Life among the Believers

⁴³ Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.^{(A) 44} All who believed were together and had all things in common;^{(B) 45} they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds^[a] to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home^[b] and ate their food with glad and generous^[c] hearts,^{(C) 47} praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.^(D)

The New Life in Christ

12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship.^{(A) 2} Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.^[a](B)

³ For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.^{(C) 4} For as in one body we have many members and not all the members have the same function,^{(D) 5} so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. ⁶ We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith;^{(E) 7} ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching;^{(F) 8} the encourager, in encouragement; the giver, in sincerity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.^(G)

Reproving Another Who Sins

¹⁵ “If your brother or sister sins against you,^[a] go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If you are listened to, you have regained that one.^{(A) 16} But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.^{(B) 17} If that person refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a gentile and a tax collector.^{(C) 18} Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.^{(D) 19} Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.^{(E) 20} For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”