A Great Multitude from Every Nation

⁹ After this I looked, and behold, ^(A)a great multitude that no one could number, ^(B)from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, ^(C)clothed in white robes, with ^(D)palm branches in their hands, ¹⁰ and crying out with a loud voice, ^(E)“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” ¹¹ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and ^(F)the four living creatures, and they ^(G)fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ^12 (H)saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

¹³ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, ^(I)clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” ¹⁴ I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of ^(J)the great tribulation. ^(K)They have washed their robes and ^(L)made them white ^(M)in the blood of the Lamb.

Sing to the Lord a New Song

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

⁹ After this I looked, and behold, ^(A)a great multitude that no one could number, ^(B)from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, ^(C)clothed in white robes, with ^(D)palm branches in their hands, ¹⁰ and crying out with a loud voice, ^(E)“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” ¹¹ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and ^(F)the four living creatures, and they ^(G)fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ^12 (H)saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

¹³ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, ^(I)clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” ¹⁴ I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of ^(J)the great tribulation. ^(K)They have washed their robes and ^(L)made them white ^(M)in the blood of the Lamb.

¹¹ In him we have obtained ^(A)an inheritance, ^(B)having been predestined ^(C)according to the purpose of him who works all things according to ^(D)the counsel of his will, ¹² so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be ^(E)to the praise of his glory. ¹³ In him you also, when you heard ^(F)the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, ^(G)were sealed with the ^(H)promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is ^(I)the guarantee^[a] of our ^(J)inheritance until ^(K)we acquire ^(L)possession of it,^{[b] (M)}to the praise of his glory.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

¹⁵ For this reason, ^(A)because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love^[a] toward all the saints, ¹⁶ I ^(B)do not cease to give thanks for you, ^(C)remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷ that ^(D)the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, ^(E)may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, ^18 (F)having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is ^(G)the hope to which he has called you, what are ^(H)the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, ^(I)according to the working of ^(J)his great might ²⁰ that he worked in Christ ^(K)when he raised him from the dead and ^(L)seated him at his right hand ^(M)in the heavenly places, ^21 (N)far above ^(O)all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above ^(P)every name that is named, not only in ^(Q)this age but also in the one to come. ²² And ^(R)he put all things under his feet and gave him as ^(S)head over all things to the church, ^23 (T)which is his body, ^(U)the fullness of him ^(V)who fills ^(W)all in all.

The Sermon on the Mount

5 Seeing the crowds, ^(A)he went up on the mountain, and when he ^(B)sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

² And ^(C)he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

^3 (D)“Blessed are ^(E)the poor in spirit, for ^(F)theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ “Blessed are ^(G)those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

⁵ “Blessed are the ^(H)meek, for they ^(I)shall inherit the earth.

⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and ^(J)thirst ^(K)for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

⁷ “Blessed are ^(L)the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

⁸ “Blessed are ^(M)the pure in heart, for ^(N)they shall see God.

⁹ “Blessed are ^(O)the peacemakers, for ^(P)they shall be called ^(Q)sons^[a] of God.

^10 (R)“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for ^(S)theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

^11 (T)“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely ^(U)on my account. ^12 (V)Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for ^(W)so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Beatitudes

²⁰ And ^(A)he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, ^(B)and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for ^(C)yours is the kingdom of God.

^21 (D)“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

^(E)“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

²² “Blessed are you when ^(F)people hate you and when they ^(G)exclude you and revile you and ^(H)spurn your name as evil, ^(I)on account of the Son of Man! ^23 (J)Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for ^(K)so their fathers did to the prophets.

Jesus Pronounces Woes

^24 (L)“But woe to you who are rich, ^(M)for you ^(N)have received your consolation.

²⁵ “Woe to you who are full now, for ^(O)you shall be hungry.

“Woe to ^(P)you who laugh now, ^(Q)for you shall mourn and weep.

²⁶ “Woe to you, ^(R)when all people speak well of you, for ^(S)so their fathers did to ^(T)the false prophets.

Love Your Enemies

²⁷ “But I say to you who hear, ^(A)Love your enemies, ^(B)do good to those who hate you, ^28 (C)bless those who curse you, ^(D)pray for those who abuse you. ^29 (E)To one who ^(F)strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic^[a] either. ^30 (G)Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. ³¹ And ^(H)as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

^32 (I)“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ And ^(J)if you ^(K)lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. ³⁵ But ^(L)love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and ^(M)you will be sons of ^(N)the Most High, for ^(O)he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. ^36 (P)Be merciful, even as ^(Q)your Father is merciful.