Matthew 5:3 (DRB)

Passage

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him.

Matthew 5:2 And opening his mouth he taught them, saying:

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "blessed", "poor", "theirs", "kingdom", and "heaven". 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 opening his mouth he taught them..." into verse 4's "Blessed are the meek 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.