The Sermon on the Mount
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the side of a mountain and sat down.5.1 sat down: Teachers in the ancient world, including Jewish teachers, usually sat down when they taught.
Blessings
Jesus' disciples gathered around him, 2 and he taught them:
3 God blesses those people
who depend only on him.
They belong to the kingdom
of heaven!5.3 They belong to the kingdom of heaven: Or "The kingdom of heaven belongs to them."
4 Is 61.2.God blesses those people
who grieve.
They will find comfort!
5 Ps 37.11.God blesses those people
who are humble.
The earth will belong
to them!
6 Is 55.1,2; Si 24.21.God blesses those people
who want to obey him5.6 who want to obey him: Or "who want to do right" or "who want everyone to be treated right."
more than to eat or drink.
They will be given
what they want!
7 God blesses those people
who are merciful.
They will be treated
with mercy!
8 Ps 24.3,4; 2 Esd 7.98.God blesses those people
whose hearts are pure.
They will see him!
9 God blesses those people
who make peace.
They will be called
his children!
10 1 P 3.14.God blesses those people
who are treated badly
for doing right.
They belong to the kingdom
of heaven.5.10 They belong to the kingdom of heaven: See the note at 5.3.
11 1 P 4.14.God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12 2 Ch 36.16; Si 2.8;Ac 7.52.Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.