I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. | Therefore, brethren, I implore you by the mercies of God to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God—a spiritual act of worship. |
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. | Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds, so that you will be able to discern the will of God and to know what is good and acceptable and perfect. |
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For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. | Through the grace that God has bestowed upon me, I advise every one of you not to think of yourself too highly, but to regard yourself objectively, based on the measure of faith that God has granted. |
For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. | For just as in one body we have many parts, and the parts do not all have the same function, so we, though many, make up one body in Christ, and individually we are all parts of one another. |
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good. | Let your love be sincere. Loathe what is evil and hold fast to what is good. |
Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. | Love one another with genuine affection. Esteem others more highly than yourself. |
Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. | Do not be lacking in zeal, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor. |
Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. | Be joyful in your hope. Be patient in times of affliction. Persevere in prayer. |
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. | Bless those who persecute you; bless them and do not curse them. |
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. | Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. |
Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. | Live in harmony with one another. Do not consider yourself to be better than others, but associate with the lowly, and never be conceited. |
If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. | As much as possible, and to the extent of your ability, live in peace with everyone. |
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” | Dearly beloved, never seek revenge. Leave that to the time of retribution. For it is written, “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. I will repay.” |
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. | Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. |
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. | Let everyone submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which derives from God, and whatever authorities exist have been instituted by God. |
For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, busy with this very thing. | That is why you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, and they devote themselves to this service. |
Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. | Pay to each person what is rightfully his—taxes to the one to whom taxes are due, tolls to the one to whom tolls are due, respect to the one to whom respect is due, honor to the one to whom honor is due. |
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. | Owe nothing to anyone except the debt of love you owe one another. The one who loves others has fulfilled the Law. |
The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” | “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and every other commandment are all summed up in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” |
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. | Love cannot result in any harm to the neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law. |
Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. | Rather, put on the Lord Jesus Christ and allow no opportunity for the flesh to gratify its sinful desires. |
Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. | Welcome anyone whose faith is weak, but do not get into arguments about doubts. |
Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. | The one who eats everything must not look contemptuously on the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed both. |
Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. | What right do you have to pass judgment on someone else’s servant? The master will determine whether that servant will stand or fall. But the servant will be upheld, for the Lord has the power to enable him to stand. |
Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. | One person may consider one day to be more sacred than another, while another may judge all days to be alike. Let everyone be convinced in his own beliefs. |