The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Beatitudes
(b-t´tdz´´) (KEY) [Lat.,=blessing], in the Gospel of St. Matthew, eight blessings uttered by Jesus at the opening of the Sermon on the Mount. Some, counting verses differently, say there are nine. In a parallel passage in the Gospel of St. Luke, only four of the blessings appear, with four corresponding woes.