A Life Dedicated to God

12 Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.

A Variety of Gifts in the Body of Christ

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone who is among you not to think more highly of yourself than what one ought to think, but to think ⌊sensibly⌋a, as God has apportioned a measure of faith to each one. 4 For just as in one body we have many members, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ, and ⌊individually⌋b members of one another, 6 but having different gifts according to the grace given to us: if it is prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if it is service, by service; if it is one who teaches, by teaching; 8 if it is one who exhorts, by exhortation; one who gives, with sincerity; one who leads, with diligence; one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Living in Love

9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; be attached to what is good, 10 being devoted to one another in brotherly love, esteeming one another more highly in honor, 11 not lagging in diligence, being enthusiastic in spirit, serving the Lord, 12 rejoicing in hope, enduring in affliction, being devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, pursuing hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute,c bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Think the same thing toward one another; ⌊do not think arrogantly⌋d, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise ⌊in your own sight⌋e. 17 Pay back no one evil for evil. Take thought for what is good in the sight of all people. 18 If it is possible on your part, be at peace with all people. 19 Do not take revenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,”f says the Lord. 20 But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by* doing this, you will heap up coals of fire upon his head.”g 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.