Bible Imperatives, Do’s and Don’ts in 2 Corinthians
The Book of 2 Corinthians offers a unique blend of comfort, correction, and challenge — especially for those called to live faithfully in times of weakness or pressure. This page highlights every imperative in 2 Corinthians — all the do’s and don’ts God gives through Paul — so believers can live with integrity, humility, and obedience in the service of Christ.
Note: Some of these Do’s and Don’ts (aka Bible Imperatives) are “Implied.” For any that are, it should have the word “Implied” in parenthesis next to it.
2 CORINTHIANS 1 – Imperatives
1. “Share in others’ suffering and comfort” (v. 7, implied) — Paul expresses confidence that the church will experience the same comfort he received through suffering. The implication is a call to enter into others’ hardships with empathy and shared hope.
And our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that as you share in the sufferings, so also you will share in the consolation. 2 Corinthians 1:7 (MEV)
2. “Set your hope on God who raises the dead” (v. 9, implied) — Paul says his suffering taught him not to rely on himself but on God. The implied command is to do the same—fully entrust yourself to God’s power.
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. 2 Corinthians 1:9 (MEV)
3. “Help others by praying for them” (v. 11) — Paul plainly tells them that their prayers helped him. The call is active: intercede for others in need.
You also helped together by praying for us, so that thanks may be given by many on our behalf for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many persons. 2 Corinthians 1:11 (MEV)
2 CORINTHIANS 2 – Imperatives
1. “Forgive and comfort those who repent” (v. 7) — Paul instructs the church to restore a disciplined believer so he’s not overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
So that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive him and comfort him, lest perhaps he might be swallowed up with excessive sorrow. 2 Corinthians 2:7 (MEV)
2. “Reaffirm your love” (v. 8) — Paul makes a heartfelt appeal: show this brother your love in action, not just word.
Therefore I urge you to confirm your love toward him. 2 Corinthians 2:8 (MEV)
3. “Be ready to forgive in obedience to Christ” (v. 10, implied) — Paul speaks of forgiving in the presence of Christ. The implication is that we too should extend forgiveness in Christ’s name and authority.
Now to whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if I forgave anyone, I forgave it for your sakes in the presence of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:10 (MEV)
4. “Do not be ignorant of Satan’s schemes” (v. 11, implied) — Paul says the reason they forgive is to keep Satan from gaining an advantage. The implication: be aware of how unforgiveness plays into the enemy’s strategies.
This was so that Satan should not get an advantage over us. For we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:11 (MEV)
2 CORINTHIANS 3 – Imperatives
1. “Let your life be a letter of Christ” (v. 2–3, implied) — Paul says believers are epistles of Christ, written not with ink but by the Spirit. The implication: live in a way that reflects Christ as a living letter to others.
You are our letter written in our hearts, known and read by all men. For you are prominently declared to be the letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on human tablets of the heart. 2 Corinthians 3:2–3 (MEV)
2. “Turn to the Lord so the veil will be taken away” (v. 16, implied) — Paul says when anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. The implication is clear: if you want to see clearly, turn fully to Christ.
Nevertheless when anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 2 Corinthians 3:16 (MEV)
3. “Live with unveiled face, reflecting the Lord’s glory” (v. 18, implied) — Paul describes the transformation of believers as they behold the Lord’s glory. The implied command is to continually look to Christ so His image is formed in you.
But we all, seeing the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (MEV)
2 CORINTHIANS 4 – Imperatives
1. “Do not lose heart” (v. 1) — Paul gives a clear and direct encouragement not to give up, even when ministry is hard.
Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy we have received, we do not lose heart. 2 Corinthians 4:1 (MEV)
2. “Renounce hidden shameful things” (v. 2a) — A strong moral imperative: have nothing to do with deceptive or disgraceful practices.
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 2 Corinthians 4:2 (MEV)
3. “Do not handle the word of God deceitfully” (v. 2b) — A second clear imperative, warning against twisting Scripture for selfish ends.
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 2 Corinthians 4:2 (MEV)
4. “Let light shine out of darkness” (v. 6, implied) — Though this verse refers to God’s act of creation and our salvation, the implication is that we too, bearing His light, must let His light shine through us.
For God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 (MEV)
5. “Do not focus on what is seen” (v. 18, implied) — Paul instructs believers to fix their gaze on eternal things. This is a clear implied command for eternal perspective.
So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is not seen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is not seen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 (MEV)
2 CORINTHIANS 5 – Imperatives
1. “Be always confident, even in suffering” (v. 6, implied) — Paul says “we are always confident” even while groaning in earthly bodies. The example calls believers to adopt the same resilient mindset.
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6 (MEV)
2. “Walk by faith, not by sight” (v. 7) — A clear and widely memorized imperative: base your life on trust in God, not what you see.
For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (MEV)
3. “Be ambitious to please the Lord” (v. 9, implied) — Paul says “we labor” (or “make it our aim”) to be pleasing to Christ whether alive or dead. The implication is to live with that same aim.
So whether present or absent, we labor that we may be accepted by Him. 2 Corinthians 5:9 (MEV)
4. “Live with judgment day in mind” (v. 10, implied) — Paul reminds them all must appear before Christ’s judgment seat. The weight of this truth implies a call to live accordingly, with eternal accountability in view.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his recompense in the body, according to what he has done, whether it was good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10 (MEV)
5. “Be compelled by Christ’s love” (v. 14, implied) — Paul says Christ’s love “constrains” or controls us. The implied imperative is to let His love be your controlling motive.
For the love of Christ constrains us, because we thus judge: that if One died for all, then all have died. 2 Corinthians 5:14 (MEV)
6. “Live no longer for yourself, but for Christ” (v. 15) — A clear command, rooted in the Gospel itself.
And He died for all, that those who live should not live from now on for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 2 Corinthians 5:15 (MEV)
7. “Be reconciled to God” (v. 20) — One of the most direct imperatives in all of Scripture, especially for the unsaved. It’s an appeal and a command.
So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you in Christ’s stead: Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20 (MEV)
2 CORINTHIANS 6 – Imperatives
1. “Do not receive God’s grace in vain” (v. 1) — Paul urges the Corinthians not to waste or disregard the grace they’ve been given.
As workers together with God, we ask you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 Corinthians 6:1 (MEV)
2. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” (v. 14) — This is a direct and clear command against binding partnerships with those who oppose God.
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion has light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14 (MEV)
3. “Come out from among them and be separate” (v. 17a) — A strong call to separate from unclean associations, drawn from Isaiah but reaffirmed here with imperative force.
Therefore, Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. 2 Corinthians 6:17 (MEV)
4. “Do not touch what is unclean” (v. 17b) — This continues the command to separate from impurity.
Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. 2 Corinthians 6:17 (MEV)
2 CORINTHIANS 7 – Imperatives
1. “Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement” (v. 1) — This is a direct call to pursue holiness by turning away from sin, in both body and spirit.
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 (MEV)
2. “Perfect holiness in the fear of God” (v. 1) — A second imperative in the same verse, calling us to actively grow in holiness as an ongoing pursuit.
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 (MEV)
3. “Make room in your hearts for us” (v. 2) — Paul appeals for restored relationship and openness; this is a direct command to receive him and his companions.
Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have defrauded no one. 2 Corinthians 7:2 (MEV)
2 CORINTHIANS 8 – Imperatives
1. “Abound in this grace also” (generosity) (v. 7) — Paul commends them for excelling in many things and urges them to also abound in the grace of giving.
But as you abound in everything—in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also. 2 Corinthians 8:7 (MEV)
2. “Prove the sincerity of your love” (v. 8, implied) — Paul contrasts the Macedonians’ generosity with the Corinthians’ opportunity to demonstrate genuine love through action. The imperative is implied.
I say this not as a command, but to prove through the authenticity of others, the sincerity of your love. 2 Corinthians 8:8 (MEV)
3. “Finish doing your part in giving” (v. 11) — Paul urges them to complete what they had previously committed to, aligning intention with action.
Now therefore complete the task, so that as there was a willingness to do so, there may also be a performance of it according to your means. 2 Corinthians 8:11 (MEV)
4. “Give according to what you have” (v. 12, implied) — Paul lays down the principle that giving should be proportional. The implication: do not wait for excess—give from what you already have.
For if there is a willing mind first, the gift is accepted according to what a man possesses and not according to what he does not possess. 2 Corinthians 8:12 (MEV)
5. “Supply the lack of others” (v. 14, implied) — Paul explains the principle of mutual provision: those who have more at the moment should help those in need.
At this present time your abundance should supply their needs, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be equality. 2 Corinthians 8:14 (MEV)
2 CORINTHIANS 9 – Imperatives
1. “Be ready to give ahead of time” (v. 5, implied) — Paul sent others ahead to ensure the Corinthians’ gift was prepared beforehand. The clear implication is to prepare your giving intentionally and in advance.
I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go ahead to you and arrange beforehand your generous gift you had previously promised, that it might be ready as a generous gift, not as a grudging obligation. 2 Corinthians 9:5 (MEV)
2. “Sow bountifully” (v. 6, implied) — Paul draws the principle of sowing and reaping: if you sow generously, you will reap generously. The imperative to give generously is strongly implied.
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6 (MEV)
3. “Give as you purpose in your heart” (v. 7) — A clear directive on how to give: not reluctantly or under pressure, but as an act of willing generosity.
Let every man give according to the purpose in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity. For God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 (MEV)
2 CORINTHIANS 11 – Imperatives
1. “Bear with me a little in my folly” (v. 1) — Paul opens with a rhetorical but direct plea: he asks the Corinthians to tolerate his upcoming statements, spoken with irony.
Would to God you could bear with me a little in my folly! Indeed, bear with me. 2 Corinthians 11:1 (MEV)
2. “Do not be deceived by false apostles” (v. 13–15, implied) — Paul exposes false apostles who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. The clear implication: don’t be naïve or deceived by appearances.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. 2 Corinthians 11:13–15 (MEV)
2 CORINTHIANS 12– Imperatives
1. “Boast only in weaknesses” (v. 5, implied) — Paul refuses to boast in anything but his weaknesses. The consistent teaching of this principle across Paul’s writings implies we too should reject self-exaltation and boast only in what shows God’s power.
Of such a man I will boast. Yet of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. 2 Corinthians 12:5 (MEV)
2. “Rely on God’s grace in weakness” (v. 9, implied) — The Lord’s response to Paul’s request was “My grace is sufficient.” The implication is to accept God’s grace and lean into His strength, not your own.
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (MEV)
3. “Be content in weakness, hardship, and persecution” (v. 10, implied) — Paul expresses deep contentment even in suffering. The implication is clear: embrace trials for Christ’s sake with joy, knowing God works through them.
Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in reproaches, in hardships, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 (MEV)
2 CORINTHIANS 13 – Imperatives
1. “Examine yourselves” (v. 5) — A direct command to test your own faith and ensure you are truly in Christ.
Examine yourselves, seeing whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not know that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 2 Corinthians 13:5 (MEV)
2. “Test yourselves” (v. 5) — A second command reinforcing the first, calling for personal spiritual evaluation.
Examine yourselves, seeing whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not know that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 2 Corinthians 13:5 (MEV)
3. “Pray that we do no evil” (v. 7, implied) — Paul says, “I pray to God that you do no evil.” While it’s his prayer, the implication is that we too should pray this way and strive to live accordingly.
Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is right, even if we may seem disqualified. 2 Corinthians 13:7 (MEV)
4. “Do what is right” (v. 7, implied) — In the same breath as the above, Paul urges them toward moral integrity. It’s not optional — it’s an implied imperative.
Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is right, even if we may seem disqualified. 2 Corinthians 13:7 (MEV)
5. “Rejoice” (v. 11) — Paul closes with final instructions, starting with this direct call to joy.
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Strive for perfection. Be comforted. Be of one mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 (MEV)
6. “Strive for perfection” (v. 11) — A direct call to spiritual growth and maturity.
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Strive for perfection. Be comforted. Be of one mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 (MEV)
7. “Be comforted” (v. 11) — A gentle but clear directive to take encouragement in the truth and promises of God.
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Strive for perfection. Be comforted. Be of one mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 (MEV)
8. “Be of one mind” (v. 11) — A call to unity among believers, echoing themes found throughout Paul’s letters.
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Strive for perfection. Be comforted. Be of one mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 (MEV)
9. “Live in peace” (v. 11) — The final imperative in the letter, instructing believers to pursue peace with one another.
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Strive for perfection. Be comforted. Be of one mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 (MEV)
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