present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice

This phrase will take some work. The first word that we need to see is present. It is the Greek word παριστάνω (G 3936) to cause to stand near, to place nearby. In the NT, to place or set before someone, present, exhibit.[1] It occurs 52 times in the New Testament. It is translated with the following words: before (3), beside (3), bystanders (5), come (1), commend (1), disposal (1), help (1), here (1), nearby (2), present (11), presented (4), presenting (1), prove (1), provide (1), put (1), stand (3), standing (4), stands (2), stood (5), took (1). It is most often rendered as a form of present (16) and next as a form of stand (14).
The first verse that we shall look at where παριστανω is translated as present is in Luke 2:22. Here we see Jesus being “presented” to God at the temple. This presentation is a fulfillment of the law to redeem the first born male child (Luke 2:23).
The next time that we read of Christ being “presented” is in Acts 1:3 where “He also presented Himself alive”. In this presentation Christ is showing himself to others as proof of his resurrection.
From these two verses and from others not quoted in this study we see the idea of presentation as that of a showing of someone to someone for a purpose. It is not just “here you go meet Johnny” it is “here you go meet Jonny, now do something with him.” This can be seen clearly in Romans 6:13 where we are told “do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin” but instead “present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead”. We clearly see the presentation as an offering up of ourselves for a function.
Next we come to the word body. The Greek behind it is σωμα, (G 4983) and it is used 142 times in the New Testament. 128 of those occurrences it is translated as body and it is translated 11 more times as bodies. σωμα may be defined as such: Body, an organized whole made up of parts and members. Of a human body different from sárx (G4561), flesh, which word denotes the material body.[2] Depending upon the way it is used in context of a verse it can mean a living person or a corps. It is also used to describe heavenly bodies such as stars, planets, moons, etc.
When we consider what is in view here in the word body we must consider what makes up a person. A person is made up of a body, a soul and a dead human spirit. If a person is a believer in Christ then a living human spirit comes into the mix. 1st Thessalonians 5:23; Matthew 10:28. The body and soul are so intertwined that if the soul departs the body then the body dies. ψυχή (G 5590) is the Greek word for soul and it is used 101 times in the New Testament. It is translated as a form of soul 47 times, and as form of the word life 47 times. So when we read that we are to “present our bodies” it is not just talking about our physical body but the very being of who we are.
For now we will skip over “living and holy” and look at sacrifice because “living and holy” define and expand upon sacrifice. In the Old Testament all of the sacrifices and offerings pointed to an aspect of Christ. There was no merit in them in and of themselves. They were shadows of the coming Christ. Portraying Christ is the “sacrifice” that we as Christians make. In our daily lives others should see aspects of Christ played out in us.
How do we do this?
Daily we intake Devine view point by studying God’s Word, that is getting to know the “mind of Christ”. (1 Cor. 2:14) This allows us to portray Christ to others as we live. It is not us telling others what to do or not to do; it is however, others seeing something different in us. It is our being “Holy”.
Holy is defined as: moral and ethical wholeness or perfection; freedom from moral evil. Holiness is one of the essential elements of God’s nature required of His people. Holiness may also be rendered “sanctification” or “godliness.” The Hebrew word for “holy” denotes that which is “sanctified” or “set apart” for divine service.[3]
The idea of being set apart does not mean that we remove ourselves from the world, but instead that we do not act like the world.

[1] The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament
[2] The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament
[3]Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary.; Includes index. Nashville: T. Nelson.