Exhortations

Exhortations are acts of urging someone to take a particular action, adopt a belief, or refrain from a course of conduct. The term comes from Latin exhortatio, from exhortare “to urge forth,” and entered English with early modern usage to describe persuasive appeals intended to move an audience.

Exhortations are common in religious, ethical, political, and everyday contexts. In religious settings, sermons and scriptural letters often contain exhortations to live virtuously, persevere in faith, or care for others. In ethics and civic life, exhortations call for reform, civic virtue, or adherence to shared values. In ordinary interactions, parents, teachers, and leaders exhort others to act or change behavior.

Rhetorically, exhortation functions as a persuasive act that aims to spur action. It can rely on appeals to character (ethos), emotion (pathos), or reason (logos), and it may be direct, paternal, encouraging, or urgent. It is distinct from mere advice or information because it seeks to influence conduct, though it is not a binding order.

Exhortations are often brief and directive, framing moral or practical imperatives in a way that invites agreement or action. They can appear as written texts, sermons, public speeches, or informal admonitions, and their effectiveness depends on perceived credibility, emotional resonance, and clarity of the desired course of action.