活的祭物

12 所以弟兄们,我藉着神的各样怜悯劝你们,要把自己的身体献上,做为圣洁、蒙神喜悦的活祭;这是你们理所当然的[a]事奉。 不要效法这世代,要藉着理性的更新而改变,使你们可以分辨什么是神的旨意——那美善、可喜悦、完美的旨意。

成为一体

我藉着所赐给我的恩典,对你们中间的每个人说:不要自视过高,过于所当看的,而要照着神所分给每个人信心的尺度,清醒地看自己。 正如我们一个身体有很多部分[b],而且各部分都有不同的功用; 照样,我们这许多人,在基督里是一个身体,而且各个部分都彼此相属。 照着所赐给我们的恩典,我们各有不同的恩赐:

如果是做先知传道[c]的恩赐[d],就按照信心的程度用它[e]
如果是服事的,就用在服事上;
如果是教导的,就用在教导上;
如果是劝勉的,就用在劝勉上;
分享的,要慷慨;
带领[f]的,要殷勤;
怜悯人的,要甘心乐意。

基督徒的行为规范

爱,不要虚假;要厌弃恶、持守善; 10 要以弟兄之情彼此相爱,以尊敬之心彼此谦让, 11 殷勤而不懒惰,灵里时时火热,常常服事主。 12 在盼望中要欢喜,在患难里要忍耐,在祷告上要恒切。 13 要分担圣徒的缺乏;尽力款待客旅。 14 要祝福那些逼迫你们的人;要祝福,不要诅咒。 15 要与快乐的人一同快乐;与哀哭的人一同哀哭。 16 要彼此同心;不要心高气傲,而要俯就卑微[g]的人;不要自以为聪明。 17 不要对任何人以恶报恶;要敬重所有的人看为美善的事; 18 如果有可能,尽量在你们的事上与所有的人和睦。 19 各位蒙爱的人哪,不要自己报复,宁可给神的震怒留地步,因为经上记着:“主说:报应在我,我将回报。”[h] 20 不但如此,

“如果你的敌人[i]饿了,就给他吃;
如果他渴了,就给他喝;
因为你这样做,就是把炭火堆在他的头上。”[j]

21 不要被恶所胜,反要以善胜恶。

Footnotes

  1. 罗马书 12:1 理所当然的——或译作“灵里的”。
  2. 罗马书 12:4 部分——或译作“肢体”。
  3. 罗马书 12:6 做先知传道——原文直译“说预言”。
  4. 罗马书 12:6 恩赐——辅助词语。
  5. 罗马书 12:6 用它——辅助词语。
  6. 罗马书 12:8 带领——或译作“管理”。
  7. 罗马书 12:16 卑微——或译作“谦卑”。
  8. 罗马书 12:19 《申命记》32:35。
  9. 罗马书 12:20 敌人——或译作“反对者”。
  10. 罗马书 12:20 《箴言》25:21-22。

为事奉上帝而活

12 所以,弟兄姊妹,我凭上帝的怜悯劝你们献上自己的身体,作圣洁、蒙上帝悦纳的活祭。你们理当这样事奉。 你们不可追随世界的潮流,要随着思想的不断更新而改变,这样就能明辨上帝的旨意,知道什么是良善、纯全、蒙祂悦纳的。

我凭上帝赐给我的恩典劝告各位,不要自视过高,要照着上帝赐给各人的信心中肯地看待自己。 就像我们身体的各部分有不同的功能, 我们众人在基督里组成一个身体,彼此联结,息息相关。 我们照所得的恩典各有不同的恩赐。说预言的,要按着信心的程度说预言; 服侍的,要忠心服侍;教导的,要专一教导; 劝勉的,要诚心劝勉;施舍的,要慷慨施舍;治理的,要殷勤治理;怜悯的,要甘心怜悯。

相爱相顾

不可虚情假意地爱人。要疾恶如仇,一心向善。 10 要彼此相爱如同手足,互相尊重,彼此谦让。 11 要殷勤,不可懒惰,要常常火热地事奉主。 12 盼望中要有喜乐,患难中要坚忍,祷告要恒切。 13 信徒有缺乏,要慷慨帮助;客人来访,要热诚款待。 14 迫害你们的,要为他们祝福;要祝福,不可咒诅。 15 要与喜乐的人同乐,与哀哭的人同哭。 16 要彼此和睦,不可心高气傲,反要俯就卑微的人,不可自以为聪明。

17 不要以恶报恶。要尊重别人,众人都认为好的事,应该竭力去做。 18 如果可能,总要尽力与人和睦相处。 19 亲爱的弟兄姊妹,不要私自报复,要让上帝来审判,因为圣经上说:

“主说,‘申冤在我,我必报应。’”

20 所以,

“你的仇敌若饿了,就给他吃的;
若渴了,就给他喝的;
你这样做是把炭火堆在他头上。”

21 你不可被恶所胜,反要以善胜恶。

为上帝奉献生命

12 兄弟姐妹们,我乞求你们,因为上帝向我们展示的丰富怜悯,请你们把自己的生命做为活祭奉献给上帝—这是只奉献给上帝、并让他喜悦的祭献。就上帝所做的而论,这才是你们应该敬拜他的方式。 不要变得像世人似的,而是让上帝用新的思维方式改变你们的内心,以便能够理解并接受上帝对你们所希望的。你们将会知道什么是美好的、什么是让他喜悦的、什么是完美的。

上帝赐给了我特殊的馈赠,因此我有话要对你们每一个人说。不要过高地超乎实际地看待自己,你们必须切实地看待自己,要按上帝赐给你们每个人的信仰来决定你们的身份。 我们每个人都有一个身体,这身体由许多部分组成,它们起的作用不都相同。 同样,我们虽有许多人,但在基督里,我们却是一体的,我们是这个身体的组成部分,是互相关联着的。

我们各有不同的天赋,由于上帝赐给我们的恩典,产生了每一种天赋。如果这天赋是预言 [a],那么,他们就应凭与自己相称的信仰去运用这天赋; 如果这天赋是侍奉,他们就应该去侍奉;如果这天赋是教导人,他们就应该去教导人; 如果这天赋是安慰他人,他们就应该去给人带来安慰;如果这天赋是帮助别人,他们就应该慷慨地去帮助他人;如果这天赋是做领袖,就让他不辞辛劳、孜孜不倦地工作;如果这天赋是体恤关心人,他们就应该高高兴兴地去做此事。

爱必须真诚,要憎恨邪恶,对美好的事物要执着。 10 用兄弟般的爱,把自己奉献给彼此吧,在荣誉方面,彼此应该高估对方; 11 侍奉上帝时,要努力工作,切忌偷懒,要热忱地为他服务。 12 在盼望中,要快乐;在患难中,要忍耐;要坚持祈祷。 13 要与上帝的圣民同分担困难,要热情好客。

14 为迫害你们的人祝福,而不要诅咒他们。 15 与欢快的人们同乐,与忧伤的人们同忧; 16 彼此要和睦相处,不要骄傲自大,要乐意和卑微的人交往,不要自以为是。

17 不要以恶报恶;大家都认为是好的事情,要留心去做。 18 要尽全力与人和睦相处。 19 亲爱的朋友们,不要企图惩罚对你们做恶的人,而是要等待上帝的愤怒去惩罚他们。在《经》上,主说道∶‘因为他们的行为,我将惩罚他们。" [b] 20 相反,

“如果你的仇人饿了,给他吃的;
如果他渴了,给他喝的;
如果你这么做,会让他无地自容的 [c]。”

21 不要被邪恶击败,要用美好击败罪恶。

Footnotes

  1. 羅 馬 書 12:6 预言: 上帝赐给某人为他代言的能力。
  2. 羅 馬 書 12:19 主说道∶ ‘我是惩罚的那位,我会报复。’旧约《申命记》32:35。
  3. 羅 馬 書 12:20 无地自容的: 直译你就会把燃烧的炭,倒在他的头上。旧约中这表示他们非常的难过或后悔。旧约《箴言》25:21-22:21。

Give Your Lives to God

12 So I beg you, brothers and sisters, because of the great mercy God has shown us, offer your lives[a] as a living sacrifice to him—an offering that is only for God and pleasing to him. Considering what he has done, it is only right that you should worship him in this way. Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.

God has given me a special gift, and that is why I have something to say to each one of you. Don’t think that you are better than you really are. You must see yourself just as you are. Decide what you are by the faith God has given each of us. Each one of us has one body, and that body has many parts. These parts don’t all do the same thing. In the same way, we are many people, but in Christ we are all one body. We are the parts of that body, and each part belongs to all the others.

We all have different gifts. Each gift came because of the grace God gave us. Whoever has the gift of prophecy should use that gift in a way that fits the kind of faith they have. Whoever has the gift of serving should serve. Whoever has the gift of teaching should teach. Whoever has the gift of comforting others should do that. Whoever has the gift of giving to help others should give generously. Whoever has the gift of leading should work hard at it. Whoever has the gift of showing kindness to others should do it gladly.

Your love must be real. Hate what is evil. Do only what is good. 10 Love each other in a way that makes you feel close like brothers and sisters. And give each other more honor than you give yourself. 11 As you serve the Lord, work hard and don’t be lazy. Be excited about serving him! 12 Be happy because of the hope you have. Be patient when you have troubles. Pray all the time. 13 Share with God’s people who need help. Look for people who need help and welcome them into your homes.

14 Wish only good for those who treat you badly. Ask God to bless them, not curse them. 15 When others are happy, you should be happy with them. And when others are sad, you should be sad too. 16 Live together in peace with each other. Don’t be proud, but be willing to be friends with people who are not important to others. Don’t think of yourself as smarter than everyone else.

17 If someone does you wrong, don’t try to pay them back by hurting them. Try to do what everyone thinks is right. 18 Do the best you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 My friends, don’t try to punish anyone who does wrong to you. Wait for God to punish them with his anger. In the Scriptures the Lord says,

“I am the one who punishes;
    I will pay people back.”(A)

20 But you should do this:

“If you have enemies who are hungry,
    give them something to eat.
If you have enemies who are thirsty,
    give them something to drink.
In doing this you will make them feel ashamed.[b](B)

21 Don’t let evil defeat you, but defeat evil by doing good.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 12:1 lives Literally, “bodies.” Paul is using the language of Old Testament animal sacrifice to express the idea of a complete giving of oneself to God.
  2. Romans 12:20 you will make them feel ashamed Literally, “you will pour burning coals on their head.” People in Old Testament times often put ashes on their heads to show that they were sad or sorry.

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. 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.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

For by the grace given me(H) I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,(I) so in Christ we, though many, form one body,(J) and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts,(K) according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying,(L) then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith;(M) if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;(N) if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;(O) if it is giving, then give generously;(P) if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

Love must be sincere.(Q) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.(R) 10 Be devoted to one another in love.(S) Honor one another above yourselves.(T) 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,(U) serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope,(V) patient in affliction,(W) faithful in prayer.(X) 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.(Y) Practice hospitality.(Z)

14 Bless those who persecute you;(AA) bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.(AB) 16 Live in harmony with one another.(AC) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.(AD)

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.(AE) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.(AF) 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.(AG) 19 Do not take revenge,(AH) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d](AI) says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e](AJ)

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 12:6 Or the
  2. Romans 12:8 Or to provide for others
  3. Romans 12:16 Or willing to do menial work
  4. Romans 12:19 Deut. 32:35
  5. Romans 12:20 Prov. 25:21,22