8. Great blessings belong to those whose thoughts are pure. They will be with God.
9. Great blessings belong to those who work to bring peace. God will call them his sons and daughters.
10. Great blessings belong to those who suffer persecution for doing what is right. God’s kingdom belongs to them.
11. “People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do that, know that great blessings belong to you.
12. Be happy about it. Be very glad because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did these same bad things to the prophets who lived before you.
13. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, it cannot be made salty again. Salt is useless if it loses its salty taste. It will be thrown out where people will just walk on it.
14. “You are the light that shines for the world to see. You are like a city built on a hill that cannot be hidden.
15. People don’t hide a lamp under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand. Then the light shines for everyone in the house.