Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes^(A)

He said:

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms^(B) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us^(C) in him before the creation of the world^(D) to be holy and blameless^(E) in his sight. In love^{(F) 5} he^[a] predestined^(G) us for adoption to sonship^[b](H) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure^(I) and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace,^(J) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.^(K)

¹¹ In him we were also chosen,^[a] having been predestined^(A) according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose^(B) of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.^{(C) 13} And you also were included in Christ^(D) when you heard the message of truth,^(E) the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,^(F) the promised Holy Spirit,^{(G) 14} who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance^(H) until the redemption^(I) of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.^(J)