---
title: epistle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «epistle» in the school dictionary: An Epistle is one of the letters in the New Testament written by early Christian leaders such as Paul, Peter and John to churches or people. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# epistle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Epistle, Paul, we, New Testament, Christians, Epistles · **What happens:** be, write, hear, contain, believe, teach · **To what, where:** one, letters, churches, long formal letter, epistle, church · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«epistle» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [epistle in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/epistle.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: Bible, church — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An Epistle is one of the letters in the New Testament written by early Christian leaders such as Paul, Peter and John to churches or people.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:epistle:m1:1
# text = An Epistle is one of the letters in the New Testament written by early Christian leaders such as Paul, Peter and John to churches or people.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Epistle	epistle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	New	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	Testament	Testament	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
12	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
13	by	by	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	early	early	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
15	Christian	Christian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	leaders	leader	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl:agent	_	_
17	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	19	case	_	_
18	as	as	ADP	IN	_	17	fixed	_	_
19	Paul	Paul	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
21	Peter	Peter	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	_
22	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
23	John	John	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	_
24	to	to	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
25	churches	church	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	_
26	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
27	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	25	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a Epistle | one |  |  |  | of the letters in the New Testament | tree rules |
| 2 | **write** | participle |  | the letters in the New Testament *not said here* | churches or people |  |  |  | vn lecture-37.11-1 «NP V PP.recipient PP.topic»: agent=Agent to church=Recipient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: formal or humorous — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An epistle is a long, formal letter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:epistle:m2:1
# text = An epistle is a long, formal letter.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	epistle	epistle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	formal	formal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a epistle | a long formal letter |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Paul wrote an epistle to the church in Rome.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:epistle:x1:1
# text = Paul wrote an epistle to the church in Rome.
1	Paul	Paul	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	epistle	epistle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	Rome	Rome	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past | Paul | a epistle | the church in Rome |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent epistle=Topic to church=Recipient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In church today we heard a reading from the Epistle to the Corinthians.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:epistle:x2:1
# text = In church today we heard a reading from the Epistle to the Corinthians.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
3	today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod:unmarked	_	_
4	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	heard	hear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	reading	reading	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	Epistle	epistle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	Corinthians	Corinthian	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** | past | we | a reading |  | church  today |  | from the Epistle; to the Corinthians | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent reading=Topic from epistle=Source |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The New Testament contains many epistles.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:epistle:x3:1
# text = The New Testament contains many epistles.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	New	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	Testament	Testament	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	contains	contain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	epistles	epistle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **contain** | present | the New Testament | many epistles |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot epistle=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Christians believe the Epistles teach how to live as followers of Jesus.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:epistle:x4:1
# text = Christians believe the Epistles teach how to live as followers of Jesus.
1	Christians	Christian	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	believe	believe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Epistles	Epistle	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	teach	teach	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	live	live	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
9	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	followers	follower	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	Jesus	Jesus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | present | Christians |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **teach** *speech: other* | present | the Epistles |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **live** | to-infinitive | the Epistles *not said here* |  |  |  |  | as followers of Jesus | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma sent me a three-page epistle about her holiday.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:epistle:x5:1
# text = Grandma sent me a three-page epistle about her holiday.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	page	page	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	epistle	epistle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	holiday	holiday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** | past | Grandma | a page epistle | me |  |  |  | vn send-11.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent i=Destination epistle=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Epistle reading comes before the Gospel.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:epistle:x6:1
# text = The Epistle reading comes before the Gospel.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Epistle	Epistle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	reading	reading	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	before	before	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	Gospel	Gospel	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | present | the Epistle reading |  |  | the Gospel |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme before gospel=Location |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

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