We don’t know the exact words of Jesus. The New Testament was written thirty and more years after his death so we are dependent on the recollections of those who heard him. In addition, Jesus spoke in Aramaic and the Gospels are written in Greek so we are dealing with a translation of his words right from the beginning. For example, in the Sermon on the Mount in St. Matthew Jesus says, Blessed are the poor in spirit; blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice. In the Sermon on the Plain of St. Luke Jesus says, “Blessed are you who are poor; Blessed are you who are now hungry.” Much more personal and immediate. But since both gospels are the inspired Word of God we need to heed both versions.
