Letter to the Romans 12

¹ Think of God’s mercy, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God.

² Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.

³ In the light of the grace I have received I want to urge each one among you not to exaggerate his real importance. Each of you must judge himself soberly by the standard of the faith God has given him.

⁴ Just as each of our bodies has several parts and each part has a separate function,

⁵ so all of us, in union with Christ, form one body, and as parts of it we belong to each other.

⁶ Our gifts differ according to the grace given us. If your gift is prophecy, then use it as your faith suggests;

⁷ if administration, then use it for administration; if teaching, then use it for teaching.

⁸ Let the preachers deliver sermons, the almsgivers give freely, the officials be diligent, and those who do works of mercy do them cheerfully.

⁹ Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil.

¹⁰ Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other.

¹¹ Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit.

¹² If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying.

¹³ If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them.

¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow.

¹⁶ Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied.

¹⁷ Never repay evil with evil but let everyone see that you are interested only in the highest ideals.

¹⁸ Do all you can to live at peace with everyone.

¹⁹ Never try to get revenge; leave that, my friends, to God’s anger. As scripture says: vengeance is mine – I will pay them back,[*a] the Lord promises.

²⁰ But there is more: If your enemy is hungry, you should give him food, and if he is thirsty, let him drink. Thus you heap red-hot coals on his head.[*b]

²¹ Resist evil and conquer it with good.