Matthew 5:6 Meaning and Explanation
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A deep longing to be made right with God is itself a blessing, because God promises to satisfy it.
The Context of Matthew 5:6
From the Beatitudes that open the Sermon on the Mount, spoken to crowds in Galilee, many of whom knew real hunger and thirst as daily facts of life (Matthew 5).
What Does Matthew 5:6 Mean?
Jesus reaches for the two most basic cravings of the body, hunger and thirst, to describe a craving of the soul. He blesses those who long for righteousness the way a starving person longs for bread and a parched traveller for water. This is an ache far deeper than a polite wish: to be made right, to see right prevail, to be good and to live among goodness. The very people who feel that emptiness most keenly are the ones Jesus calls blessed, because their longing is pointed in the right direction.
And He makes a promise to that hunger: they shall be filled. The word means to be satisfied completely, fed until the need is met. This righteousness is beyond our own making, and Jesus, who is our righteousness, gives Himself to the hungry. He once told a crowd, 'I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger' (John 6:35). The ache we carry is the very appetite He intends to fill, a sign that God is near rather than far.
Matthew 5:6 in the Original Language
chortazo (χορτάζω), 'filled' -- to be fed and fully satisfied, the word for animals grazed until content; a deep, complete fullness.
How to Apply Matthew 5:6 Today
This verse turns our spiritual hunger into something hopeful. The longing to be good, to be forgiven, to see things made right, is an appetite God planted and promises to fill. When we feel that ache most sharply, we can bring it straight to Jesus, who satisfies the hungry heart.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 5:6
What does Matthew 5:6 mean?
A deep longing to be made right with God is itself a blessing, because God promises to satisfy it.
What is the context of Matthew 5:6?
From the Beatitudes that open the Sermon on the Mount, spoken to crowds in Galilee, many of whom knew real hunger and thirst as daily facts of life (Matthew 5).
How can I apply Matthew 5:6 today?
This verse turns our spiritual hunger into something hopeful. The longing to be good, to be forgiven, to see things made right, is an appetite God planted and promises to fill. When we feel that ache most sharply, we can bring it straight to Jesus, who satisfies the hungry heart.