Matthew 5:1-12

Contemporary English Version

The Sermon on the Mount

5 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the side of a mountain and sat down.^[a]

Blessings

(Luke 6.20-23)

Jesus' disciples gathered around him, ²and he taught them:

³God blesses those people
    who depend only on him.
They belong to the kingdom
    of heaven!^[b]
⁴^(A) God blesses those people
who grieve.
    They will find comfort!
⁵^(B) God blesses those people
    who are humble.
The earth will belong
    to them!
⁶^(C) God blesses those people
who want to obey him^[c]
    more than to eat or drink.
They will be given
    what they want!
⁷God blesses those people
    who are merciful.
They will be treated
    with mercy!
⁸^(D) God blesses those people
whose hearts are pure.
    They will see him!
⁹God blesses those people
    who make peace.
They will be called
    his children!
¹⁰^(E) God blesses those people
who are treated badly
    for doing right.
They belong to the kingdom
    of heaven.^[d]

¹¹^(F) God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. ¹²^(G) Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.

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Footnotes

5.1 sat down: Teachers in the ancient world, including Jewish teachers, usually sat down when they taught.
5.3 They belong to the kingdom of heaven: Or “The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.”
5.6 who want to obey him: Or “who want to do right” or “who want everyone to be treated right.”
5.10 They belong to the kingdom of heaven: See the note at 5.3.