One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the
mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began
to teach them.
God
blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of
Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn, for they will be
comforted.
God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit
the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for
justice, for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be
shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they
will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will
be called the children of God.
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing
right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie
about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my
followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward
awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the
same way.
You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has
lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and
trampled underfoot as worthless.
You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that
cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a
basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone
in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to
see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish
the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish
their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not
even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is
achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do
the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who
obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of
Heaven.
But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the
righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will
never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not
murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I
say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you
call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the
court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the
Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave
your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then
come and offer your sacrifice to God.
When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle
your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the
judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into
prison. And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have
paid the last penny.
~ Source : Matthew 5:1-26 [Holy Bible -NLT]
taken from https://www.biblegateway.com