A Living Sacrifice
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1I appeal to you therefore, brothers,a by the mercies of God, 2to present your bodies 3as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.b
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4Do not be conformed to this world,c but be transformed by 5the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may 6discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.d
Gifts of Grace
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For 7by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you 8not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, 9each according to 10the measure of faith that God has assigned.
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15Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if 16prophecy, 17in proportion to our faith;
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if 18service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;
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the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; 19the one who leads,f with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with 20cheerfulness.
Marks of the True Christian
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32Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
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33Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
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34Live in harmony with one another. 35Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.h36Never be wise in your own sight.
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If possible, so far as it depends on you, 39live peaceably with all.
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Beloved, 40never avenge yourselves, but leave iti to the wrath of God, for it is written, 41"Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
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To the contrary, 42"if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head."
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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)