New Revised Standard Version
and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us,

Contemporary English Version
And they did more than we had hoped. They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, just as God wanted them to do.

New American Bible
and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us through the will of God,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And not as we hoped: but they gave their own selves, first to the Lord, then to us by the will of God;

And not as we hoped: but they gave their own selves, first to the Lord, then to us by the will of God;

first.

2 Corinthians 5:14,15 For the charity of Christ presseth us: judging this, that if one died for all, then all were dead. . . .

1 Samuel 1:28 Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord all the days of his life, he shall be lent to the Lord. And they adored the Lord there. And Anna prayed, and said:

2 Chronicles 30:8 Harden not your necks, as your fathers did: yield yourselves to the Lord, and come to his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified forever: serve the Lord the God of your fathers, and the wrath of his indignation shall be turned away from you.

Isaiah 44:3-5 For I will pour out waters upon the thirsty ground, and streams upon the dry land: I will pour out my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy stock. . . .

Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord: I will give my law in their bowels, and I will write it in their heart: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Zechariah 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined: and I will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them. I will say: Thou art my people: and they shall say: The Lord is my God.

Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of iniquity unto sin: but present yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead; and your members as instruments of justice unto God.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service.

Romans 14:7-9 For none of us liveth to himself: and no man dieth to himself. . . .

1 Corinthians 6:19,20 Or know you not that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, who is in you, whom you have from God: and you are not your own? . . .

unto.

2 Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ our Lord: and ourselves your servants through Jesus.

1 Chronicles 12:18 But the spirit came upon Amasai the chief among thirty, and he said: We are thine, O David, and for thee, O son of Isai: peace, peace be to thee, and peace to thy helpers. For thy God helpeth thee. So David received them, and made them captains of the band.

2 Chronicles 30:12 But the hand of God was in Juda, to give them one heart to do the word of the Lord, according to the commandment of the king, and of the princes.