New English Translation
Matthew 5:3
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
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 the mountain. After he sat down his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to teach them by saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5“Blessed are the meek, 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 5:4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- Matthew 11:6Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
- Matthew 13:16“But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear.
- Matthew 24:46Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work when he comes.
- Psalms 1:1How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers!
- Psalms 2:12Give sincere homage! Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him!
- Psalms 32:1How blessed is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven, whose sin is pardoned!
- Psalms 41:1How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly! When trouble comes, the Lord delivers him.
- Psalms 84:12O Lord who rules over all, how blessed are those who trust in you!
- Psalms 112:1Praise the Lord! How blessed is the one who obeys the Lord, who takes great delight in keeping his commands.
- Psalms 119:1How blessed are those whose actions are blameless, who obey the law of the Lord.
- Psalms 128:1How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, each one who keeps his commands!
- Psalms 146:5How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
- Proverbs 8:32“So now, children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
- Isaiah 30:18For this reason the Lord is ready to show you mercy; he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you. Indeed, the Lord is a just God; all who wait for him in faith will be blessed.
- Luke 6:20Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God belongs to you.
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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