Beatitudes
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The Beatitudes (from Latin, beatitudo, happiness) is the name given to a well-known, and to some, such as Henri Nouwen, definitive and central, portion of the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. In this section, Jesus describes the qualities of the citizens of the Kingdom of heaven, showing how each is/will be blessed. The Beatitudes do not describe many separate individuals, but rather the characteristics of those who are deemed blessed by God. Each of the blessed individuals are generally not considered blessed according to worldly standards, but we see, with a heavenly perspective, they truly are blessed. The word traditionally translated into English as "blessed" or "happy" is in the Greek original μακαριος; a more literal translation into contemporary English would be "possessing an inward contentness and joy that is not affected by the physical circumstances".
These verses are quoted early in the Divine Liturgy of John Chrysostom, which continues to be the liturgy most often used in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Similar sayings are also recorded in a few of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and are found in Jewish sources that predate the Christian era.
Both versions of the Beatitudes
Source: New American Bible (USCCB link (http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/index.htm))
Matthew 5:2-12
He began to teach them, saying:
- "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
- Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
- Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
- Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
- Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."
Luke 6:20-26
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:
- "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.
- Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied.
- Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.
- Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.
- But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
- But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.
- Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.
- Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way."de:Seligpreisungen