"Blessed are those who feel poor in spiritual things, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

"Blessed are those who suffer persecution for being and doing right, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

"Blessed are those who suffer persecution for being and doing right, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. "Blessed are you when people abuse you, and persecute you, and keep on falsely telling all sorts of evil against you for my sake. read more. Keep on rejoicing and leaping for ecstasy, for your reward will be rich in heaven; for this is the way they persecuted the prophets who lived before you.

Keep on rejoicing and leaping for ecstasy, for your reward will be rich in heaven; for this is the way they persecuted the prophets who lived before you.

Be quick to come to terms with your opponent while you are on the road to court with him, so that he may not turn you over to the judge and the judge turn you over to the officer, and you be put in prison. I solemnly say to you, you will never get out at all until you have paid the last penny. read more. "You have heard it was said, 'You must not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman so as to have an evil desire for her at once has already committed adultery with her in his heart, So if your right eye causes you to do wrong, pluck it out of your way; for it is better to have one part of your body suffer loss than to have your whole body go down to the pit. And if your right hand causes you to do wrong, cut it off and put it out of your way, for it is better to have one part of your body suffer loss than to have your whole body go down to the pit. "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any other ground than unfaithfulness, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a wife who is thus divorced commits adultery. "Again, you have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You must not swear falsely, but you must perform your oaths as a religious duty.' But I tell you not to swear at all, either by heaven, for it is God's throne,

"Also whenever you fast, you must not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they put on a gloomy countenance, to let people see them fasting. I solemnly say to you, they already have their reward.

"But to what can I compare the leaders of this age? They are like little children sitting in the market places and calling to their fellows in the game, "'We played the wedding march for you, but you did not dance. We sang the funeral dirge, but you did not beat your breasts.' read more. For John came neither eating nor drinking with others, and yet they said, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking with others, and they say, 'Just look at Him! A glutton and a wine-drinker, a chum of tax-collectors and notorious sinners!' And yet wisdom is vindicated by her doings!"

"The kingdom of heaven is like a pot of gold which was buried in a field, which a man found and buried again; and for joy over it he went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were keeping a fast. So some people came and asked Him, "Why do John's disciples and the Pharisees' disciples practice fasting, but yours never do?" Jesus answered them, "The wedding guests cannot fast, can they, while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. read more. But a time is coming when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one sews a patch of brand-new goods on an old coat; or, if he does, the patch tears away, the new from the old, and the hole becomes bigger than ever. No one puts new wine into old wine-bottles, or, if he does, the wine will break the bottles, and the wine is lost, and the bottles too. New wine is to be put up in new bottles."

This will bring you gladness and delight, and many will rejoice over his birth.

Then Mary said: "My soul extols the Lord;

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for He has come and brought His people deliverance;

Symeon also took Him in his arms and blessed God, and said:

And you, Capernaum, are you to be exalted to heaven? No, you are to go down to the regions of the dead.

However, you must stop rejoicing over the fact that the spirits are submitting to you, but continue to rejoice that your names are enrolled in heaven." At that very moment, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He exulted and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for concealing these matters from wise and learned men, and for revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, I thank you that your good pleasure made it so.

Then I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Go on taking your ease; continue to eat, drink, and enjoy yourself."'

Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinful person who repents than over ninety-nine upright people who do not need any repentance.

Just so, I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God over one sinful person who repents!"

take the fattening calf and kill it, and let us feast and celebrate,

Two days later there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and Jesus' mother was there. Jesus and His disciples, too, were invited to the wedding. read more. When the wine was all gone, Jesus' mother said to Him, "They have no wine!" Jesus said to her, "Woman, what have you to do with me? My time to act has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you." Now in accordance with the custom of purification practiced by the Jews, six stone water jars were standing there, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, "Fill these jars with water." So they filled them up to the brim. Then He said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the manager of the feast." So they took him some. As soon as the manager tasted the water just turned into wine, without knowing where it came from, although the servants who had drawn the water did know, he called the bridegroom and said to him, "Everybody, as a rule, serves his good wine first, and his poorer wine after people have drunk freely; you have kept the good wine till now." Jesus performed this, the first of His wonder-works, at Cana in Galilee. By it He showed His glorious power, and so His disciples believed in Him.

Now the reaper is already getting pay, for he is gathering a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together.

"Stop letting your hearts be troubled; keep on believing in God, and also in me.

I now leave you the blessing of peace, I give you the blessing of my own peace. I myself do not give it in the way the world gives it. Stop letting your hearts be troubled or timid.

I have loved you just as the Father has loved me. You must remain in my love. If you continue to keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in His love. read more. "I have told you these things, that the joy which I have had may remain in you and that your joy may be complete.

"I have told you these things, that the joy which I have had may remain in you and that your joy may be complete.

"I have told you these things, that the joy which I have had may remain in you and that your joy may be complete. This is my command to you, to keep on loving one another as I have loved you. read more. No one can show greater love than this, the giving of his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you keep on doing what I command you to do.

Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him a question, and so He said to them, "Are you inquiring of one another about this saying of mine, 'In just a little while you will not see me, and yet in just a little while after you will see me again'? I most solemnly say to you, you will weep and wail, but the world will be glad; you will grieve but your grief will be turned into gladness. read more. When a woman is in labor, she is in pain, for her time has come, but when the baby is born, she forgets her pain because of her joy that a human being has been born into the world. So you too are now in sorrow, but I am going to see you again, and then your hearts will be happy, and no one can rob you of your happiness. At that time you will ask me no more questions. I most solemnly say to you, the Father will give you, as bearers of my name, whatever you ask Him for. Up to this time you have not asked for anything as bearers of my name, but now you must keep on asking, and you will receive, that your cup of joy may be full to the brim. "I have told you these things in allegories, but a time is coming when I shall not do so any longer, but will plainly tell you about the Father. At that time you will ask, as bearers of my name, and I do not say that I will ask the Father for you, for the Father tenderly loves you Himself, because you now tenderly love me and now believe that I have come from the Father. I did come from the Father and I have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." His disciples said to Him, "Now you are talking plainly and not in allegory at all. Now we know that you know everything and do not need that anyone should ask you questions. For this reason we believe that you have come from God." Jesus answered them, "Do you now really believe? Listen! A time is coming, yea, it is right here, when you will all be scattered to your homes and will leave me alone. And yet, I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you these things, that you through union with me may have peace. In the world you have trouble, but be courageous! I have conquered the world."

I have told you these things, that you through union with me may have peace. In the world you have trouble, but be courageous! I have conquered the world."

And now I am going to be with you, and I am saying these things while still in the world, that the joy which I experience may be fully experienced in their own souls.

Day after day they regularly attended the temple; they practiced breaking their bread together in their homes, and eating their food with glad and simple hearts,

Day after day they regularly attended the temple; they practiced breaking their bread together in their homes, and eating their food with glad and simple hearts,

So they went out from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer disgrace for Jesus' name;

Then he took them up to his house and gave them food, and he and all the members of his household were happy in their faith in God.

Then he took them up to his house and gave them food, and he and all the members of his household were happy in their faith in God.

Even now I beg you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life, but only of the ship.

by whom we have an introduction through faith into this state of God's favor, in which we safely stand; and let us continue exulting in the hope of enjoying the glorious presence of God. And not only that, but this too: let us continue exulting in our sufferings, for we know that suffering produces endurance, read more. and endurance, tested character, and tested character, hope, and hope never disappoints us; for through the Holy Spirit that has been given us, God's love has flooded our hearts. For when we were still helpless, Christ at the proper time died for us ungodly men. Now a man will scarcely ever give his life for an upright person, though once in a while a man is brave enough to die for a generous friend. But God proves His love for us by the fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. So if we have already been brought into right standing with God by Christ's death, it is much more certain that by Him we shall be saved from God's wrath. For if while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, it is much more certain that since we have been reconciled we shall finally be saved through His new life. And not only that, but this too: we shall continue exulting in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained our reconciliation.

What are we then to say to facts like these? If God is for us, who can be against us? Since He did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not with Him graciously give us everything else? read more. Who can bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who declared them in right standing; who can condemn them? Christ Jesus who died, or rather, who was raised from the dead, is now at God's right hand, and is actually pleading for us. Who can separate us from Christ's love? Can suffering or misfortune or persecution or hunger or destitution or danger or the sword? As the Scripture says: "For your sake we are being put to death the livelong day; we are treated like sheep to be slaughtered." And yet in all these things we keep on gloriously conquering through Him who loved us. For I have full assurance that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor the present nor the future nor evil forces above or beneath, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God as shown in Christ Jesus our Lord.

ever happy in hope, always patient in suffering, ever persistent in prayer,

Practice rejoicing with people who rejoice, and weeping with people who weep.

For the kingdom of God does not consist in what we eat and drink, but in doing right, in peace and joy through the Holy Spirit;

For the kingdom of God does not consist in what we eat and drink, but in doing right, in peace and joy through the Holy Spirit;

May the hope-inspiring God so fill you with perfect joy and peace through your continuing faith, that you may bubble over with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

so that, if it is God's will, I may come with a happy heart to see you and have a refreshing rest while with you.

For if I make you sad, who is there to make me glad but the very man who has been made sad by me?

But the product of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

But the product of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Stop getting drunk on wine, for that means profligacy, but ever be filled with the Spirit, and always be speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Keep on praying and praising the Lord with all your heart; read more. continue giving thanks for everything to God our Father;

What difference then does it make? In one way or another, whether in pretense or in sincerity, Christ is being preached, and that is the thing that makes me glad; yes, more too, I will continue to be glad of it,

So, if there is any appeal in our union with Christ, if there is any persuasive power in love, if we have any common share in the Spirit, if you have any tenderheartedness and sympathy,

So, my dearly loved brothers, whom I long to see, my joy and crown, by the help of the Lord keep on standing firm, dearly loved friends. I beg Euodia and I beg Syntyche to live in harmony by the help of the Lord. read more. And I solemnly beg you, my true comrade, keep on cooperating with those two women, because they shared with me the struggle in spreading the good news, together with Clement and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life. By the help of the Lord always keep up the glad spirit; yes, I will repeat it, keep up the glad spirit. Let your forbearing spirit be known to everybody. The Lord is near. Stop being worried about anything, but always, in prayer and entreaty, and with thanksgiving, keep on making your wants known to God. Then, through your union with Christ Jesus, the peace of God, that surpasses all human thought, will keep guard over your hearts and thoughts.

You loved the right and hated wrong; so God, your God, anointed you, with oil of exultation beyond all your companions."

Is any one of you suffering ill-treatment? He should keep on praying. Is anyone in a happy mood? He should keep on singing praise to God.

I am happy to find that some of your children are living by the truth, just as we had been commanded from the Father to do.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in His glorious presence faultless and full of triumphant joy,

I answered him, "You know, my lord." He said to me: "These are the people who are coming through the great persecution, who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This is why they are before the throne of God, and day and night serve Him in His temple, and He who is seated on His throne will shelter them in His tent. read more. They will never again be hungry or thirsty, and never again will the sun strike them, or any scorching heat, because the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will be their Shepherd, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

Let us be glad and shout for joy and give Him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.

May the hope-inspiring God so fill you with perfect joy and peace through your continuing faith, that you may bubble over with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.