Life in God's Service
1 So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. 2 Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
3 And because of God's gracious gift to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you should. Instead, be modest in your thinking, and judge yourself according to the amount of faith that God has given you. 4 We have many parts in the one body, and all these parts have different functions. 5 In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body. 6 So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. If our gift is to speak God's message, we should do it according to the faith that we have; 7 if it is to serve, we should serve; if it is to teach, we should teach; 8 if it is to encourage others, we should do so. Whoever shares with others should do it generously; whoever has authority should work hard; whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully.
9 Love must be completely sincere. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good. 10 Love one another warmly as Christians, and be eager to show respect for one another. 11 Work hard and do not be lazy. Serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion. 12 Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times. 13 Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers.
14 Ask God to bless those who persecute you—yes, ask him to bless, not to curse. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep. 16 Have the same concern for everyone. Do not be proud, but accept humble duties. Do not think of yourselves as wise.
17 If someone has done you wrong, do not repay him with a wrong. Try to do what everyone considers to be good. 18 Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody. 19 Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God's anger do it. For the scripture says, “I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord.” 20 Instead, as the scripture says: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink; for by doing this you will make them burn with shame.” 21 Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.
Omuinyo mbu tu sokuhupa kutja tu karere Ndjambi
1 Nu nambano, vakwetu, motjimbe tjotjari tja Ndjambi hi otjinene ku eṱe, me riyarikaṋa kutja mu riyandjeye oveni ku Ndjambi, otja ombunguhiro onamuinyo nondjapuke eye me nonyuṋe. Omerikotameneno otja inga ya pwira Ndjambi. 2 Amu horere komihingo vyouye mbwi, nungwari Ndjambi nge mu yarure koupe mourekoto womitima vyeṋu. Eṋe otji mamu yenene okutjiwa ombango ya Ndjambi, okutja otjohi tji tji ri otjiwa neye me nonyuṋe, nu tji tja pwira ye.
3 Nu motjimbe tjotjari Ndjambi tje ndji pa ami me tja nai ku eṋe amuhe: Amu rivara oveni komeho ya imba pu mwa sokurivara, nungwari kareye nouripura ousemba otja kotjisanekero tjongamburiro Ndjambi ndje mu pa. 4 Eṱe tu nouṋepo ouingi morutu rumwe, nu okaṋepo akehe kena otjiungura tjapeke. 5 Nu komuhingo tjingewo nangarire kutja oweṱe ovengi, oweṱe ovorutu rumwe mu Kristus, nu twa wanekwa kumwe otja ouṋepo pekepeke worutu rumwe. 6 Eṱe tu noviyandjewa vyotjari pekepeke otja kotjari Ndjambi tja yandja ku auhe wetu. Ingwi ngwa pewa otjiyandjewa tjokuzuvarisa Ombuze ya Ndjambi nga zuvarise otja kongamburiro ndje hongonona. 7 Nu ingwi ngwa pewa otjiyandjewa tjokukarera mombongo nga karere; ngwa pewa otjiyandjewa tjokuhonga nga honge; 8 ngwa pewa otjiyandjewa tjokupanḓiparisa ovakwao nge ve panḓiparise. Ingwi ngu yandja kovakwao nga yandje nouharupu; ngu ri omutarere wombongo nga ungure noupandi; ngu yandja ovyotjari kovakwao nge vi yandje nenyando.
9 Orusuvero ngaru kare nokuhinotjavivi. Tondeye ouvi nu kakatereye kouwa. 10 Suverasaneye nomutima watjiri otja ovakambure, nu mu panḓere pokuyozikasana. 11 Ungureye noukukutu, nu amu ṱotjirweyo; karereye Muhona nomitima vyeṋu avihe. 12 Omaundjiro weṋu nga ye mu pe ondjoroka; momauzeu weṋu kareye nomuretima, nu mu panḓere pokukumba. 13 Vatereye ovakambure ovakweṋu mbe nouhepe, nu mu sekirise ovakambure mbu mu he i.
14 Ningireye Ndjambi a sere ondaya ku imba mbe mu tatumisa, ii, mu ningireye e ve sere ondaya nu amu ningire kutja e ve senge. 15 Nyandeye pamwe na imba mbe nenyando, nu mu rire pamwe novarire. 16 Karasaneye nomutima umwe; amu ritongamisa, nungwari tjiteye oupanga noverisusuparise; amu rivara otja ozonongo.
17 Amu yarura ouvi mouvi nungwari tjiteye ihi tji tji ri otjisemba kovandu avehe. 18 Tji mape sorwa, kareye nohange novandu avehe. 19 Eṋe oveni amu kara nongore nomundu, vakwetu, nungwari yandjeye oruveze komazenge wa Ndjambi, orondu omatjangwa maye tja: “Ongore oyandje, owami ngu me sutisa”, Muhona ma tja nao. 20 Omatjangwa opu maye zu okutja nai: “Omunavita na ove tje nondjara mu pa ovikurya, nu tje nonyota mu pa okunwa. Tji wa tjiti nai mo mu ṱisa ohoṋi tjinene.” 21 Ouvi au he ku taara, nungwari ove nga rire ngu mo taara ouvi amo tjiti ouwa.
