Romans 12
International Standard Version
Dedicate Your Lives to God
12 I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship.[a] 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God’s will is—what is proper,[b] pleasing, and perfect.
3 For by the grace given to me I ask every one of you not to think of yourself more highly than you should think, rather to think of yourself with sober judgment on the measure of faith that God has assigned each of you. 4 For we have many parts in one body, but these parts do not all have the same function. 5 In the same way, even though we are many people, we are one body in the Messiah[c] and individual parts connected to each other. 6 We have different gifts based on the grace that was given to us. So if your gift is prophecy, use your gift[d] in proportion to your faith. 7 If your gift is serving, devote yourself to serving others.[e] If it is teaching, devote yourself to teaching others.[f] 8 If it is encouraging, devote yourself to encouraging others.[g] If it is sharing, share generously.[h] If it is leading, lead enthusiastically.[i] If it is helping, help cheerfully.[j]
9 Your love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to each other with mutual affection. Excel at showing respect for each other. 11 Never be lazy in showing such devotion. Be on fire with the Spirit. Serve the Lord.[k] 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in trouble, and persistent in prayer. 13 Supply the needs of the saints. Extend hospitality to strangers.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Keep on blessing them, and never curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Cry with those who are crying. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Do not be arrogant, but associate with humble people. Do not think that you are wiser than you really are.
17 Do not pay anyone back evil for evil, but[l] focus your thoughts on what is right in the sight of all people. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people. 19 Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God’s[m] wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord.”[n] 20 But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him. For if he is thirsty, give him a drink. If you do this, you will pile burning coals on his head.”[o] 21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.
Footnotes
- Romans 12:1 Lit. to God, your reasonable worship
- Romans 12:2 Or good
- Romans 12:5 Or Christ
- Romans 12:6 Lit. If prophecy
- Romans 12:7 Lit. If serving, in serving
- Romans 12:7 Lit. If teaching, in teaching
- Romans 12:8 Lit. If encouraging, in encouragement
- Romans 12:8 Lit. The one who shares, with generosity
- Romans 12:8 Lit. The one who leads, with enthusiasm
- Romans 12:8 Lit. The one who helps, with cheerfulness
- Romans 12:11 Other mss. read the time
- Romans 12:17 The Gk. lacks but
- Romans 12:19 The Gk. lacks God’s
- Romans 12:19 Cf. Deut 32:35; MT source citation reads Lord
- Romans 12:20 Cf. Prov 25:21-22
Romans 12
New American Standard Bible
Dedicated Service
12 Therefore (A)I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to (B)present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, [a]acceptable to God, which is your [b]spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not (C)be conformed to (D)this [c]world, but be transformed by the (E)renewing of your mind, so that you may [d](F)prove what the will of God is, that which is good and [e]acceptable and perfect.
3 For through (G)the grace given to me I say to everyone among you (H)not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to (I)each a measure of faith. 4 For (J)just as we have many parts in one body and all [f]the body’s parts do not have the same function, 5 so we, (K)who are many, are (L)one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another. 6 However, since we have gifts that (M)differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if (N)prophecy, [g]in proportion to one’s faith; 7 if [h](O)service, in the act of serving; or the one who (P)teaches, in the act of teaching; 8 or the one who [i](Q)exhorts, in the work of [j]exhortation; the one who gives, with [k](R)generosity; (S)the one who [l]is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with (T)cheerfulness.
9 [m](U)Love must be free of hypocrisy. (V)Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be (W)devoted to one another in brotherly love; [n]give preference to one another (X)in honor, 11 not lagging behind in diligence, (Y)fervent in spirit, (Z)serving the Lord; 12 (AA)rejoicing in hope, (AB)persevering in tribulation, (AC)devoted to prayer, 13 (AD)contributing to the needs of the [o]saints, [p](AE)practicing hospitality.
14 (AF)Bless those who persecute [q]you; bless and do not curse. 15 (AG)Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 (AH)Be of the same mind toward one another; (AI)do not be [r]haughty in mind, but [s]associate with the lowly. (AJ)Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 (AK)Never repay evil for evil to anyone. [t](AL)Respect what is right in the sight of all people. 18 If possible, (AM)so far as it depends on you, (AN)be at peace with all people. 19 (AO)Never take your own revenge, beloved, but [u]leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “(AP)Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “(AQ)But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Footnotes
- Romans 12:1 Or pleasing
- Romans 12:1 I.e., in contrast to offering a literal sacrifice
- Romans 12:2 Or age
- Romans 12:2 Or discover
- Romans 12:2 Or pleasing
- Romans 12:4 Lit the parts
- Romans 12:6 Or in agreement with the faith
- Romans 12:7 Or office of service
- Romans 12:8 Or encourages
- Romans 12:8 Or encouragement
- Romans 12:8 Or sincere concern
- Romans 12:8 Or provides care
- Romans 12:9 Or Love has no
- Romans 12:10 Or outdo one another in showing honor
- Romans 12:13 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Romans 12:13 Lit pursuing
- Romans 12:14 Two early mss do not contain you
- Romans 12:16 Or arrogant
- Romans 12:16 Or accommodate yourself to lowly things
- Romans 12:17 Lit Take thought for
- Romans 12:19 Lit give a place
Romans 12
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.
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 12
Complete Jewish Bible
12 I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please him; it is the logical “Temple worship” for you. 2 In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the ‘olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed. 3 For I am telling every single one of you, through the grace that has been given to me, not to have exaggerated ideas about your own importance. Instead, develop a sober estimate of yourself based on the standard which God has given to each of you, namely, trust. 4 For just as there are many parts that compose one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function; 5 so there are many of us, and in union with the Messiah we comprise one body, with each of us belonging to the others. 6 But we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, use it to the extent of your trust; 7 if it is serving, use it to serve; if you are a teacher, use your gift in teaching; 8 if you are a counselor, use your gift to comfort and exhort; if you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously; if you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal; if you are one who does acts of mercy, do them cheerfully.
9 Don’t let love be a mere outward show. Recoil from what is evil, and cling to what is good. 10 Love each other devotedly and with brotherly love; and set examples for each other in showing respect. 11 Don’t be lazy when hard work is needed, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor. 12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer. 13 Share what you have with God’s people, and practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you — bless them, don’t curse them! 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be sensitive to each other’s needs — don’t think yourselves better than others, but make humble people your friends. Don’t be conceited. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but try to do what everyone regards as good. 18 If possible, and to the extent that it depends on you, live in peace with all people. 19 Never seek revenge, my friends; instead, leave that to God’s anger; for in the Tanakh it is written,
“Adonai says, ‘Vengeance is my responsibility; I will repay.’”[a]
20 On the contrary,
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
For by doing this, you will heap
fiery coals [of shame] on his head.”[b]
21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.
Footnotes
- Romans 12:19 Deuteronomy 32:41
- Romans 12:20 Proverbs 25:21–22
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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