The Sermon on the Mount

5 When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain,^(A) and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. ² Then^[a] he began to teach them, saying:^(B)

The Beatitudes

¹¹ “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. ¹² Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted^(L) the prophets who were before you.^(M)

Believers Are Salt and Light

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty?^[b] It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.^(N)

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.^{(O) 15} No one lights a lamp^(P) and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.^{(Q) 16} In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.^(R)

The Third Prediction of His Death

³² They^(A) were on the road, going up to Jerusalem,^(B) and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were astonished, but those who followed him were afraid.^(C) Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them the things that would happen to him.^{(D) 33} “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man^(E) will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,^(F) and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles,^{(G) 34} and they will mock him, spit on him, flog^[a] him, and kill him, and he will rise^(H) after three days.”^(I)

Suffering and Service

³⁵ James^(J) and John,^(K) the sons of Zebedee,^(L) approached him and said, “Teacher,^(M) we want you to do whatever we ask you.”

³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them.

³⁷ They answered him, “Allow us to sit at your right and at your left in your glory.”^(N)

³⁸ Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking.^(O) Are you able to drink the cup^(P) I drink or to be baptized with the baptism^(Q) I am baptized with?”^(R)

³⁹ “We are able,” they told him.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.^{(S) 40} But to sit at my right or left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

⁴¹ When the ten disciples heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John.^{(T) 42} Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over^(U) them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. ⁴³ But it is not so among you.^(V) On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant,^{(W) 44} and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all.^{(X) 45} For even the Son of Man^(Y) did not come to be served, but to serve,^(Z) and to give his life^(AA) as a ransom^(AB) for many.”^[b](AC)

Speaking to God and Others

² Devote yourselves^(A) to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. ³ At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door^(B) to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ,^(C) for which I am in chains,^{(D) 4} so that I may make it known as I should. ⁵ Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.^{(E) 6} Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt,^(F) so that you may know how you should answer each person.^(G)