Matthew 5.1-12 Translation Notes

(I also encourage you to look at Dr. Carlson’s notes on this text at: )

1

CEV When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the side of a mountain and sat down. Jesus' disciples gathered around him,

MSG When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down

NET When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. After he sat down his disciples came to him.

NIV Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,

NRS When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.

BGT ἰδὼν δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος, καὶ καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ προσῆλθαν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ·

  • It will help to think of this verse as two sentences: Ἰδὼν δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνέβη … and, καὶ καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ προσῆλθαν …
  • τὸ ὄρος: What mountain? Where else does τὸ ὄρος occur in Matthew?
    Where else in Scripture is a mountain important?
  • καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ - Circumstantial participle used in a ______construction. (Note case!)

2

CEV and he taught them:

MSG and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

NET Then he began to teach them by saying:

NIV and he began to teach them, saying:

NRS Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

BGT καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς λέγων·

  • ἐδίδασκεν is ______tense. What might be a good way to capture the significance of the tense in this context?

3

CEV God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven!

MSG "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

NET "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

NIV "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

NRS "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

BGT Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.

  • This is only a fraction of the entry for μακάριος in the BDAG Lexicon. If you were doing research on this verse, in what ways might this be helpful?

1. pert. to being fortunate or happy because of circumstances, fortunate, happy. …

2. pert. to being esp. favored, blessed, fortunate, happy, privileged, fr. a transcendent perspective, the more usual sense (the general Gr-Rom. perspective: one on whom fortune smiles)

a. of humans privileged recipient of divine favor… As a predicate w. a subst. or subst. adj. or ptc. μ. ὁ blessed is the one who … (2 Ch 9:7; Da 12:12; PsSol 4:23; ApcEsdr 5:11) Mt 5:3ff (the transl. 0, the happiness of or hail to those, favored by some [Zahn, Wlh., EKlostermann, JWeiss; KBornhäuser, Die Bergpredigt 1923, 24 al.] appears to be exactly right for the Aramaic original [=Hebr.yrev.a;], but scholars have disputed whether it exhausts the content that μακάριος had in the mouths of Gk.-speaking Christians [s. e.g. Maximus Tyr. 14, 6f μακάριος εὐσεβὴς φίλος θεοῦ, δυστυχὴς δὲ ὁ δεισιδαίμων; Artem. 4, 72 the state of μ. εἶναι is brought about by ascension into heaven and the ὑπερβάλλουσα εὐδαιμονία enjoyed there; other reff. in Betz, SM 97-99].—CMcCown, The Beatitudes in the Light of Ancient Ideals: JBL 46, 1927, 50-61; JRezevskis [Resewski], D. Makarismen bei Mt u. Lk, ihr Verhältnis zu einander u. ihr histor. Hintergrund: StThR I [=IBenzinger Festschr.] ’35, 157-70; JDupont, Les Béatitudes ’54; GStrecker, Die Makarismen der Bergpredigt, NTS 17, ’70/71, 255-75; see lit. s.v. ὄρος); 24:46; Lk 1:45; 6:20ff; 11:28; 12:37; cp. vs. 38, 43; J 20:29; Ro 14:22; Rv 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14; 1 Cl 40:4; 48:4; 2 Cl 16:4; 19:3; D 1:5; Pol 2:3 (=Lk 6:20; Hv 2, 3, 3).

  • What does οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι mean? More specifically, what is the significance of the ______case of τῷ πνεύματι? Cf. GramNotes on the dative case and note IV.B., dative of “Reference or Respect.”
  • Does “spirit” here refer to the Holy Spirit? To an unclean spirit? Are there any other kinds of “spirit” in Matthew?
  • Starting here and through verse 10, you will have to supply a verb of being. What tense will you use? (cf. v.11)
  • Note the position of emphasis of αὐτῶν here and of the 3rd person pronouns in the subsequent sayings.
  • What is the tense of ἐστιν?

4

CEV God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort!

MSG "You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

NET "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

NIV Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

NRS "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

BGT μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται.

  • Starting here and through verse 9, what is the tense of παρακληθήσονται, κληρονομήσουσιν, χορτασθήσονται, ἐλεηθήσονται, ὄψονται, and κληθήσονται?
  • Here in verse 4 and similarly in verses 6 and 10, πενθοῦντες, πεινῶντες, διψῶντες, and δεδιωγμένοι are all ______mood in ______position and function as ______. Also note the tenses of each.
  • Note the voice of παρακληθήσονται. Who is the agent of the action indicated?

5

CEV God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them!

MSG "You're blessed when you're content with just who you are--no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.

NET "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

NIV Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

NRS "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

BGT μακάριοι οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσιν τὴν γῆν.

  • Does οἱ πραεῖς refer to those who are humble or those who have humiliated?

6

CEV God blesses those people who want to obey him more than to eat or drink. They will be given what they want!

MSG "You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

NET "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

NIV Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

NRS "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

BGT μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην, ὅτι αὐτοὶ χορτασθήσονται.

  • Note the voice of χορτασθήσονται. Who is the agent of the action indicated?
  • What is the case and function of δικαιοσύνην?

7

CEV God blesses those people who are merciful. They will be treated with mercy!

MSG "You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being "carefull,' you find yourselves cared for.

NET "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

NIV Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

NRS "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

BGT μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται.

  • Note the voice of ἐλεηθήσονται. Who is the agent of the action indicated?

8

CEV God blesses those people whose hearts are pure. They will see him!

MSG "You're blessed when you get your inside world--your mind and heart--put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

NET "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

NIV Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

NRS "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

BGT μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται.

  • τῇ καρδίᾳ is ______case. How is it functioning? (Cf. τῷ πνεύματι in v. 3 above.)

9

CEV God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children!

MSG "You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.

NET "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.

NIV Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

NRS "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

BGT μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιος, ὅτι αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ θεοῦ κληθήσονται.

  • How often is the word εἰρηνοποιοί used in the NT?What does it mean to be an εἰρηνοποιος?

10

CEV God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven.

MSG "You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

NET "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

NIV Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

NRS "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

BGT μακάριοι οἱ δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.

  • As in verse 3, what is the tense of ἐστιν?
  • Does the text indicate who is doing the persecuting?
    Look up the lemma of in Matthew and see who is persecuting and who is being persecuted.

11

CEV God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me.

MSG "Not only that--count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.

NET "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me.

NIV "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

NRS "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

BGT μακάριοί ἐστε ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ διώξωσιν καὶ εἴπωσιν πᾶν πονηρὸν καθ᾿ ὑμῶν [ψευδόμενοι] ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ.

  • What is the tense of ἐστε? (Note that this may help you determine the tense of the verb supplied in vv. 3-10.)
  • In verses 4-10, what has been the person and number of the main verb? What is the person and number of ἐστε?
  • Analyze ὀνειδίσωσιν, διώξωσιν, and εἴπωσιν:
    Who is the subject of this verb?
  • [ψευδόμενοι] – position:function:
    On external grounds should ψευδόμενοι be included in the text or not? On internal grounds?

12

CEV Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.

MSG You can be glad when that happens--give a cheer, even!-for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

NET Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

NIV Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

NRS Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

BGT χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· οὕτως γὰρ ἐδίωξαν τοὺς προφήτας τοὺς πρὸ ὑμῶν.

  • χαίρετε … ἀγαλλιᾶσθε – both are ______mood, ______tense
    (Note how different it would be if it read χαρήσεσθεκαὶἀγαλλιήσεσθε…?)
  • ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς – You will need to supply a verb of being to this clause. What tense will you use?
  • Who is the subject of ἐδίωξαν?