Living as a Holy Sacrifice to God

¹Because God has shown you such mercy, brothers and sisters, I ask you to offer up your bodies to God while you are still alive. That will be a sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. It’s the right kind of worship to offer God.

²Don’t live the way this world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed. Then you’ll be able to recognize what God wants for you and agree that what he wants is right. His plan is good and pleasing and perfect.

Serving One Another in the Body of Christ

³By the grace that has been given to me, I say to every one of you, don’t think of yourself more highly than you should. Have a reasonable view of yourself, based on the faith God has given to each of you.

⁴Each of us has one body that’s made up of many parts. Those parts don’t all have the same function.

⁵In the same way, we are all part of one body in Christ, even though there are many of us. And each part of the body belongs to all the other parts.

⁶We all have different gifts, according to the grace God has given to each of us. If you have the gift of prophecy, then use it according to the faith you have.

⁷If your gift is serving, then serve. If it’s teaching, then teach.

⁸If it’s encouraging others, then encourage them. If it’s giving, then give generously. If it’s being a leader, then do it diligently. If it’s showing mercy, then do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

⁹Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil. Hold on to what is good.

¹⁰Love one another deeply. Honor one another more than yourselves.

¹¹Don’t ever become complacent, but stay excited about your faith as you serve the Lord.

¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.

¹³Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Welcome one another into your homes.

¹⁴Bless those who keep hurting you. Bless them, don’t curse them.

¹⁵If someone is happy, share their happiness, and if someone is sad, share their sadness.

¹⁶Get along with one another. Don’t be proud, but be willing to befriend people who aren’t considered important. Don’t think you’re better than others.

¹⁷Don’t pay back evil with evil. Be careful to do what everyone considers right.

¹⁸If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

¹⁹My dear friends, don’t try to get even with other people. Leave it up to God to punish them. After all, it’s written that the Lord says, “I’m the one who punishes people who do wrong, and I will pay them back.”

²⁰On the contrary,

“If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat.

If they’re thirsty, give them something to drink.

If you do that, you will pile up burning coals on their heads.”

²¹Don’t be overcome by evil. Overcome evil by doing good.