Romans 12:1–2
Paul asks us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice: that is our worship
Study it word by word1I urge you then, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice living, holy, pleasing to God, which is your rational worship.
2And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may discern what the will of God is: what is good and pleasing and complete.
In its context
…
3For by the grace given to me I say to everyone who is among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but to think so as to think soberly, as God has assigned to each a measure of faith.
4For just as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function,
Its words in the original
- ΠαρακαλῶParakalō· urge, comfort
Call to one's side; plead with, encourage, comfort.
- ἀδελφοίadelphoi· brother
Brother. Also a close relative, a fellow countryman and, among believers, a brother in the faith.
- οἰκτιρμῶνoiktirmōn· compassion, mercy
Compassion, mercy: pity that comes from the heart.
- θεοῦtheou· God, god
God. In the plural or in another sense, "gods".
- παραστῆσαιparastēsai· stand by, present
Place beside, present; put at someone's disposal; stand by.
- σώματαsōmata· body
Body.
- θυσίανthysian· sacrifice
Sacrifice, offering.
- ζῶσανzōsan· live
Live, be alive.
- ἁγίανhagian· holy
Holy: set apart for God, pure, belonging to him.
- εὐάρεστονeuareston· pleasing, acceptable
Pleasing, acceptable: what pleases someone.
- λογικὴνlogikēn· rational, spiritual
Rational, reasonable: what accords with reason; also spiritual.
- λατρείανlatreian· worship, service
Worship, the service offered to God.
- συσχηματίζεσθεsyschēmatizesthe· be conformed
Be conformed, take on the shape of something, follow its pattern.
- αἰῶνιaiōni· age
Age: a long period of the world's time; "forever", literally "into the ages".
- μεταμορφοῦσθεmetamorphousthe· be transformed
Be transformed, change form. Said of Jesus on the mountain, the transfiguration.
- ἀνακαινώσειanakainōsei· renewal
Renewal: making new again.
- νοόςnoos· mind, understanding
Mind, understanding: the ability to think and judge; also a way of thinking or a purpose.
- δοκιμάζεινdokimazein· test, approve
To test, examine; to approve.
- θέλημαthelēma· will
Will: what someone wants and decides.
- ἀγαθὸνagathon· good
Good.
- τέλειονteleion· complete, mature
Complete, mature, whole; often rendered “perfect.”