Sep 19, 2023
12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
20 Looking at his disciples, he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of
God.
21 Blessed are you who
hunger now,
for you will be
satisfied.
Blessed are you who
weep now,
for you will
laugh.
22 Blessed are you when
people hate you,
when they exclude you and
insult you
and reject your name as
evil,
because
of the Son of Man.
23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are
rich,
for you have already received
your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well
fed now,
for you will go
hungry.
Woe to you who laugh
now,
for you will mourn and
weep.
26 Woe to you when everyone
speaks well of you,
for that is how their ancestors
treated the false prophets.