WHAT IT MEANS
A Renewed Mind
Transformation grows as our thinking is renewed instead of being pressed into the patterns around us.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
CONTEXT
What is happening here?
Romans 12 begins the practical response to the gospel explained in earlier chapters: offer your whole life to God and learn to discern His will.
APPLY IT
For today
Pay attention to what is shaping your thinking and deliberately replace unhealthy patterns with truth.
Read it in 5 translations
KJV King James Version
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
BSB Berean Standard Bible
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
WEB World English Bible
Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
ASV American Standard Version
And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for your proving what is the will of God—the good, and acceptable, and perfect.
Surrounding context — Romans 12
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
καὶG2532 · kaiandμὴG3361 · mēnotσυσχηματίζεσθεG4964 · suschēmatizōto conform toτῷG3588 · hothe/this/whoαἰῶνιG165 · aiōnan age: ageτούτῳ,G3778 · ohutosthis/he/she/itἀλλὰG235 · allabutμεταμορφοῦσθεG3339 · metamorphoōto transformτῇG3588 · hothe/this/whoἀνακαινώσειG342 · anakainōsisrenewalτοῦG3588 · hothe/this/whoνοὸςG3563 · nousmindεἰςG1519 · eistowardτὸG3588 · hothe/this/whoδοκιμάζεινG1381 · dokimazōto testὑμᾶςG4771 · suyouτίG5101 · tiswhich?τὸG3588 · hothe/this/whoθέλημαG2307 · thelēmawill/desireτοῦG3588 · hothe/this/whoθεοῦG2316 · theosGodτὸG3588 · hothe/this/whoἀγαθὸνG18 · agathosgoodκαὶG2532 · kaiandεὐάρεστονG2101 · euarestoswell-pleasingκαὶG2532 · kaiandτέλειον.G5046 · teleiosperfect
Cross-references
1 Peter 1:14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:Ephesians 4:22-24That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.Colossians 3:10And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:1 John 2:15-17Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.Ephesians 5:17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord [is].Ezekiel 36:26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.1 Peter 4:2That he no longer should live the rest of [his] time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.Romans 12:1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.John 15:19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.Psalm 51:10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.Romans 13:14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof].Titus 3:5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;James 4:4Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.2 Corinthians 4:4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.Proverbs 3:1-4My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:Ephesians 4:17-20This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,John 17:14I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on Romans 12:2
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →