ThereforeI urgeyou, brethren,by the merciesof God,to presentyour bodiesa livingand holysacrifice,acceptableto God,[which is] your spiritualservice of worship.
Whatshall I renderto the LORDFor allHis benefitstowardme?
Let the wordsof my mouthand the meditationof my heartBe acceptablein Your sight,O LORD,my rockand my Redeemer.
Even those I will bringto My holymountainAnd makethem joyfulin My houseof prayer.Their burntofferingsand their sacrificeswill be acceptableon My altar;For My housewill be calleda houseof prayerfor allthe peoples."
"For whatpurposedoes frankincensecometo Me from ShebaAnd the sweetcanefrom a distantland?Your burntofferingsare not acceptableAnd your sacrificesare not pleasingto Me."
Takewordswith you and returnto the LORD.Sayto Him, "Takeaway alliniquityAnd receive[us] graciously,That we may presentthe fruitof our lips.
onebull,oneram,onemalelambone yearold,for a burntoffering;
"For thisreasonI sayto you, her sins,which are many,have been forgiven,for she lovedmuch;but he whois forgivenlittle,loveslittle."
And do not be conformedto thisworld,but be transformedby the renewingof your mind,sothat you may provewhatthe willof Godis, that which is goodand acceptableand perfect.
to be a ministerof ChristJesusto the Gentiles,ministering as a priestthe gospelof God,sothat [my] offeringof the Gentilesmay becomeacceptable,sanctifiedby the HolySpirit.
NowI urgeyou, brethren,by our LordJesusChristand by the loveof the Spirit,to strive togetherwith me in your prayersto Godfor me,
Ordo you think lightlyof the richesof His kindnessand toleranceand patience,not knowingthat the kindnessof Godleadsyou to repentance?
and do not go on presentingthe membersof your body to sin[as] instrumentsof unrighteousness;but presentyourselvesto Godas those alivefrom the dead,and your members[as] instrumentsof righteousnessto God.
Do you not knowthat whenyou presentyourselvesto someone[as] slavesfor obedience,you are slavesof the one whomyou obey,eitherof sinresultingin death,orof obedienceresultingin righteousness?
I am speakingin human termsbecauseof the weaknessof your flesh.For justas you presentedyour membersas slavesto impurityand to lawlessness,resultingin [further] lawlessness,sonowpresentyour membersas slavesto righteousness,resultingin sanctification.
And [He did so] to make knownthe richesof His gloryupon vesselsof mercy,whichHe prepared beforehandfor glory,
NowI exhortyou, brethren,by the nameof our LordJesusChrist,that you allagreeand that there be nodivisionsamongyou, but that you be made completein the samemindand in the samejudgment.
NowI, Paul,myselfurgeyou by the meeknessand gentlenessof Christ--I whoam meekwhen face to facewith you, but boldtowardyou when absent!
Therefore,since we havethisministry,as we received mercy,we do not lose heart,
Thereforewe do not lose heart,but thoughour outermanis decaying,yetour inner manis being reneweddayby day.
Therefore,we are ambassadorsfor Christ,as thoughGodwere making an appealthroughus; we begyou on behalfof Christ,be reconciledto God.
And working together[with Him], we alsourgeyou not to receivethe graceof Godin vain--
ThereforeI, the prisonerof the Lord,imploreyou to walkin a manner worthyof the callingwith whichyou have been called,
trying to learnwhatis pleasingto the Lord.
"For you are a holypeopleto the LORDyour God,and the LORDhas chosenyou to be a peoplefor His own possessionout of allthe peopleswhoare on the faceof the earth.
accordingto my earnest expectationand hope,that I will not be put to shamein anything,but [that] with allboldness,Christwill evennow,as always,be exaltedin my body,whetherby lifeorby death.
But evenifI am being poured out as a drink offeringupon the sacrificeand serviceof your faith,I rejoiceand share my joywith you all.
But I have receivedeverythingin fulland have an abundance;I am amply supplied,having receivedfrom Epaphrodituswhat you have sent,a fragrantaroma,an acceptablesacrifice,well-pleasingto God.
Finallythen,brethren,we requestand exhortyou in the LordJesus,that as you receivedfrom us [instruction] as to howyou oughtto walkand pleaseGod(justas you actuallydo walk),that you excelstill more.
for indeedyou do practiceit towardallthe brethrenwhoare in allMacedonia.But we urgeyou, brethren,to excelstill more,
But we requestof you, brethren,that you appreciatethosewho diligently laboramongyou, and have charge overyou in the Lordand give you instruction,
Thisis goodand acceptablein the sightof Godour Savior,
but ifanywidowhaschildrenorgrandchildren,they must firstlearnto practice pietyin regard to their ownfamilyand to make some returnto their parents;for thisis acceptablein the sightof God.
I appealto you for my childOnesimus,whomI have begottenin my imprisonment,
yet for love'ssakeI ratherappeal[to you]-- since I amsuch a personas Paul,the aged,and nowalsoa prisonerof ChristJesus--
But I urgeyou, brethren,bearwith thiswordof exhortation,for I have writtento you briefly.
For whatcreditis there if,when you sinand are harshly treated,you endureit with patience?But ifwhen you do what is rightand suffer[for it] you patiently endureit, this[finds] favorwith God.
you also,as livingstones,are being builtup as a spiritualhousefor a holypriesthood,to offerup spiritualsacrificesacceptableto GodthroughJesusChrist.
