Matthew 5:3 (DBY)

Passage

Blessed [are] the poor in spirit, for *theirs* is the kingdom of the heavens.

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:1 But seeing the crowds, he went up into the mountain, and having sat down, his disciples came to him;

Matthew 5:2 and, having opened his mouth, he taught them, saying,

Matthew 5:3 Blessed [are] the poor in spirit, for *theirs* is the kingdom of the heavens.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed they that mourn, for *they* shall be comforted.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed the meek, for *they* shall inherit the earth.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "blessed", "poor", "theirs", "kingdom", and "heavens". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "blessed", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "and having opened his mouth he taught..." into verse 4's "Blessed they that mourn for they shall...", so "Spirit" and "blessed" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "Spirit" and "blessed" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.