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TWELVE STEPS
AND THEIR BIBLICAL COMPARISONS
1. We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behavior, that our lives had become unmanageable. “I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway.” Romans 7:18 MSG
2. We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. “For it is God who is at work in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” Philippians 2:13 NIV
3. We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God. “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable." Romans 12:1 NLT
4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. “Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living and reorder our lives under God.” Lamentations 3:40 MSG
5. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs. “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed.” James 4:16 MSG
6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” James 4:10 NLT
7. We humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings. “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9 NLT
8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” Luke 6:31 NLT
9. We made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. “This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.” Matthew 5:23-24 MSG
10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. “Don’t be so naïve and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else.” 1 Corinthians 10:12 MSG
11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. “Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God!” Colossians 3:16 MSG
12. Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. “Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out.” Galatians 6:1 MSG
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