By careful attention to obeying the word of God, but how does a young wannabe New Testament scholar keep his way? By reading the Greek New Testament, then Translating, then interpreting the New Testament. Here's my poor attempt at Matthew 5:3-10:
Greek:
μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι,
ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
μακάριοι οἱ πραεῖς,
ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσιν τήν γῆν.
μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες,
ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται.
μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην,
ὅτι αὐτοὶ χορτασθήσονται.
μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες,
ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται.
μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ,
ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται.
μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί,
ὅτι υἱοὶ θεοῦ κληθήσονται.
μακάριοι οἱ δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης,
ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
Mostly literal translation:
Happy are the poor in spirit
because the kingdom of the heavens is their's.
Happy are the meek
because they will inherit the land.
Happy are the mourners
because they will be comforted.
Happy are those who hunger and thirst for justice,
because they will be filled.
Happy are the merciful,
because they will be mercied.
Happy are the pure in heart,
because they will see God
Happy are the peacemakers
because sons of God they will be called
Happy are those who are persecuted for the sake of justice
because the kingdom of the heavens is their's.
Interpretation:
My assumption is that all the blessings that follow "because" in the sermon on the mount relate the reasons those who follow Jesus are blessed despite the quality that they possess, whether good or bad. These are not good qualities that when met force God to bless us, but are the blessings that come with Jesus' advent into history.
So, all of Jesus' followers receive all of these blessings. It is just that in Jesus' kingdom these blessings come even to those who, in the other kingdoms of the world, would not receive them. So, if somebody "stinks at religion," they are blessed because everybody who follows Jesus gets the kingdom of heaven, even tax collectors and harlots. If somebody mourns, the world may count them cursed, but in Jesus' kingdom mourners are blessed because everybody receives comfort. Everybody in Jesus' kingdom is called a child of God, but peace makers, those folks who die at the hands of warlords because of their weakness, they are sons of the most high in Jesus' kingdom! The meek inherit the earth in Jesus kingdom, not the violent, etc. Jesus gives justice and acquittal. What a powerful opening address!
Blessed are those who stink at religionbecause they get God's promised rule anyway.
Blessed are those who don't fight back
because they inherit what everybody fights to get, the world!
Blessed are those who are not the life of the party,
because they will be comforted.
Blessed are those who feel the lack of justice,
because they will be filled.
Blessed are those who show mercy,
because they will be showed mercy.
Blessed are those who do do right from their hearts
because they will see God.
Blessed are those who make peace
because they will be adopted by God.
Blessed are those who are destroyed outright for the cause of justice
because they get God's promised rule anyway.
