New Living Translation
Romans 12:1
1And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
Romans 12:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
- New International Version (NIV)Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Context of Romans 12:1
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 3Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
Read all of Romans 12Romans 12:1 word by word
Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, διὰ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ, παραστῆσαι τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν θυσίαν ζῶσαν ἁγίαν εὐάρεστον τῷ θεῷ, τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν ὑμῶν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- I beseechπαρακαλέωparakaleō · to plead/comfortG3870
- youσύsu · youG4771
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- the merciesοἰκτιρμόςoiktirmos · compassionG3628
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- that ye presentπαρίστημιparistēmi paristanō · to stand byG3936
- bodiesσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
- aθυσίαthusia · sacrificeG2378
- livingζάωzaō · to liveG2198
- holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
- acceptableεὐάρεστοςeuarestos · well-pleasingG2101
- reasonableλογικόςlogikos · spiritualG3050
- serviceλατρείαlatreia · ministryG2999
Cross-references for Romans 12:1
- Romans 15:30Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 1:10I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
- 2 Corinthians 5:20So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
- 2 Corinthians 6:1As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it.
- 2 Corinthians 10:1Now I, Paul, appeal to you with the gentleness and kindness of Christ—though I realize you think I am timid in person and bold only when I write from far away.
- Ephesians 4:1Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:12Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.
- Hebrews 13:22I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation.
- Romans 2:4Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
- Romans 9:23He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.
- Romans 11:30Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead.
- Psalms 116:12What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me?
- Luke 7:47“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:1Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.
- 2 Corinthians 5:14Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.
Commentaries on Romans 12:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1I beseech you therefore, brethren - This address is probably intended both for the Jews and the Gentiles; though some suppose that the Jews are addressed in the first verse, the Gentiles in the second. By the mercies of God! - · By the tender mercies or compassions of God, such as a tender father shows to his refractory children; who, on their humiliation, is easily persuaded to forgive their offenses. The word comes from , compassion; and that from , to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1I beseech you - The apostle, having finished the argument of this Epistle, proceeds now to close it with a practical or hortatory application, showing its bearing on the duties of life, and the practical influence of religion. None of the doctrines of the gospel are designed to be cold and barren speculations. They bear on the hearts and lives of people; and the apostle therefore calls on those to whom he wrote to dedicate themselves without reserve unto…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Believers are to dedicate themselves to God. (1-2) To be humble, and faithfully to use their spiritual gifts, in their respective stations. (3-8) Exhortations to various duties. (9-16) And to peaceable conduct towards all men, with forbearance and benevolence. (17-21) Verses 1-2 The apostle having closed the part of his epistle wherein he argues and proves various doctrines which are practically applied, here urges important duties from gospel principles…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Your bodies refers to the whole person as they live in the world, not only the physical body. on account of God’s mercy: This refers to everything Paul explained in chapters 1–11. which is your spiritual service of worship (or which is your reasonable service): This phrase has at least three possible meanings: Our sacrifices are reasonable considering all of God’s acts of mercy. Our sacrifices are spiritual, not the offering of an animal but of ourselves…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-21The doctrinal teaching of this Epistle is now followed up by a series of exhortations to practical duty. And first, the all-comprehensive duty. 1. I beseech you therefore--in view of all that has been advanced in the foregoing part of this Epistle. by the mercies of God--those mercies, whose free and unmerited nature, glorious Channel, and saving fruits have been opened up at such length. that ye present--See on Ro 6:13, where we have the same exhortation…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 12:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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