Romans 12
1 And so, I beg you, brothers, by the mercy of God, that you offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, with the subservience of your mind.
I plead with you therefore, brethren, by the compassionsof God, to present all your faculties to Him as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to Him. This with you will be an act of reasonable worship.
2 And do not choose to be conformed to this age, but instead choose to be reformed in the newness of your mind, so that you may demonstrate what is the will of God: what is good, and what is well-pleasing, and what is perfect. (aiōn g165)
And do not follow the customs of the present age, but be transformed by the entire renewal of your minds, so that you may learn by experience what God's will is--that will which is good and beautiful and perfect. (aiōn g165)
3 For I say, through the grace that has been given to me, to all who are among you: Taste no more than it is necessary to taste, but taste unto sobriety and just as God has distributed a share of the faith to each one.
For through the authority graciously given to me I warn every individual among you not to value himself unduly, but to cultivate sobriety of judgement in accordance with the amount of faith which God has allotted to each one.
4 For just as, within one body, we have many parts, though all the parts do not have the same role,
For just as there are in the one human body many parts, and these parts have not all the same function;
5 so also we, being many, are one body in Christ, and each one is a part, the one of the other.
so collectively we form one body in Christ, while individually we are linked to one another as its members.
6 And we each have different gifts, according to the grace that has been given to us: whether prophecy, in agreement with the reasonableness of faith;
But since we have special gifts which differ in accordance with the diversified work graciously entrusted to us, if it is prophecy, let the prophet speak in exact proportion to his faith;
7 or ministry, in ministering; or he who teaches, in doctrine;
if it is the gift of administration, let the administrator exercise a sound judgement in his duties.
8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, in simplicity; he who governs, in solicitude; he who shows mercy, in cheerfulness.
The teacher must do the same in his teaching; and he who exhorts others, in his exhortation. He who gives should be liberal; he who is in authority should be energetic and alert; and he who succours the afflicted should do it cheerfully.
9 Let love be without falseness: hating evil, clinging to what is good,
Let your love be perfectly sincere. Regard with horror what is evil; cling to what is right.
10 loving one another with fraternal charity, surpassing one another in honor:
As for brotherly love, be affectionate to one another; in matters of worldly honour, yield to one another.
11 in solicitude, not lazy; in spirit, fervent; serving the Lord;
Do not be indolent when zeal is required. Be thoroughly warm-hearted, the Lord's own servants,
12 in hope, rejoicing; in tribulation, enduring; in prayer, ever-willing;
full of joyful hope, patient under persecution, earnest and persistent in prayer.
13 in the difficulties of the saints, sharing; in hospitality, attentive.
Relieve the necessities of God's people; always practise hospitality.
14 Bless those who are persecuting you: bless, and do not curse.
Invoke blessings on your persecutors--blessings, not curses.
15 Rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Weep with those who are weeping.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
16 Be of the same mind toward one another: not savoring what is exalted, but consenting in humility. Do not choose to seem wise to yourself.
Have full sympathy with one another. Do not give your mind to high things, but let humble ways content you. Do not be wise in your own conceits.
17 Render to no one harm for harm. Provide good things, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men.
Pay back to no man evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and seemly in every one's esteem.
18 If it is possible, in so far as you are able, be at peace with all men.
If you can, so far as it depends on you, live at peace with all the world.
19 Do not defend yourselves, dearest ones. Instead, step aside from wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is mine. I shall give retribution, says the Lord.”
Do not be revengeful, my dear friends, but give way before anger; for it is written, "'Revenge belongs to Me: I will pay back,' says the Lord."
20 So if an enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap burning coals upon his head.
On the contrary, therefore, if your enemy is hungry, give him food; if he is thirsty, quench his thirst. For by doing this you will be heaping burning coals upon his head.
21 Do not allow evil to prevail, instead prevail over evil by means of goodness.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome the evil with goodness.
