New International Version
Matthew 5:3
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Context of Matthew 5:3
1Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them. He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed 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 5:4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- Matthew 11:6Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
- Matthew 13:16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
- Matthew 24:46It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
- Psalms 1:1Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
- Psalms 2:12Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
- Psalms 32:1Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
- Psalms 41:1Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.
- Psalms 84:12Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.
- Psalms 112:1Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands.
- Psalms 119:1Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.
- Psalms 128:1Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.
- Psalms 146:5Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.
- Proverbs 8:32“Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
- Isaiah 30:18Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
- Luke 6:20Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
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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