12
Brothers and sisters, God has shown you his mercy. So I am asking you to offer up your bodies to him while you are still alive. Your bodies are a holy sacrifice that is pleasing to God. When you offer your bodies to God, you are worshipping him in the right way. 2 Don't live the way this world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed. Then you will be able to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is right. His plan is good and pleasing and perfect. 3 God's grace has been given to me. So here is what I say to every one of you. Don't think of yourself more highly than you should. Be reasonable when you think about yourself. Keep in mind the faith God has given to each of you. 4 Each of us has one body with many parts. And the parts do not all have the same purpose. 5 So also we are many people. But in Christ we are one body. And each part of the body belongs to all the other parts. 6 We all have gifts. They differ according to the grace God has given to each of us. Do you have the gift of prophecy? Then use it according to the faith you have. 7 If your gift is serving, then serve. If it is teaching, then teach. 8 Is it encouraging others? Then encourage them. Is it giving to others? Then give freely. Is it being a leader? Then work hard at it. Is it showing mercy? Then do it cheerfully.
9 Love must be honest and true. Hate what is evil. Hold on to what is good. 10 Love one another deeply. Honour others more than yourselves. 11 Stay excited about your faith as you serve the Lord. 12 When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful. 13 Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes.
14 Bless those who hurt you. Bless them, and do not curse them. 15 Be joyful with those who are joyful. Be sad with those who are sad. 16 Agree with one another. Don't be proud. Be willing to be a friend of people who aren't considered important. Don't think that you are better than others.
17 Don't pay back evil with evil. Be careful to do what everyone thinks is right. 18 If possible, live in peace with everyone. Do that as much as you can. 19 My dear friends, don't try to get even. Leave room for God to show his anger. It is written, ‘I am the God who judges people. I will pay them back,’ (Deuteronomy 32:35) says the Lord. 20 Do just the opposite. Scripture says,
‘If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
By doing those things, you will pile up burning coals on their heads.’ (Proverbs 25:21, 22)
21 Don't let evil overcome you. Overcome evil by doing good.
12:1–21 Believers are grateful for God's mercy. They show this by serving God with their minds and their bodies. They stop thinking and acting in what Paul called the way this world lives. He was talking about being controlled by sinful desires. God's love completely changes the way that believers think and act. They serve God together as brothers and sisters. God's people are all different from one another. But they all trust Jesus. In this way they are made one. Paul described this like being a body that has many different parts. Even though the parts do different things, they belong to the same body. Jesus' followers have many different gifts. Because of this they do different kinds of work. But they are brought together as one in the body of Christ. Living together as the body of Christ means living in peace. This includes being humble and honest. Believers are full of hope, joy, patience and faith. They make sure other people have what they need and they share with others. This includes sharing their joy or sadness. Believers do good even to people who cause harm. Believers trust God to bring judgement against people who are doing evil. This is because only God's love is strong enough to stop the power of evil.