Matthew 19:13

Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. And the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — People bring little children to Jesus for Him to lay hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuke the bringers. This scene occurs immediately after Jesus concludes His teaching on eunuchs and marriage in Matthew 19.

The words — The Greek προσηνέχθησαν (prosēnechthēsan) literally means "were brought," denoting the passive action of the guardians. The verb ἐπιθῇ (epithēa) translates to "He may lay," specifying the physical act of placing hands on the children.

The thread — Parallel accounts record this same event in Mark 10:13 and Luke 18:15, where the disciples similarly rebuke those bringing children. Matthew 18:2 also features a child standing among the disciples, establishing a recurring narrative thread of child placement in Jesus' ministry.

Why it lands — The text records a direct conflict between human exclusion and divine welcome, requiring the reader to examine whether they hinder or facilitate access to Jesus. It demands a practical response that aligns with Jesus' authority rather than preserving cultural or religious assumptions.

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

ΤότεToteThen προσηνέχθησανprosēnechthēsanwere brought αὐτῷautōto Him παιδίαpaidialittle children ἵναinathat τὰςtasthe χεῖραςcheirashands ἐπιθῇepithēaHe may lay αὐτοῖςautoison them καὶkaiand προσεύξηται·proseuxētaiHe may pray;οἱhoi<the>δὲdehowever μαθηταὶmathētaithe disciples ἐπετίμησανepetimēsanrebuked αὐτοῖς.autoisthem.

King James Version

Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

Cross-references

Mark 10:13 Now people were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, and the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
Luke 18:15 Now people were even bringing their babies to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them. And when the disciples saw this, they rebuked those who brought them.
Matthew 18:2 Jesus invited a little child to stand among them.
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.”
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.
Genesis 48:1 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
Genesis 48:9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.” So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”
1 Samuel 1:24 Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.
Psalms 115:14 May the LORD give you increase, both you and your children.
Jeremiah 32:39 I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.