Thrive Creative Journaling Devotional Bible - Flipbook - Page 30
ROMANS 12 . . . page 1412
Israel turn from their unbelief, they will
be grafted in again, for God has the power
to graft them back into the tree. 24You, by
nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive
tree. So if God was willing to do something
contrary to nature by grafting you into his
cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to
graft the original branches back into the tree
where they belong.
God’s Mercy Is for Everyone
25I want you to understand this mystery, dear
brothers and sisters,* so that you will not feel
proud about yourselves. Some of the people
of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last
only until the full number of Gentiles comes
to Christ. 26And so all Israel will be saved. As
the Scriptures say,
27
“The one who rescues will come from
Jerusalem,*
and he will turn Israel* away from
ungodliness.
And this is my covenant with them,
that I will take away their sins.”*
28Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits
you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he
loves because he chose their ancestors Abra
ham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29For God’s gifts and
his call can never be withdrawn. 30Once, you
Gentiles were rebels against God, but when
the people of Israel rebelled against him,
God was merciful to you instead. 31Now they
are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come
to you so that they, too, will share* in God’s
mercy. 32For God has imprisoned everyone
in disobedience so he could have mercy on
everyone.
33Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is
for us to understand his decisions and his
ways!
34
35
For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to give him
advice?*
And who has given him so much
that he needs to pay it back?*
36 For everything comes from him and
exists by his power and is intended for his
glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
A Living Sacrifice to God
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.
3 Because 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.* 4Just as our bodies
have many parts and each part has a special
function, 5so it is with Christ’s body. We are
many parts of one body, and we all belong
to each other.
6 In his grace, God has given us different
gifts for doing certain things well. So if God
has given you the ability to prophesy, speak
out with as much faith as God has given you.
7 If your gift is serving others, serve them
well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8If your
gift is to encourage others, be encouraging.
If it is giving, give generously. If God has
given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for
showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
9Don’t just pretend to love others. Really
love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly
to what is good. 10Love each other with genuine affection,* and take delight in honoring each other. 11Never be lazy, but work hard
and serve the Lord enthusiastically.* 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in
trouble, and keep on praying. 13When God’s
people are in need, be ready to help them.
Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t
curse them; pray that God will bless them.
15 Be happy with those who are happy, and
weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to
enjoy the company of ordinary people. And
don’t think you know it all!
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do
things in such a way that everyone can see
12
11:25 Greek brothers. 11:26a Greek from Zion. 11:26b Greek Jacob. 11:2627 Isa 59:2021; 27:9 (Greek version). 11:31 Other
manuscripts read will now share; still others read will someday share. 11:34 Isa 40:13 (Greek version). 11:35 See Job 41:11.
12:1a Greek brothers. 12:1b Or This is your spiritual worship; or This is your reasonable service. 12:3a Or Because of the grace;
compare 1:5. 12:3b Or by the faith God has given you; or by the standard of our God-given faith. 12:10 Greek with brotherly love.
12:11 Or but serve the Lord with a zealous spirit; or but let the Spirit excite you as you serve the Lord.
