ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Romans 12

type: passage created: 2026-05-06 updated: 2026-05-06 book: Romans chapter: 12 verses: "" translation_default: ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT tags: [scripture] citation_count: 1 enriched: false

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Romans 12

Book: Romans · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 2. And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 3. For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith. 4. For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: 5. so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another. 6. And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; 7. or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching; 8. or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10. In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another; 11. in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12. rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer; 13. communicating to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality. 14. Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. 15. Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep. 16. Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17. Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. 18. If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. 19. Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. 20. But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. 21. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:1-21, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 2. Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. 3. For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. 4. For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don’t have the same function, 5. so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6. Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; 7. or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; 8. or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 9. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. 10. In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honor preferring one another; 11. not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12. rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13. contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality. 14. Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don’t curse. 15. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. 16. Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits. 17. Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. 18. If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. 19. Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.” 20. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21. Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:1-21, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2. 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. 3. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. soberly: Gr. to sobriety 4. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5. So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7. Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8. Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. giveth: or, imparteth with simplicity: or, liberally 9. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; with: or, in the love of the brethren 11. Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13. Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. condescend: or, be contented with mean things 17. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:1-21, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. I call upon you, therefore, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice, living, sanctified, acceptable to God, your intelligent service; 2. and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for your proving what [is] the will of God, the good, and acceptable, and perfect. 3. For I say, through the grace that was given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think above what it behoveth to think; but to think so as to think wisely, as to each God did deal a measure of faith, 4. for as in one body we have many members, and all the members have not the same office, 5. so we, the many, one body are in Christ, and members each one of one another. 6. And having gifts, different according to the grace that was given to us; whether prophecy, 'According to the proportion of faith!' 7. or ministration, 'In the ministration!' or he who is teaching, 'In the teaching!' 8. or he who is exhorting, 'In the exhortation!' he who is sharing, 'In simplicity!' he who is leading, 'In diligence?' he who is doing kindness, 'In cheerfulness.' 9. The love unfeigned: abhorring the evil; cleaving to the good; 10. in the love of brethren, to one another kindly affectioned: in the honour going before one another; 11. in the diligence not slothful; in the spirit fervent; the Lord serving; 12. in the hope rejoicing; in the tribulation enduring; in the prayer persevering; 13. to the necessities of the saints communicating; the hospitality pursuing. 14. Bless those persecuting you; bless, and curse not; 15. to rejoice with the rejoicing, and to weep with the weeping, 16. of the same mind one toward another, not minding the high things, but with the lowly going along; become not wise in your own conceit; 17. giving back to no one evil for evil; providing right things before all men. 18. If possible, so far as in you, with all men being in peace; 19. not avenging yourselves, beloved, but give place to the wrath, for it hath been written, 'Vengeance [is] Mine, 20. I will recompense again, saith the Lord;' if, then, thine enemy doth hunger, feed him; if he doth thirst, give him drink; for this doing, coals of fire thou shalt heap upon his head; 21. Be not overcome by the evil, but overcome, in the good, the evil." (Romans 12:1-21, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Paul the Apostle
  • Audience: Christian believers in Rome (Jew + Gentile)
  • Location: composed in Corinth; addressed to Rome
  • Time period: composed c. AD 57

Theological reading

Key words

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.