Matthew 5:1-16

Jesus saw that crowds of people were following him. So he went up a hill and he sat down there to teach them. His disciples came near to listen to him. He began to teach them. This is what he said: ‘Happy are the people who know that they need God very much. The kingdom of heaven belongs to people like that. Happy are the people who are sad now. God will come near to help them. Happy are the people who are kind. The whole earth will belong to them. Happy are the people who want to obey God, as much as they want to eat food. God will give to them everything that they need. Happy are the people who help other people and who forgive them. God will forgive people like that. Happy are the people who have only good thoughts. They will come near to God and see him. Happy are the people who bring people together to be friends. God will call them his children. Happy are the people who do what is right but other people hurt them because of it. The kingdom of heaven belongs to people like that. Yes, happy are you when people say bad things against you because you believe in me. Or they may hurt you. Or they may say things about you that are not true. God is preparing many good things for you in heaven. So you should be very happy when people do these bad things to any of you. People did these same things to God's prophets who lived long ago.’ Jesus said, ‘You are like salt for all people to taste and use. Salt is good. But if it is not salty any more, you cannot make it salty again. People can no longer use it for anything. They just throw it away and they walk on it. You are like a light for everybody in this world. If people build a city on a hill, then other people can see it easily. Nobody lights a lamp and then puts it under a pot. He will put the lamp in a high place. Everybody who is in the house can then see the light from the lamp. You must be sure that your light shines well. Then you will give light to other people. They will see all the good things that you do. Then they will praise God, who is your Father in heaven.’