New Living Translation | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
1And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. | 1Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. |
2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. | 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. |
3Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. | 3For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you 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 each a measure of faith. |
4Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, | 4For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, |
5so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. | 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. |
6In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. | 6Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; |
7If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. | 7if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; |
8If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. | 8or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. |
9Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. | 9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. |
10Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. | 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; |
11Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. | 11not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; |
12Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. | 12rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, |
13When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. | 13contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. |
14Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. | 14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. |
15Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. | 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. |
16Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! | 16Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. |
17Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. | 17Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. |
18Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. | 18If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. |
19Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD. | 19Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. |
20Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” | 20"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." |
21Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. | 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
|