HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1393
R OM ANS 12
page 1023
21 For if God did not spare the original branches,
he won’t* spare you either.
22 Notice how God is both kind and severe.
He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but
kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be
cut off. 23 And if the people of Israel turn from
their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for
God has the power to graft them back into the
tree. 24 You, 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
25 I 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. 26 And 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.”*
28 Many 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 Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. 29 For God’s gifts and his call
can never be withdrawn. 30 Once, you Gentiles
were rebels against God, but when the people
of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful
to you instead. 31 Now they are the rebels, and
God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too,
will share* in God’s mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could
have mercy on everyone.
33 Oh, 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?*
11:21 Some manuscripts read perhaps he won’t. 11:25 Greek
brothers. 11:26a Greek from Zion. 11:26b Greek Jacob.
11:26-27 Isa 59:20-21; 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.
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.* 2 Don’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.* 4 Just as our bodies have many parts
and each part has a special function, 5 so 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. 8 If 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.
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love
them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what
is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,* and take delight in honoring each other.
11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the
Lord enthusiastically.* 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on
praying. 13 When 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
12
• Abilities
R OM A N S 12:6
Wise are those who discover their Godgiven gifts and make good use of them.
Foolish are those who want gifts that God
hasn’t given and spend their lives in idle
dreams of what could have been. Set
your mind on discovering those gifts and
abilities that God specifically had in mind
when he made you.