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Living sacrifice and transformed lives

12 So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.

Transformed relationships

Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say to each one of you: don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of you. We have many parts in one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function. In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other. We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, you should prophesy in proportion to your faith. If your gift is service, devote yourself to serving. If your gift is teaching, devote yourself to teaching. If your gift is encouragement, devote yourself to encouraging. The one giving should do it with no strings attached. The leader should lead with passion. The one showing mercy should be cheerful.

Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good. 10 Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other. 11 Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic—be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord! 12 Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you’re in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of God’s people, and welcome strangers into your home. 14 Bless people who harass you—bless and don’t curse them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying. 16 Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think that you’re better than anyone else. Instead, associate with people who have no status. Don’t think that you’re so smart. 17 Don’t pay back anyone for their evil actions with evil actions, but show respect for what everyone else believes is good.

18 If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people. 19 Don’t try to get revenge for yourselves, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. It is written, Revenge belongs to me; I will pay it back, says the Lord.[a] 20 Instead, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. By doing this, you will pile burning coals of fire upon his head.[b] 21 Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.

12 I appeal parakaleō to you hymeis therefore oun, brethren adelphos, by dia the ho mercies oiktirmos of ho God theos, to present paristēmi · ho your hymeis bodies sōma as a living zaō sacrifice thusia, holy hagios and acceptable euarestos to ho God theos this ho is a reasonable logikos act of worship latreia for you hymeis. And kai do not be conformed syschēmatizō to ho this houtos world aiōn, but alla be transformed metamorphoō by the ho renewing anakainōsis of ho your mind nous, so eis that you hymeis may discern dokimazō the ho will thelēma of ho God theos, what tis is · ho good agathos and kai acceptable euarestos and kai perfect teleios. For gar by dia the ho grace charis · ho given didōmi to me egō I say legō to every pas one who ho is eimi among en you hymeis that he should not think hyperphroneō of himself more highly than para he hos ought dei to think phroneō; but alla to think phroneō with eis · ho sober sōphroneō judgment , as hōs God theos has assigned merizō to each hekastos · ho a measure metron of faith pistis. For gar as kathaper in en our one heis body sōma we have echō many polys members melos, and de the ho members melos do echō not ou all pas have echō the ho same autos function praxis, so houtōs we eimi who ho are many polys are eimi one heis body sōma in en Christ Christos, · ho and de individually kata heis members melos who belong to one another allēlōn, having echō · de gifts charisma that differ diaphoros according kata to the ho grace charis · ho given didōmi to us hēmeis. If eite your gift is prophecy prophēteia, then prophesy in kata · ho proportion analogia to your ho faith pistis; if eite your gift is service diakonia, use it to en · ho serve diakonia; if eite you are a · ho teacher didaskō, then en · ho teach didaskalia; if eite you have the ho gift of encouragement parakaleō, then use it to en · ho encourage paraklēsis; if you are able · ho to give metadidōmi, give generously en haplotēs; if your gift is · ho leadership proistēmi, lead with en zeal spoudē; if it is · ho showing eleaō mercy , then do it with en cheerfulness hilarotēs. Let · ho love agapē be genuine anypokritos. Abhor apostygeō what ho is evil ponēros; hold kollaō fast to what ho is good agathos. 10 Love philostorgos one another allēlōn with ho brotherly philadelphia affection ; outdo proēgeomai one another allēlōn in showing proēgeomai · ho honor timē; 11 do oknēros not lag oknēros in ho zeal spoudē; be enthusiastic zeō in ho spirit pneuma; serve douleuō the ho Lord kyrios; 12 rejoice chairō in ho hope elpis, be patient hypomenō in ho suffering thlipsis, devote yourself proskartereō to ho prayer proseuchē; 13 contribute to koinōneō the ho needs chreia of the ho saints hagios, seek to show diōkō · ho hospitality philoxenia. 14 Bless eulogeō those ho who persecute diōkō you hymeis; bless eulogeō and kai do not curse kataraomai them. 15 Rejoice chairō with meta those who rejoice chairō; weep klaiō with meta those who weep klaiō. 16 Live phroneō · ho in harmony autos with eis one allēlōn another ; do phroneō not be phroneō · ho haughty hypsēlos but alla associate with synapagō the ho lowly tapeinos. Do not be ginomai wise phronimos in para your heautou own estimation. 17 Repay apodidōmi no mēdeis one evil kakos for anti evil kakos; give pronoeō careful thought to what is good kalos in enōpion the sight of all pas people anthrōpos. 18 If ei possible dynatos, so far as it ho depends ek on you hymeis, be at peace eirēneuō with meta all pas people anthrōpos. 19 Never avenge ekdikeō yourselves heautou, dear agapētos friends , but alla leave didōmi room topos for the ho wrath orgē of God, for gar it is written graphō, “ Vengeance ekdikēsis is mine egō, I egō will repay antapodidōmi, says legō the Lord kyrios.” 20 To the contrary alla, “ if ean your sy enemy echthros is hungry peinaō, · ho feed psōmizō him autos; if ean he is thirsty dipsaō, give him autos something to drink potizō; for gar by doing poieō this houtos you will heap sōreuō burning pyr coals anthrax on epi · ho his autos head kephalē.” 21 Do not be overcome nikaō by hypo · ho evil kakos, but alla overcome nikaō evil kakos with en · ho good agathos. · ho