The following table shows my best attempt at a correspondence between the 12 Steps and the Beatitudes. The correspondence is not exact, but it is still helpful, I believe.
| Steps 1-3: 1) Admit you are powerless. 2) Come to believe in a higher Power. 3) Make a decision to turn your will and your life over to God. |
a) Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt. 5:3) |
| Step 4: 4) Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of yourself. |
b) Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. (Matt. 5.4) |
| Step 5: 5) Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. |
c) Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. (Matt. 5:5) |
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Step 6 & 7: |
d) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled. (Matt. 5:6) |
| Steps 8 & 9: 8) Make a list of all the people we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. 9) Made direct amends wherever possible. |
e) Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. (Matt. 5:7) |
| Steps 10 & 11: 10) Continued to take personal inventory. 11) Sought through prayer and meditation to improve conscious contact with God. |
f) Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. (Matt. 5:8) |
| Step 12: 12) Sought to carry this message to others and practice these principles in all our affairs. |
g) Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God. (Matt. 5:9) |
| h) Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt. 5:10) |