Either words in praise of God or words used to make someone or something holy. Hence also the result of such words: in the OT a favour bestowed by God, as at harvest (Deut. 28: 8). In the NT blessings are ‘spiritual’ (Eph. 1: 3), meaning all the gifts promised by God to mankind through Christ (Acts 3: 25) and of Christ to his disciples (Mark 14: 22; Luke 24: 50).