12 ¹ THEREFORE, MY BROTHERS. I implore you by God's mercy to offer your very selves to him: a living sacrifice, dedicated and fit for his acceptance, the worship offered by mind and heart. Or: ... acceptance, for such is the worship which you, as rational creatures, should offer. 12 ² Adapt yourselves no longer to the pattern of this present world, but let your minds be remade and your whole nature thus transformed. Then you will be able to discern the will of God, and to know what is good, acceptable, and perfect.

12 ³ In virtue of the gift that God in his grace has given me I say to everyone among you: do not be conceited or think too highly of yourself; but think your way to a sober estimate based on the measure of faith that God has dealt to each of you. 12 ⁴ For just as in a single human body there are many limbs and organs, all with different functions, 12 ⁵ so all of us, united with Christ, form one body, serving individually as limbs and organs to one another.

12 ⁶ The gifts we possess differ as they are allotted to us by God's grace, and must be exercised accordingly: the gift of inspired utterance, for example, in proportion to a man's faith; 12 ⁷ or the gift of administration, in administration. A teacher should employ his gift in teaching, 12 ⁸ and one who has the gift of stirring speech should use it to stir his hearers. If you give to charity, give with all your heart; if you are a leader, exert yourself to lead; if you are helping others in distress, do it cheerfully.