How fortunate are those who are poor in spirit, because theirs is the heavenly kingdom.
How fortunate are those who mourn, because they will receive consolation.
How fortunate are those who are meek, because they will receive the earth as an inheritance.
How fortunate are those who hunger and thirst to be right with God, because they will be filled.
How fortunate are those who are merciful towards others, because they will also receive mercy.
How fortunate are those who have pure hearts, because they will see God.
How fortunate are those who make peace, because they shall be called God's children.
How fortunate are those who suffer persecution for having done what is right
because for such people is God's kingdom.
How fortunate are you when, because of your loyalty to me, you are harshly criticized and insulted
and people defame you and accuse you falsely of being evil.
Be glad when that happens because you have a great spiritual reward
since the prophets of old were persecuted in the same way.
You are the salt that preserves and nourishes the earth.
But if the salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again?
It becomes useless, and people throw it out and trample all over it.
You are the light of this world. You will be like a city set on a hill that cannot be unnoticed by others.
Nobody lights a candle to later cover it up with a bowl.
Rather they put it on a candlestick so that everyone in the house has light to see.
So let your light shine brightly so that people can see your good works and give glory to your Heavenly Father.
Don't think I came to destroy God's laws or the teachings of the Old Testament prophets.
I didn't come to destroy them, rather to give them their true fulfillment.
Because I tell you the truth: until heaven and earth disappears
nothing from the law will change until everything is fulfilled.
So, whoever lives contrary to even the least of my commandments and teaches others to do the same
will be considered least in the heavenly kingdom.
But whoever governs his life by them and teaches others to obey them
will be called great in the heavenly kingdom.
Because I assure you that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the religious leaders
you will not enter the heavenly kingdom.
You know that you should not kill and that if you do you will be in danger of the judgement.
But I tell you that being angry against your brother without a good reason
will also put you in danger of the judgment.
And if you insult your brother, not only will you have to answer before men
but you will be in danger of going to hell.
That's why I am telling you that if you are about to do something for God
and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave what you are doing and go
reconcile with your brother, and then come and offer your service to God.
Make peace with your adversary while you still have opportunity to do so
lest your adversary take you to court and you be declared guilty and thrown into jail.
I assure you that you won't leave that place until you have finished your sentence.
You know that God prohibits adultery, but I am telling you that if you are looking at a woman to lust after her
you have already committed adultery in your heart.
So if your eye causes you to sin, you're better off taking your eye out
because it is much better to enter into eternal life with only one eye
than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell.
If it's your hand that causes you to sin, it would be better for you to cut your hand off than to keep sinning.
It's better to enter heaven maimed than to be destroyed in the fire.
You also know that the law says that if someone wants to divorce their wife, they should do it legally.
But I am telling you that, when a man divorces his wife for any other reason
than her already committing sexual immorality
he is the one that actually causes his wife to commit adultery
since the woman who divorces her husband and marries another commits adultery.
You've also heard that you should not swear falsely, but rather fulfill your oaths.
But I am telling you not to swear for any reason at all.
Don't swear by heaven, by Earth, by a city or even by your own life, because everything belongs to God.
Instead, when you say yes, let it be yes; and when you say no, it should be no. Anything you add to this is evil.
Do you remember the saying "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth"?
Well, I am telling you this: Don't resist the person who is evil.
Instead of that, if someone hits you on one cheek, offer him the other
or if someone sues you for your coat, give them the shirt you are wearing
and if someone forces you to walk a mile, walk two.
Give to anyone that asks of you something; and don't refuse those who ask you for a loan.
Have you heard the saying, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy"?
Well, I am saying: Love your enemies, bless those who curse you
do good to those who hate you and pray for those who despise you, persecute you and take advantage of you.
Doing this, you will be children of your Heavenly Father since he makes the sun rise for the good and the bad
and he sends rain to the just and the unjust.
If you only love those who love you and only do good to those who do good to you, what merit does that have?
Even ungodly people live by that rule.
And if you are friendly only to your brothers and sisters, how is that different to what everyone else does?
Even vile people do that much.
So be perfect, just like your heavenly Father is perfect.
But make sure you don't do charitable deeds in public to be seen by other people.
This won't be rewarded by your heavenly Father.
When you help the needy, don't sound a trumpet announcing your charity like the hypocrites do
in the religious congregations and in the streets so that they will be applauded.
That's the only reward those people get.
Instead, when you help the needy, don't even pay attention to it yourself.
This way, you will give secretly, and your heavenly Father, that sees the things that are done in secret
will reward you himself.
And when you pray, don't be like the hypocrites that stand in front of the religious congregations
or on the street corners to be seen praying in front of others.
That's their only reward.
Instead, when you pray, go to an intimate place and pray to your Father secretly.
That way your Father himself will reward you, because he sees everything that is done in secret.
And when you pray, don't use vain repetitions.
Those who pray to idols pray that way, thinking that they will be heard for their many words.
You should not be like them.
Remember that your heavenly Father already knows what you need, even before you ask him for it.
Instead, you should pray the following:
Our heavenly Father, may your name be honored by all. Establish your kingdom.
May your will be done here on earth as in heaven.
Provide for us the food we need today.
And forgive us our debts against you, in the same way we forgive others.
Protect us from temptation, and free us from evil.
For yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, forever. And so be it.
Now, if you forgive the sins of others, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you don't forgive other people, then neither will your Father forgive your sins.
And when you fast, don't do what the hypocrites do
for they even put on sad faces so that everyone will know that they are fasting.
Don't be like that.
Instead, when you fast, look presentable and act in a way that nobody can tell that you are fasting
except your heavenly Father.
That way your Father, who sees in secret, will be the one to reward you.
Don't gather material wealth for yourselves here in this world, where moths eat clothes
things rust and decay, and where thieves force their way in and steal.
Instead, gather up wealth in heaven
where neither moth nor rust can do anything and where there is no danger of thieves.
Because your heart will be wherever your wealth is.
The way you see things affects your whole being.
If you see things sincerely, your whole life will be full of light
but if you look at things corruptly, your whole life will be full of darkness.
Now, if your light is actually darkness, imagine how dark your darkness really is!
Nobody can work for two bosses, since he will love one and hate the other
or be faithful to one and cheat on the other.
You cannot work for both God and money.
That's why I am telling you, don't worry about what you need to eat and drink or about how you will get clothes.
Isn't creating life itself a greater challenge than providing food?
Isn't creating your body more complicated than providing clothes for you?
Look at the birds that fly around in the sky, they don't sow food nor reap it
nor do they store up things for the future but your heavenly Father feeds them.
Aren't you more valuable than they?
Which of you can, through mental effort, add even a few centimeters to your height?
So, why do you worry about things like clothes?
Look at the wild flowers in the fields. They don't work, nor do they make clothes.
And yet, not even the richest king in all of history, in all his pomp and glory
could dress as beautifully as one of these flowers.
Now, if God provides clothing for what is just wild grass, that exists today and tomorrow is burned up in an oven
won't he look after you all the more?
How is it that you have so little faith?!
So, stop worrying and asking: "But, what will we eat? And what will we drink? Will we have enough clothes?"
That's the way the whole pagan world thinks.
But you have a heavenly Father that already knows you need all these things.
So, make the Kingdom of God and His righteousness your first priority
and all these things will be provided for you.
And don't worry about the future, because the future will have its own challenges.
Truly, each day already has its own issues to deal with, without needing to be anxious about the future.
Don't judge so that you won't be judged
because you will be judged by the same standard that you use to judge others by.
Look, how can you focus on taking out a speck from your brother's eye
when you have a huge log in your own eye?
Will you actually tell him, "Look, you have a speck in your eye!" while you yourself have a log in your own?
Don't be a hypocrite!
First make sure you don't have a bigger problem that needs resolving.
Once you have resolved it, then you will be able to see more clearly to help your brother with his own issue.
But don't give what is holy to the dogs, nor waste your pearls on those who behave like pigs
or else they will trample all over them and start attacking you.
Ask and you will be given. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened for you.
Because everyone who asks, receives; and those who seek, find
and those who knock will have the doors opened for them.
Now, if a child asks you for bread, would you give him a stone?
If your child asks you for some fish to eat, would you actually give him a serpent?
Well then, if you, as wicked as you are, know how to provide for your children
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him?
Live your life doing to others what you expect them to do to you
because this is the essence of the law and the prophets.
Enter through the narrow gate, because the wide gate and the spacious road
is the one that leads to destruction, and many people go that way.
But the narrow gate and the narrow path is the one that leads to life, and only a few people find it.
Be careful because false prophets will come to you dressed as sheep
even though inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
You will know them by their fruit.
Do thorns give grapes? Do thistles actually produce figs?
No. A good tree produces good fruit and a bad tree produces bad fruit.
A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit.
And every tree that produces bad fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.
So, you will know them by their fruit.
Not everyone who claims that I am their lord will enter into heaven
only those who do the will of my heavenly Father.
On the day of judgement many will come to me and say
"Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we cast out demons in your name?
"Didn't we do many miracles in your name?"
But I will answer them, saying, "I never knew you! Get away from me, for you were always disobedient!"
Therefore, whoever hears my words and obeys them is wise.
He is like the man who built his house on a foundation made of stone.
The rains came, the waters rose and strong winds beat against that house, but it withstood the storm
because it was built on solid rock.
But whoever hears my words and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
When the rains came and the waters rose
the strong winds beat against the house and the foundation caved in.
The house collapsed and it was greatly destroyed.