A general epistle is an epistle recognised as being written to Christians in general rather than individual persons or congregations.

The pastoral epistles are the pseudo-Pauline epistles, 1Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus. They were written in Paul's name and now known as 'Pastorals' because of their concern with pastoral issues that began to arise in the early part of the second century. Although they were really written to the Church as a whole, they are not usually termed "general epistles" because they were written as if to individuals.