“Blessed are you!
When people revile you
On my account!
When they persecute you
On my account!
When they utter
All kinds of evil
Against you falsely
On my account!
Rejoice!
Be glad!
Your reward is great
In the heavens!
In the same way,
They persecuted
The prophets
Who were before you.”
μακάριοί ἐστε ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ διώξωσιν καὶ εἴπωσιν πᾶν πονηρὸν καθ’ ὑμῶν ψευδόμενοι ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ.
χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· οὕτως γὰρ ἐδίωξαν τοὺς προφήτας τοὺς πρὸ ὑμῶν.
Technically, this saying is not a beatitude, rather it is a continuation or explanation of the preceding beatitude. Nevertheless, they are blessed, happy, and fortunate (μακάριοί). Matthew has Jesus use the term “you” (ὑμᾶς), referring to his own disciples and apostles, rather than the preceding more generic “those who” (οἱ). They were going to be reviled and insulted (ἐστε ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς) for the sake of Jesus Christ, on his account (ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ). The followers of Jesus were to be persecuted (καὶ διώξωσιν) because of Jesus. The early Christians would be attacked on all sides, by fellow Jews and the various gentile groups, being falsely accused of wrong doing (καὶ εἴπωσιν πᾶν πονηρὸν καθ’ ὑμῶν ψευδόμενοι ἕνεκεν). As if to give them future encouragement, Matthew has Jesus tell them to rejoice and be glad (χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε). There would be a future great reward for them in the heavens (ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς). In a certain sense, they were a continuation of the Old Testament persecuted prophets (οὕτως γὰρ ἐδίωξαν τοὺς προφήτας), who had gone before them (τοὺς πρὸ ὑμῶν). This was like a pep talk at the end of the Beatitudes that was similar to the end of the Beatitudes in Luke, chapter 6:27-31.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 