Jesus Blesses Little Children
Luke 18:15-17
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Luke.18.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Προσεφερον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- δε: CONJ
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- βρεφη: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- ινα: CONJ
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- απτηται·ιδοντες: VERB,pres,mid/pass,subj,3,sg; PART,aor,act,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- μαθηται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- επετιμων: VERB,imperfect,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
Parallels
- Mark 10:13-16 (verbal): Near-verbal parallel narrative: people bring little children to Jesus, the disciples rebuke them, and Jesus welcomes and blesses the children (closely matches Luke 18:15–17).
- Matthew 19:13-15 (verbal): Parallel account in Matthew: children are brought to Jesus, the disciples rebuke, and Jesus rebukes the disciples and blesses the children—same sequence and teaching as Luke 18:15–17.
- Matthew 18:1-5 (thematic): Thematic parallel about the place of children in the kingdom: Jesus teaches that one must become like a child to be greatest/enter the kingdom and that receiving a child is receiving him (echoes Luke's welcoming of children).
- Luke 9:46-48 (structural): In the same Gospel Jesus uses a child as the exemplar of humility and welcomes a child into the midst, saying whoever receives a child receives him—structurally and thematically linked to Luke 18:15–17.
Alternative generated candidates
- People were bringing even infants to him, so that he might touch them, and when the disciples saw it they rebuked them.
- And they were bringing even infants to him, that he might lay hands on them; but the disciples rebuked them.
Luke.18.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- προσεκαλεσατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- αυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- λεγων·Αφετε: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m+VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- παιδια: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- ερχεσθαι: VERB,pres,mp,inf
- προς: PREP
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- και: CONJ
- μη: PART
- κωλυετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- αυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- γαρ: PART
- τοιουτων: DEM,gen,pl,n
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- βασιλεια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 10:14-15 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel narrative where Jesus rebukes the disciples, invites children to come, and declares that the kingdom belongs to such as these.
- Matthew 19:14-15 (verbal): Parallel account in Matthew reporting Jesus’ command to let the children come and his statement that the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
- Luke 18:17 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same pericope: Jesus adds that one must receive the kingdom of God like a child to enter it, explicitly explicating the significance of the children’s presence.
- Matthew 18:3-4 (thematic): Jesus teaches that unless one becomes like a little child one will not enter the kingdom, thematically linked to Luke 18:16’s valuation of childlikeness for participation in God’s reign.
- Mark 9:36-37 (allusion): Jesus places a child among the disciples and states that welcoming a child in his name is receiving Jesus; echoes the motif of children as representative of those who belong to Jesus and the kingdom.
Alternative generated candidates
- But Jesus called them to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God."
- But Jesus called them to him and said, "Allow the children to come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God."
Luke.18.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αμην: PART
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- αν: PART
- μη: PART
- δεξηται: VERB,pres,mid,subj,3,sg
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- βασιλειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ως: ADV
- παιδιον: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- ου: PART,neg
- μη: PART
- εισελθη: VERB,aor,mid,subj,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- αυτην: PRON,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 10:15 (verbal): Nearly identical saying: Jesus teaches that one must receive the kingdom of God like a child to enter it (direct verbal parallel).
- Matthew 18:3 (verbal): Jesus says one must 'change and become like little children' to enter the kingdom of heaven—a closely related formulation about childlikeness and entry into God's kingdom.
- Matthew 19:14 (thematic): 'Let the little children come to me...for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven'—emphasizes the same theme that children (or childlike trust) belong to the kingdom.
- Luke 18:16 (structural): Immediate context of Luke 18:17: Jesus explicitly welcomes children and states that the kingdom belongs to such, with 18:17 continuing the teaching about receiving the kingdom like a child.
Alternative generated candidates
- Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.
- I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.
They were also bringing infants to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.
Jesus, calling them to him, said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God."
I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.