1 ^12:1I EXHORT you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice; holy, well pleasing to God, your reasonable service; ^12:2and be not conformed to this life, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, that you may prove what is the will of God which is good and well-pleasing and perfect. ^12:3For I say through the grace given me, to every one among you, not to be higher-minded than he ought to be, but to think soberly, as God has distributed to each the measure of faith. ^12:4For as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office, ^12:5so we, the many, are one body in Christ, and each one members one of another; ^12:6but having different gifts according to the grace given us, if prophecy [let us prophesy] according to the analogy of the faith, ^12:7if a service [let us labor] in the service, if one teaches, in teaching, ^12:8if one exhorts in the exhortation, he that gives, with simplicity, he that rules, with diligence, he that exercises mercy, with cheerfulness.

2 ^12:9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor evil, adhere to that which is good, ^12:10be kindly disposed one to another with brotherly love, in honor prefer one another, ^12:11be not slothful in business, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord, ^12:12rejoice in the hope, be patient in affliction, be persevering in prayer, ^12:13contribute to the necessity of saints, practise hospitality. ^12:14Bless those that persecute, bless and curse not. ^12:15Rejoice with the rejoicing, weep with the weeping. ^12:16Desire the same thing one for another; desire not the high, but be satisfied with the humble. Be not wise in your own conceit. ^12:17Render evil for evil to no one, provide things honorable in the sight of all men; ^12:18if possible, as much as may be in your power, live peaceably with all men, ^12:19not vindicating yourselves, beloved, but give place to wrath; for it is written, Judgment is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. ^12:20If therefore your enemy is hungry, give him food; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for doing this you shall heap coals of fire on his head. ^12:21Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

3 ^13:1Let every soul be subject to the superior powers. For there is no power except from God, and the [powers] which exist have been ordained by God. ^13:2So that he who resists the power resists the ordinance of God; and those who resist shall receive judgment on themselves. ^13:3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Will you not fear the power? Do good, and you shall have praise from it; ^13:4for [the power] is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, fear; for it bears not the sword in vain; for it is God's minister of justice for punishment to him that does evil. ^13:5Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only on account of punishment, but also on account of conscience.

4 ^13:6For on this account also you pay taxes; for [magistrates] are servants of God attending constantly to this same thing. ^13:7Pay to all their dues; a tax to whom a tax is due, a toll to whom a toll is due, fear to whom fear, and honor to whom honor. ^13:8Owe no man any thing, except to love one another; for he that loves another has fully performed the law. ^13:9For this, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not desire inordinately, and if there is any other commandment, it is summarily comprehended in this word; You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ^13:10Love does no evil to a neighbor; love therefore is the sum of the law. ^13:11And [do] this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour that we should be waked from sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. ^13:12The night is far advanced, and the day is at hand; let us lay aside therefore the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ^13:13Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelries and drinking, not in lewdness and excesses, not in strife and envy; ^13:14but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for desires of the flesh.