Dictionary Article

Translation of a Greek word literally meaning “a calling of someone alongside to help.” Its primary meaning in the NT is the urging of someone to do something—particularly some ethical course of action. In some contexts, the same Greek word may also include the idea of comforting and consoling. The given context will determine which meaning to use.

A passage that most clearly illustrates “exhortation” in the sense of inciting or spurring people on to action is Luke 3:7-18 (RV · LV · Read together). John the Baptist exhorts his Jewish hearers to bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance, to stop resting on descent from Abraham as protection from punishment for sin, and to share clothing and food. He exhorted tax gatherers to collect no more money than they had a right to take, and soldiers not to take money from anyone by force, not to accuse anyone falsely, and to be content with their wages.

LUK 3:7–18: RV LUK 3:7–18 · LV LUK 3:7–18 · Read together LUK 3:7–18

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OET-RV LUK 3:7

7 Because of that, he was telling the crowds that went out there to be immersed by him, “Bunch of snakes! Who warned you all to flee from the severe anger that’s coming?

OET-RV LUK 3:8

8 So then start demonstrating the qualities that show you have actually turned from your disobedience. And don’t start by telling me that you’re descendants of Avraham, because I can tell you all that God could make descendants out of these stones here.

OET-RV LUK 3:9

9 The axe is already sitting at the base of the trees, so that every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”

OET-RV LUK 3:10

10 “What should we do then,” the crowds asked him.

OET-RV LUK 3:11

11 “If you’ve got two jackets, give one to someone who doesn’t have one,” he replied, “and similarly if you’ve got food.”

OET-RV LUK 3:12

12 Even some tax-collectors came to be immersed, and they asked Yohan (John; Grk. Yoannes), “Teacher, what should we do?”

OET-RV LUK 3:13

13 “Don’t collect any extra on top of what you’ve been told to collect,” he said.

OET-RV LUK 3:14

14 “And what about us too,” some soldiers inquired.
¶ “Don’t bully people or falsely accuse anyone,” Yohan answered, “and be content with your wages.”

OET-RV LUK 3:15

15 The people were expecting that the messiah might come to save them and started wondering in their minds if maybe it was Yohan

OET-RV LUK 3:16

16 but he explained to them all, “I’ve been immersing you all in water, but there’s one coming who’s greater than me, in fact I’m not even worthy to unlace his sandals. He will immerse you all with the holy spirit and with fire.

OET-RV LUK 3:17

17 He’ll hold the winnowing fork so he can clear out the threshing floor, gathering the wheat into his barn and burning up the chaff with a fire that never goes out.”

OET-RV LUK 3:18

18 Yohan preached the good message to the people and also encouraged them to change for the better.

OET-LV LUK 3:7

7 Therefore he _was _saying to _the crowds going _out to _be _immersed by him:
Brood of _vipers, who warned to _you _all to _flee from the coming severe _anger?

OET-LV LUK 3:8

8 Therefore produce fruits worthy of_ the _repentance, and you _all _may_ not _begin to _be _saying in yourselves, we _are _having the Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām) As _father, because/for I _am _saying to _you _all that the god is _able to _raise children to_ the _Abraʼam from the these stones.

OET-LV LUK 3:9

9 And already also the axe is _lying to the root of _the trees, therefore every tree not producing good fruit, is _being _cut _off and is _being _thrown into the_fire.

OET-LV LUK 3:10

10 And the crowds were _asking him saying:
Therefore what may _we _do?

OET-LV LUK 3:11

11 And answering he _was _saying to _them:
The one having two tunics, let _share to _the one not having, and the one having foods, likewise let _be _doing.

OET-LV LUK 3:12

12 And tax _collectors also came to _be _immersed, and they _said to him:
Teacher, what may _we _do?

OET-LV LUK 3:13

13 And he said to them:
Be _collecting nothing more beside the thing having _been _directed to _you _all.

OET-LV LUK 3:14

14 And also the_soldiering ones were _asking him saying:
What may_ we _do also?
And he _said to _them:
You _all _may _accost no _one nor you _all _may _falsely _accuse, and be _being _sufficed for _the wages of _you _all.

OET-LV LUK 3:15

15 And the people expecting and reasoning all in the hearts of _them concerning the Yōannaʸs, whether he might _be the chosen _one /messiah,

OET-LV LUK 3:16

16 the Yōannaʸs answered saying to _all:
I on _one _hand am _immersing you _all in _water, on _the _other _hand the one mightier than me is _coming, of _whom not I _am worthy to _untie the strap of _the sandals of _him, he will _be _immersing you _all in the_ holy _spirit, and with _fire,

OET-LV LUK 3:17

17 of _whom the winnowing _fork is in the hand of _him to _clear _out the threshing _floor of _him, and to _gather _together the wheat into the barn of _him, and he _will _be _burning _up the the_chaff with_ inextinguishable _fire.

OET-LV LUK 3:18

18 Therefore also exhorting many other things indeed, he _was _good _message _preaching to _the people.

The ability to exhort is said to be a spiritual gift that God has given to some in the church for the benefit of the whole (Rom 12:8 (RV · LV · Read together)). In addition, exhortation is one of the results of a proper use of the gift of prophecy, as seen in 1 Corinthians 14:3, 31 (RV CO1 14:3 · RV CO1 14:31 · LV CO1 14:3 · LV CO1 14:31 · Read together CO1 14:3 · Read together CO1 14:31). It was also one of the responsibilities that Paul commanded of Timothy: “Give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching” (1 Tm 4:13 (RV · LV · Read together), nasb). The writer to the Hebrews also refers to an exhortation addressed to the readers lest they regard lightly the discipline of the Lord or “faint” when they are reproved (Heb 12:5 (RV · LV · Read together), KJB).

HEB 12:5: RV HEB 12:5 · LV HEB 12:5 · Read together HEB 12:5

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OET-RV HEB 12:5

5 What’s more, you’ve failed to remember what Shelomoh (Solomon) encouraged his children to do, which also applies to all of you:
⇔ “My child, learn carefully when Yahweh trains you.
⇔ Indeed, you shouldn’t become despondent when he corrects you.

OET-LV HEB 12:5

5 and you _all _have _forgotten of _the exhortation, which to _you _all as to _sons is _discussing:
son of _me, neither be _regarding _lightly of_the_discipline of_the_master, nor be _being _exhausted by him being _rebuked,

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (RV · LV · Read together) the Greek word for exhortation is used in the sense of consolation or encouragement. The context is one in which serious suffering for Christ is evident. Paul said that God encourages us in our times of testing so that we may be able to do the same for those experiencing similar trials. Acts 15:31 (RV · LV · Read together) refers to the encouragement and consolation that came to the church at Antioch when the decree of the Jerusalem Council was read in their hearing. They had been fearful that the Judaizers might have their way and that Christians would be required to become circumcised in order to be saved. Another clear illustration of this word meaning “comfort” is in 1 Thessalonians 4:18 (RV · LV · Read together), where Paul instructs the believers that those who die in Christ will not miss out on the blessings of the day of Christ; he then exhorts them to “comfort one another with these words.” See Spiritual Gifts.

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary