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So then, my fellow believers in the Messiah, I appeal to you because of how compassionate God is: offer your own bodies to God as if they were a live sacrifice. Set yourselves apart {this way} for God’s purposes in order to please him. {God will consider this} your rational {religious} service {to him}. 2 Do not align yourselves with {how sinful people live at} the current time. Instead, transfigure yourselves by renewing how you spiritually perceive {things}. Then you will be able to test and approve what God desires {you to do}. God desires that you do what is good, and pleasing, and flawless.3 Indeed, God graciously gave me {these words as one who God authorized to represent him. So,} I say that not even one of you must focus on being better than another person. Instead, you must focus on thinking moderately. {Keep focusing on} how God has portioned out to each person {what they need} to remain faithful {to him}. 4 Indeed, although each of our bodies have many parts, yet not all the parts function in the same manner. 5 Similarly, there are many people united to the Messiah’s one body. Indeed, like parts of a body, each one of his people are united to the Messiah’s body. 6 And yet, since God is so kind, he has given {each of} us gracious gifts that differ. If {God has gifted you to be able} to prophesy. Then you should prophesy corresponding to how much you trust in God. 7 If {God has gifted you} to serve, you should serve {others}. {If God has gifted you} to teach, you should teach {others}. 8 If {God has gifted you} to encourage {others}, you should encourage {others. If God has gifted you} to share {with others}, you should share generously {with others}. {If God has gifted you} to lead {others}, you should lead diligently. {If God has gifted you} to be merciful, you should be cheerfully merciful.
9 {You must} love each other genuinely. {You must} detest what is wicked. {You must} retain what is good. 10 {You must} act tenderly affectionate toward each other, like fellow believers in the Messiah should love. {You must} try to be the first to honor other {fellow believers in the Messiah}. 11 {You must} not remain idle, {but} be diligent. {You must} continue to be enthusiastic. {You must} continue to serve {as if it were} for the Lord {himself}. 12 {You must} be joyful while hoping {in the Lord}. {You must} endure when distressed. {You must} stay engaged in prayer. 13 {You must} contribute to what God’s people need. {You must} find opportunities to help strangers who are needy. 14 You must {ask God to} bless those who trouble you. {Ask God to} bless them. Do not slander them. 15 You should rejoice with those people who are rejoicing! You should be sad along with those who are sad! 16 Consider that others are as smart as you. Do not be arrogant about how smart you are, but associate with humble people. Do not consider that you can rely on how smart you are. 17 If someone does something evil to you, do not react by doing evil to them. Think deeply about how you can do what is considered excellent by all people. 18 If you are able, as much as it depends on you, live peacefully with all people.
19 O beloved people of God, do not retaliate {when someone does something wrong to you}. Instead, wait for God to punish them. Because as the holy scriptures say, ““I will retaliate {when someone does something wrong to you}. It is I who will pay them back, says the Lord.’” 20 “Instead {of retaliating}, you should feed your enemy if he is hungry. You should give your enemy something to drink if he is thirsty. Because when you do things like these, {you will hopefully shock him, as if} you were piling up fiery coals on top of his head. {This is so that he would realize that God will punish him if he does not repent.}” 21 {In other words,} do not let what is evil conquer you. Instead, conquer what is evil by doing what is good.