I exhort you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, your reasonable service; and be not conformed to this life, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, that you may prove what is the will of God which is good and well-pleasing and perfect. For I say through the grace given me, to every one among you, not to be higher-minded than he ought to be, but to think soberly, as God has distributed to each the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office, so we, the many, are one body in Christ, and each one members one of another; but having different gifts according to the grace given us, if prophecy [let us prophesy] according to the analogy of the faith, if a service [let us labor] in the service, if one teaches, in teaching, if one exhorts in the exhortation, he that gives, with simplicity, he that rules, with diligence, he that exercises mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor evil, adhere to that which is good, be kindly disposed one to another with brotherly love, in honor prefer one another, be not slothful in business, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord, rejoice in the hope, be patient in affliction, be persevering in prayer, contribute to the necessity

of saints, practise hospitality. Bless those that persecute, bless and curse not. Rejoice with the rejoicing, weep with the weeping. Desire the same thing one for another; desire not the high, but be satisfied with the humble. Be not wise in your own conceit. Render evil for evil to no one, provide things honorable in the sight of all men; if possible, as much as may be in your power, live peaceably with all men, not vindicating yourselves, beloved, but give place to wrath; for it is written, Judgment is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. If therefore your enemy is hungry, give him food; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for doing this you shall heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Let every soul be subject to the superior powers. For there is no power except from God, and the [powers] which exist have been ordained by God. So that he who resists the power resists the ordinance of God; and those who resist shall receive judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Will you not fear the power? Do good, and you shall have praise from it; for [the power] is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, fear; for it bears not the sword in vain; for it is God's minister of justice for punishment to him that does evil. Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only on account of punishment, but also on account of conscience.

For on this account also you pay taxes; for [magistrates] are servants of God attending constantly to this same thing. Pay to all their dues; a tax to whom a tax is due, a toll to whom a toll is due, fear to whom fear, and honor to whom honor. Owe no man any thing, except to love one another; for he that loves another has fully performed the law. For this, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not desire inordinately, and if there is any other commandment, it is summarily comprehended in this word, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no evil to a neighbor; love therefore is the sum of the law. And [do] this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour that we should be waked from sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far advanced, and the day is at hand; let us lay aside therefore the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelries and drinkings,

not in lewdness and excesses, not in strife and envy; but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for desires of the flesh.

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