Bible Strands
Luke 18:16
But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses the disciples who are rebuking those bringing infants to Him. He intervenes at the moment the crowd attempts to receive His blessing.
The words — προσεκαλέσατο (prosekalesato) means He summoned, and ἄφετε (aphete) commands do permit. These verbs structure Jesus' direct command to stop the disciples' obstruction.
The thread — The motif of unmediated access appears in Deuteronomy 31:12, where all ages assemble to hear God, and Matthew 18:3, which ties kingdom entry to becoming like little children. Paul contrasts childlike innocence regarding evil with mature reasoning in 1 Corinthians 14:20.
Why it lands — The text commands removing barriers to children and declares the kingdom belongs to them. It requires readers to cease hindering spiritual access and adopt unpretentious dependence rather than relying on status or achievement.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Cross-references
- Matthew 18:3 “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
- 1 Corinthians 14:20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
- Deuteronomy 31:12 Assemble the people—men, women, children, and the foreigners within your gates—so that they may listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and to follow carefully all the words of this law.
- 1 Corinthians 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
- 1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
- Genesis 21:4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him.
- Acts 2:39 This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
- Deuteronomy 29:11 your children and wives, and the foreigners in your camps who cut your wood and draw your water—
- Genesis 47:10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from his presence.
- 2 Chronicles 20:13 Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.