2 Corinthians 5:9

Whether living or dead, Paul's aim is to please the Lord. Pleasing God is the controlling ambition of life.

Cross-references · 21

• Col 1:10so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
• 2 Pet 3:14Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight.
• Rom 14:18For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
• 1 Th 4:11and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.
• Gen 4:7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”
• 1 Tim 4:10To this end we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, and especially of those who believe.
• 2 Pet 1:10–11Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble,
• Acts 10:35but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.
• Isa 56:7I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”
• 1 Cor 9:26–27Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air.
• 1 Th 4:1Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more.
• Rom 14:8If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
• 1 Cor 15:58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
• Rom 15:20In this way I have aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
• 2 Cor 5:6Therefore we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord.
• Heb 12:28Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
• John 6:27Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
• 2 Cor 5:8We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
• Col 1:29To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me.
• Heb 4:11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.
• Eph 1:6to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.