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Part of the New Testament

Writings of Paul

All of the Apostle Paul's letters that were included in the New Testament.

Paul the Apostle is considered one of the most influential figures in the spread of Christianity, and wrote a bunch of letters that are more formally known as the "Pauline Epistles".

Paul was originally a Jewish person, and a persecutor of early Christians, until he underwent a mystical experience that he described as a revelation of Christ. His letters, written to various Christian communities, address theological concerns, ethical questions, and practical issues faced by these early churches. Paul and these letters are largely considered responsible for the spread of Christianity from it's Jewish roots to the "Gentiles", or the non-Jewish.

Seven of these letters are believed by scholars to be authentic, composed between approximately 50 and 62 CE, making them some of the earliest Christian writings we have at all. Three of these letters are debated, while most scholars agree the Pastoral letters, besides Philemon, are pseudepigrapha. These letters make up the majority of the New Testament besides the Gospels- Paul is the most featured writer by far in the New Testament.

Paul's writings cover a range of topics, including the relationship between the Jewish and Gentile groups in the emerging Christian communities and the transition in theology between the traditional Jewish and new Christian ideas. They played a crucial role in early Christian theology and provide glimpses into controversies that arose within these communities, showing the diverse beliefs and practices of early Christians as they developed in the first century CE.

Structure of the Writings of Paul

13 Total books - 2,033 Verses - 43,312 Words

The Pauline Church Letters[]

Open letters written by the Apostle Paul to churches and whole groups of people.

#1.
Galatians
Paul writes about his key points regarding his own background, the theology of the Laws of Moses, how to know what to do and what is right.
#2.
1 Thessalonians
Paul's letter to the persecuted church in Thesselonica that goes into the apocalypse.
#3.
2 Thessalonians
Things don't get better for the Thessalonians, so Paul writes a letter about the endtimes and standing strong.
#4.
1 Corinthians
Paul calls out the church in Corinth and teaches how to be a good person.
#5.
2 Corinthians
Things escalated with Corinth, and Paul backs off a bit and makes ammends (kind of).
#6.
Romans
Paul's longest letter- a big summary of a lot of Christian theology in regards to Jewish theology.
#7.
Philippians
Suffering and freedom
#8.
Colossians
Divinity of Christ, law interpretation
#9.
Ephesians
General advice, rules, and "relationships"

The Pauline Pastoral Letters[]

Unlike the Church Letters, these are the few letters of Paul that were written to specific people with specific advice.

#1.
Philemon
Paul writes a letter to an old friend asking him to look after another friend while he's in jail.
#2.
1 Timothy
Written to Paul's pastor Timothy about the role of women, widows, elders, and slaves in the church.
#3.
2 Timothy
Paul writes a letter to Timothy urging him to come visit him on his deathbed, and includes a little bit of advice and theology along the way.
#4.
Titus
Paul writes a letter to Titus to guide Titus in becoming in a teacher.