Bible-Reading.com
  1. Mon: Matthew 13-14
  2. Tue: Isaiah 11-13
  3. Wed: Joshua 21-24
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

1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the compassions of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your intelligent service.

2And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

3For I say, through the grace which has been given to me, to every one that is among you, not to have high thoughts above what he should think; but to think so as to be wise, as God has dealt to each a measure of faith.

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

5thus we, being many, are one body in Christ, and each one members one of the other.

6But having different gifts, according to the grace which has been given to us, whether it be prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

7or service, let us occupy ourselves in service; or he that teaches, in teaching;

8or he that exhorts, in exhortation; he that gives, in simplicity; he that leads, with diligence; he that shews mercy, with cheerfulness.

9Let love be unfeigned; abhorring evil; cleaving to good:

10as to brotherly love, kindly affectioned towards one another: as to honour, each taking the lead in paying it to the other:

11as to diligent zealousness, not slothful; in spirit fervent; serving the Lord.

12As regards hope, rejoicing: as regards tribulation, enduring: as regards prayer, persevering:

13distributing to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality.

14Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not.

15Rejoice with those that rejoice, weep with those that weep.

16Have the same respect one for another, not minding high things, but going along with the lowly: be not wise in your own eyes:

17recompensing to no one evil for evil: providing things honest before all men:

18if possible, as far as depends on you, living in peace with all men;

19not avenging yourselves, beloved, but give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance belongs to me, *I* will recompense, saith the Lord.

20If therefore thine enemy should hunger, feed him; if he should thirst, give him drink; for, so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.

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

Romans 13

1Let every soul be subject to the authorities that are above him. For there is no authority except from God; and those that exist are set up by God.

2So that he that sets himself in opposition to the authority resists the ordinance of God; and they who thus resist shall bring sentence of guilt on themselves.

3For rulers are not a terror to a good work, but to an evil one. Dost thou desire then not to be afraid of the authority? practise what is good, and thou shalt have praise from it;

4for it is God's minister to thee for good. But if thou practisest evil, fear; for it bears not the sword in vain; for it is God's minister, an avenger for wrath to him that does evil.

5Wherefore it is necessary to be subject, not only on account of wrath, but also on account of conscience.

6For on this account ye pay tribute also; for they are God's officers, attending continually on this very thing.

7Render to all their dues: to whom tribute is due, tribute; to whom custom, custom; to whom fear, fear; to whom honour, honour.

8Owe no one anything, unless to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law.

9For, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not lust; and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

10Love works no ill to its neighbour; love therefore is the whole law.

11This also, knowing the time, that it is already time that *we* should be aroused out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12The night is far spent, and the day is near; let us cast away therefore the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

13As in the day, let us walk becomingly; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and lasciviousness, not in strife and emulation.

14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not take forethought for the flesh to fulfil its lusts.

Darby Translation (Darby). Public domain.