Romans 12:1-8

A Living Sacrifice

1 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]

2 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

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.

4 For ¹¹as in one body we have many members,^[e] and the members do not all have the same function,

5 so we, ¹²though many, ¹³are one body in Christ, and individually ¹⁴members one of another.

6 ¹⁵Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if ¹⁶prophecy, ¹⁷in proportion to our faith;

7 if ¹⁸service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;

8 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.

Romans 12:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ROMANS 12

The doctrines concerning predestination, justification being established, the duties of religion are built upon them, and enforced by them in this and the following chapters. The apostle first exhorts all the members of the church in common to a regard to the worship of God, in opposition to the things of the world; and then the officers of the church particularly, to the discharge of their duty; and next all of them, both officers and members, to the performance of various duties respecting God, themselves, one another, and the men of the world. The duty of attending public worship is first mentioned, signified by a presentation of their bodies to the Lord, Ro 12:1, to which they are moved, partly by the plenteous mercy and goodness of God to them; and partly by the acceptableness of it to God; as also by the reasonableness of the thing: then follows a dehortation from conformity to the world, the men and manners of it, in superstition and will worship, or in acts of immorality, Ro 12:2, and also an exhortation to a different course of life, in seeking to please God; which is proposed upon a principle of grace in them, being renewed in the Spirit of their mind; and with this end and view, that they might the better prove, try, and discern, and come at, a greater knowledge of the mind and will of God: and whereas gifts are apt to swell men with pride and vanity, such as qualify men to bear any office in the church, the apostle cautions against this spirit and conduct, and exhorts to sobriety and humility; by observing, that what gifts they have, are such that God has given them, and which they have not of themselves; and what they have is only in part and in measure, some one and some another; and none have all gifts, Ro 12:3, this he illustrates, Ro 12:4, by an human body and the members of it, which being many, have not the same office, but some one and some another; which he accommodates to the body of Christ the church, Ro 12:5, which though but one in Christ, has many members; and these are members one of another, and are designed mutually to serve and help each other, for which the gifts among them were bestowed: and then the apostle proceeds to take notice of the particular officers in the church, and exhorts them to the function of their offices, according to their different gifts; as, first, the preacher to preach according to the rule of faith, and the measure of gifts bestowed, Ro 12:6, and then the deacon, the other officer, to attend to his deaconship, Ro 12:7, and inasmuch as these officers, according to their different gifts, may be distinguished, some having a talent for stating, explaining, and defending doctrines, and may be called doctors, or teachers, let them attend to the doctrinal part of the word; and others having a talent in the practical way of preaching, whether by way of exhortation or comfort, and may be called exhorters or comforters, let them attend to that branch of the ministry, Ro 12:8, and as for the deacon, the performance of his office, whether it be by distributing to the poor, let him do it impartially and faithfully; or by assisting in the government of the church, let it be done with all diligence; or by showing mercy to the poor in distress, besides what they usually receive, let it be done with a cheerful countenance: next follow various duties which are mentioned, not in an exact order or method, but may be reduced to these heads; such as concern God, an unfeigned love of him, abhorrence of all evil, and a close attachment to whatsoever is good, Ro 12:9, and also the worship of him, which is to be performed with diligence and fervency, Ro 12:11, the exercise of the grace of hope with joy, patience in the midst of tribulations, and perseverance in prayer, Ro 12:12, then such duties as concern one another, as Christians and brethren in a church relation; as to exercise an affectionate brotherly love to each other, and to honour one another; and even to give each other the preference, who may be equal or superior, both in spiritual gifts, and in temporal things, Ro 12:10, and with respect to poor saints, to communicate cheerfully to their necessities; and with respect to strangers, to entertain them hospitably, Ro 12:13, and as to every member, whether in prosperous or adverse circumstances, to bear a part with them, rejoicing with the one, weeping with the other, Ro 12:15, and to behave with humility, modesty, and sobriety, towards all, Ro 12:16, and next such duties as concern the men of the world, particularly to bless, and not curse persecutors, Ro 12:14, not to retaliate evil for evil, but to do everything that is of good report in the sight of men, Ro 12:17, to study, if possible, to live peaceably with all men, Ro 12:18, to bridle passion and refrain from wrath, and not seek private revenge, but leave it with the Lord to take vengeance, Ro 12:19, on the other hand, to he kind and beneficent to enemies, by giving them food and drink when hungry and thirsty, expressed in the words of Solomon, Pr 25:21,22, the reasons for which are, because hereby an enemy may be wrought upon, and be brought either to shame or repentance, and become a friend, Ro 12:20, and because by doing otherwise, resenting and returning the evil, a man is conquered by it; whereas, by the other method, the enemy is conquered by good, Ro 12:21, and it is much more commendable and honourable to be a conqueror, than to be conquered.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Ephesians 4:1
• 2. Romans 6:13, 16, 19; [Psalms 50:13, 14; 1 Corinthians 6:20]; See 1 Peter 2:5
• 3. Hebrews 10:20
• 4. 1 Peter 1:14; [1 John 2:15]
• 5. Titus 3:5; [Psalms 51:10; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Ephesians 4:23; Colossians 3:10]
• 6. Ephesians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:3
• 7. See Romans 1:5
• 8. ver. 16; Romans 11:20
• 9. 1 Corinthians 7:17
• 10. Ephesians 4:7
• 11. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 4:4, 16
• 12. 1 Corinthians 10:17, 33
• 13. 1 Corinthians 12:20; Ephesians 4:13; See John 17:11
• 14. Ephesians 4:25; [1 Corinthians 6:15; 1 Corinthians 12:27]
• 15. 1 Corinthians 12:4; 1 Peter 4:10, 11; [1 Corinthians 7:7; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11]
• 16. 1 Corinthians 12:10; See Acts 13:1
• 17. [2 Timothy 2:15]
• 18. See Acts 6:1
• 19. 1 Timothy 5:17; [1 Corinthians 12:28]
• 20. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Footnotes

• [a]. Or brothers and sisters
• [b]. Or your rational service
• [c]. Greek age
• [d]. Or what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God
• [e]. Greek parts; also verse 5
• [f]. Or gives aid