Matthew 5:3
King James Version (KJV)
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Translations
Matthew 5:3 - Amplified Bible
Blessed (happy, with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
Matthew 5:3 - American Standard Version
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3 - Bible in Basic English
Happy are the poor in spirit: for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Matthew 5:3 - Darby Bible
Blessed [are] the poor in spirit, for *theirs* is the kingdom of the heavens.
Matthew 5:3 - English Standard Version
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3 - King James Version
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3 - La Biblia de las Americas
Bienaventurados los pobres en espìritu, pues de ellos es el reino de los cielos.
Matthew 5:3 - The Message
"You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
Matthew 5:3 - New American Standard Bible
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3 - Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy
"Bienaventurados (Felices) los pobres en espìritu, pues de ellos es el reino de los cielos.
Matthew 5:3 - World English Bible
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 5:3 - Young's Living Translation
`Happy the poor in spirit -- because theirs is the reign of the heavens.
Matthew 5:3 - Additional Comments
These are the eight beatitudes, each resulting in being blessed. "Blessed" means to be level, right, happy, from God. It means things are okay, good, right. We bless God (Psa 72:17-19), meaning we give Him adoration, and things are right or level between us. And God blesses us, as we see here, meaning He makes things right or level or good with us, which makes us happy.
People who are blessed of God may outwardly be much to be pitied, but from the higher standpoint of God's view they are to be envied, congratulated, and imitated.
Notice the tone that Jesus uses, as one who has authority over these things. There is no "probably" here - Jesus is delivering guarantees from God. It is as if He Himself is commanding the blessing to take place. There is no "if" here - whom Jesus declares to be blessed will be blessed.
These blessings have 2 purposes: 1, to show who can have this true happiness ("blessed are those..."), and 2, to show what makes true happiness (they are blessed because they ...). Most people have a mistaken notion of what will give them equity and happiness - wealth, revenge, that job, that girl. These only lead to short term happiness, but it won't last unless you get to the root of real blessings. Jesus gives the accurate perspective of true blessings, and they are only from God. This certainly differs from what the media tries to tell us every day.
The ultimate blessing is mentioned in Acts 3:26, the blessing of freedom from our sins. Each blessing here must first have the caveat that the individual is a Christian, for only through a relationship with God will we be blessed by God.
This particular blessing in this verse is to rectify the ruinous results of a cruel world. This can be read that those who are Christians yet are downtrodden, pressured, and beaten by life can take courage, for God has the ultimate blessings waiting for them, even some here on earth. This also tells us how to approach God, as one who is poor in spirit, not taking any value in ourselves, but seeing the world as a child (Matt 18:4, Mark 10:15, Luke 18:17).
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