Romans Chapter 12

Christians as Living Sacrifices

            ¹ So I urge you by God’s mercies to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God; that’s your spiritual service. ² Don’t conform yourselves to this world; transform yourselves by renewing your mind so you can discern what God’s will is—what’s good, pleasing, and perfect.                                                                                   

³ By the grace God gave me, I say to everyone among you not to think more of yourselves than you should. Think properly as measured by the faith God has allotted to each of you. ⁴ There are many parts to one body, and they don’t all serve the same purpose. ⁵ That’s how it is with the many of us that are in Christ. Individually we’re interdependent parts with one another. ⁶ We have different gifts according to God’s grace. If our gift is prophecy, let’s prophesy in accordance with our faith. ⁷ If it’s service, let’s carry out our commitment to him in our service. If it’s teaching, let’s do it in teaching. ⁸ If it’s encouraging, let’s do it in encouragement. If it’s sharing, let’s do it liberally. If it’s leading, let’s do it diligently. If it’s showing mercy, let’s do it cheerfully.                                                                               

Rom 12:1-8

            ⁹ Love has to be genuine. Hate what’s bad; hold onto what’s good. ¹⁰ Devote yourselves to one another in brotherly love. Look up to one another in showing honor. ¹¹ Be diligent, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice in hope, endure adversity, devote yourselves to prayer, ¹³ share in the saints’ needs, show hospitality to strangers. ¹⁴ Bless people that persecute you; don’t curse them. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who are rejoicing; cry with those who are crying. ¹⁶ Take the same attitude toward other people that you take toward yourself. Don’t be proud; associate with humble people. Don’t consider yourself smart. ¹⁷ Don’t pay back evil for evil. Be careful to do what’s good in front of everybody. ¹⁸ As much as comes from your part, live peacefully with everyone. ¹⁹ Don’t take revenge, dear friends; walk away from anger. The scripture says,

                        “‘Revenge belongs to me;

                                    I’ll take care of it,’ the LORD says” [Lev 19:18].

²⁰ But,

                        “If your enemy’s hungry, feed him;

                                    if he’s thirsty, give him a drink.

If you do that,

                                    you’ll pour hot coals on his head” [Pro 25:21-22].

²¹ Don’t let evil overcome you; you overcome evil with good.                                      

Rom 12:9-21