Romans 12-13
New King James Version
Living Sacrifices to God
12 I (A)beseech[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies (B)a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your [b]reasonable service. 2 And (C)do not be conformed to this world, but (D)be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may (E)prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Serve God with Spiritual Gifts
3 For I say, (F)through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, (G)not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt (H)to each one a measure of faith. 4 For (I)as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so (J)we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is (K)given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us (L)prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; (M)he who teaches, in teaching; 8 (N)he who exhorts, in exhortation; (O)he who gives, with liberality; (P)he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, (Q)with cheerfulness.
Behave Like a Christian
9 (R)Let love be without hypocrisy. (S)Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 (T)Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, (U)in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 (V)rejoicing in hope, (W)patient[c] in tribulation, (X)continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 (Y)distributing to the needs of the saints, (Z)given[d] to hospitality.
14 (AA)Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 (AB)Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 (AC)Be of the same mind toward one another. (AD)Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 (AE)Repay no one evil for evil. (AF)Have[e] regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, (AG)live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, (AH)do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, (AI)“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore
(AJ)“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but (AK)overcome evil with good.
Submit to Government
13 Let every soul be (AL)subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists (AM)the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will [f]bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? (AN)Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore (AO)you must be subject, not only because of wrath (AP)but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 (AQ)Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Love Your Neighbor(AR)
8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for (AS)he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, (AT)“You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” [g]“You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, (AU)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore (AV)love is the fulfillment of the law.
Put on Christ
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time (AW)to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. (AX)Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and (AY)let us put on the armor of light. 13 (AZ)Let us walk [h]properly, as in the day, (BA)not in revelry and drunkenness, (BB)not in lewdness and lust, (BC)not in strife and envy. 14 But (BD)put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and (BE)make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Footnotes
- Romans 12:1 urge
- Romans 12:1 rational
- Romans 12:12 persevering
- Romans 12:13 Lit. pursuing
- Romans 12:17 Or Provide good
- Romans 13:2 Lit. receive
- Romans 13:9 NU omits “You shall not bear false witness,”
- Romans 13:13 decently
Romans 12-13
21st Century King James Version
12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3 For I say to every man that is among you, through the grace given unto me, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us: if prophecy, let us prophesy according to our portion of faith;
7 or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 or he that exhorteth, on exhortation; he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10 Have kindly affection one for another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another;
11 not slothful in business; fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer;
13 distributing to the necessity of saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17 Recompense no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,saith the Lord.”
20 Therefore: “If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
13 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but from God; the powers that be are ordained by God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and those who resist shall receive for themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same,
4 for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Therefore ye must be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
6 For, for this cause pay ye tribute also, for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another, for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” “Thou shalt not kill,” “Thou shalt not steal,” “Thou shalt not bear false witness,” “Thou shalt not covet,” and if there be any other commandment, all are briefly comprehended in this saying, namely: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awaken out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed.
12 The night is far spent; the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in lewdness and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.
Romans 12-13
English Standard Version
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] 2 (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
3 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. 4 For (K)as in one body we have many members,[e] and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, (L)though many, (M)are one body in Christ, and individually (N)members one of another. 6 (O)Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if (P)prophecy, (Q)in proportion to our faith; 7 if (R)service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; (S)the one who leads,[f] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with (T)cheerfulness.
Marks of the True Christian
9 (U)Let love be genuine. (V)Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 (W)Love one another with brotherly affection. (X)Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, (Y)be fervent in spirit,[g] (Z)serve the Lord. 12 (AA)Rejoice in hope, (AB)be patient in tribulation, (AC)be constant in prayer. 13 (AD)Contribute to the needs of the saints and (AE)seek to show hospitality.
14 (AF)Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 (AG)Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 (AH)Live in harmony with one another. (AI)Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.[h] (AJ)Never be wise in your own sight. 17 (AK)Repay no one evil for evil, but (AL)give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, (AM)live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, (AN)never avenge yourselves, but leave it[i] to the wrath of God, for it is written, (AO)“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, (AP)“if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Submission to the Authorities
13 Let every person (AQ)be subject to the governing authorities. For (AR)there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you (AS)will receive his approval, 4 for (AT)he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, (AU)an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also (AV)for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 (AW)Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Fulfilling the Law Through Love
8 (AX)Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for (AY)the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, (AZ)“You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: (BA)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore (BB)love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you (BC)to wake from sleep. (BD)For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 (BE)The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us (BF)cast off (BG)the works of darkness and (BH)put on the armor of light. 13 (BI)Let us walk properly as in the daytime, (BJ)not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, (BK)not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But (BL)put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, (BM)to gratify its desires.
Footnotes
- Romans 12:1 Or brothers and sisters
- Romans 12:1 Or your rational service
- Romans 12:2 Greek age
- Romans 12:2 Or what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God
- Romans 12:4 Greek parts; also verse 5
- Romans 12:8 Or gives aid
- Romans 12:11 Or fervent in the Spirit
- Romans 12:16 Or give yourselves to humble tasks
- Romans 12:19 Greek give place
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
