Teaching the Eighth Beatitude by Jeanne Sparks

Categories: Beatitudes

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Qualities of "persecuted:"

• Tormented
• Pestered
• Bugged
• Punished unnecessarily
• Harassed
• Tortured
• Mistreated

Qualities of "revile:"

• Verbal abuse
• Disparaging remarks
• Put downs

Paraphrasing of Beatitude # 8

• Happy are those who remain calm when being harassed because they are proving that evil has no power or presence to disrupt their happiness.
• Happy are those who understand the abusive attacks on them are not personal but merely an attempt to distract them from their at-one-ment with God.

Create your own paraphrase of the eighth beatitude – Matt 5:10

Create a Reward poster for the eighth beatitude.

• INSTANTANEOUS SENSE OF PEACE, HARMONY AND JOY WITHIN
• Offered daily to all who are mistreated, harassed, and subject to verbal abuse because of following in Jesus' footsteps.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.