Living sacrifices
12
📚✭Therefore, brethren, because of the mercies of God, I plead with you to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 📚And do not be conformed to this world✭, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.Using abilities
3 📚✭For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone who is among you, one should not think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but should think soberly, according to the measure of faith God has distributed to each one.
4 📚✭For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same function, 5 📚so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and each one a member belonging to every other. 6 📚Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, if the gift is prophecy✭, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 📚or if it is serving, let him be active in serving; or he who teaches, let him be active in teaching; 8 📚or he who exhorts, let him exhort; he who gives, let him do it generously; he who leads, let him do it with diligence; he who shows mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
A life of love, joy, unity, humility and peace
9 📚✭Let love be without hypocrisy✭. Hate✭ what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 📚Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, in the matter of honour put others above yourself.
How believers should live in the light of the gospel
11 📚✭Do not be backward in zeal, but be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, 12 📚rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, persevering in prayer, 13 📚✭distributing✭ to the needs of the saints, eager to show hospitality✭.
14 📚Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 📚✭Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 📚✭Be harmonious in your thoughts toward one another. Do not think highly of yourself, but associate with men in low positions. Do not think you are a wise one.
17 📚✭Do not pay back to anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is excellent in the sight of all men. 18 📚If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with everyone. 19 📚✭Dear friends, do not take revenge, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord”. 20 📚✭Therefore,
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty,
give him something to drink.
For in doing this you will heap coals
of fire on his head”.
21 📚Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.