A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you,^(A) brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,^(B) holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform^(C) to the pattern of this world,^(D) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.^(E) Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is^(F)—his good, pleasing^(G) and perfect will.

²¹ “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming^(A) when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.^{(B) 22} You Samaritans worship what you do not know;^(C) we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.^{(D) 23} Yet a time is coming and has now come^(E) when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit^(F) and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴ God is spirit,^(G) and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

²⁵ The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ)^(H) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

²⁶ Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”^(I)

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;^(A) apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.^{(B) 7} If you remain in me^(C) and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.^{(D) 8} This is to my Father’s glory,^(E) that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.^(F)

⁹ “As the Father has loved me,^(G) so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands,^(H) you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.^(I)