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The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

Introduction

Matthew 5:3, the opening verse of the Beatitudes, holds significant theological and exegetical weight within the New Testament. This verse reads in Greek:

Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.

The Updated American Standard Version (UASV) translates this as:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.”

This analysis will explore the syntactical elements of the Greek text and evaluate the soundness of the translation.

Greek Syntax

Μακάριοι (Makarioi) – “Blessed”

The term “Μακάριοι” is an adjective in the nominative plural masculine, indicating a state of blessedness or happiness. It is commonly used in Greek literature to denote a state of divine favor.
οἱ πτωχοὶ (hoi ptōchoi) – “the poor”

“πτωχοὶ” is a nominative plural masculine adjective meaning “poor” or “beggarly.” The article “οἱ” specifies the subject, making it clear that it refers to a particular group.
τῷ πνεύματι (tō pneumati) – “in spirit”

This dative singular neuter noun, coupled with the definite article “τῷ,” modifies “πτωχοὶ.” The dative case here can imply a locative sense (“in spirit”) or an instrumental sense (“by spirit”). The phrase signifies a poverty or humility in the spiritual realm, rather than physical poverty.
ὅτι (hoti) – “for”

The conjunction “ὅτι” introduces a causal clause, explaining the reason for the blessed state of the “poor in spirit.”
αὐτῶν (autōn) – “theirs”

“αὐτῶν” is a genitive plural pronoun indicating possession, translated as “theirs.” It highlights the ownership or belonging of what follows.
ἐστιν (estin) – “is”

The verb “ἐστιν” is the third person singular present indicative of “to be,” linking the subject to the predicate.
ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν (hē basileia tōn ouranōn) – “the kingdom of the heavens”

“ἡ βασιλεία” is a nominative singular feminine noun meaning “kingdom,” and “τῶν οὐρανῶν” is a genitive plural noun phrase meaning “of the heavens.” This phrase denotes the realm of divine rule and presence, emphasizing the spiritual kingdom rather than a physical one.

The Soundness of the Translation

The UASV translation, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens,” captures the essential meaning and grammatical structure of the Greek text.

“Blessed” (Μακάριοι): The translation appropriately conveys the state of divine favor inherent in “μακάριοι.”
“the poor in spirit” (οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι): The phrase “poor in spirit” accurately translates “πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι,” emphasizing spiritual humility. The note provided, explaining “πτωχός” as “beggar” and elucidating the spiritual implication, aligns with the broader understanding of the term in its historical and theological context.
“for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν): This part of the translation remains faithful to the Greek syntax, where “αὐτῶν” correctly indicates possession, and “ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν” is accurately rendered as “the kingdom of the heavens.” The plural “heavens” (οὐρανῶν) reflects the Jewish conception of multiple heavens, as opposed to the singular “heaven.”

Beggar; Poor: (πτωχός ptōchos; adj. from πτώσσω ptōssō) “Blessed are those who [are poor in spirit] recognize that they are spiritually helpless …” (GOD’S WORD Translation) The Greek word ptochos means “beggar.” The “poor in spirit” is an alternative literal rendering. The meaning is that the “beggar/poor in spirit” are aware of their spiritual needs as if a beggar or the poor were aware of their physical needs.

Conclusion

The UASV translation of Matthew 5:3 effectively conveys the original Greek meaning and structure. The phrase “poor in spirit” encapsulates the theological concept of spiritual humility and recognition of one’s need for God. This exegesis confirms that the UASV offers a sound and theologically rich rendering of this pivotal Beatitude.

References

Greek New Testament, Nestle-Aland 28th Edition
Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
GOD’S WORD Translation
Bauer, Walter. “A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature.” 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).