Matthew 5 · Verse 10

Matthew 5:10

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10, King James Version

Matthew 5:10 in other translations

BSBBlessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
WEBBlessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
ASVBlessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
YLT‘Happy those persecuted for righteousness' sake--because theirs is the reign of the heavens.
DARBYBlessed they who are persecuted on account of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.
BBEHappy are those who are attacked on account of righteousness: for the kingdom of heaven will be theirs.
WebsterBlessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

What does Matthew 5:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, &c.--How entirely this final beatitude has its ground in the Old Testament, is evident from the concluding words, where the encouragement held out to endure such persecutions consists in its being but a continuation of what was experienced by the Old Testament servants of God. But how, it may be asked, could such beautiful features of character provoke persecution? To this the following answers should suffice: "Every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." "The world cannot hate you; but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil." "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." "There is yet one man (said wicked Ahab to good Jehoshaphat) by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil" (Joh 3:20; 7:7; 15:19; 2Ch 18:7). But more particularly, the seven characters here described are all in the teeth of the spirit of the world, insomuch that such hearers of this discourse as breathed that spirit must have been startled, and had their whole system of thought and action rudely dashed. Poverty of spirit runs counter to the pride of men's heart; a pensive disposition, in the view of one's universal deficiencies before God, is ill relished by the callous, indifferent, laughing, self-satisfied world; a meek and quiet spirit, taking wrong, is regarded as pusillanimous, and rasps against the proud, resentful spirit of the world; that craving after spiritual blessings rebukes but too unpleasantly the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; so does a merciful spirit the hard-heartedness of the world; purity of heart contrasts painfully with painted hypocrisy; and the peacemaker cannot easily be endured by the contentious, quarrelsome world. Thus does "righteousness" come to be "persecuted." But blessed are they who, in spite of this, dare to be righteous. for theirs is the kingdom of heaven--As this was the reward promised to the poor in spirit--the leading one of these seven beatitudes--of course it is the proper portion of such as are persecuted for exemplifying them.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 10. Persecuted. To persecute, means literally to pursue, follow after, as one does a flying enemy. Here it means to vex, or oppress one, on account of his religion. They persecute others who injure their names, reputation, property, or endanger or take their life, on account of their religious opinions.

For righteousness' sake. Because they are righteous, or are the friends of God. We are not to seek persecution. We are not to provoke it by strange sentiments or conduct, or by violating the laws of civil society, or by modes of speech that are unnecessarily offensive to others. But if, in the honest effort to be Christians, and to live the life of Christians, others persecute and revile us, we are to consider this as a blessing. It is all evidence that we are the children of God, and that he will defend us. All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, 2Ti 3:12.

Their's is the kingdom of heaven. They have evidence that they are Christians, and shall be brought to heaven.

(f) "for righteousness's sake" 1Pet 3:13,14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 They which are persecuted - Δεδιωγμενοι, they who are hard pressed upon and pursued with repeated acts of enmity. Parkhurst. They are happy who suffer, seems a strange saying: and that the righteous should suffer, merely because they are such, seems as strange. But such is the enmity of the human heart to every thing of God and goodness, that all those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution in one form or other. As the religion of Christ gives no quarter to vice, so the vicious will give no quarter to this religion, or to its professors. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven - That spiritual kingdom, explained Mat 3:2, and that kingdom of glory which is its counterpart and consequence.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 5:3-12

Our Saviour here gives eight characters of blessed people, which represent to us the principal graces of a Christian. 1. The poor in spirit are happy. These bring their minds to their condition, when it is a low condition. They are humble and lowly in their own eyes. They see their want, bewail their guilt, and thirst after a Redeemer. The kingdom of grace is of such; the kingdom of glory is for them. 2. Those that…

Read the full comment on Matthew 5:3-12 →

Matthew 5:10 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΜακάριοιMakarioiBlessed [are]G3107
οἱhoithoseG3588
δεδιωγμένοιdediōgmenoipersecutedG1377
ἕνεκενhenekenon account ofG1752
δικαιοσύνης,dikaiosunēsrighteousness,G1343
ὅτιhotiforG3754
αὐτῶνautōntheirsG846
ἐστινestinisG1510
ἡhētheG3588
βασιλείαbasileiakingdomG932
τῶνtōnof theG3588
οὐρανῶν.¶ouranōnheavens.G3772

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 5:10

  • James 1:12

    Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

  • 1 Peter 3:13-14

    And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

  • 2 Corinthians 4:17

    For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

  • Matthew 5:3

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

  • James 1:2-5

    My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

  • Luke 6:22

    Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

  • 2 Timothy 2:12

    If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

  • 2 Corinthians 4:8-12

    We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. …

  • Luke 21:12

    But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.

  • Philippians 1:28

    And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

  • 1 Peter 4:12-16

    Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. …

  • Revelation 2:10

    Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
are.
10:23; Ps 37:12; Mr 10:30; Lu 6:22; 21:12; Joh 15:20; Ac 5:40
Ac 8:1; Ro 8:35-39; 1Co 4:9-13; 2Co 4:8-12,17; Php 1:28; 2Ti 2:12
2Ti 3:11; Jas 1:2-5; 1Pe 3:13,14; 4:12-16; 1Jo 3:12; Re 2:10
for.
3; 2Th 1:4-7; Jas 1:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 5:9

    Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

  • Matthew 5:10

    Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

  • Matthew 5:11

    Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Read all of Matthew 5

Matthew 5:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Bienaventurados los que padecen persecución por causa de la justicia: porque de ellos es el reino de los cielos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
bienheureux ceux qui sont persécutés à cause de la justice, car c’est à eux qu’est le royaume des cieux.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Glückselig die um Gerechtigkeit willen Verfolgten, denn ihrer ist das Reich der Himmel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter justitiam: quoniam ipsorum est regnum cælorum.