Romeine 12

Hoe gelowiges moet lewe

1 Vriende, God is baie goed vir julle. Daarom vra ek mooi vir julle: Julle moet vir God dien soos Hy wil hê julle moet Hom dien. Julle moet self toffers wees vir Hom. Dit beteken: Julle moet reg lewe, julle moenie sonde doen nie, want julle behoort aan God. Julle moet goeie dinge doen, dinge waarvan God hou.

2 Julle moenie wees soos die mense van hierdie wêreld nie. Julle moet vir God vra om julle te verander sodat julle die regte dinge sal dink. Dan sal julle dinge doen wat God wil hê julle moet doen, goeie dinge, dinge waarvan Hy hou, dinge wat heeltemal reg is.

Gelowiges moet hulle genadegawes reg gebruik

8 As party van ons vir die ander gelowiges kan help om reg te lewe, dan moet ons vir hulle help. As party van ons vir die ander gelowiges van ons eie goed en geld kan gee, dan moet ons baie gee. As party van ons leiers kan wees, dan moet ons hard werk om goeie leiers te wees. As party van ons goed kan wees vir mense wat swaarkry, dan moet dit vir ons lekker wees om dit te doen.

Gelowiges moet lief wees vir mekaar

9 Julle moet waarlik lief wees vir mekaar.
Julle moet slegte dinge haat en graag goeie dinge doen.

10 Julle behoort aan Christus en aan mekaar, daarom moet julle lief wees vir mekaar.
Julle moet eerste wees om ander mense te respekteer.

11 Julle moenie lui wees nie, julle moet hard werk in die gemeente.
Dit moet vir julle lekker wees.
Julle moet die Here dien.

12 Julle moet wys dat julle bly is, want julle weet dat die Here julle sal red.
Wanneer julle swaarkry, dan moet julle geduldig wees.
Julle moet aanhou bid.

13 Party mense wat ook aan die Here behoort, het baie min goed. Julle moet van julle goed vir hulle gee.
Julle moet vriendelik wees met tvreemdelinge.

14 Wanneer mense slegte dinge aan julle doen, dan moet julle vir die Here vra om goed te wees vir hulle, julle moenie vir Hom vra om hulle te straf nie.

15 Wanneer ander mense bly is, dan moet julle saam met hulle bly wees.
Wanneer hulle hartseer is, dan moet julle saam met hulle hartseer wees.

16 Julle moet altyd gereed wees om saam te werk met mekaar.
Julle moenie dink dat julle baie belangrik is en dat julle nie by mense kan wees wat nie so belangrik soos julle is nie.
Julle moenie dink julle weet alles nie.

17 Wanneer mense slegte dinge aan julle doen, dan moet julle nie ook slegte dinge aan hulle doen nie.
Julle moet goeie dinge doen. Al die mense moet dink dit is goeie dinge.

18 Julle moet baie hard probeer om in vrede te lewe met ander mense.

19 Liewe vriende, wanneer mense slegte dinge aan julle doen, dan moet julle nie self vir hulle straf nie. Julle moet wag, God sal hulle straf, want in die Ou Testament is geskryf:
Die Here sê: tDit is Ék wat mense
sal straf oor wat hulle
verkeerd gedoen het.

20 Maar daar is ook geskryf:
tWanneer jou vyande honger is,
dan moet jy vir hulle kos gee
om te eet,
en wanneer hulle dors is,
dan moet jy vir hulle iets gee
om te drink.
As jy dit doen, dan sal hulle
baie skaam word,
hulle sal nie meer jou vyande
wil wees nie.
21 Jy moenie dat slegte dinge jou oorwin nie. Jy moet goeie dinge doen, sodat jý die slegte dinge kan oorwin.

Romans 12

Life in God's Service

1 So then, my brothers and sisters, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.

2 Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God — what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
3 And because of God's gracious gift to me I say to every one of you: do not think of yourself more highly than you should. Instead, be modest in your thinking, and judge yourself according to the amount of faith that God has given you. 4 We have many parts in the one body, and all these parts have different functions.t 5 In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body. 6 So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. If our gift is to speak God's message, we should do it according to the faith that we have;t 7 if it is to serve, we should serve; if it is to teach, we should teach;

8 if it is to encourage others, we should do so. Whoever shares with others should do it generously; whoever has authority should work hard; whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully.
9 Love must be completely sincere. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good. 10 Love one another warmly as Christian brothers and sisters, and be eager to show respect for one another. 11 Work hard and do not be lazy. Serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion. 12 Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times.

13 Share your belongings with your needy fellow-Christians, and open your homes to strangers.
14 Ask God to bless those who persecute you — yes, ask him to bless, not to curse.t 15 Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep.

16 Have the same concern for everyone. Do not be proud, but accept humble duties.t Do not think of yourselves as wise.t
17 If someone has done you wrong, do not repay him with a wrong. Try to do what everyone considers to be good. 18 Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody. 19 Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God's anger do it. For the scripture says, “I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord.”t 20 Instead, as the scripture says: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink; for by doing this you will make them burn with shame.”t 21 Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.