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Here are the Beatitudes from Matthew 5:3-11 and then Luke 6:20b-22 in tabular form, using NRSV words:
- Matthew
- Blessed > Reward
- Poor in spirit > Kingdom of Heaven
- Mourn > Comforted
- Meek > Inherit the earth
- Hungry for righteousness > Filled
- Merciful > Mercy
- Pure in heart > See God
- Peacemakers > Children of God
- Persecuted > Kingdom of heaven
- Reviled > Reward in heaven
- Luke
- Poor > Kingdom of God
- Hungry now > Filled
- Weep now > Laugh
- Reviled > Reward great in Heaven
Matthew's Beatitudes naturally reflect some of the concerns of his time and Luke's are simple and direct.
Our task is to write contemporary beatitudes, like their New Testament counterparts, in two parts:
- First, what qualities do we most value a Christians?
- Secondly, how can we describe the "rewards" in ways which reflect the virtues we have nominated?
KC iii/10