King James Version

Romans 12

Romans 12 calls believers to give themselves to God as a living sacrifice and to be transformed by the renewing of their mind instead of copying the world. It then shows what that looks like: using different gifts as one body, loving without pretense, blessing persecutors, and overcoming evil with good.

Take the quiz

Romans 12 (KJV)

A living sacrifice and a renewed mind v. 1-2

¹I 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.

²And 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.

Many members, one body, differing gifts v. 3-8

³For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

⁴For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

⁵So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

⁶Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

⁷Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

⁸Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Love without pretense v. 9-16

⁹Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

¹⁰Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

¹¹Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

¹²Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

¹³Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

¹⁴Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

¹⁵Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

¹⁶Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Overcome evil with good v. 17-21

¹⁷Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

¹⁸If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

¹⁹Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

²⁰Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

²¹Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

What Romans 12 means

Romans 12 is a turning point in the letter. After eleven chapters on what God has done through Christ, Paul begins with "therefore" and asks his readers to respond. He urges them, by the mercies of God, to present their bodies "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God" and calls this their reasonable service.

Verse 2 explains how that happens from the inside. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The result is that a person can prove, or test and approve, what the good, acceptable and perfect will of God is.

Verses 3-8 keep that renewed mind humble. No one should think of himself more highly than he ought. Like a human body with many parts, the church is one body in Christ with members who have different gifts: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling and showing mercy. Each is to use his gift faithfully, the giver with simplicity, the one showing mercy with cheerfulness.

From verse 9 the chapter becomes a string of short commands about love. Let love be without dissimulation, which means without pretending. Be kind and honor one another, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, keep praying, share with saints in need, and practice hospitality. Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

The last verses deal with enemies. Do not repay evil for evil, and as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Leave vengeance to God, quoting the Lord's words "Vengeance is mine; I will repay" (verse 19). Feed a hungry enemy and give him drink. The chapter ends, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

Background and context

Romans was written by the apostle Paul, who names himself in Romans 1:1, to the believers in Rome. Most date it to the mid-50s AD, written before Paul had visited the city.

Chapters 1-11 explain the gospel; chapters 12-16 apply it to daily life. Romans 12 is the hinge between the two, which is why so many readers memorize its first two verses.

Key verses

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.
Romans 12:1 · KJV

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

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Romans 12:18 · KJV

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21 · KJV

Cross references

Ephesians 4:23 Paul gives the same command elsewhere: be renewed in the spirit of your mind.And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
1 Corinthians 12:12 The fuller version of the one-body picture, with many members in one body.For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1 Peter 4:10 Peter also teaches that each gift is to be used to serve others as good stewards.As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Matthew 5:44 Jesus' command to love enemies and bless those who curse lies behind verse 14.But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Deuteronomy 32:35 The source of "Vengeance is mine" in verse 19: To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence.To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
Proverbs 25:21-22 Paul quotes this proverb in verse 20 about feeding an enemy and heaping coals of fire on his head.If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

Quick quiz

How well do you know Romans 12?

7 questions, every answer checked against the King James text. Play it here, then try a full book quiz.

Want more? Play the full Romans Bible quiz.

Common questions

What is the main message of Romans 12?

Because of God's mercy, believers should give their whole lives to him, be changed by a renewed mind, serve one another with their gifts, love sincerely, and answer evil with good.

What does a living sacrifice mean in Romans 12:1?

Old Testament sacrifices were killed on the altar. Paul asks believers to give their bodies to God while alive, offering their daily lives as worship, which he calls their reasonable service.

What are the gifts listed in Romans 12?

Verses 6-8 name prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling and showing mercy.

What does heap coals of fire on his head mean?

Paul quotes Proverbs 25:21-22. Many readers understand it as kindness that brings an enemy to shame and a change of heart, though interpreters differ on the exact picture. The point of the next verse is clear: overcome evil with good.

Who wrote Romans 12?

The apostle Paul, who names himself at the start of the letter, wrote Romans to the church in Rome.