Matthew 5 · Verse 8

Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8, King James Version

Matthew 5:8 in other translations

BSBBlessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
WEBBlessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
ASVBlessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
YLT‘Happy the clean in heart--because they shall see God.
DARBYBlessed the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
BBEHappy are the clean in heart: for they will see God.
WebsterBlessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

What does Matthew 5:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God--Here, too, we are on Old Testament ground. There the difference between outward and inward purity, and the acceptableness of the latter only in the sight of God, are everywhere taught. Nor is the "vision of God" strange to the Old Testament; and though it was an understood thing that this was not possible in the present life (Ex 33:20; and compare Job 19:26, 27; Is 6:5), yet spiritually it was known and felt to be the privilege of the saints even here (Ge 5:24; 6:9; 17:1; 48:15; Psa 27:4; 36:9; 63:2; Is 38:3, 11, &c.). But oh, with what grand simplicity, brevity, and power is this great fundamental truth here expressed! And in what striking contrast would such teaching appear to that which was then current, in which exclusive attention was paid to ceremonial purification and external morality! This heart purity begins in a "heart sprinkled from an evil conscience," or a "conscience purged from dead works" (He 10:22; 9:14; and see Ac 15:9); and this also is taught in the Old Testament (Psa 32:1, 2; compare Ro 4:5-8; Is 6:5-8). The conscience thus purged--the heart thus sprinkled--there is light within wherewith to see God. "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with the other"--He with us and we with Him--"and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us"--us who have this fellowship, and who, without such continual cleansing, would soon lose it again--"from all sin" (1Jo 1:6, 7). "Whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him" (1Jo 3:6); "He that doeth evil hath not seen God" (3Jo 11). The inward vision thus clarified, and the whole inner man in sympathy with God, each looks upon the other with complacency and joy, and we are "changed into the same image from glory to glory." But the full and beatific vision of God is reserved for that time to which the Psalmist stretches his views--"As for me, I shall behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness" (Psa 17:15). Then shall His servants serve Him: and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads (Re 22:3, 4). They shall see Him as He is (1Jo 3:2). But, says the apostle, expressing the converse of this beatitude--"Follow holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (He 12:14).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. Blessed are the pure in heart. That is, whose minds, motives, and principles are pure. Who seek not only to have the external actions correct, but who desire to be holy in heart, and who are so. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart.

They shall see God. There is a sense in which all shall see God, Rev 1:7. That is, they shall behold him as a Judge, not as a Friend. In this place it is spoken of as a peculiar favour. So also in Rev 22:4. And they shall see his face. To see the face of one, or to be in his presence, were, among the Jews, terms expressive of great favour. It was regarded as a high honour to be in the presence of kings and princes, and to be permitted to see them, Prov 22:29. He shall stand before kings, etc. See also 2Ki 25:19. "Those that stood in the king's presence ;" in the Hebrew, those that saw the face of the king; that is, who were his favourites and friends. So here, to see God, means to be his friends and favourites, and to dwell with him in his kingdom.

(d) "pure in heart" Ps 24:3,4, He 12:4, 1Jn 3:2,3

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Pure in heart - In opposition to the Pharisees, who affected outward purity, while their hearts were full of corruption and defilement. A principal part of the Jewish religion consisted in outward washings and cleansings: on this ground they expected to see God, to enjoy eternal glory: but Christ here shows that a purification of the heart, from all vile affections and desires, is essentially requisite in order to enter into the kingdom of God. He whose soul is not delivered from all sin, through the blood of the covenant, can have no Scriptural hope of ever being with God. There is a remarkable illustration of this passage, quoted by Mr. Wakefield from Origen, Contra Cels. lib. vi. "God has no body, and therefore is invisible: but men of contemplation can discern him with the heart and understanding. But A Defiled Heart Cannot See God: but He Must Be Pure Who Wishes to Enjoy a Proper View of a Pure Being." Shall see God - This is a Hebraism, which signifies, possess God, enjoy his felicity: as seeing a thing, was used among the Hebrews for possessing it. See Psa 16:10. Thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption, i.e. he shall not be corrupted. So Joh 3:3 : Except a man be born again, he cannot See the kingdom of God, i.e. he cannot enjoy it. So Joh 3:16. He that believeth not the Son, shall not See life, i. e shall not be put in possession of eternal glory. The Hindoo idolaters vainly boast of what the genuine followers of Christ actually enjoy - having the Divine favor witnessed to their souls by the Holy Spirit. The Hindoos pretend that some of their sages have been favored with a sight of their guardian deity. - See Ward's Customs. Probably our Lord alludes to the advantages those had, who were legally pure, of entering into the sanctuary, into the presence of God, while those who had contracted any legal defilement were excluded from it. This also was obviously typical.

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 5:8 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
οἱhoitheG3588
καθαροὶkatharoipureG2513
τῇtēa<the>G3588
καρδίᾳ,kardiain heart,G2588
ὅτιhotiforG3754
αὐτοὶautoithey themselvesG846
τὸνton<the>G3588
θεὸνtheonGodG2316
ὄψονται.¶opsontaiwill see.G3700

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

Cross references for Matthew 5:8

  • Psalms 24:4

    He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

  • Psalms 51:10

    Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

  • Hebrews 10:22

    Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

  • Hebrews 12:14

    Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

  • Ezekiel 36:25-27

    Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

  • Proverbs 22:11

    He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

  • James 4:8

    Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

  • 1 Peter 1:22

    Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

  • James 3:17

    But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

  • Titus 1:15

    Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

  • Psalms 15:2

    He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

  • Psalms 73:1

    A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
are.
23:25-28; 1Ch 29:17-19; Ps 15:2; 18:26; 24:4; 51:6,10; 73:1
Pr 22:11; Eze 36:25-27; Ac 15:9; 2Co 7:1; Tit 1:15; Heb 9:14; 10:22
Jas 3:17; 4:8; 1Pe 1:22
for.
Ge 32:30; Job 19:26,27; 1Co 13:12; Heb 12:14; 1Jo 3:2,3

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

Context

  • Matthew 5:7

    Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

  • Matthew 5:8

    Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

  • Matthew 5:9

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

Read all of Matthew 5

Matthew 5:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Bienaventurados los de limpio corazón: porque ellos verán á Dios.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		bienheureux ceux qui sont purs de cœur, car c’est eux qui verront Dieu;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Glückselig die reinen Herzens sind, denn sie werden Gott schauen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Beati mundo corde: quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt.