Romans 12
1 I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service.
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 be not conformed to this world; but be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, and the acceptable, and the perfect will of God. (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, by the grace that is given me, to all that are among you, not to be more wise than it behoveth to be wise, but to be wise unto sobriety, and according as God hath divided to every one the measure of faith.
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 as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office:
For just as there are in the one human body many parts, and these parts have not all the same function;
5 So we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
so collectively we form one body in Christ, while individually we are linked to one another as its members.
6 And having different gifts, according to the grace that is given us, either prophecy, to be used according to the rule 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 that teacheth, in doctrine;
if it is the gift of administration, let the administrator exercise a sound judgement in his duties.
8 He that exhorteth, in exhorting; he that giveth, with simplicity; he that ruleth, with carefulness; he that sheweth mercy, with 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 dissimulation. Hating that which is evil, cleaving to that which is good.
Let your love be perfectly sincere. Regard with horror what is evil; cling to what is right.
10 Loving one another with the charity of brotherhood, with honour preventing one another.
As for brotherly love, be affectionate to one another; in matters of worldly honour, yield to one another.
11 In carefulness not slothful. In spirit fervent. Serving the Lord.
Do not be indolent when zeal is required. Be thoroughly warm-hearted, the Lord's own servants,
12 Rejoicing in hope. Patient in tribulation. Instant in prayer.
full of joyful hope, patient under persecution, earnest and persistent in prayer.
13 Communicating to the necessities of the saints. Pursuing hospitality.
Relieve the necessities of God's people; always practise hospitality.
14 Bless them that persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Invoke blessings on your persecutors--blessings, not curses.
15 Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
16 Being of one mind one towards another. Not minding high things, but consenting to the humble. Be not wise in your own conceits.
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 To no man rendering evil for evil. Providing 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 be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men.
If you can, so far as it depends on you, live at peace with all the world.
19 Revenge not yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath, for it is written: Revenge is mine, I will repay, saith 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 But if thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat; if he thirst, give him to drink. For, doing this, thou shalt heap coals of fire 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 Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome the evil with goodness.
