God’s Word Translation
Matthew 5:8
8Blessed are those whose thoughts are pure. They will see God.
Matthew 5:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
- New International Version (NIV)Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
Context of Matthew 5:8
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God’s approval. They will be satisfied. 7Blessed are those who show mercy. They will be treated mercifully. Blessed are those whose thoughts are pure. They will see God. 9Blessed are those who make peace. They will be called God’s children. 10Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing what God approves of. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:8 word by word
Μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Matthew 5:8
- Matthew 23:25“How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You clean the outside of cups and dishes. But inside they are full of greed and uncontrolled desires.
- 1 Chronicles 29:17I know, my God, that you examine hearts and delight in honesty. With an honest heart I have willingly offered all these things. I’ve been overjoyed to see your people here offering so willingly to you.
- Psalms 15:2The one who walks with integrity, does what is righteous, and speaks the truth within his heart.
- Psalms 18:26with pure people you are pure. ⌞In dealing⌟ with devious people you are clever.
- Psalms 24:4⌞The one who⌟ has clean hands and a pure heart and does not long for what is false or lie when he is under oath.
- Psalms 51:6Yet, you desire truth and sincerity. Deep down inside me you teach me wisdom.
- Psalms 73:1God is truly good to Israel, to those whose lives are pure.
- Proverbs 22:11Whoever loves a pure heart and whoever speaks graciously has a king as his friend.
- Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle clean water on you and make you clean instead of unclean. Then I will cleanse you from all your idols.
- Acts 15:9God doesn’t discriminate between Jewish and non-Jewish people. He has cleansed non-Jewish people through faith as he has cleansed us Jews.
- 2 Corinthians 7:1Since we have these promises, dear friends, we need to cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit and live a holy life in the fear of God.
- Hebrews 9:14The blood of Christ, who had no defect, does even more. Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself to God and cleansed our consciences from the useless things we had done. Now we can serve the living God.
- Hebrews 10:22We have been sprinkled ⌞with his blood⌟ to free us from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with clean water. So we must continue to come ⌞to him⌟ with a sincere heart and strong faith.
- James 3:17However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure. Then it is peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good deeds, impartial, and sincere.
- James 4:8Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Clean up your lives, you sinners, and clear your minds, you doubters.
- 1 Peter 1:22Love each other with a warm love that comes from the heart. After all, you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth. As a result you have a sincere love for each other.
Commentaries on Matthew 5:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Pure in heart - In opposition to the Pharisees, who affected outward purity, while their hearts were full of corruption and defilement. A principal part of the Jewish religion consisted in outward washings and cleansings: on this ground they expected to see God, to enjoy eternal glory: but Christ here shows that a purification of the heart, from all vile affections and desires, is essentially requisite in order to enter into the kingdom of God. He whose…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Blessed are the pure in heart - That is, whose minds, motives, and principles are pure; who seek not only to have the external actions correct, but who desire to be holy in heart, and who are so. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. They shall see God - There is a sense in which all will see God, Revelation 1:7. That is, they will behold him as a Judge, not as a Friend. In this place it is spoken of as a special favor. So also…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. 8The pure in heart (see Psalms 24:3–5; 51:7; Isaiah 6:5) differ from those who believed they could please God by following human traditions (see Matthew 23:25–26). Jesus emphasized simple, genuine righteousness from within (see 6:1–24; 15:1–20; 23:23–28; Deuteronomy 6:5). They will see God and achieve more than Moses did (see Exodus 33:18–23; 34:5–7; see also Psalm 73:1).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God--Here, too, we are on Old Testament ground. There the difference between outward and inward purity, and the acceptableness of the latter only in the sight of God, are everywhere taught. Nor is the "vision of God" strange to the Old Testament; and though it was an understood thing that this was not possible in the present life (Ex 33:20; and compare Job 19:26, 27; Is 6:5), yet spiritually it was…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 5:8
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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