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
- Bible verses
- First draft by AI
- Last edited 2026-10-04
- Encyclopedia home
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The text is the New Korean Revised Version (1998), shown under a licence from the Korean Bible Society. Wording may differ slightly from the Korean Revised Version and the Revised New Korean Standard Version. Read in the Korean Revised Version
The first of the Beatitudes, which open the Sermon on the Mount, this verse declares that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit. Interpreters differ over what "poverty of spirit" means and how it differs from "the poor" in Luke's Gospel.
Context
As Jesus taught and healed in Galilee, great multitudes followed him, and 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, and 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: To be "poor in spirit" is understood as recognizing that one has nothing to offer before God and therefore depending 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). Noting that in the Old Testament "the poor" (anawim) referred to the devout who, in their oppression, looked to God alone, this reading holds 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.
In the Korean Church
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
- Luke 6:20
- Isaiah 57:15
- Isaiah 61:1
- Psalm 34:18
See also 5
🚩 Is there a problem with this article? Report it
Log in to report. Reports are reviewed within 24 hours.
Discussion 0
Share your thoughts, other viewpoints or corrections for this article.