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Romans 12:2 and the Other Verses of Romans 12

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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”

Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively.  Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior.  Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This webpage could be periodically updated.  If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated.  Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.  

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Also, it is possible that it is worthwhile to print this content in case of time periods involving lack of Internet connectivity.  

When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:  

“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Note:  The heart refers to the mind.  

It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:  

“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”

It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:  

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”

A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned.  In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher.  Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:  

If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship:  whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living.  As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.

Note:  Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites.  Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM].  The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges.  The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity.  The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness.  In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human.  When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god.  Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.  

The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind.  In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:  

Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession.  Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram.  Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:  

Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.

The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:  

Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.  Also, it is still much more evident:  that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life.  Indeed, it is attested:  “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

Note:  The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah.  Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body.  The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.  

Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest.  In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family.  Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:  

However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE.  You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Note:  Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people.  In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people.  The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23.  In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.  

Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Put succinctly:  itʼs the message rather than the messenger.  In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:  

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that.  I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book.  Worship God.”

*Note:  The word says is in the Greek historical present tense.  By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.  

Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated.  That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:  

The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews.  Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.  Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.

Note:  The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”  

Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  It is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur.  The Feast of Trumpets was one of the seven feasts that the Israelites were supposed to celebrate each year under the regulations of the Mosaic Law.  The term Mosaic Law refers to the laws communicated by Moses to the ancient Israelites.  Because Moses communicated those laws, they are known collectively as the Mosaic Law.  The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law by being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity.  Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Mosaic Law, no believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are under the regulations of the Mosaic Law.  

While it is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur—which is referenced as a single day in Leviticus 23:24–25 and Numbers 29:1–6 and which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during the time period of October 10th, 2026, at 11:13 A.M. – October 14th, 2026, at 12:29 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur during a time other than the time of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah.  Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur during the time of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah, one can be prepared for that time because of already being in the habit of being prepared.  Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life.  Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.  

Whether the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah in 2026 would occur during October depends on whether barley crop in Israel in 2026 was first in a status known as abib [ah-BEEB] (also known as aviv [ah-VEEV]) in April.  Also, if barley crop in Israel in 2026 was first in a status known as abib/aviv in February, then the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would have occurred during the time period of August 12th, 2026, at 12:25 P.M. – August 16th, 2026, at 1:49 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone, and if barley crop in Israel in 2026 was first in a status known as abib/aviv in March, then the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would have occurred during the time period of September 10th, 2026, at 11:51 A.M. – September 14th, 2026, at 1:08 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone.  On which day and at what time in August, September, or October the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would start depends on the time of the last sunset over Jerusalem before the first sliver of a crescent new moon after that sunset.  The crescent new moon is the illumination of a sliver of the waxing moon.  The moon is waxing when it is becoming more and more illuminated after what some people refer to as the astronomical new moon, the time when there is an absence of illumination of the moon—in other words, when there is an absence of reflection of light from the moon.  On which day and at what time in August, September, or October the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would end depends on whether the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah lasts one day or two days and whether the time of day of the end of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah is at sunset, at the end of civil twilight, at the end of nautical twilight, or at the end of astronomical twilight.  

Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:  

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.  Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52

Behold, I tell you a mystery:  we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation.  The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation.  1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic.  In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.  

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night.  While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.  However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day.  We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober.  Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.  However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.  Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Note:  In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent.  In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context.  Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!”  In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness.  The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture.  In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation.  Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

The verse of the day for October 14th is Romans 12:2.  The title of the book Romans is also known as “The Epistle of Paul to the Romans” and “The Letter of Paul to the Romans.”  Romans was a letter written by the apostle Paul to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who were located in Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire (which was also called Rome).  The word Rome can be used to refer to the city Rome, to the kingdom of which that city was the capital, to the republic of which that city was the capital, or to the empire of which that city was the capital.  The settlement that became the city Rome was founded in the 700s B.C.  Rome eventually became a kingdom.  That kingdom is known as the Roman Kingdom.  Then Rome became a republic.  That republic is known as the Roman Republic.  After that, Rome became an empire.  That empire is known as the Roman Empire.  The Lord Jesus Christ was born during the time of the Roman Empire.  

Below is a link to a map that shows the location of the capital city Rome.  Jerusalem is also on the map.  At the time that the apostle Paul wrote the book Romans, Jerusalem was under the control of the Roman Empire.  At that time, Jerusalem was within the Roman province of Judea [joo-DEE-uh or joo-DAY-uh].  The word Judea can also be spelled Judaea or Judæa.  The character æ is a ligature [LIG-uh-chuhr or LIG-uh-choor] of a and e.  Before the Romans conquered the region known as Judea, the name of the country of the Jewish people was Judah.  The inhabitants of Judah can be referred to as Judahites [JOO-duh-ights].  The inhabitants of Judea can be referred to as Judeans [joo-DEE-uhnz or joo-DAY-uhnz].  

https://NETBible.org/media/images/constable/45Rom-1.jpg

Because it is useful to study verses in the context of the verses around them, below is content related to Romans 11:33–36 and Romans 12.  

Note:  In notes for Romans 12 further below, the Church Age is mentioned.  With regard to the Church Age, below is a synopsis synopsis of human history as categorized into time periods known as dispensations.  In the below synopsis, there is the term hypostatic union [high-PUH-stat-ick YOON-yuhn].  This refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being 100% Deity and 100% humanity.  The English word hypostatic is derived from the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word ὑπόστασις [pronounced hoo-PAH-stah-sees and transliterated as hypostasis].  After the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of humanity, His body was in the grave for three days and three nights.  He was then resurrected, and He was on the earth for forty days after He was resurrected.  He then ascended to Heaven, and ten days after that, the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst] occurred.  The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age.  The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē].  That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.”  Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  The Church Age will end with the Rapture.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur—which is referenced as a single day in Leviticus 23:24–25 and Numbers 29:1–6 and which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during the time period of October 10th, 2026, at 11:13 A.M. – October 14th, 2026, at 12:29 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone.  

Regarding the word judgment, the proper way to spell that word is without an e between the dg and the m.  In that regard, the e of the root word judge is dropped when the suffix ment is added to that root word.  The formation of the word judgment is shown below.  

judge −e +ment

= judg +ment

= judgment

Another way to categorize human history is by means of civilizations.  Civilizations begin only with believers.  Regarding the timing of civilizations and dispensations, the first civilization began with Adam and ended on the occasion of the Great Flood (also known as the Flood).  That civilization is known as the antediluvian civilization and the predulivian civilization.  In that regard, the prefixes ante and pre mean “before.”  Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time before the Flood.  Those spellings include antediluvian, ante-diluvian, prediluvian, and pre-diluvian.  

After the Flood, there were only eight believers on the earth:  Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their sonsʼ wives.  With the removal of the unbelievers from the earth on the occasion of the Flood, a new civilization was started.  That civilization is known as the postdiluvian civilization (also known as the postdiluvial civilization).  Regarding the terminology, the prefix post means “after,” and the adjectives diluvian and diluvial mean “having to do with a flood.”  Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time after the Flood.  Those spellings include postdiluvian, post-diluvian, postdiluvial, and post-diluvial.  The postdiluvian civilization will end on the occasion of the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.  On the occasion of the Second Advent, the Lord will remove all unbelievers from the earth.  Their removal will be by means of physical death just as the removal of all unbelievers was by means of physical death on the occasion of the Flood.  This is called the Baptism of Fire, which is either a metaphorical description because fire can be used to represent judgment or a literal reference to the use of fire in the judgment of unbelievers on the occasion of the Second Advent.  The Baptism of Fire is referenced in Matthew 3:11–12; Luke 3:15–17; and 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9.  

Just as a new civilization started after the Flood, so also a new civilization will start after the Baptism of Fire.  That civilization is called the Millennium.  The Millennium is both a civilization and a dispensation.  The Eternal State is also both a civilization and a dispensation.  

Romans 11:33

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom [or and the wisdom] and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

Romans 11:34

Indeed, WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR, 

Note:  This is a reference to Isaiah 40:13.  Also, these are rhetorical questions that indicate that humans lack the omniscience [all-knowingness] of God the Father and that, lacking omniscience, humans are unqualified to be counselors for God the Father.  By way of application, God the Fatherʼs plans for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are better than the believersʼ plans for themselves; therefore, believers should refrain from trying to force God the Father to change His plans to match the believersʼ plans.  

Romans 11:35

or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT WILL BE PAID BACK [literally: AND IT WILL BE PAID BACK] TO HIM AGAIN?—

Note:  The first instance of the pronoun HIM in this verse refers to God the Father.  The second instance of the pronoun HIM in this verse refers to a human.  The content of this verse references Job 41:11.  Also, this is another rhetorical question.  By means of that rhetorical question, the apostle Paul indicates that a person is unable to give something to God the Father that would then obligate God the Father to give something to that person.  In that regard, Paul indicates that there is nothing that a person can do to merit favor from God the Father.  Rather than people meriting favor from God the Father, God the Fatherʼs dealings with people involve God the Fatherʼs grace.  Grace is unmerited favor.  

Romans 11:36

because from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.  To Him be the glory forever [literally: to the ages].  Amen.

Note:  Romans 12:1 contains a metaphor in the form of the phrase present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice.  The metaphor refers to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ living their lives in fellowship with the Trinity.  In that regard, during the Church Age, all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are indwelt by God the Holy Spirit and initially—at the moment of salvation—filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  Regarding that, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

With regard to being in fellowship or out of fellowship with the Trinity, it is useful to use the term status quo [STAT-uhs kwoh or STAY-tuhs kwoh], which means “existing condition.”  When a believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity, that believer has a status quo of carnality.  The term carnality refers to a person being controlled by that personʼs old sin nature (OSN).  Every human except the Lord Jesus Christ has acquired an old sin nature, and each humanʼs old sin nature is in the body of that human.  The old sin nature, which is referenced in Ephesians 4:22 with the term old man, can also be referred to as the sin nature.  It is also referenced using the word flesh in Ephesians 2:3 and Galatians 5:16.  The content of Romans 6:6 associates the sin nature with peopleʼs bodies, and the content of Romans 7:17–18 references the sin nature being in peopleʼs bodies.  Adam and Ishshah [ish-SHAW] (the name of Eve before Adam renamed her Eve) were created without old sin natures, and they acquired old sin natures when they sinned.  All other human beings have been conceived.  Only the Lord Jesus Christ was conceived without an old sin nature.  All the other humans that were conceived have been conceived with old sin natures.  Likewise, all humans in the future will be conceived, and the conceiving of each of them will involve each of them receiving an old sin nature at the moment that each of them will be conceived.  

The English word carnality came from Middle English [the English language from circa A.D. 1150 to circa A.D. 1470] via Old North French [the dialects of Old French (the French language up to circa A.D. 1400) spoken in northern France] via Latin.  The word circa [SUHR-kuh] means “approximately”; circa is used before dates.  Also, the abbreviation c. can be used for the word circa.  The abbreviation A.D. means “Anno Domini.”  The phrase Anno Domini is Latin for “in the year of the Lord.”  The abbreviation A.D. should be placed before the numerals of a date but after the spelled-out words of a date.  Latin is a language that started as the language of ancient Rome.  The Latin word from which carnality is derived is carnālis [kahr-NAH-lees], which can be translated as “fleshly.”  The Latin word carnālis is derived from the Latin word carō [KAH-roh], which can be translated as “flesh.”  

As mentioned above, when a believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity, that believer has a status quo of carnality.  In contrast, when a believer is in fellowship with the Trinity, that believer has a status quo of spirituality.  In that regard, spirituality is the condition of being in fellowship with the Trinity and filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  Getting back to the metaphor of the phrase present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, the means by which a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ does so is by living in status-quo spirituality.  Living in status-quo spirituality involves being in fellowship with the Trinity and filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  

Romans 12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, well-pleasing/acceptable to God—your logical/rational/spiritual service of worship.

Note:  In Romans 12:1, the reference to believersʼ bodies being a living and holy sacrifice is a metaphorical reference to each believer conducting his or her life in a manner that is well-pleasing/acceptable to God the Father.  In that regard, the conducting of oneʼs life involves the function of the body.  In this verse, the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word that is translated as “logical/rational/spiritual” is λογικὴν [pronounced lah-gee-KAYN and transliterated as logikēn], which is an inflected form of the adjective λογικός [pronounced lah-gee-KAHS and transliterated as logikos].  The Koine Greek word logikos refers to that which is logical.  The word rational is a synonym of the word logical.  The Members of the Trinity are omniscient [ahm-NISH-uhnt]—the Members of the Trinity know everything; therefore, They are perfectly logical.  When a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is functioning in accordance with the Word of God, that believerʼs service of worship is logical/rational.  

Because a believer who is functioning in accordance with the Word of God is in fellowship with the Trinity and filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, that believer is functioning in status-quo spirituality.  In that sense, that believerʼs service of worship is spiritual.  In that regard, true spirituality is logical/rational rather than emotional.  It is important to be aware of that fact because some people incorrectly believe that an emotionally out-of-control state is spiritual.  Similarly, some people incorrectly believe that spirituality involves following oneʼs feelings.  In reality, following oneʼs feelings involves following the temptations of oneʼs old sin nature.  

As revealed by the content of Romans 12:1, true spirituality involves logical thought processes that are derived from correct understanding of the Word of God while a believer is in fellowship with the Trinity and filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  In that regard, in order to think logically insofar as the Word of God is concerned, the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ must learn the Word of God.  Romans 12:2 addresses that matter.  

Romans 12:2

Also, stop being molded/conformed to this age but be transformed by the renewing/renovation of your mind so that you may prove what / expose the value of what the will of God is, namely, the good, the well-pleasing/acceptable, and the complete/perfect, 

Note:  The word that is translated as “age” in Romans 12:2 is αἰῶνι [pronounced igh-OH-nee and transliterated as aiōni], which is an inflected form of the noun αἰών [pronounced igh-OHN and transliterated as aiōn].  The English word eon [EE-ahn or EE-uhn] is derived from the Greek word aiōn.  Also, eon can be spelled aeon [EE-ahn or EE-uhn].  

Each time period of human history involves various false viewpoints.  Whatever those false viewpoints are, the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should stop being molded/conformed to them.  Each false viewpoint is a form of human viewpoint.  The term human viewpoint refers to any viewpoint that deviates from the Word of God.  In contrast, the term divine viewpoint refers to the viewpoint of the Trinity.  All three Members of the Trinity have the same viewpoint.  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can learn divine viewpoint by learning the Word of God.  Therefore, the term divine viewpoint refers to the viewpoint that comes from a proper understanding of the Word of God.  With human-viewpoint thinking, a person has unrealistic expectations regarding life.  Such a person is divorced from reality.  

Regarding various false viewpoints, at the moment of salvation, a believer still has garbage in his or her subconscious.  The garbage in the subconscious is the human viewpoint that has been metaphorically programmed into the thinking of a person.  After salvation, a believer can also accumulate garbage in the subconscious of that believer.  Because people express what they think, the saying “garbage in, garbage out” is applicable to an unbeliever, and it is also applicable to a believer to the extent that that believer has human viewpoint remaining in that believerʼs thinking.  That saying can also be abbreviated as GIGO [pronounced GIGH-goh or GEE-goh or GIH-goh].  

Regarding each time period of human history involving various false viewpoints, during time periods that involve information generated by computers, the expression “garbage in, garbage out” is applicable to information generated by those computers.  In that regard, the abbreviation AI, which is used to represent the term artificial intelligence, ironically refers to artificial idiocy when those computers output garbage.  The garbage output by computers referred to as AI can be referred to as AI slop.  The content of AI slop involves misrepresentations, including, for example, images that do not represent reality, video content that does not represent reality, audio content that does not represent reality, and wording that involves falsehoods.  The misrepresentations that are in AI slop can cause a personʼs thinking to be molded by human viewpoint that is in that AI slop.  

People can deliberately input false information into computer systems that some people categorize as AI, thereby manipulating those computer systems.  Such inputting of false information can be referred to as poisoning.  For example, one type of computer system that some people categorize as AI is known as a large language model (LLM), which is a computer program into which a large quantity of data is inputted and which can be interacted with by means of giving commands that involve human language and which outputs information in a form that mimics human language.  Because the data that goes into LLMs can come from content that is available on webpages, people can input false information into LLMs by putting false information on webpages that are used as data sources for those LLMs.  The putting of false information on webpages for the purpose of inputting false information into LLMs is known as LLM grooming.  The people who do LLM grooming can thereby try to mold peopleʼs thinking so as to influence them to think in terms of human viewpoint.  

When a person becomes a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, that person needs to learn the Word of God.  Learning the Word of God enables the thinking of a believer to be renewed/renovated.  Each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ can continue to learn the Word of God all the way up to the time that he or she goes to Heaven.  

The terminology well-pleasing/acceptable refers to what is well-pleasing/acceptable to God the Father.  The terminology complete/perfect as used in Romans 12:2 could refer to God the Father wanting each believer to complete God the Fatherʼs plan for that believer, or it could refer to the fact that God the Fatherʼs plan for the believer is perfect.  Either way, the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should learn and obey the Word of God so that the believer can fulfill God the Fatherʼs plan for that believerʼs life.  

Romans 12:3

for I say through the grace which has been given to me to everyone who is among you, stop thinking of self in terms of arrogance beyond what you ought to think but think in terms of sanity for the purpose of being rational without illusion as God has assigned to each one a standard of thinking from doctrine/faith.

Note:  The last word of Romans 12:3 can be translated as either “doctrine” or “faith.”  Doctrine is that in which one believes.  Faith is oneʼs action of believing in something.  In the context of this verse, the word doctrine refers to Bible doctrine, which is the Word of God.  In this verse, the form of the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word that is translated as either “doctrine” or “faith” is πίστεως [pronounced PEES-teh-ohs and transliterated as pisteōs].  It is an inflected form of the root word πίστις [pronounced PEES-tees and transliterated as pistis].  

Romans 12:4

Indeed, just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,

Note:  Just as there are different functions performed by the various parts of a body, so also there are different functions performed by the various believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  

Romans 12:5

likewise, we, who are many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another.

Note:  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should be working as one team serving God the Father in accordance with His will.  

Romans 12:6

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us—if prophecy, in agreement with the doctrine; 

Note:  The gift of prophecy had discontinued in the Church Age by the time that the Bible was completed.  The Bible was completed when the apostle John finished writing The Revelation to John.  The Bible can also be referred to as the Canon of Scripture.  The Canon of Scripture was completed in the 1st century A.D.  The content of 1 Corinthians 13:8–10 covers the topic of the gift of prophecy ending before the Canon of Scripture was completed.  In that regard, below is content related to 1 Corinthians 13:8–10.  

1 Corinthians 13:8

Benevolence/goodwill [agapē (ah-GAH-pay) (ἀγάπη)] never fails, but if prophecies, they will be done away; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be done away.

Note:  The content of 1 Corinthians 13:8 refers to spiritual gifts that stopped being available once the Bible was completed.  The Bible was completed within a century after the Lord Jesus Christ was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity.  

1 Corinthians 13:9

Indeed, we know in part and we prophesy in part, 

1 Corinthians 13:10

but when the complete/perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

Note:  In 1 Corinthians 13:10, the adjective that is translated as “complete/perfect” refers to the Bible.  In that regard, in 1 Corinthians 13:10, the Koine Greek adjective that is translated as “complete/perfect” is in the neuter gender.  That adjective is τέλειον [pronounced TEH-lay-ahn and transliterated as teleion].  That adjective is an inflected form of the root word τέλειος [pronounced TEH-lay-ahs and transliterated as teleios].  Koine Greek has three genders:  masculine, feminine, and neuter.  The Lord Jesus Christ is a male; therefore, an adjective that refers to Him would be in the masculine gender.  The neuter gender refers to a thing.  In 1 Corinthians 13:10, the thing to which the adjective that is translated as “complete/perfect” refers is the completed Canon of Scripture—in other words, the Bible.  In that regard, the content of 1 Corinthians 13:10 indicates that supernatural spiritual gifts stopped being available once the Canon of Scripture was completed.  The Canon of Scripture was completed in the 1st century A.D.  Also, the phrase the partial indicates that those spiritual gifts only revealed a portion of the Word of God that the Bible reveals.  

The content of Romans 12:6 is repeated below for reference.  

Romans 12:6

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us—if prophecy, in agreement with the doctrine; 

Romans 12:7

if service, in his serving; if he who teaches, in his teaching;

Romans 12:8

if he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with generosity; he who performs administrative-management duties, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness; 

Romans 12:9

the benevolence/goodwill without hypocrisy; abhorring what is evil; clinging to what is good; 

Note:  In Romans 12:9, the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word that is translated into English as “benevolence” or “goodwill” is ἀγάπῃ [pronounced ah-GAH-pay and transliterated as agapē].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word ἀγάπη [pronounced ah-GAH-pay and transliterated as agapē (some people leave the macron—a diacritical mark that looks like a horizontal line above a letter—off the e and transliterate the word as agape)].  

Romans 12:10

devoted to one another in brotherly love / love of the brethren / fondness for the brethren; showing deference towards one another in honor; 

Note:  The Koine Greek word translated as brotherly love / love of the brethren / fondness for the brethren in the above translation of Romans 12:10 is φιλαδελφίᾳ [pronounced fee-lah-del-FEE-ah and transliterated as philadelphia].  The root form of the word is φιλαδελφία [pronounced fee-lah-del-FEE-ah and transliterated as philadelphia].  

Romans 12:11

not lagging behind in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 

Note:  The word spirit in this verse refers to a believerʼs human spirit.  In that regard, at the moment of salvation, each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ receives a human spirit, which is a believerʼs essence that involves thinking of Bible doctrine—in other words, thinking that involves the Word of God.  An unbeliever lacks a human spirit.  In contrast with a human spirit, a soul is a personʼs essence that involves thinking in general.  Each unbeliever has a body and soul; therefore, unbelievers are dichotomous [digh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  Each believer has a body, soul, and human spirit; therefore, believers are trichotomous [trigh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  

Romans 12:12

rejoicing in hope / absolute confidence; persevering in tribulation; devoted to prayer; 

Note:  All prayer must be addressed to God the Father.  In that regard, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself indicated that all prayer must be addressed to God the Father.  The content of Matthew 6:1–13 covers the Lord giving an example about how to pray.  In that regard, the content of Matthew 6:9 covers the Lord commanding that prayers be addressed to God the Father.  The content of Luke 11:1–4 also covers the Lord giving an example about how to pray.  In that regard, the content of Luke 11:2 covers the Lord commanding that prayers be addressed to God the Father.  

Romans 12:13

contributing to the needs of the saints / holy ones / set-apart ones; pursuing hospitality.  

Note:  All believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are saints.  In other words, they are holy, which means that they are set apart.  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have a relationship with the Trinity, while unbelievers lack a relationship with the Trinity.  At the moment of salvation, a believer becomes a saint / holy one / set-apart one.  

In this verse, pursuing hospitality involves being eager to be hospitable.  The Koine Greek verb that is translated as “pursuing” in this verse is διώκοντες [pronounced dee-OH-kahn-tess and transliterated as diōkontes].  That verb is an inflected form of the root word διώκω [pronounced dee-OH-koh and transliterated as diōkō].  The verb diōkō can be used literally or figuratively.  In this verse, diōkō is used figuratively to refer to being eager to do something.  The Koine Greek noun that is translated as “hospitality” in this verse is φιλοξενίαν [pronounced fee-lah-kseh-NEE-ahn and transliterated as philoxenian].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word φιλοξενία [pronounced fee-lah-kseh-NEE-ah and transliterated as philoxenia].  

Romans 12:14

Bless those who persecute you [two early manuscripts do not contain you].  Bless and do not curse.

Note:  The way that a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ can bless those who persecute that believer is by praying for those who are unbelievers to have opportunities to make a decision about being interested in hearing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life—and for those who are believers who are not at the point of the sin unto death to have opportunities to make decisions about being interested in studying and obeying the Word of God.  Then the believer who has received the persecution can pray that the unbelievers who are interested in hearing the gospel—and those who become interested in hearing it—will hear the gospel and that God the Holy Spirit will make the gospel clear to those unbelievers.  The believer who has received the persecution can pray that the believers who are interested in studying and obeying the Word of God—and the believers who become interested in studying and obeying the Word of God—will get the Word taught properly and learn God the Fatherʼs plan for their lives.  

The sin unto death involves an early physical death.  For a believer who physically dies after the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst], that early physical death involves an early departure to Heaven.  The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age.  The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē].  That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.”  Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  The Church Age will end with the Rapture.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur—which is referenced as a single day in Leviticus 23:24–25 and Numbers 29:1–6 and which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during the time period of October 10th, 2026, at 11:13 A.M. – October 14th, 2026, at 12:29 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone.  The departure to Heaven of a believer who experiences the sin unto death is an early departure in the sense that it occurs at an earlier time than it would have occurred if the believer had regularly remained in fellowship with the Trinity.  The topic of the sin unto death is covered in 1 John 5:16.  Rather than the content of 1 John 5:16 referring to some particular sin that is categorized as the sin unto death, the content of 1 John 5:16 refers to sinning in general that results in a believerʼs physical death occurring earlier than it would have had that believer regularly remained in fellowship with the Trinity.  

If a believer refrains from confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, then that believer will remain out of fellowship with the Trinity.  A believer who remains out of fellowship eventually becomes a reversionist.  Such a believer reverts back to acting like unbelievers.  Being a reversionistic believer is known as being involved in reversionism.  Ultimately, if a believer continues to refrain from confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer will experience the sin unto death.  

The amount of unconfessed post-salvation sins that results in the sin unto death can vary.  It is even possible that a single sin on a single occasion is so bad that the believer committing that sin experiences the sin unto death.  Based on the content of the Bible, it is logical to conclude that such a sin would be something egregious—in other words, something very bad.  

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

Note:  The content of Romans 12:15 involves the matter of being considerate towards others.  When others are in a jubilant mood, one should refrain from trying to spoil that mood.  When people are mourning, one should refrain from being jubilant in their presence.  

Romans 12:16

Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind but associate with the lowly [or accommodate yourself to lowly things].  Do not be wise in your own estimation.

Note:  In Romans 12:16, the word lowly could refer to people or to things.  If it refers to people, then this verse is indicating that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should be willing to associate with people who have a low status in society.  It should be noted that absent from the context of Romans 12 is anything about associating with selfish people.  If the word lowly in Romans 12:16 refers to things, then this verse is indicating that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should be willing to be associated with tasks that lack prestige.  Whether the word lowly in Romans 12:16 refers to people or things, the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should be willing to be associated with both.  

Romans 12:17

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Take thought in advance for / Have regard for / Think of beforehand what is right in the sight of all men.

Note:  The content of Romans 12:17 indicates that a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should think in advance so as to be prepared beforehand to do what is right in terms of the absolute standards of the Word of God because people see what believers do.  In that regard, people can also hear what believers say and see what believers write or type.  

Romans 12:18

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

Note:  Sometimes it is impossible to be at peace with some people.  For example, when a person is attacking someone innocent, it is impossible to be at peace with that attacker until the attacker has been stopped from attacking.  

Romans 12:19

Never take your own revenge, beloved, but give a place for the wrath, for it is written:  “VENGEANCE IS MINE; I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.

Note:  The wrath in this verse refers to the wrath of God the Father.  The fact that that wrath is the wrath of God the Father is indicated by the content that is in the rest of this verse after the reference to wrath.  In that regard, the content that is in all capital letters in this verse references Deuteronomy 32:35.  While the scope of the content of Deuteronomy 32:35 involves enemies of Israel, the scope of the content of Romans 12:19 involves those who mistreat believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, whether those believers are Israelites or Gentiles.  Below is content related to Deuteronomy 32:35.  

Deuteronomy 32:35

‘Vengeance is Mine—and retribution.  In due time, their foot slips, for the day of their calamity is near, and the impending things have hastened upon them.’

Note:  This verse refers to what happens to enemies of Israel.  In that regard, the use of a present tense in the phrase their foot slips in this verse is a reference to what will occur in the future.  Such a use of a present tense has a rhetorical effect.  In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the future can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine future events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.  

The use of the perfect tense in the phrase have hastened upon in this verse is a reference to the future.  Such a use of the perfect tense has a rhetorical effect.  In that regard, why would verbs in the perfect tense be used to refer to what will happen in the future?  Doing so in reference to something being indicated can communicate that what will occur in the future is 100% certain to happen and that because it is 100% certain to happen, it is as though it has happened already.  

Romans 12:20

“NEVERTHELESS, IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK.  INDEED, IN SO DOING, YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”

Note:  The content of this verse references Proverbs 25:21–22.  Below is content related to Proverbs 25:21–22.  

Proverbs 25:21

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, 

Note:  The content of this verse refers to being gracious to a defeated opponent.  

Proverbs 25:22

for you heap burning coals on his head, and Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One rewards you.

Note:  The reference to the heaping of burning coals is a metaphorical reference.  Just as a heap of burning coals on a personʼs head would get the attention of that person, so also being gracious to an opponent gets the attention of that opponent.  If the defeated opponent of a believer who is being gracious is an unbeliever and if that gracious believer has previously communicated to that opponent the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life—then the gracious believerʼs graciousness can give that opponent an opportunity or opportunities to consider that the gospel message is true.  Likewise, if the defeated opponent of a believer who is being gracious is an unbeliever and if that gracious believer presents the gospel while being gracious to that opponent, then the gracious believerʼs graciousness can give that opponent an opportunity or opportunities to consider that the gospel message is true.  Similarly, if the defeated opponent of a believer who is being gracious is a believer, then the gracious believerʼs graciousness can give that opponent an opportunity or opportunities to consider obeying the Word of God.  

Romans 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Sincerely,

John