render makarios as “happy.” For happiness is a subjective state, whereas Jesus is making an objective judgment about these people. He is declaring not what they may feel like (“happy”) but what God thinks of them and what on that account they are: they are “blessed.” What is this blessing? The second half of each Beatitude elucidates it. They possess the kingdom of heaven and they inherit the earth. The mourners are comforted and the hungry are satisfied. They receive mercy, they see God, they are