(A)“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but (B)have tested those (C)who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up (D)for my name's sake, and you (E)have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned (F)the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do (G)the works you did at first. If not, (H)I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of (I)the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (J)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (K)To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of (L)the tree of life, which is in (M)the paradise of God.’

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I know your deeds,(A) your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested(B) those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.(C) You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name,(D) and have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.(E) Consider how far you have fallen! Repent(F) and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand(G) from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans,(H) which I also hate.

Whoever has ears, let them hear(I) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,(J) I will give the right to eat from the tree of life,(K) which is in the paradise(L) of God.

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A Living Sacrifice

12 (A)I appeal to you therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, (B)to present your bodies (C)as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.[b] (D)Do not be conformed to this world,[c] but be transformed by (E)the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may (F)discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.[d]

Gifts of Grace

For (G)by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you (H)not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, (I)each according to (J)the measure of faith that God has assigned.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 12:1 Or brothers and sisters
  2. Romans 12:1 Or your rational service
  3. Romans 12:2 Greek age
  4. Romans 12:2 Or what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God

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.

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