Matthew 5:3
Bible Verses. Also called Matt. 5:3, Mt 5:3, First Beatitude, Beatitudes, Blessed are the poor in spirit, Poor in spirit.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Scripture quotation from the King James Version (KJV). Read this chapter
Matthew 5:3 is the first of the Beatitudes, which open the Sermon on the Mount. It declares that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit. Interpreters differ over what "poverty of spirit" means and how it relates to "the poor" in Luke's Gospel.
About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.
- Origin
Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
- Perspective
Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
- Sources
None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
- Review
Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history
Context
As Jesus taught and healed in Galilee, great multitudes followed him. He went up into a mountain and began to teach his disciples. This discourse, found in Matthew 5–7, is the Sermon on the Mount. Its opening section consists of eight blessings beginning with "Blessed are," known as the Beatitudes. The first and eighth beatitudes (5:10) both end with "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," framing the Beatitudes as a whole.
Interpretation
- As spiritual humility: In this reading, to be "poor in spirit" is to recognize that one has nothing to offer before God and therefore to depend wholly on him. This is the most widespread reading in the Protestant commentary tradition, which holds that the verse describes the starting point of those who are saved by grace.
- As including material poverty: Luke's Sermon on the Plain says simply, "Blessed be ye poor" (Luke 6:20). Proponents of this reading note that in the Old Testament "the poor" (anawim) referred to the devout who, in their oppression, looked to God alone, and they hold that spiritual disposition and actual poverty cannot be separated. Liberation theology and some socially engaged theologies emphasize that God sides with the poor.
- As a declaration: Many interpreters regard the Beatitudes not as conditions that must be met in order to receive blessing but as a declaration that the kingdom of God is already open to such people.
Debates and Issues
Scholars debate whether Matthew's "in spirit" (Greek tō pneumati) spiritualizes the literal poverty found in Luke or whether the two represent complementary aspects of the same teaching. Whether "blessed" (makarioi) should be rendered "happy" is also raised as a translation question. "Kingdom of heaven" is a Jewish expression reflecting a reluctance to name God directly and is regarded as equivalent to the "kingdom of God" in the other Gospels.
Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this idea is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.
In Korean churches, the Beatitudes are a standard memorization passage in Sunday schools, Bible studies, and retreats, and many praise songs use the Beatitudes as their lyrics.
Related Passages
See also 5
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