Summary

Jesus begins his first big block of teaching in Luke with, "Blessed are you who are poor, hungry, sad, and hated... Woe to you who are rich, full, glad, and liked." Jesus' Beatitudes are both famous and baffling. This is not normally how we would describe blessing. What do they mean and why do we need them?

Text

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. 
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
“Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. 
“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”

(Luke 6:20–26 ESV)