Romans 12-13

New American Standard Bible 1995

Dedicated Service

12 Therefore ^(A)I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to ^(B)present your bodies 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 members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so we, ^(K)who are many, are ^(L)one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ⁶ Since we have gifts that ^(M)differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if ^(N)prophecy, ^[f]according to the proportion of his faith; ⁷ if ^[g](O)service, in his serving; or he who ^(P)teaches, in his teaching; ⁸ or he who ^(Q)exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with ^[h](R)liberality; ^(S)he who ^[i]leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with ^(T)cheerfulness.

⁹ Let ^(U)love be without hypocrisy. ^(V)Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be ^(W)devoted to one another in brotherly love; ^[j]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 ^[k]saints, ^[l](AE)practicing hospitality.

^14 (AF)Bless those who persecute ^[m]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 haughty in mind, but ^[n]associate with the lowly. ^(AJ)Do not be wise in your own estimation. ^17 (AK)Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. ^[o](AL)Respect what is right in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If possible, ^(AM)so far as it depends on you, ^(AN)be at peace with all men. ^19 (AO)Never take your own revenge, beloved, but ^[p]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, and 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.

Be Subject to Government

13 Every ^[q](AR)person is to be in ^(AS)subjection to the governing authorities. For ^(AT)there is no authority except ^[r]from God, and those which exist are established by God. ² Therefore ^[s]whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. ³ For ^(AU)rulers are not a cause of fear for ^[t]good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; ⁴ for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an ^(AV)avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. ⁵ Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also ^(AW)for conscience’ sake. ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. ^7 (AX)Render to all what is due them: ^(AY)tax to whom tax is due; ^(AZ)custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

⁸ Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for ^(BA)he who loves ^[u]his neighbor has fulfilled the law. ⁹ For this, “^(BB)You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “^(BC)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰ Love ^[v]does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore ^(BD)love is the fulfillment of the law.

¹¹ Do this, knowing the time, that it is ^(BE)already the hour for you to ^(BF)awaken from sleep; for now ^[w]salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. ^12 (BG)The night is almost gone, and ^(BH)the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside ^(BI)the deeds of darkness and put on ^(BJ)the armor of light. ¹³ Let us ^[x](BK)behave properly as in the day, ^(BL)not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. ¹⁴ But ^(BM)put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh ^(BN)in regard to its lusts.