Mark 10:16

And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — After teaching that kingdom entry requires childlike reception, Jesus physically embraces the children and blesses them before turning to a man who approaches him for eternal life.

The words — ἐναγκαλισάμενος (enagkalisamenos) means having embraced or taken into the arms, and κατευλόγει (kateulogei) signifies he was continuously or greatly blessing them.

The thread — The gesture and blessing parallel Isaiah 40:11, where the shepherd gathers lambs in His arms, Mark 9:36, where Jesus uses a child to model kingdom posture, and Genesis 48:14, where patriarchal blessing is enacted through hand placement.

Why it lands — The passage requires readers to replace self-reliant calculation with uncalculated dependence, recognizing that divine favor is received through posture rather than performance.

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

καὶkaiAnd ἐναγκαλισάμενοςenagkalisamenoshaving embraced αὐτὰautathem κατευλόγειkateulogeihe was greatly blessing τιθεὶςtitheishaving laid τὰςtasthe χεῖραςcheirashands ἐπ᾽ep᾽on αὐτά.¶autathem.

King James Version

And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Cross-references

Isaiah 40:11 He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.
Mark 9:36 Then He had a little child stand among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them,
Genesis 48:14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
Deuteronomy 28:3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
Luke 2:28 Simeon took Him in his arms and blessed God, saying:
Luke 24:50 When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
John 21:15 When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.”