The Epistle from Laodicea

[ktn4eg]

What was/is the epistle from Laodicea that Paul tells the receipients of Colossians (4:16) to read? Is that epistle still in existence today?

 

[Amy.G]

I've read that it could be the letter that was written to the church at Ephesus which Paul instructed to be shared among the other churches.

 

[MNJacob]

Where is the 3rd (Second) letter to the church at Corinth?

We have what we have because that is what we are supposed to have.

 

[preachinjesus]

What was/is the epistle from Laodicea that Paul tells the receipients of Colossians (4:16) to read?

A letter from Paul to the Laodiceans, probably written contemporary the time of Colossians. We don't have it.

Is that epistle still in existence today?

No

 

[Martin Marprelate]

I've read that it could be the letter that was written to the church at Ephesus which Paul instructed to be shared among the other churches.

This is my view. Ephesians contains no personal references although Paul stayed there for two years or so (Acts 19:10) and talks as if people may not have heard of him (Eph 3:2ff). So it is possible that Ephesians was a circular letter sent to all the churches that had been formed in the province of Asia. However, being informed by Epaphras (Col 1:7) about particular problems in Colosse, Paul wrote them a special letter. However, he still wanted the Colossians to read his circular letter, and because Laodicea was so close to Colosse, he thought it wise for them to swap letters (Col 4:16).

Obviously I can't prove any of that, but it seems logical to me.

Steve