Matthew 5:1-12

The Beatitudes

The Beatitudes turn a lot of ordinary thinking upside down. The people called blessed here are not the comfortable or the strong. They are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the gentle, the hungry for what is right, the merciful and the peacemakers. Many people come back to this passage when life feels thin or heavy, because it names those places without shame and calls them blessed.

We've paired this passage with joy because it ends with "Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad." That joy doesn't ask you to pretend things are fine. It sits right next to grief, hunger and hard days. As you write, you can take one verse at a time, slowly, and let your journal become a place to talk honestly with God about where you see yourself in these words.

1 Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him.

2 He opened his mouth and taught them, saying,

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

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

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

10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:1-12, World English Bible, public domain

Reflection prompts

  1. Verse 3 says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Think of a time you felt you had nothing much to offer: no answers, no energy, no strength left. Write a short prayer telling God about that time, just as it was.

  2. Verse 4 says, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." What are you grieving right now, large or small? If comfort has come in any form, even a meal, a text or a quiet morning, write it down. If it hasn't come yet, you can write that honestly too.

  3. Verse 5 names "the gentle." Picture someone you know who is gentle. What do they do, and how do people feel around them? Where could a little more gentleness show up in your own week?

  4. Verse 6 speaks of those who "hunger and thirst after righteousness." What do you long to see made right, in your home, your neighborhood or the wider world? Write that longing as a prayer.

  5. Verse 7 says, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Remember a moment when someone showed you mercy you didn't feel you had earned. Who in your life might need that same kindness from you?

  6. Verse 8 speaks of "the pure in heart." What has been crowding your heart lately: worry, resentment, distraction, noise? Name a few of these things on the page, and ask God for help setting them down.

  7. Verse 9 says, "Blessed are the peacemakers." Think of one small place of tension in your life, a strained conversation or a quiet standoff. What is one gentle step toward peace you could take this week?

  8. Verse 12 begins, "Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad." List a few things that brought you even a flicker of gladness this week, including on the hard days. Then write a few lines thanking God for them.

Joy prompts How to journal with scripture All scripture pages