Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother: to the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints that are in all Achaia:2 Grace unto you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation; that we also may be able to comfort them who are in all distress, by the exhortation wherewith we also are exhorted by God.5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us: so also by Christ doth our comfort abound.6 Now whether we be in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation: or whether we be exhorted, it is for your exhortation and salvation, which worketh the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.7 That our hope for you may be steadfast: knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the consolation.
If, owing to the fault of human error, the word God has become a common name (since in the world there are said and believed to be "gods many" ), yet "the blessed God," (who is "the Father) of our Lord Jesus Christ," will be understood to be no other God than the Creator, who both blessed all things (that He had made), as you find in Genesis, and is Himself "blessed by all things," as Daniel tells us.
Now, if the title of Father may be claimed for (Marcion's) sterile god, how much more for the Creator? To none other than Him is it suitable, who is also "the Father of mercies," and (in the prophets) has been described as "full of compassion, and gracious, and plenteous in mercy.
I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall be always in my mouth.3 In the Lord shall my soul be praised: let the meek hear and rejoice.4 O magnify the Lord with me; and let us extol his name together.5 I sought the Lord, and he heard me; and he delivered me from all my troubles.6 Come ye to him and be enlightened: and your faces shall not be confounded.7 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him: and saved him out of all his troubles.8 The angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them that fear him: and shall deliver them.9 O taste, and see that the Lord is sweet: blessed is the man that hopeth in him.
The Lord loves thankful people. They never cease to praise him, and they regularly thank him. In both good times and bad times they offer praise and thanksgiving to God. They worship the Lord, the God of times, without regard to what the times are like.
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him.2 And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.†4 Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.†5 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.†6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.8 Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake:12 Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.
Or, the Lord promises the inheritance of the earth to the meek, meaning of that Body, which Himself took on Him as His tabernacle; and as by the gentleness of our minds Christ dwells in us, we also shall be clothed with the glory of His renewed body.
The blessedness which He appropriates to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shews that the deep longing of the saints for the doctrine of God shall receive perfect replenishment in heaven; then they shall be filled.
The blessedness of the peacemakers is the reward of adoption, they shall be called the sons of God. For God is our common parent, and no other way can we pass into His family than by living in brotherly love together.
Thus, lastly, He includes those in the beatitude whose will is ready to suffer all things for Christ, who is our righteousness. For these then also is the kingdom preserved, for they are in the contempt of this world poor in spirit.
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)