Wikipedia: Epistles

Problems with this article: 1. Although in a Christian context, 'epistle' refers to Christian writings, in antiquity and even more recent periods it refered to letters in general. 2. It only mentions the cannonical epistles; it should mention other epistles as well (1 Clement, Laodiceans, Epistle to Diogenetes (or whatever it was called), the supposed correspondence between Jesus and a Syrian King, etc.) 3. It presumes they were all written by the Apostles. Some epistles probably were, but others likely weren't.

The Epistles are christian writings of Apostles? to churches in particular parts of the world. The most prolific apostle to write was Paul. The word epistle is from the Greek word epistolos which means a 'letter' or written (and mailed) correspondence.

There are epistles that are written to particular areas, and general epistles that are written to groups. Paul wrote more epistles to particular churches of a geographical area, as well as personal letters to Timothy and Titus. Peter, John, James?, Jude?, and the writer of Hebrews? wrote general letters to the church in general.