Dedicated Service

1 Therefore aI urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to bpresent your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, 1acceptable to God, which is your 2spiritual service of worship.

2 And do not abe conformed to bthis 1world, but be transformed by the crenewing of your mind, so that you may 2dprove what the will of God is, that which is good and 3acceptable and perfect.

3 For through athe grace given to me I say to everyone among you bnot to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to ceach a measure of faith.

4 For ajust as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,

5 so we, awho are many, are bone body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

6 Since we have gifts that adiffer according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if bprophecy, 1according to the proportion of his faith;

7 if 1aservice, in his serving; or he who bteaches, in his teaching;

8 or he who aexhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with 1bliberality; che who 2leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with dcheerfulness.

9 Let alove be without hypocrisy. bAbhor what is evil; cling to what is good.

10 Be adevoted to one another in brotherly love; 1give preference to one another bin honor;

11 not lagging behind in diligence, afervent in spirit, bserving the Lord;

12 arejoicing in hope, bpersevering in tribulation, cdevoted to prayer,

13 acontributing to the needs of the 1saints, 2bpracticing hospitality.

14 aBless those who persecute 1you; bless and do not curse.

15 aRejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

16 aBe of the same mind toward one another; bdo not be haughty in mind, but 1associate with the lowly. cDo not be wise in your own estimation.

17 aNever pay back evil for evil to anyone. 1bRespect what is right in the sight of all men.

18 If possible, aso far as it depends on you, bbe at peace with all men.

19 aNever take your own revenge, beloved, but 1leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “bVengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

20 “aBut if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.