What are the Beatitudes? Complete List and Meaning

"And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him..." (Matthew 5:1)

In the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus delivered a series of teachings known as the Beatitudes, which continue to resonate today. They're like a roadmap to living a good life, showing us how to be better people and make the world a better place. Let's dive into each Beatitude and see how we can apply them to our lives today!

What Are the Beatitudes?

The Beatitudes were a series of blessings declared by Jesus during His "Sermon on the Mount" found in the Gospels of Matthew. In contrast to the 10 Commandments given to Moses, Jesus gives the encouraging promises of the Beatitudes, listing the values in life which will lead to prosperity and salvation. The Beatitudes are often seen as a key component of Christian teachings, and they offer guidance on how to live a blessed life.

The Beatitudes offer a roadmap on how to live a pleasing life to God. They encourage humility, compassion, and a strong desire for justice. By following these teachings, Christians can strive to live a life that is not only pleasing to God but also makes a positive impact on those around them.

The Beatitudes declare the genuine journey in following Christ, our consolation from God amid persecution from the world. Discover the significance and meaning of the Beatitudes in the videos and scripture quotes below!

Let's walk through each beatitude with a full video explanation.

The Eight Beatitudes of Jesus - Matthew 5:3-10

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me."

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"Poor in spirit" signifies to be humble. Humility is the understanding that all your blessings originate from the love of God. Humility brings openness and inner peace, enabling one to do the will of God. Those who humble themselves are able to admit our fragile nature, repent, and permit the love of God to guide us to reformation.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Mourning in this meaning is declared a blessing because to mourn our sinful nature produces an intention to renew ourselves and follow God's righteousness. Furthermore, mourning implies the love for people in our lives who will be comforted by the grace of God.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

A meek person manifests self-control. We are encouraged to be meek in the light of the Lord and not oppose but be faithful to him. Submission to the will of God can be difficult and tiresome, but it will bring peace and tranquility in this world and the next.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

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A perpetual appetite for virtue and justice will guide us to attaining that desire - a development and reformation to righteousness.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:36). Mercy is the benevolent nature of God and the righteous towards those who suffer. Love, empathy, and mercy towards a family member or neighbor will bring peace to your relationships.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

To be pure of heart means to be free of all selfish purposes and self-seeking motives. Jesus was the ultimate example of this, as He sacrificed his own life for the redemption and salvation of mankind.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Peacemakers not only manifest peaceful lives but also work to share peace and friendship with others and to cultivate peace between God and man. However, we cannot give others what we do not possess and must strive to achieve peace within ourselves.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The biblical passage continues: "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12). Jesus said many times that those who follow Him will be persecuted. "If they persecute me, they will persecute you" (John 15:20-21). This Beatitude is important because even if we are wrongfully persecuted for belief or devotion to God, we shall be blessed eternally in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Significance and Meaning of the Beatitudes

Discover what makes the Beatitudes of Jesus truly significant, explained by Bryon Yawn in the video below!

(The following is a transcription of the video above)

"Most of us approached the Beatitudes as if there's some sort of platitudinal phraseology and principles on how to live life. I mean that's usually how they're approached, but that is very far removed from what they actually are. These are like laser-guided bombs in the culture that Jesus was preaching to. I mean, these quips, these statements, these things that we've come to recite in the flannel board of our youth are devastating statements that turn Jesus' culture on its ear completely. It is not what they expected to hear it. It takes aim at all of these prized dispositions and virtues and their worldview. They didn't expect this to come out of Jesus' mouth and wherever Jesus went, He preached these. These aren't platitudinal. I mean, these are detonated on the culture.

I'll give you an example. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God. That's not what they expected to come before theirs is the kingdom of God. What they expected to hear was, "You're Abraham, therefore yours is the kingdom of God." What Jesus said was, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Well, they believed in self-righteousness because of who they were. Jesus says, "No, it's actually the broken people, those who recognize their need for God, the poor in spirit, people who are spiritual beggars inherit the kingdom." He didn't say, Abraham. He didn't say the descendants of Abraham, and He didn't say Jews, and He didn't say Pharisees. He didn't say, good people. He didn't say, moral people. He said, broken people. Those are the ones that inherit the kingdom of God.

So Jesus' audience is sitting there having learned what they've learned from their tradition, and Jesus drops this grenade and it touches every nerve in the audience because every single one of them underneath the facade of their life realizes they actually are poor in spirit. And so He turns the thing upside down.

They realize, as the Bible will go on to explain, that they need righteousness which is much greater than their own, which is exactly what Jesus says in Matthew chapter five unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Basically, what He said was, "You're not getting in in your own righteousness."

And so the Beatitudes go through, and they just throw off all of these misunderstandings about what constitutes a devotion to God and what man truly needs. It is the Beatitudes, which ultimately get Jesus killed as He explains them in every possible way that He can as they flow. That is their principle and core meeting through all of His teaching and put Him on the cross, and save those by His death who are poor in spirit."