Epistle to the Laodiceans information

The Epistle to the Laodiceans is a purported lost letter of Paul the Apostle, the original existence of which is inferred from an instruction in the Epistle to the Colossians that the congregation should send their letter to the believing community in Laodicea, and likewise obtain a copy of the letter "from Laodicea" (Greek: ἐκ Λαοδικείας, ek Laodikeas).^[1]

And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea.
— Colossians 4:16 (NRSV)^[2]

This letter is generally regarded as being lost. However, some ancient sources, such as Hippolytus of Rome, and some modern scholars consider that the epistle "from Laodicea" was never a lost epistle, but simply Paul re-using one of his other letters (the most common candidate is the canonical Epistle to the Ephesians), just as he asks for the copying and forwarding of the Letter to Colossians to Laodicea. An additional complication is that many scholars do not believe that Colossians was itself written by Paul, in which case the indicated Letter might itself not be Pauline even if it existed.

At least two ancient texts purporting to be the missing "Epistle to the Laodiceans" are known to have existed. These are generally considered, both in antiquity and by modern scholarship, to be attempts to supply a forged copy of a lost document.^[3] The sole version that survived is a Latin Epistola ad Laodicenses ("Epistle to the Laodiceans"), first witnessed in Codex Fuldensis. The Latin epistle is actually a short compilation of verses from other Pauline epistles, principally Philippians. It too is generally considered a "clumsy forgery" and an attempt to fill the "gap" suggested by Colossians 4:16.^[4]

^ Watson E. Mills; Roger Aubrey Bullard (1990). Mercer Dictionary of the Bible. Mercer University Press. p. 500. ISBN 978-0-86554-373-7.
^ Cite error: The named reference col416 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Ehrman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Schneemelcher was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[mercer-1] Watson E. Mills; Roger Aubrey Bullard (1990). Mercer Dictionary of the Bible. Mercer University Press. p. 500. ISBN 978-0-86554-373-7.

[col416-2] Cite error: The named reference col416 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Ehrman-3] Cite error: The named reference Ehrman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Schneemelcher-4] Cite error: The named reference Schneemelcher was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

Epistle to the Laodiceans information

and 29 Related for: Epistle to the Laodiceans information

Epistle to the Laodiceans

Pauline epistles

Epistle to the Ephesians

Epistle

Authorship of the Pauline epistles

Laodicean Church

Epistle to the Philippians

Jakob Lorber

Epistle to the Alexandrians

New Testament

First Epistle of Clement

Pseudepigrapha

Marcionism

The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden

Epistle of Barnabas

Development of the New Testament canon

Laodicea on the Lycus

Books of the Vulgate

Pastoral epistles

Third Epistle to the Corinthians

Epistle to Philemon

Laodicea

New Testament apocrypha

Early translations of the New Testament

Vulgate

Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians

Biblical apocrypha

Muratorian fragment

Paul the Apostle

New Testament apocrypha
Part of a series on
First page of the Gospel of Judas (Page 33 of Codex Tchacos)
Apostolic Fathers 1 Clement 2 Clement Epistles of Ignatius Polycarp to the Philippians Martyrdom of Polycarp Didache Barnabas Diognetus The Shepherd of Hermas
Apocryphal gospels Jewish–Christian gospels Ebionites Hebrews Nazarenes Infancy gospels James Thomas Syriac Pseudo-Matthew History of Joseph the Carpenter Gnostic gospels Judas Mary Philip Truth Secret Mark The Saviour Other gospels Thomas Marcion Nicodemus Peter Barnabas Lost gospels Bartholomew Matthias Cerinthus Basilides Mani Gospel of the Hebrews
Apocalypses Paul Peter Pseudo-Methodius Thomas Stephen 1 James 2 James 2 John
Epistles Apocryphon of James Apocryphon of John Epistula Apostolorum Pseudo-Titus Peter to Philip Paul and Seneca Lost epistles Alexandrians Laodiceans
Acts Andrew Andrew and Bartholomew Barnabas John Mar Mari The Martyrs Paul Peter Peter and Andrew Peter and Paul Peter and the Twelve Philip Pilate Thaddeus Thomas Timothy Xanthippe, Polyxena, and Rebecca
Misc. Other apocrypha Clementine literature Diatessaron Doctrine of Addai Pilate cycle Prayer of the Apostle Paul Questions of Bartholomew Resurrection of Jesus Christ Related topics Nag Hammadi library
Christianity portal
v t e