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12Christian brothers, I ask you from my heart to give your bodies to God because of His loving-kindness to us. Let your bodies be a living and holy gift given to God. He is pleased with this kind of gift. This is the true worship that you should give Him. 2Do not act like the sinful people of the world. Let God change your life. First of all, let Him give you a new mind. Then you will know what God wants you to do. And the things you do will be good and pleasing and perfect.
3God has given me His loving-favor. This helps me write these things to you. I ask each one of you not to think more of himself than he should think. Instead, think in the right way toward yourself by the faith God has given you. 4Our bodies are made up of many parts. None of these parts have the same use. 5There are many people who belong to Christ. And yet, we are one body which is Christ’s. We are all different but we depend on each other. 6We all have different gifts that God has given to us by His loving-favor. We are to use them. If someone has the gift of preaching the Good News, he should preach. He should use the faith God has given him. 7If someone has the gift of helping others, then he should help. If someone has the gift of teaching, he should teach. 8If someone has the gift of speaking words of comfort and help, he should speak. If someone has the gift of sharing what he has, he should give from a willing heart. If someone has the gift of leading other people, he should lead them. If someone has the gift of showing kindness to others, he should be happy as he does it.
9Be sure your love is true love. Hate what is sinful. Hold on to whatever is good. 10Love each other as Christian brothers. Show respect for each other. 11Do not be lazy but always work hard. Work for the Lord with a heart full of love for Him.
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A Living Sacrifice
12Therefore, I urge you,(A) brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,(B) holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2Do not conform(C) to the pattern of this world,(D) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.(E) Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is(F)—his good, pleasing(G) and perfect will.
Humble Service in the Body of Christ
3For by the grace given me(H) I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,(I) 5so in Christ we, though many, form one body,(J) and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts,(K) according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying,(L) then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith;(M) 7if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;(N) 8if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;(O) if it is giving, then give generously;(P) if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Love in Action
9Love must be sincere.(Q) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.(R) 10Be devoted to one another in love.(S) Honor one another above yourselves.(T) 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,(U) serving the Lord.
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Footnotes
- Romans 12:6 Or the
- Romans 12:8 Or to provide for others
Cross references
- Romans 12:1 : Eph 4:1; 1Pe 2:11
- Romans 12:1 : Ro 6:13, 16, 19; 1Co 6:20; 1Pe 2:5
- Romans 12:2 : 1Pe 1:14
- Romans 12:2 : 1Co 1:20; 2Co 10:2; 1Jn 2:15
- Romans 12:2 : Eph 4:23
- Romans 12:2 : S Eph 5:17
- Romans 12:2 : S 1Ti 5:4
- Romans 12:3 : Ro 15:15; 1Co 15:10; Gal 2:9; Eph 3:7; 4:7; 1Pe 4:10, 11
- Romans 12:4 : 1Co 12:12-14; Eph 4:16
- Romans 12:5 : 1Co 6:15; 10:17; 12:12, 20, 27; Eph 2:16; 4:4, 25; 5:30; Col 3:15
- Romans 12:6 : 1Co 7:7; 12:4, 8-10
- Romans 12:6 : S Eph 4:11
- Romans 12:6 : 1Pe 4:10, 11
- Romans 12:7 : S Eph 4:11
- Romans 12:8 : Ac 11:23; 13:15; 15:32
- Romans 12:8 : 2Co 8:2; 9:5-13
- Romans 12:9 : 2Co 6:6; 1Ti 1:5
- Romans 12:9 : Ps 97:10; Am 5:15; 1Th 5:21, 22
- Romans 12:10 : Ps 133:1; 1Th 4:9; Heb 13:1; 1Pe 1:22
- Romans 12:10 : Php 2:3
- Romans 12:11 : Ac 18:25
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