Christian Standard Bible
Matthew 5:3
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Matthew 5:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- New International Version (NIV)“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Context of Matthew 5:3
1When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:3 word by word
Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Blessedμακάριοςmakarios · blessedG3107
- the poorπτωχόςptōchos · poorG4434
- in spiritὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- in spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- theirsαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
- of heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
Cross-references for Matthew 5:3
- Matthew 5:4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- Matthew 11:6and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”
- Matthew 13:16“Blessed are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear.
- Matthew 24:46Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes.
- Psalms 1:1How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers!
- Psalms 2:12Pay homage to the Son or he will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion, for his anger may ignite at any moment. All who take refuge in him are happy.
- Psalms 32:1How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!
- Psalms 41:1Happy is one who is considerate of the poor; the Lord will save him in a day of adversity.
- Psalms 84:12Happy is the person who trusts in you, Lord of Armies!
- Psalms 112:1Hallelujah! Happy is the person who fears the Lord, taking great delight in his commands.
- Psalms 119:1How happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk according to the Lord’s instruction!
- Psalms 128:1How happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!
- Psalms 146:5Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
- Proverbs 8:32“And now, sons, listen to me; those who keep my ways are happy.
- Isaiah 30:18Therefore the Lord is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for the Lord is a just God. All who wait patiently for him are happy.
- Luke 6:20Then looking up at his disciples, he said: Blessed are you who are poor, because the kingdom of God is yours.
Commentaries on Matthew 5:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Blessed are the poor in spirit, etc. - Or, happy, from or , not, and , fate, or death: intimating, that such persons were endued with immortality, and consequently were not liable to the caprices of fate. Homer, Iliad i, 330, calls the supreme gods, , the ever happy and Immortal gods, and opposes them to , mortal men. ' , "Be ye witnesses before the immortal gods, and before mortal men." From this definition we may learn, that the person whom Christ terms…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Blessed are the poor in spirit - The word “blessed” means “happy,” referring to that which produces felicity, from whatever quarter it may come. Poor in spirit - Luke says simply, Blessed are the poor. It has been disputed whether Christ meant the poor in reference to the things of this life, or to the humble. The gospel is said to be preached to the poor, Luke 4:18; Matthew 11:5. It was predicted that the Messiah would preach to the poor, Isaiah 61:1. It…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-12Verses 3-12 Our Saviour here gives eight characters of blessed people, which represent to us the principal graces of a Christian. 1. The poor in spirit are happy. These bring their minds to their condition, when it is a low condition. They are humble and lowly in their own eyes. They see their want, bewail their guilt, and thirst after a Redeemer. The kingdom of grace is of such; the kingdom of glory is for them. 2. Those that mourn are happy. That godly…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The poor in spirit (compare Luke 6:20, 24): in the Old Testament, the poor are often shown as very devoted to God because the rich oppress them. This oppression leads them to trust in the Lord for salvation and help, instead of relying on wealth (Matthew 11:5; Psalms 37:14–15; 40:17; 69:28–33; Isaiah 61:1; 66:2). In both Matthew’s and Luke’s writings, the “poor” are indeed financially poor, but their trust in God, not their poverty, makes them blessed…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Blessed--Of the two words which our translators render "blessed," the one here used points more to what is inward, and so might be rendered "happy," in a lofty sense; while the other denotes rather what comes to us from without (as Mt 25:34). But the distinction is not always clearly carried out. One Hebrew word expresses both. On these precious Beatitudes, observe that though eight in number, there are here but seven distinct features of character…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 5:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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