"Blessedare thosewho have been persecutedfor the sakeof righteousness,for theirsis the kingdomof heaven.
Blessedis a manwhoperseveresunder trial;for once he has beenapproved,he will receivethe crownof lifewhich[the Lord] has promisedto thosewho loveHim.
For momentary,lightafflictionis producingfor us an eternalweightof gloryfarbeyondall comparison,
"Blessedare the poorin spirit,for theirsis the kingdomof heaven.
"Blessedare you whenmenhateyou, and ostracizeyou, and insultyou, and scornyour nameas evil,for the sakeof the Sonof Man.
Ifwe endure,we will alsoreignwith Him; Ifwe denyHim, He alsowill denyus;
in no wayalarmedby [your] opponents--whichis a signof destructionfor them, but of salvationfor you, and that [too], from God.
"But beforeallthese things,they will laytheir handson you and will persecuteyou, deliveringyou to the synagoguesand prisons,bringingyou beforekingsand governorsfor My name'ssake.
"Rememberthe wordthat I saidto you, 'A slaveis not greaterthan his master.'Ifthey persecutedMe, they will alsopersecuteyou; ifthey keptMy word,they will keepyoursalso.
Do not fearwhatyou are aboutto suffer.Behold,the devilis aboutto castsome of you into prison,sothat you will be tested,and you will havetribulationfor tendays.Be faithfuluntildeath,and I will giveyou the crownof life.
persecutions,[and] sufferings,suchas happenedto me at Antioch,at Iconium[and] at Lystra;whatpersecutionsI endured,and out of them allthe Lordrescuedme!
"Thenthe Kingwill sayto thoseon His right,'Come,you who are blessedof My Father,inheritthe kingdompreparedfor you from the foundationof the world.
The wickedplotsagainst the righteousAnd gnashesat him with his teeth.
but that he will receivea hundred times as muchnowin the presentage,housesand brothersand sistersand mothersand childrenand farms,along with persecutions;and in the ageto come,eternallife.
And turningHis gazetowardHis disciples,He [began] to say,"Blessed[are] you [who are] poor,for yoursis the kingdomof God.
"But wheneverthey persecuteyou in onecity,fleeto the next;for trulyI sayto you, you will not finish[going through] the citiesof Israeluntilthe Sonof Mancomes.
not as Cain,[who] was of the eviloneand slewhis brother.And for whatreasondid he slayhim? Becausehis deedswere evil,and his brother'swere righteous.
Saulwas in hearty agreementwith putting him to death.And on that daya greatpersecutionbeganagainstthe churchin Jerusalem,and they were allscatteredthroughoutthe regionsof Judeaand Samaria,exceptthe apostles.
They took his advice;and after callingthe apostlesin, they floggedthem and orderedthem not to speakin the nameof Jesus,and [then] releasedthem.
Hearthe wordof the LORD,you whotrembleat His word:"Your brotherswho hateyou, who excludeyou for My name'ssake,Have said,'Let the LORDbe glorified,that we may seeyour joy.'But they will be putto shame.
But Jesussaid,"Letthe childrenalone,and do not hinderthem from comingto Me; for the kingdomof heavenbelongsto such as these."
But when Jesussawthis, He was indignantand saidto them, "Permitthe childrento cometo Me; do not hinderthem; for the kingdomof Godbelongsto such as these.
and justas My FatherhasgrantedMe a kingdom,I grantyou
We countthoseblessedwho endured.You have heardof the enduranceof Joband have seenthe outcomeof the Lord'sdealings, that the Lordis full of compassionand [is] merciful.
