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.

The Use of Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning ^(A)spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, ^(B)I do not want you to be unaware. ^2 (C)You know that when you were ^[a]pagans, you were ^(D)led ^[b]astray to the ^(E)mute idols, however you were led. ³ Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking ^[c](F)by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is ^[d](G)accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is ^(H)Lord,” except ^[e](I)by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are ^(J)varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶ There are varieties of effects, but the same ^(K)God who works all things in all persons. ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit ^(L)for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given the word of ^(M)wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of ^(N)knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another ^(O)faith ^[f]by the same Spirit, and to another ^(P)gifts of ^[g]healing ^[h]by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the ^[i]effecting of ^[j](Q)miracles, and to another ^(R)prophecy, and to another the ^[k](S)distinguishing of spirits, to another various ^(T)kinds of tongues, and to another the ^(U)interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, ^(V)distributing to each one individually just as He ^[l]wills.

¹² For just ^(W)as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, ^(X)so also is Christ. ¹³ For ^[m](Y)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether ^(Z)Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to ^(AA)drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For ^(AB)the body is not one part, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[n]any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[o]any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has ^(AC)arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, ^(AD)just as He desired. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ But now ^(AE)there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, ^[p]it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³ and those parts of the body which we ^[q]consider less honorable, ^[r]on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, ²⁴ whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, ²⁵ so that there may be no ^[s]division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is ^[t]honored, all the parts rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are ^(AF)Christ’s body, and ^(AG)individually parts of it. ²⁸ And God has ^[u](AH)appointed in ^(AI)the church, first ^(AJ)apostles, second ^(AK)prophets, third ^(AL)teachers, then ^[v](AM)miracles, then ^(AN)gifts of healings, helps, ^(AO)administrations, and various ^(AP)kinds of tongues. ²⁹ All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of ^[w]miracles, are they? ³⁰ All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not ^(AQ)interpret, do they? ³¹ But ^(AR)earnestly desire the greater gifts.

And yet, I am going to show you a far better way.