^11 (A)Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of ^(B)evil against you falsely for My sake. ^12 (C)Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for ^(D)so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Believers Are Salt and Light^(E)

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; ^(F)but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

^14 (G)“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they ^(H)light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, ^(I)that they may see your good works and ^(J)glorify your Father in heaven.

Living Sacrifices to God

12 I ^(A)beseech^[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies ^(B)a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your ^[b]reasonable service. ² And ^(C)do not be conformed to this world, but ^(D)be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may ^(E)prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

³ For I say, ^(F)through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, ^(G)not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt ^(H)to each one a measure of faith. ⁴ For ^(I)as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so ^(J)we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is ^(K)given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us ^(L)prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; ^(M)he who teaches, in teaching; ^8 (N)he who exhorts, in exhortation; ^(O)he who gives, with liberality; ^(P)he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, ^(Q)with cheerfulness.

Behave Like a Christian

^9 (R)Let love be without hypocrisy. ^(S)Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. ^10 (T)Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, ^(U)in honor giving preference to one another; ¹¹ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ^12 (V)rejoicing in hope, ^(W)patient^[c] in tribulation, ^(X)continuing steadfastly in prayer; ^13 (Y)distributing to the needs of the saints, ^(Z)given^[d] to hospitality.

^14 (AA)Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ^15 (AB)Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. ^16 (AC)Be of the same mind toward one another. ^(AD)Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

^17 (AE)Repay no one evil for evil. ^(AF)Have^[e] regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, ^(AG)live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, ^(AH)do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ^(AI)“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but ^(AK)overcome evil with good.

¹³ For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only ^(A)do not use liberty as an ^(B)opportunity for the flesh, but ^(C)through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For ^(D)all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ^(E)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Walking in the Spirit

¹⁶ I say then: ^(F)Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For ^(G)the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, ^(H)so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But ^(I)if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now ^(J)the works of the flesh are evident, which are: ^[a]adultery, ^[b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, ^[c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that ^(K)those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But ^(L)the fruit of the Spirit is ^(M)love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, ^(N)goodness, ^(O)faithfulness, ^23 [d]gentleness, self-control. ^(P)Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s ^(Q)have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ^25 (R)If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ^26 (S)Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.