Luke 18:16

Luke 18:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

Context of Luke 18:16

14Jesus then said, ‘Let me tell you about these men when they went home. The man that took taxes from people was now right with God. But the Pharisee was still guilty. Some people lift themselves up to be important. But God will bring all of them down low. Other people are humble. God will lift up those people to a good place.’ 15People were also bringing babies to Jesus. They wanted him to put his hands on each child's head. But Jesus' disciples did not like this. They told the people that they should not do it. Then Jesus told the children to come to him. He said to his disciples, ‘Let the children come to me. Do not try to stop them. People must become like these children so that God can rule their lives. That is what the kingdom of God is like. 17I tell you this: A person must become like a little child for God to rule in his life. If he does not become like a child, he will not come into the kingdom of God.’ 18A Jewish ruler came to Jesus and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do so that I can live with God for ever?’

Luke 18:16 word by word

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς προσεκαλέσατο αὐτὰ λέγων· ἄφετε τὰ παιδία ἔρχεσθαι πρός με καὶ μὴ κωλύετε αὐτά· τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• calledπροσκαλέωproskaleomai · to call to/summonG4341
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Sufferἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: permitG863
• little childrenπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• to comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• forbidκωλύωkōluō · to preventG2967
• notμήmē · notG3361
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• of suchτοιοῦτοςtoioutos · such as thisG5108
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for Luke 18:16

• Genesis 47:10Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh again and he left.
• Genesis 21:4When Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. That is what God had told him to do.
• Deuteronomy 29:11He sees your children and your wives. He sees the foreign people who live among you and who cut wood and carry water for you.
• Deuteronomy 31:12Bring all the men, women and children together. Also bring the foreign people who live in your towns. They must all hear God's Law as it is read to them. Then they can learn to respect and obey the Lord your God. They will be careful to obey all the teaching of his Law.
• 2 Chronicles 20:13As King Jehoshaphat prayed, all the men of Judah were standing there at the temple. They had their babies, their wives and their children with them.
• Jeremiah 32:39I will make them all want to do one thing. They will want to live in a way that always pleases me. They will do that so that they enjoy good lives and their children also enjoy good lives after them.
• Acts 2:39God has promised to do all this for you and your children. He has also promised this to people who live far away in other places. The Lord our God will do it for all the people that he has called to come to him.’
• 1 Corinthians 7:14God accepts a husband who does not believe in Christ because of his Christian wife. And God accepts a wife who does not believe in Christ because of her Christian husband. If that was not true, the children would not belong to God. But God does accept them, because to him they are now clean.
• Matthew 18:3He said, ‘I tell you this: You must change and become like little children. If not, you will never come into the kingdom of heaven.
• 1 Corinthians 14:20My Christian friends, do not continue to think like children think. Instead, think properly like men and women should think. The only way you should be like babies is to keep away from evil things.
• 1 Peter 2:2Instead, you should want to learn about God more and more. New babies always want their mothers' milk, which makes them grow strong. God's true message is like good food that will make you strong in your spirits. Then you will continue to grow as believers so that God saves you.

Commentaries on Luke 18:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-30Verses 15-30 See the notes at Matthew 19:13-30.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-17Verses 15-17 None are too little, too young, to be brought to Christ, who knows how to show kindness to those not capable of doing service to him. It is the mind of Christ, that little children should be brought to him. The promise is to us, and to our seed; therefore He will bid them welcome to him with us. And we must receive his kingdom as children, not by purchase, and must call it our Father's gift.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-17This incident illustrates 18:14. they rebuked those who brought them: In this cultural setting, children had little social importance (see study note on 9:48). Because of this, the disciples saw them as interrupting the important ministry of Jesus.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. But Jesus--"much displeased," says Mark (Mr 10:14); and invaluable addition. said--"Suffer the little children to come unto Me"--"AND FORBID THEM NOT," is the important addition of Matthew (Mt 19:14) and Mark (Mr 10:14). What words are these from the lips of Christ! The price of them is above rubies. But the reason assigned, "For of such is the Kingdom of God," or "of heaven," as in Mt 19:14, completes the previous information here conveyed…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 18:16

• Chiding
• Children
• Church
• Jesus, the Christ
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Righteous
• Symbols and Similitudes

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Kingdom of God
• Admiration
• Bear
• Child
• Elect
• Children of God

Commentaries on Luke 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings