³ “^[a](A)Blessed are the poor in spirit, for ^(B)theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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

⁵ “Blessed are ^(D)the ^[b]gentle, for they will inherit the earth.

⁶ “Blessed are ^(E)those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

⁷ “Blessed are ^(F)the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

⁸ “Blessed are ^(G)the pure in heart, for ^(H)they will see God.

⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for ^(I)they will be called sons of God.

¹⁰ “Blessed are those who have been ^(J)persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for ^(K)theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people ^(L)insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for ^(M)in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Disciples and the World

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but ^(N)if the salt has become tasteless, how ^[c]can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people.

^2 (A)Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter ^(B)various ^[a]trials, ³ knowing that ^(C)the testing of your ^(D)faith produces ^[b](E)endurance. ⁴ And let ^[c](F)endurance have its perfect ^[d]result, so that you may be ^[e](G)perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

¹⁹ But ^(A)Jews came from ^(B)Antioch and ^(C)Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they ^(D)stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking that he was dead. ²⁰ But while ^(E)the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for ^(F)Derbe. ²¹ And after they had ^(G)preached the gospel to that city and had ^(H)made a good number of disciples, they returned to ^(I)Lystra, to ^(J)Iconium, and to ^(K)Antioch, ²² strengthening the souls of ^(L)the disciples, encouraging them to continue in ^(M)the faith, and saying, “^(N)It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” ²³ When ^(O)they had appointed ^(P)elders for them in every church, having ^(Q)prayed with fasting, they ^(R)entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.