Worship and Gifts in the One Body
1 Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God—which is your reasonable service. 2 Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith. 4 For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same function, 5 so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another. 6 And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; 8 if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.
Love without Hypocrisy
9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Texts in conversation
Compare Jesus Ben Sira, Sirach 7:34 and Romans 12:15
Deuterocanon · New Testament
Summary
Passages
Jesus Ben Sira, Sirach 7:34
Deuterocanon · Ben Sira, EcclesiasticusDon’t abandon his ministers. 31 Fear the Lord and honor the priest.
Give him his portion, just as you are commanded:
the first fruits, the trespass offering,
the gift of the shoulders, the sacrifice of sanctification,
and the first fruits of holy things. 32 Also stretch out your hand to the poor man,
so that your blessing may be complete. 33 A gift finds favor with every living person.
Don’t withhold kindness to the dead. 34 Don’t avoid those who weep,
and mourn with those who mourn. 35 Don’t be slow to visit a sick man,
for through such acts you will gain love. 36 In all your words, remember eternity,
and you will never sin.
Romans 12:15
New TestamentReferences
References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.
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