Luke 6:20 Meaning and Explanation
“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Looking at his disciples, Jesus declares the poor blessed, for the kingdom of God is theirs.
What Does Luke 6:20 Mean?
Jesus lifts his eyes on his disciples and begins the Sermon on the Plain with a shock: 'Blessed be ye poor.' He speaks directly — not about the poor but to them — to followers who had left what little they had. Theirs, he says, is the kingdom of God: not will be, but is.
Heaven's accounting begins where the world's ends. Poverty is not romanticized here; it is met — the empty-handed are precisely the ones who can receive a kingdom as a gift. Those who have nothing but God discover that he is enough, and that what he gives cannot be lost. The sermon opens by turning the world's scoreboard upside down.
Luke 6:20 in the Original Language
makarios (μακάριος), 'blessed' -- deeply favored and well off, a happiness conferred by God rather than by circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 6:20
What does Luke 6:20 mean?
Looking at his disciples, Jesus declares the poor blessed, for the kingdom of God is theirs.