard N. Longenecker and [[Merrill C. Tenney]]. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1974. 281–297. idem, "On the Form, Function, and Authority of the New Testament Letters." ''Scripture and Truth''. Eds. D.A. Carson and [[John D. Woodbridge]]. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983. 101–114.
* Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome. ''Paul the Letter-Writer: His World, His Options, His Skills''. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 1995.
* Richards, E. Randolph. ''The Secretary in the Letters of Paul''. Tübingen: Mohr, 1991. idem, "The Codex and the Early Collection of Paul's Letters." ''Bulletin for Bulletin Research'' 8 (1998): 151–66. idem, ''Paul and First-Century Letter Writing: Secretaries, Composition, and Collection''. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2004.
* Robson, E. Iliff. "Composition and Dictation in New Testament Books." ''[[Journal of Theological Studies]]'' 18 (1917): 288–301.
*Slaten, Arthur Wakefield (1918) "[[:File:Qualitative nouns in the Pauline epistles and their translation in the revised version (IA qualitativenouns00slatrich).pdf|Qualitative nouns in the Pauline epistles and their translation in the revised version]]". Chicago, Illonis: The University of Chicago Press. {{OCLC|1051723498}}
* Stowers, Stanley K. ''Letter Writing in Greco-Roman Antiquity''. Library of Early Christianity. Vol. 8. Ed. Wayne A. Meeks. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1989.
* Wall, Robert W. "Introduction to Epistolary Literature." ''New Interpreter's Bible''. Vol. 10. Ed. Leander E. Keck. Nashville: Abingdon, 2002. 369–391.

== External links ==
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/harnack/origin_nt.v.i.html The Marcionite Prologues to the Pauline Epistles]
* [http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/corpus-paul/19990330/000029.html Chronological Order of Paul's Letters]
* [http://www.bombaxo.com/paulchron.html Chronology of Paul's Letters] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728203550/http://www.bombaxo.com/paulchron.html |date=2013-07-28 }}
* [http://openn.library.upenn.edu/Data/0028/html/ms_484_013.html MS 484/13 Epistolae cum glossis at OPenn]

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{{Books of the Bible|collapsed}}
{{Apostles}}
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[[Category:Pauline epistles| ]]
[[Category:Canonical epistles]]
[[Category:Christian terminology]]
[[Category:Collections of letters]]