Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God1, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. 4For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members do not have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in AL-MASIH2, and individually members one of another. 6Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; 7or serving, let us give ourselves to serving; or he who teaches, to his teaching; 8or he who encourages, to giving encouragement: he who gives, let him do it with generosity; he who administers, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. 10In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honour preferring one another; 11not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. 16Be of the same mind one toward another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own conceits. 17Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honourable in the sight of all men. 18If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. 19Do not seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written,
“Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” 3
says the LORD. 20Therefore,
“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 4
21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- 12:1 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
- 12:5 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
- 12:19 Quoting the Taurat, Deuteronomy 32:35 which says: “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, at the time when their foot shall slide. For the day of their calamity is at hand, the things that are to come on them shall make haste.” ↩︎
- 12:20 Quoting the Taurat, Proverbs 25:21-22 which says: If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head, and YAHWEH will reward you. ↩︎