The Beatitudes are eight "Blessed are" sayings that open Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:3-12. They begin with "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" and describe the people God approves of: the humble, the grieving, the meek, the hungry for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, peacemakers and the persecuted.
The word beatitude comes from the Latin beatus, meaning blessed or happy. The Beatitudes are the opening lines of the Sermon on the Mount, the longest sermon of Jesus recorded in the Bible (Matthew 5 to 7). Jesus sat down on a hillside in Galilee, as teachers did in His day, and turned the world's values upside down. The people He called blessed were not the rich, the powerful or the popular, but the poor in spirit, the mourners and the meek. Each Beatitude has two parts: a description of a person and a promise from God. The first and eighth both end with the kingdom of heaven, which frames the whole list. Below are all the Beatitudes in the King James Version with a short explanation of each, then Luke's shorter version from the Sermon on the Plain and the crowd's reaction at the end of the sermon. To study them one at a time, you might take one Beatitude a week. For related verses, see Bible verses about being blessed and Bible verses about humility.
The setting and the first three Beatitudes
1. Matthew 5:1-2
"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,"
The scene: seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him. Jesus sat to teach, the posture of a rabbi. Tradition places the sermon on a hill above the Sea of Galilee, where the Church of the Beatitudes stands today. And he opened his mouth, and taught them. What follows is not a list of rules to earn God's favor but a portrait of life in His kingdom.
2. Matthew 5:3
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Poor in spirit means knowing you are spiritually bankrupt, with nothing to offer God on your own. It is the opposite of pride. That is why it comes first: the door into God's kingdom is humility. People who think they need nothing cannot receive anything. Those who know their need receive the kingdom as a gift.
3. Matthew 5:4
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Jesus is speaking of grief in all its forms: sorrow over loss, over a broken world and over our own sin. Mourning is not a sign of weak faith. God promises comfort, and Jesus Himself wept at a friend's tomb (John 11:35). If you are grieving, this Beatitude says you are not outside God's blessing. See Bible verses about grief.
4. Matthew 5:5
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Meek does not mean weak. In the Bible, Moses was called "very meek" (Numbers 12:3), and he led a nation. Meekness is strength under God's control: a gentle spirit that does not grab or fight for its own way. Jesus is quoting Psalm 37:11. The world says the pushy win. Jesus says the meek will inherit everything in the end.
Hunger, mercy, purity and peace
5. Matthew 5:6
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Hunger and thirst are strong words for desire. Righteousness here includes being right with God and living rightly, and it can include longing for justice in the world. God promises that such hunger will be satisfied. What do you hunger for most? This Beatitude invites you to want God's ways more than anything else.
6. Matthew 5:7
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Mercy is kindness to people who are hurting or who do not deserve it. This Beatitude does not mean we earn God's mercy by being merciful. Rather, people who have received mercy become merciful, and they keep on receiving it. Jesus told a parable about a servant forgiven a huge debt who would not forgive a small one (Matthew 18:23-35). See Bible verses about mercy.
7. Matthew 5:8
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. A pure heart is undivided, sincere and clean. Jesus warned against religion that looks good on the outside but is empty inside. Purity of heart is not something we can achieve alone; David prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God" (Psalms 51:10). The promise is the greatest one of all: to see God.
8. Matthew 5:9
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Peacemakers do more than avoid conflict. They work to bring people back together, with God and with each other. That is what God did in Christ. People who make peace look like their Father, so they are called His children. Think of one broken relationship where you could take a small step toward peace this week.
Blessed when persecuted, and Luke's version
9. Matthew 5:10
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The list ends where it began, with the kingdom of heaven. Notice the reason given: for righteousness' sake. This is not about suffering for being unkind or foolish, but for doing what is right. Christians around the world still face this today. Jesus calls them blessed, not forgotten.
10. Matthew 5:11-12
"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
Jesus then speaks directly to His listeners: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you. He adds, for my sake. Then a surprising command: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven. Christians who are mocked or excluded for their faith stand in a long line with the prophets. Their reward is not small, and it is not forgotten. See Bible verses about persecution.
11. Luke 6:22
"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake."
Luke records a similar sermon, often called the Sermon on the Plain, with four Beatitudes and four woes. Its version of the last Beatitude reads: Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company. Luke's wording is more direct (blessed be ye poor, ye that hunger now). Some scholars think Jesus preached these themes many times, in more than one place.
12. Matthew 7:28-29
"And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
At the end of the sermon, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. The scribes quoted other teachers. Jesus spoke with His own authority, because He is the Son of God. The Beatitudes are not simply wise advice. They are the King describing His kingdom and inviting everyone, starting with the poor in spirit, to come in.
A short prayer
Lord Jesus, make me poor in spirit, honest about my need for You. Comfort me when I mourn. Give me a meek heart and a hunger for righteousness. Make me merciful, as You have been merciful to me. Create in me a pure heart, so I may see You. Make me a peacemaker in my home and community. When I am mocked for following You, help me rejoice, because Your kingdom is mine. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Study one Beatitude a week with our free SOAP study page · Go deeper with the SOAP Bible Study Journal · Memorize the Beatitudes with the Scripture Memory Cards
Frequently asked questions
What are the 8 Beatitudes?
In Matthew 5:3-10 (KJV) they are: 1. Blessed are the poor in spirit. 2. Blessed are they that mourn. 3. Blessed are the meek. 4. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness. 5. Blessed are the merciful. 6. Blessed are the pure in heart. 7. Blessed are the peacemakers. 8. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake. Verses 11-12 add a ninth saying addressed directly to "ye."
What does Beatitude mean?
Beatitude comes from the Latin word beatus, used in the Latin Bible for blessed. A Beatitude is a saying that begins "Blessed are" and describes a person God approves of, with a promise attached. The Greek word makarios means blessed, happy or fortunate, but in the sense of God's favor rather than a passing mood.
Where are the Beatitudes in the Bible?
The Beatitudes are in Matthew 5:3-12, at the start of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 to 7). Luke 6:20-23 has a shorter set of four in the Sermon on the Plain, followed by four woes (Luke 6:24-26). The Psalms also contain many blessed sayings, such as Psalm 1:1. See also Bible verses about the kingdom of God.
How can I teach the Beatitudes to children?
Take one Beatitude at a time. Explain the hard word (meek, merciful, peacemaker), share a Bible story that shows it and choose one small action for the week. Children can draw each promise. Our free Bible worksheets for kids and Bible verses for kids pages have more ideas.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Being Blessed · Humility · Mercy · Persecution · Kingdom of God · Grief · Righteousness · Parables of Jesus
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