MAT 5:3 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Μακάριοι
2. makarios
3. Blessed are
4. -
5. 31070
6. S····NMP
7. blessed ‹are›
8. blessed ‹are›
9. D
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount
11. 1868
1. οἱ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount
11. 1869
1. πτωχοί
2. ptōχos
3. poor
4. -
5. 44340
6. S····NMP
7. poor
8. poor
9. -
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount; F1874
11. 1870
1. τῷ
2. ho
3. in the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DNS
7. ˱in˲ the
8. ˱in˲ the
9. -
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount
11. 1871
1. πνεύματι
2. pneuma
3. spirit
4. spirit
5. 41510
6. N····DNS
7. spirit
8. spirit
9. -
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount
11. 1872
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. because
4. because
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. because
8. because
9. -
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount
11. 1873
1. αὐτῶν
2. autos
3. to them
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3GMP
7. ˱to˲ them
8. ˱to˲ them
9. -
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount; R1870
11. 1874
1. ἐστίν
2. eimi
3. is
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA3··S
7. is
8. is
9. -
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount
11. 1875
1. ἡ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount
11. 1876
1. Βασιλεία
2. basileia
3. kingdom
4. kingdom
5. 9320
6. N····NFS
7. kingdom
8. Kingdom
9. W
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount
11. 1877
1. τῶν
2. ho
3. of the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMP
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount
11. 1878
1. Οὐρανῶν
2. ouranos
3. heavens
4. heavenly
5. 37720
6. N····GMP
7. heavens
8. Heavens
9. W
10. Y31; TSermon_on_the_Mount
11. 1879

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:1–7:29: Jesus preached a sermon on a mountain

For many years, English versions and Christians have commonly referred to Matthew 5–7 as “The Sermon on the Mount.” In some translations, it may be helpful to include a heading for chapters 5–7 that is on a level above the section heading for 5:1–12.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The Sermon on the Mountain

The sermon that Jesus preached on a mountain

Jesus taught people on the side of a mountain/hill

Paragraph 5:3–10

There are eight “blessings” in verses 3–10. Each of the eight blessings has two parts. Each blessing starts with the words “Blessed are” and tells what kind of person is blessed. Each blessing ends with the reason why that kind of person is blessed. Each blessing is a short statement like a proverb.

Some English versions begin a new section at 5:3. One possibility is to put a general heading like “The sermon on the mountain” at 5:1 and the heading of “God blesses his people” here.

5:3a

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

¶ “Fortunate/Favored are the people who know that they are lacking spiritually,
¶ “God will bless/favor those who realize their need of him,
¶ “Those who recognize that they are dependent on God are in a good/favorable position.

Blessed are: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Blessed refers to the good situation/condition that a person is in when a superior person does something good to him. When God does something good to a human being and is kind to him, that person is in a good situation. He is “blessed,” “fortunate,” and “favored.”

Here are some other ways to translate Blessed are:

Favored/fortunate

God favors/approves

Joyful/desirable is the situation of

How good it is for

This word does not primarily refer to a feeling. However, a person in this good situation will frequently have good feelings like happiness and joy. Do not use a word that only refers to material prosperity or physical health. Do not use a word that refers only to being lucky. See also bless, Meaning 2, in the Glossary.

the poor in spirit: The word poor often means “lacking money or material resources.” However, here the word is used in a spiritual sense. It means “lacking spiritual resources.” People who are poor in spirit know that they are lacking spiritually. They are lacking what it takes to please God. As a result, they know that they need God’s help. They are dependent on God, and they gladly accept his rule over them.

Every person is lacking spiritually without God, but not every person recognizes it.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

those who know that they are lacking regarding the things of God

those who recognize that they are dependent on God

those who realize their need for him (NLT)

5:3b

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

because the kingdom of God belongs to them.
because they are the people/citizens of his kingdom.
God accepts them as the people whom he rules over.

for: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as for introduces the reason that the “poor in spirit” are blessed. They are blessed because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. For example:

because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them (NCV)

In some languages, no conjunction is necessary here. For example:

The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. (GW)

In other languages, it will be more natural to put 5:3b before 5:3a. For example:

The poor in spirit have the kingdom of heaven, so they are blessed.

The kingdom of heaven is for the poor in spirit, so they are blessed.

theirs is the kingdom of heaven: The word theirs refers to the people who are “poor in spirit.” They are the kind of people who share in the kingdom of heaven. They belong in it, and it belongs to them. These people who let God rule over them are the ones he blesses.

Here are some other ways to translate these words:

the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! (GNT)

God accepts them into his kingdom

they are citizens of the kingdom of God

the kingdom of heaven: The phrase kingdom of heaven has the same meaning as the phrase “kingdom of God.” Both phrases refer to God’s activity of ruling and caring for his people as their king. Both refer to the relationship that God has with his people. He leads, protects, and cares for them. They obey, trust, and submit to him as their king. The phrase kingdom of heaven does not refer to a land or country that he rules over.

Here are some other ways to translate this expression:

As a noun. For example:
the kingdom of God
God’s kingship
God’s rule over people
the rule of the one/Lord who lives in heaven
As a verbal expression. For example:
The way God rules his people
The way God cares for his people as king.

See kingdom of heaven in the Glossary for more information.

This same phrase occurs in 3:2b and 4:17c.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοί τῷ πνεύματι ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστίν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν)

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these clauses, since the second clause gives the reason for the result that the first clause describes. Alternate translation: [The kingdom of the heavens belongs to the poor in spirit, so they are blessed]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

μακάριοι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοί τῷ πνεύματι ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστίν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν)

This expression indicates that God is giving favor to people and that their situation is positive or good. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this idea in another way. Alternate translation: [God will bless] or [How good it is for]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

οἱ πτωχοὶ

the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοί τῷ πνεύματι ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστίν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν)

Jesus is using the adjective poor as a noun in order to indicate a group of people. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [people who are poor]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι

the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοί τῷ πνεύματι ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστίν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν)

Here Jesus speaks of people who know that they disobey and that they depend on God totally as if they were poor in spirit. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the spiritually poor] or [those who totally depend upon God]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν

˱to˲_them (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοί τῷ πνεύματι ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστίν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν)

Here, Jesus is using the possessive form to describe people who belong in the kingdom of the heavens. If this is not clear in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them] or [they belong in the kingdom of the heavens]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear MAT 5:3

SR Greek word order

Section 5:1–7:29: Jesus preached a sermon on a mountain

Paragraph 5:3–10

5:3a

5:3b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)