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  2. Tue: Isaiah 11-13
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Thursday · Week 5
The Epistles & Revelation

Romans 12-13

Week 5 · about 5 min
  1. Fri: Ezekiel 11-12
  2. Sat: Job 16-19
  3. Sun: Genesis 26-29

After eleven chapters explaining the gospel, Paul shows what it looks like in everyday life.

Where Doctrine Turns Into Daily Life

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2 (KJV)

Chapter 12 begins with “therefore,” and everything Paul has said so far leads to it. Because of God’s mercy, offer yourself as a living sacrifice. Then it gets practical in a hurry. Don’t think too highly of yourself. Use the gift God gave you. “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” Feed your enemy if he’s hungry. “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” In chapter 13 Paul tells believers to respect government and pay taxes, and he wrote that while Nero was emperor. He sums it up with one debt that never gets fully paid: love one another.

Reflect: Which line in Romans 12 would change your week if you actually did it?

Romans 12

1Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.

2Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

3For I say through the grace that was given me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of yourself more highly than you 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 don’t have the same function,

5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another,

6having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us: if prophecy, let’s prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;

7or service, let’s give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching;

8or he who exhorts, to his exhorting; he who gives, let him do it with generosity; he who rules, 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 to one another; in honor prefer 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, and given to hospitality.

14Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don’t curse.

15Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.

16Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.

17Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men.

18If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.

19Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.”

20Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

21Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 13

1Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.

2Therefore he who resists the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.

3For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the authority,

4for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.

5Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.

6For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, continually doing this very thing.

7Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

8Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

9For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

10Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

11Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.

12The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light.

13Let’s walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy.

14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.

World English Bible (WEB). World English Bible (WEB), public domain. “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org.