Guide · Medium · 7 min
What is Third Corinthians?
A guide to 3 Corinthians, an ancient Christian text connected with the Acts of Paul and received differently in ancient traditions.
# What is Third Corinthians?
Quick summary
Third Corinthians is an ancient Christian text presented as correspondence between the Corinthians and Paul. It is connected with the wider Acts of Paul tradition and is not part of the New Testament canon used by major Christian traditions today.
What it addresses
The text responds to teachings viewed as false, especially ideas about creation, resurrection, and the reality of Christ’s human life. It reflects early Christian disputes over doctrine and identity.
Why it matters
3 Corinthians shows how Pauline authority was invoked in later Christian debates. Even if it is not considered authentic Pauline correspondence, it helps readers understand the reception and expansion of Paul’s image.
Reception
The text had a notable place in some Syriac and Armenian contexts, but its canonical status was limited and not shared by the wider churches.
How to read it
Read it as apocryphal Pauline literature: a text using apostolic voice to address theological concerns. Its value is historical and literary, not evidence that a lost canonical letter of Paul has been recovered.
Read also
- What are biblical apocrypha?
- What are Epistles?
- What is the biblical canon?
- Were books really removed from the Bible?
Sources and recommended reading
Editorial note: this article is written in an informational, non-confessional tone. Where traditions disagree, the page should describe differences of reception, use, and canon without presenting one tradition as the universal default.