A Living Sacrifice
1 1I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God,
2to present your bodies
3as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
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4Do not be conformed to this world, 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.
Gifts of Grace
3 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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For
11as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,
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so we,
12though many,
13are one body in Christ, and individually
14members one of another.
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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, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with
20cheerfulness.
Marks of the True Christian
9 21Let love be genuine.
22Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
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23Love one another with brotherly affection.
24Outdo one another in showing honor.
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Do not be slothful in zeal,
25be fervent in spirit,
26 serve the Lord.
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27Rejoice in hope,
28be patient in tribulation,
29be constant in prayer.
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30Contribute to the needs of the saints and
31seek to show hospitality.
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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.
36Never be wise in your own sight.
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37Repay no one evil for evil, but
38give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
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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 it 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.