Romans 12

Romans 12
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Epistle to the Romans 8:12-22 in the bigger of two fragments forming Papyrus 27 (recto side), written in the 3rd century.
Book	Epistle to the Romans
Bible part	New Testament
Order in the Bible part	6
Category	Pauline epistles

Romans 12 is the twelfth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is authored by Paul the Apostle, but written by an amanuensis, Tertius of Iconium, while Paul was in Corinth, in winter of AD 57-58. Paul wrote to the Roman Christians in order to give them a substantial resume of his theology.

Text

• The original text is written in Koine Greek.
• Some most ancient manuscripts containing this chapter are:
  • Codex Vaticanus (AD 325-350)
  • Codex Sinaiticus (AD 330-360)
  • Codex Alexandrinus (ca. AD 400-440)
• This chapter is divided into 21 verses.

Structure

This chapter can be grouped (with cross references to other parts of the Bible):

• Romans 12:1–2 = Living Sacrifices to God
• Romans 12:3–8 = Serve God with Spiritual Gifts
• Romans 12:9–21 = Behave Like a Christian

Cross references

• Romans 12:19 = Deuteronomy 32:35
• Romans 12:20 = Proverbs 25:21,22

Verse 1

New King James Version

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Verse 2

New King James Version

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

Verse 3

New King James Version

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Verse 5

New King James Version

so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Verses 9-21

Described by Moo as "Love and its manifestations", the section is proverbial in tone, the style is known as parenesis. Some verses echo the Old Testament, notably 16c, 19c, and 20, while others are reflections of Jesus' teachings (especially 14, 17, 18 and 21).

Verses 9-13

As Barclay says "Paul presents .. [twelve] telegraphic rules for everyday life."

Verses 17-21

These verses form a chiasm, bracketed by lines containing the word "evil" - v 17a and v 21. The next layer comprising v 17b-18 and v 20, deals with the way to treat non-Christians. The central portion is the prohibition of vengeance.

Verse 19

Part of this verse - "I will repay" or in older translations "vengeance is mine" (Vengeance is mine, and recompense ESV), is quotation from Deuteronomy 32:35. Paul's instruction here is not to be vengeful.

Verse 21

New King James Version

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

See also

• Living sacrifice
• Spiritual gift
• Other related Bible parts: Deuteronomy 32, Proverbs 25

External links

• Romans 12 NIV