What does the term 'beatitude' mean?

• A. Blessing
• B. Curse
• C. Praise
• D. Prophecy

Answer: (A)

Beatitude means blessing or blessedness—a state of divine favor and happiness granted by God. In the Bible, beatitudes are the statements where Jesus declares that certain people are blessed because of their inner qualities or circumstances, and he links those qualities to rewards in the kingdom. The word comes from Latin beātitūdō, capturing the sense of blessedness rather than a curse or mere praise. So it’s not a curse, nor a prophecy; it’s a description of a blessed condition bestowed by God as a result of living out spiritual virtues. When you hear “Blessed are…,” think of it as a proclamation of God’s favorable state for those people.