²⁰ Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.^(A) In regard to evil be infants,^(B) but in your thinking be adults.

²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.^{(A) 22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools^{(B) 23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images^(C) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

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.

¹⁴ Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.^[a](B)

²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ^(A) have clothed yourselves with Christ.^(B)

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,^(A) but fellow citizens^(B) with God’s people and also members of his household,^{(C) 20} built^(D) on the foundation^(E) of the apostles and prophets,^(F) with Christ Jesus himself^(G) as the chief cornerstone.^{(H) 21} In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple^(I) in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.^(J)

²⁴ and to put on^(A) the new self,^(B) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.^(C)

²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully^(D) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.^(E)

⁸ We know that the law is good^(A) if one uses it properly. ⁹ We also know that the law is made not for the righteous^(B) but for lawbreakers and rebels,^(C) the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine^{(D) 11} that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.^(E)