ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Romans 12

Rom. 12:1–15:13 God’s Righteousness in Everyday Life. The gift of God’s saving righteousness leads to a new life. Paul explains some practical results of God’s saving mercy.

Rom. 12:1 Therefore points back to the entire argument in 1:18–11:36. mercies of God. Sacrificial language from the OT is used to describe the new life of Christians. Bodies refers to the whole person. Both body and soul belong to God. Christians are a living sacrifice. They enjoy new life with Christ (6:4). “Living” also means that they will not be put to death as OT animal sacrifices were. Spiritual worship means offering one’s whole life to God (see Heb. 13:15–16).

Rom. 12:2 The present evil age still tempts Christians, so they must resist its pressure. Their minds are made new (contrast 1:28), so that they are able to “discern” or understand God’s will. By testing you may discern translates a Greek word that means finding out the worth of something by testing it.

Rom. 12:4–5 The diversity and unity of the church is compared to the human body. (See also 1 Corinthians 12 and Eph. 4:4, 12–16.)

Rom. 12:6 On the gift of prophecy, see notes on Acts 21:4; 21:10–11; 1 Cor. 12:10; Eph. 2:20; 1 Thess. 5:20–21; and other notes on 1 Corinthians 12–14. in proportion to our faith. Those with the gift of prophecy should speak only when they are confident that the Holy Spirit is truly revealing something to them.

Rom. 12:7–8 Christians should use the gifts God has given them, whether in serving others, teaching God’s Word, or in exhortation and encouragement.

Rom. 12:9 The rest of the chapter describes the life that pleases God. Not surprisingly, love heads the list (see note on John 13:34–35).

Rom. 12:13 Hospitality was very important for early Christians, because most of them could not afford to pay for lodging when traveling.

Rom. 12:14 Bless . . . do not curse. These words reflect the teaching of Jesus (Matt. 5:44).

Rom. 12:17–19 Repay no one evil. . . . Vengeance is mine. This alludes to Jesus’ teaching (Matt. 5:39).

Rom. 12:20–21 burning coals. See Prov. 25:21–22. Most interpreters think Paul is teaching that Christians must do good to people so that the others will feel ashamed and repent. That sense is possible. But in the OT the concept of “burning coals” always represents punishment (see Ps. 11:6). Thus another interpretation is that Paul is repeating the thought of Rom. 12:19: Christians are to do good to wrongdoers, whom God will punish on the last day if they refuse to repent. Overcoming evil with good includes acts of kindness toward evildoers. It may sometimes include the “good” (13:4) of the civil government stopping evil through the use of force (military or police). See 13:3–4. See note on Prov. 25:21–22.