According to Got Questions, the Beatitudes are the eight declarations of blessedness spoken by Jesus at the beginning of his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3–12), each beginning with "Blessed are . . ."
The Greek word translated “blessed” means “happy, blissful” or, literally, “to be enlarged.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses the word to refer to more than a superficial happiness; in this context, blessed refers to a state of spiritual well-being and prosperity.
The happiness is a deep joy of the soul. Those who experience the first aspect of a beatitude (poor, mourn, meek, hungry for righteousness, merciful, pure, peacemakers, and persecuted) will also experience the second aspect of the beatitude (kingdom of heaven, comfort, inherit the earth, filled, mercy, see God, called sons of God, inherit the kingdom of heaven).
The blessed have a share in salvation and have entered the kingdom of God, experiencing a foretaste of heaven. Another possible rendering of the beginning of each beatitude is “O the bliss [or blessedness] of . . .”
Jesus' Beatitudes describe the ideal disciple and his rewards, both present and future. The person whom Jesus describes in this passage has a different quality of character and lifestyle than those still "outside the kingdom."
It was on a mountainside that Jesus spoke to many who’d followed him. His sermon to them, called the Beatitudes, including his complete Sermon, which tells all of us how we must live. This two-part Bible reading, put into a movie format, covers all of this gospel’s Scripture: Matthew 5:1 through 8:1.
Matthew 5:3–10 † He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they
will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.…”
Matthew 5:21–22 † “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. . . .”
In this special video, thanks to The Bible Project, we can see and appreciate the mysterious promised deliverer whom Matthew revealed. He, the Messiah, would one day come to confront evil and rescue humanity.
An informative animated video from The Bible Project