Romans 12

Give Your Lives to God

1 So brothers and sisters, since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him. Your offering must be only for God and pleasing to him, which is the spiritual way for you to worship.2 Do not be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.3 Because God has given me a special gift, I have something to say to everyone among you. Do not think you are better than you are. You must decide what you really are by the amount of faith God has given you.4 Each one of us has a body with many parts, and these parts all have different uses.5 In the same way, we are many, but in Christ we are all one body. Each one is a part of that body, and each part belongs to all the other parts.6 We all have different gifts, each of which came because of the grace God gave us. The person who has the gift of prophecy should use that gift in agreement with the faith.7 Anyone who has the gift of serving should serve. Anyone who has the gift of teaching should teach.

8 Whoever has the gift of encouraging others should encourage. Whoever has the gift of giving to others should give freely. Anyone who has the gift of being a leader should try hard when he leads. Whoever has the gift of showing mercy to others should do so with joy.
9 Your love must be real. Hate what is evil, and hold on to what is good.10 Love each other like brothers and sisters. Give each other more honor than you want for yourselves.11 Do not be lazy but work hard, serving the Lord with all your heart.12 Be joyful because you have hope. Be patient when trouble comes, and pray at all times.

13 Share with God’s people who need help. Bring strangers in need into your homes.
14 Wish good for those who harm you; wish them well and do not curse them.15 Be happy with those who are happy, and be sad with those who are sad.

16 Live in peace with each other. Do not be proud, but make friends with those who seem unimportant. Do not think how smart you are.
17 If someone does wrong to you, do not pay him back by doing wrong to him. Try to do what everyone thinks is right.18 Do your best to live in peace with everyone.19 My friends, do not try to punish others when they wrong you, but wait for God to punish them with his anger. It is written: “I will punish those who do wrong; I will repay them,” 

20 But you should do this:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink.
Doing this will be like pouring burning coals on his head.” t
21 Do not let evil defeat you, but defeat evil by doing good.

Romans 12

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.2 And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.4 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.6 And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;7 or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching;8 or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.10 In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another;11 in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;12 rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer;13 communicating to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality.14 Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not.15 Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits.17 Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men.18 If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.19 Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord.20 But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.