Chapter 12

¹I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the compassions of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your intelligent service. ²And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of [your] mind, that ye may prove what [is] the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ³For I say, through the grace which has been given to me, to every one that is among you, not to have high thoughts above what he should think; but to think so as to be wise, as God has dealt to each a measure of faith. ⁴For, as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office; ⁵thus we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and each one members one of the other. ⁶But having different gifts, according to the grace which has been given to us, whether [it be] prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of faith; ⁷or service, [let us occupy ourselves] in service; or he that teaches, in teaching; ⁸or he that exhorts, in exhortation; he that gives, in simplicity; he that leads, with diligence; he that shews mercy, with cheerfulness. ⁹Let love be unfeigned; abhorring evil; cleaving to good: ¹⁰as to brotherly love, kindly affectioned towards one another: as to honour, each taking the lead in paying it to the other: ¹¹as to diligent zealousness, not slothful; in spirit fervent; serving the Lord. ¹²As regards hope, rejoicing: as regards tribulation, enduring: as regards prayer, persevering: ¹³distributing to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality. ¹⁴Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. ¹⁵Rejoice with those that rejoice, weep with those that weep. ¹⁶Have the same respect one for another, not minding high things, but going along with the lowly: be not wise in your own eyes: ¹⁷recompensing to no one evil for evil: providing things honest before all men: ¹⁸if possible, as far as depends on you, living in peace with all men; ¹⁹not avenging yourselves, beloved, but give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance [belongs] to me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. ²⁰If therefore thine enemy should hunger, feed him; if he should thirst, give him drink; for, so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. ²¹Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.