Letters

A form of written communication often used for the transfer of instruction, information and advice or important news.

Letters of encouragement or exhortation

Esther 9:30; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; Hebrews 13:22 See also 2 Chronicles 2:11, 2 Chronicles 21:12; Isaiah 39:1; Jeremiah 29:1; Acts 15:23–31; 1 Corinthians 5:9; 2 Corinthians 10:9–11; Colossians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:27; 2 Peter 3:1

And Mordecai sent letters with words of peace and truth to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes,

Therefore, brothers, stand firm and cling to the traditions we taught you, whether by speech or by letter.

I urge you, brothers, to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have only written to you briefly.

Malicious, threatening or devious letters

2 Samuel 11:14–15; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–2 See also 1 Kings 21:8; 2 Kings 19:14 parallel Isaiah 37:14; 2 Chronicles 32:17; Ezra 4:7; Nehemiah 6:5, Nehemiah 6:19; Acts 9:1–2, Acts 22:5

The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In the letter he wrote: “Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle; then withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and killed.”

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come.

Letters of authorisation or identification

Ezra 7:11; 1 Corinthians 16:3 See also 2 Kings 5:5–6; Nehemiah 2:7–9; Acts 23:25, Acts 23:33–34; 2 Corinthians 3:1

This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the LORD to Israel:

Then, on my arrival, I will send letters with those you recommend to carry your gift to Jerusalem.

Affairs of state conducted by letter

Esther 1:22 See also 2 Kings 10:1–3, 2 Kings 10:6–7; Ezra 5:6–7

He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be master of his own household.

Letters as invitations to worship

2 Chronicles 30:1, 2 Chronicles 30:6; Esther 9:20, Esther 9:26, Esther 9:29

Letters attributed to specific authors

Paul

Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1 with Sosthenes; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; Philemon 1:1; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:1; 2 Peter 3:15–16

James

James 1:1

Peter

1 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1

Jude

Jude 1:1

Jesus Christ

Revelation 2:1, Revelation 2:8, Revelation 2:12, Revelation 2:18, Revelation 3:1, Revelation 3:7, Revelation 3:14

Letters written by a secretary

Romans 16:22; 1 Peter 5:12

Letters of the alphabet

The letter of the law

Matthew 5:18

Paul writing in large letters

Galatians 6:11