I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, {Greek: well-pleasing.}acceptable to God, which is your {Greek: belonging to the reason.}spiritual {Or, worship}service.
And be not fashioned according to this {Or, age}world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is {Or, the will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect}the good and {Greek: well-pleasing.}acceptable and perfect will of God.
For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.
For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office:
so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.
And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;
or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching;
or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with {Greek: singleness.}liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another;
in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving {Some ancient authorities read the opportunity.}the Lord;
rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer;
communicating to the necessities of the saints; {Greek: pursuing.}given to hospitality.
Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not.
Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.
Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but {Greek: be carried away with.}condescend to {Or, them}things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men.
If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.
Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto {Or, wrath}the wrath of God: for it is written, {Deuteronomy 32:35}Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord.
But {(Proverbs 25:21 f.)}if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Querverweise zu Römer 12,9 Röm 12,9
And Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with thee, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
Depart from evil, and do good;Seek peace, and pursue it.
who, when he was come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad; and he exhorted them all, {Some ancient authorities read that they would cleave unto the purpose of their heart in the Lord.}that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord:
But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died.And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
He deviseth iniquity upon his bed;He setteth himself in a way that is not good;He abhorreth not evil.
See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but always follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all.
His mouth was smooth as butter,But his heart was war:His words were softer than oil,Yet were they drawn swords.
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness:Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed theeWith the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord:
When he speaketh fair, believe him not;For there are seven abominations in his heart:
O ye that love Jehovah, hate evil:He preserveth the souls of his saints;He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
For, {Psalm 34:12 ff.}He that would love life,And see good days,Let him refrain his tongue from evil,And his lips that they speak no guile:
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but do them not; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their gain.
I will set no base thing before mine eyes:I hate {Or, the doing of unfaithfulness}the work of them that turn aside;It shall not cleave unto me.
And let him turn away from evil, and do good;Let him seek peace, and pursue it.
And straightway he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Rabbi; and {Greek: kissed him much.}kissed him.
Through thy precepts I get understanding:Therefore I hate every false way.
Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the {Or, box}bag {Or, carried what was put therein}took away what was put therein.
I hate and abhor falsehood;But thy law do I love.
in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,
The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil:Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,And the perverse mouth, do I hate.
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice in the gate: it may be that Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity;Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed theeWith the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned:
If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,
and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another {Many ancient authorities read from a clean heart. Compare 1 Timothy 1:5.}from the heart fervently:
above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:
My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall {Greek: persuade. compare Matthew 28:14.}assure our heart {Or, before him, whereinsoever our heart condemn us; because God & c.}before him:
because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.