Luke 6:20 · Bible study
Luke 6:20 Commentary: Study, Blessed Are You Who Are Poor
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Jesus' Beatitude on poverty, its relation to Matthew's 'poor in spirit,' and the radical promise of God's kingdom to the poor.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus declares the poor blessed because God’s kingdom belongs to them, reversing worldly values.
- Key words: πτωχοί (ptochoi, destitute poor); βασιλεία (basileia, kingdom); μακάριοι (makarioi, blessed).
- Main debate: Whether Luke means literal economic poverty (as the text reads) or implies spiritual poverty (as Matthew explicates).
- Theological theme: The divine reversal: God exalts the lowly and brings down the rich (cf. Mary’s Magnificat, Luke 1:52-53).
- Best use: In preaching to those in poverty, offering hope; in warning the comfortable against trusting in wealth.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Looking up at His disciples, Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for God’s Kingdom is yours.
KJV King James Version 1769
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessedare ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And he, having lifted up his eyes to his disciples, said: `Happy the poor--because yours is the reign of God.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he, lifting up his eyes upon his disciples, said, Blessed [are] ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he, lifting up his eyes on his disciples, said: Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y alzando él los ojos á sus discípulos, decía: Bienaventurados vosotros los pobres; porque vuestro es el reino de Dios.
Ele levantou os olhos aos seus discípulos, e disse: Benditos sois vós, os pobres, porque o Reino de Deus é vosso.
Alors Jésus, levant les yeux sur ses disciples, dit:
Und er hob seine Augen auf über seine Jünger und sprach: Selig seid ihr Armen; denn das Reich Gottes ist euer.
En Hij, Zijn ogen opslaande over Zijn discipelen, zeide: Zalig zijt gij, armen, want uwer is het Koninkrijk Gods.
Ed egli, alzati gli occhi verso i suoi discepoli, diceva: Beati voi che siete poveri, perché il Regno di Dio è vostro.
A on podniósłszy oczy swoje na uczniów, mówił: Błogosławieni jesteście wy, ubodzy! bo wasze jest królestwo Boże.
И Он, возведя очи Свои на учеников Своих, говорил: Блаженны нищие духом, ибо ваше есть Царствие Божие.
耶穌 舉 目 看著 門徒，說：你們貧窮的人 有福了！因為 神 的國 是 你們的。
And turning his eyes to his disciples he said, Happy are you who are poor: for the kingdom of God is yours.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 6:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Luke records a distinct version of the Beatitude. Where Matthew writes 'poor in spirit' (Matt 5:3), Luke simply says 'poor.' The Cambridge Bible notes that Luke seems to have been impressed with the blessings of faithful poverty itself (cf. Jam 2:5), and he records Jesus' address to the poor who had come to seek Him. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown paraphrase James 2:5: 'the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom.' Gill echoes the connection to Matthew, adding that the poor include those who have left all for Christ. All agree the promise is that the kingdom of God belongs to them, not because poverty earns salvation, but because in the divine reversal, the lowly receive the kingdom by grace.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal poverty: Luke’s wording without ‘in spirit’ and the context of the woe to the rich (v.24) indicate material poverty is in view.
- Spiritual poverty implied: Matthew’s parallel and the context of discipleship suggest Jesus is addressing the humble who trust in God, not merely the economically destitute.
- Both/and: Many commentators (e.g., JFB, Cambridge) see Luke’s poor as those who, in their material poverty, exemplify the spiritual posture needed for the kingdom.
What is clear: Jesus declares that the poor are blessed and that God’s kingdom belongs to them.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Literal poverty vs. spiritual poverty | Jesus pronounces blessing on the poor, indicating God’s special concern for the marginalized. | Some traditions (e.g., Reformed via Matthew Henry) interpret the poor as those poor in spirit. Others (e.g., Wesleyan, Anglican via Cambridge) take it as literal economic poverty, with the spiritual dimension implied. |
| Relationship to Matthew’s Beatitudes | Both accounts are authentic teachings of Jesus, preserved by different evangelists. | Some see them as two versions of the same sermon; others as distinct occasions. |
| Meaning of ‘kingdom of God’ | It refers to God’s reign, both present and future. | Some emphasize a spiritual reign now; others the future eschatological kingdom. |
| Audience of the Beatitudes | Jesus addresses his disciples. | Whether the ‘poor’ refers specifically to the apostles (Gill) or to the larger crowd of disciples and needy people (Cambridge). |
Historical & Cultural Context
First-century Galilee and Judea were marked by economic hardship under Roman occupation and heavy taxation. The term ptochos used here refers to one reduced to beggary, destitute of wealth and position (Thayer). These were the 'poor of the land' (am ha'aretz), often despised by the religious elite. Jesus' ministry consistently reached out to the marginalized: He healed the sick, ate with tax collectors, and welcomed the poor. The setting of this discourse is a 'level place' (Luke 6:17), with a crowd from Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon, Gentile areas, indicating a diverse audience. The Old Testament tradition of the anawim (the humble poor) is echoed in Psalm 113:7-8 and Isaiah 57:15; these passages see God as the defender of the poor. Jesus' declaration that the kingdom belongs to the poor is a radical announcement that the values of God's reign invert worldly hierarchies.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants for Luke 6:20 across the manuscript traditions. All major translations reflect the same Greek text: πτωχοί (poor) with no added qualifier.
Reception History
The early church saw this beatitude as a promise to those who suffered persecution and poverty for Christ. Augustine and Chrysostom interpreted the poor as the humble in spirit, often harmonizing with Matthew. In the Reformation, Luther called it 'an admirably sweet friendly beginning,' emphasizing grace over law. Wesley took the word literally, applying it to those who had left all for Christ. In modern theology, this verse underpins the 'preferential option for the poor' in Catholic social teaching and inspires ministries that serve economic margins. Throughout history, the verse has comforted the destitute and challenged the comfortable.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Audience of the Kingdom. Jesus speaks directly to the poor, the ones the world overlooks.
- The Reversal of Values. Those counted as least are called blessed; happiness is redefined.
- The Promise of the Kingdom. ‘Yours is the kingdom of God’, present possession, not just future hope.
Five-point outline
- Jesus' Posture: He lifts His eyes (Vincent calls this a solemn, impressive opening).
- The Condition: ‘Blessed are you who are poor’, raw, literal poverty.
- The Contrast: No spiritual qualifier; Matthew adds ‘in spirit,’ Luke does not.
- The Reason: ‘For yours is the kingdom of God’, the ground of blessing is God’s gift.
- The Implications: The following woes (v.24) warn those who trust in wealth.
Illustration hooks
- A single mother working multiple jobs, struggling to make ends meet, wondering if God sees her situation. This beatitude says He does, and He gives her the kingdom.
- A person who has lost their job and feels invisible in a church full of professionals. Jesus singles out the poor for blessing.
- The story of Job: stripped of everything, yet clinging to faith. God’s reversal restores and more.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Does this mean I have to become poor to be blessed?”
- “What about Matthew’s version, should I be poor in spirit?”
- “How can the kingdom be ‘mine’ when I can’t see it?”
Leading a Discussion
In this verse, Jesus flips the world’s assumptions. He looks at a crowd of the poor, the hurting, and the outcast, and tells them they are the ones who possess God’s kingdom.
Discussion questions
- Read Luke 6:20. What does it mean that Jesus ‘lifted up his eyes’? (Compare Vincent’s note on solemnity.)
- How does Luke’s version differ from Matthew 5:3? Why might Luke have left out ‘in spirit’?
- What is the promise given to the poor? How do the following woes (v.24) sharpen that promise?
- How do cross-references like Psalm 113:7 and Isaiah 57:15 deepen our understanding of God’s care for the poor?
- In what ways are we tempted to ‘receive our consolation’ from wealth rather than from God?
- How can this beatitude challenge our view of success and security?
- What would it look like for a community to live as if the kingdom belongs to the poor?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 2:8 | He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill to make them sit with princes and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s. He has set the world on them. |
| Psalms 37:16 | Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked. |
| Psalms 113:7 | He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the needy from the ash heap, |
| Psalms 113:8 | that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. |
| Proverbs 16:19 | It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud. |
| Proverbs 19:1 | Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool. |
| Isaiah 29:19 | The humble also will increase their joy in Yahweh, and the poor among men will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. |
| Isaiah 57:15 | For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke points readers to his own earlier notes on Matthew 5-7, where he gives a full paraphrase and explanation of this beatitude. He does not add new comment here, treating the blessing on the poor as already sufficiently covered in that earlier treatment of the Sermon on the Mount.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes treats these woes as directed at those who are self-satisfied with worldly wealth and approval, rejecting the gospel's consolation. Their present comfort and laughter, he warns, will give way to painful hunger and mourning when they face eternity without the spiritual preparation they neglected.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary highlights that Luke, unlike Matthew, does not add "in spirit" to the blessing of the poor. Luke records Christ's address to the actual poor who came seeking Him, and the evangelist is struck by the blessings of faithful, humble poverty itself. For Luke, these beatitudes are a direct homily spoken to Jesus' listeners, not a general code.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And hee lifted vp his eyes vpon his disciples, and sayd, Blessed be ye poore: for yours is the kingdome of God.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill specifies that Jesus is speaking directly to the twelve apostles. He interprets the word "poor" to mean both those who left worldly wealth for Christ's sake and those who are poor in spirit. For Gill, the kingdom of God here is identical to the kingdom of heaven in Matthew, promised to such believers.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that in this version of the Beatitudes, Jesus pronounces blessing directly on the poor and hungry rather than on the spiritually poor. The emphasis falls on those who are literally impoverished, whom James describes as rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists the Beatitudes and Woes address spiritual condition, not material circumstances. External poverty alone gains nothing; only spiritual poverty for the kingdom qualifies for blessing. The Woes condemn self-satisfied pride among the rich, not wealth itself, as Christ offers comfort to the sorrowing and warns the complacent.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry treats this passage as essentially the same Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew, possibly an abridgment of it. His distinctive focus is on Christ pronouncing blessings on suffering disciples as truly happy people, even though the world pities them.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley treats prosperity as a sweet poison and affliction as a healing, bitter medicine. He therefore calls the poor, hungry, mourners, and persecuted happy, while pronouncing the rich, full, and applauded miserable. For him, "poor" refers literally to those who left everything for Christ.