BLESSINGS AND WOES

Passage: Luke 6:20-26

Key verse: 20

NIV

20 Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.(A)
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.(B)
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.(C)
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you(D) and insult you(E)
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.(F)

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,(G) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.(H)

24 “But woe to you who are rich,(I)
    for you have already received your comfort.(J)
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.(K)
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.(L)
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.(M)

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ESV

The Beatitudes

20 And (A)he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, (B)and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for (C)yours is the kingdom of God.

21 (D)“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

(E)“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22 “Blessed are you when (F)people hate you and when they (G)exclude you and revile you and (H)spurn your name as evil, (I)on account of the Son of Man! 23 (J)Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for (K)so their fathers did to the prophets.

Jesus Pronounces Woes

24 (L)“But woe to you who are rich, (M)for you (N)have received your consolation.

25 “Woe to you who are full now, for (O)you shall be hungry.

“Woe to (P)you who laugh now, (Q)for you shall mourn and weep.

26 “Woe to you, (R)when all people speak well of you, for (S)so their fathers did to (T)the false prophets.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Those who are blessed (2 -23) Jesus knows that his disciples will experience deprivation, pain, sorrows, hatred, and persecution. These struggles do not come because the disciples did something wrong. These come as a side effect or consequence of following Jesus in a world that hates him. Yet in the face of hardships, Jesus' disciples are blessed. Jesus gives his disciples the kingdom of God. He promises satisfaction, laughter and joy. Our best life is not now; we will have an eternal reward in heaven when we follow Jesus. 2. "Woe to you...." (24-26) In contrast to the blessings, Jesus warns of woes to those who are now rich, well-fed, and laugh and are praised. In themselves these are not bad. But if our lives are centered on getting these things in this life, we have received our temporal reward. Only woes remain for we have not sought God. May we heed Jesus' warnings and set our life direction on being a disciple of Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for teaching us about true blessing. Though I may suffer now, help me to persevere based on your promises and hope.

One Word: Blessed are you