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A Living Sacrifice

^1 (a)I appeal to you therefore, brothers,^[a] by the mercies of God, ^(b)to present your bodies ^(c)as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.^{[b] 2 (d)}Do not be conformed to this world,^[c] but be transformed by ^(e)the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may ^(f)discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.^[d]

Gifts of Grace

³ For ^(g)by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you ^(h)not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, ⁽ⁱ⁾each according to ^(j)the measure of faith that God has assigned. ⁴ For ^(k)as in one body we have many members,^[e] and the members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so we, ^(l)though many, ^(m)are one body in Christ, and individually ⁽ⁿ⁾members one of another. ^6 (o)Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if ^(p)prophecy, ^(q)in proportion to our faith; ⁷ if ^(r)service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸ the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; ^(s)the one who leads,^[f] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with ^(t)cheerfulness.

Marks of the True Christian

^9 (u)Let love be genuine. ^(v)Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ^10 (w)Love one another with brotherly affection. ^(x)Outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, ^(y)be fervent in spirit,^{[g] (z)}serve the Lord. ^12 (aa)Rejoice in hope, ^(ab)be patient in tribulation, ^(ac)be constant in prayer. ^13 (ad)Contribute to the needs of the saints and ^(ae)seek to show hospitality.

^14 (af)Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ^15 (ag)Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ^16 (ah)Live in harmony with one another. ^(ai)Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.^{[h] (aj)}Never be wise in your own sight. ^17 (ak)Repay no one evil for evil, but ^(al)give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, ^(am)live peaceably with all. ¹⁹ Beloved, ^(an)never avenge yourselves, but leave it^[i] to the wrath of God, for it is written, ^(ao)"Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." ²⁰ To the contrary, ^(ap)"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." ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.