The life worth living

To reach the wonderful destination God predestined for you, and to experience a foretaste of His kingdom on earth and its fullness of life you need to live in such a way that you can receive His blessing:

3 God blesses those people
who depend only on him.
They belong to the kingdom
of heaven!
4 God blesses those people
who grieve.
They will find comfort!
5 God blesses those people
who are humble.
The earth will belong
to them!
6 God blesses those people
who want to obey him
more than to eat or drink.
They will be given
what they want!
7 God blesses those people
who are merciful.
They will be treated
with mercy!
8 God blesses those people
whose hearts are pure.
They will see him!
9 God blesses those people
who make peace.
They will be called
his children!
10 God blesses those people
who are treated badly
for doing right.
They belong to the kingdom
of heaven.

11 (for) God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12 (so don't be depressed but..) Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.

13 (if you live in this manner then...) You are like salt for everyone on earth. But if salt no longer tastes like salt (if you do not live like described above), how can it make food salty? All it is good for is to be thrown out and walked on (religion that is not lived has no value).

14 You are like light for the whole world (that is your task while still on earth). A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, 15 and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. 16 (so) Make your light shine,(do it for Gods glory) so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:3-16.