Romans 12:1

Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus

Then again, Paul exhorts us "to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."[75]

Athenagoras A Plea for the Christians

And what have I to do with holocausts, which God does not stand in need of?-though indeed it does behove us to offer a bloodless sacrifice and "the service of our reason."[43]

Tertullian On the Resurrection of the Flesh

These must be "the bodies" which he "beseeches" the Romans to "present" as "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God."[336]

Tertullian On Prayer

For matters of this kind belong not to religion, but to superstition, being studied, and forced, and of curious rather than rational ceremony;[93]

Cyprian Epistle LXXVI

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."[9]

Cyprian Treatise XI Exhortation to Martyrdom Addressed to Fortunatus

And again: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the mercy of God, that ye constitute your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God; and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed in the renewing of your spirit, that ye may prove what is the will of God, good, and acceptable, and perfect."[61]

Didache

that your sacrifice may be pure.[125]