Mark 10:13-16 · Bible study

Mark 10:13-16 Commentary: Children and the Kingdom Welcome

Greek · 9 what the commentators say

Meaning in one sentence

Why did the disciples turn children away? Jesus' indignation and the call to receive the kingdom as a child. Greek grammar, context, and meaning.

Research Summary

Meaning: The kingdom belongs to those who receive it with childlike trust, and Jesus fiercely welcomes children as kingdom citizens.
Key words: prosepheron (imperfect: they were bringing); ēganaktēsen (aorist: was indignant); toioutōn (of such, not only these); kateulogei (compound: fervently blessed).
Main debate: Whether the passage directly supports infant baptism (Clarke and Barnes see it as warrant; others read it as about disposition, not sacrament).
Theological theme: The kingdom comes as gift, not achievement; humility and dependence are the entry conditions.
Best use: Preaching on welcome, childlike faith, and correcting the tendency to gatekeep in the body of Christ.

Translation Comparison

BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020

¹³Now people were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, and the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

¹⁴But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

¹⁵Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

¹⁶And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.

WEB World English Bible 2000

¹³They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them.

¹⁴But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these.

¹⁵Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”

¹⁶He took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

KJV King James Version 1769

¹³And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

¹⁴But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

¹⁵Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

¹⁶And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

ASV American Standard Version 1901

¹³And they were bringing unto him little children, that he should touch them: and the disciples rebuked them.

¹⁴But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me; forbid them not: for to such belongeth the kingdom of God.

¹⁵Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein.

¹⁶And he took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.

YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898

¹³And they were bringing to him children, that he might touch them, and the disciples were rebuking those bringing them,

¹⁴and Jesus having seen, was much displeased, and he said to them, `Suffer the children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the reign of God;

¹⁵verily I say to you, whoever may not receive the reign of God, as a child--he may not enter into it;'

¹⁶and having taken them in his arms, having put his hands upon them, he was blessing them.

Darby Darby Bible 1890

¹³And they brought little children to him that he might touch them. But the disciples rebuked those that brought [them].

¹⁴But Jesus seeing [it], was indignant, and said to them, Suffer the little children to come to me; forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.

¹⁵Verily I say to you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall in no wise enter into it.

¹⁶And having taken them in his arms, having laid his hands on them, he blessed them.

Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899

¹³And they brought to him young children, that he might touch them. And the disciples rebuked them that brought them.

¹⁴Whom when Jesus saw, he was much displeased and saith to them: Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

¹⁵Amen I say to you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter into it.

¹⁶And embracing them and laying his hands upon them, he blessed them.

Verse in Context

11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.

12 If a woman herself divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

13 They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them.

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these.

15 Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”

16 He took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

17 As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God.

Original Language (Koine Greek)

New Testament · Koine Greek · Mark 10:13

Καὶ Kai G2532 And

προσέφερον prosepheron G4374 they were bringing

αὐτῷ autō G0846 to Him

παιδία paidia G3813 little children

ἵνα ina G2443 that

αὐτῶν autōn G0846 them

ἅψηται· hapsētai G0681 He may touch;

οἱ hoi G3588 <the>

δὲ de G1161 But

μαθηταὶ mathētai G3101 the disciples

ἐπετίμησαν epetimēsan G2008 rebuked

αὐτοῖς autois G0846 those

προσφέρουσιν. prospherousin G4374 bringing [them].

Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.

Scholars' Consensus

Commentators agree that this passage is about who belongs in God’s kingdom, and the answer upends every status system. The disciples rebuke the parents (or nurses) who bring little children, likely thinking Jesus has more important work to do. Vincent notes the imperfect tense of prosepheron (“they were bringing”) and epetimēsan (“they rebuked”), repeated action as the crowd presses in. Jesus sees this and is “moved with indignation” (ēganaktēsen), a strong verb the Cambridge Bible calls “peculiar to St Mark.” He then opens the kingdom to “such as these” (toioutōn), not only these literal children but all who share a child’s disposition. On verse 15, Barnes explains that receiving the kingdom “as a little child” means with “teachable, mild, humble” character. Wesley and Clarke stress total disclaiming of worthiness. The consensus holds that the kingdom is a gift received, not earned, and that children, and childlike adults, are its rightful heirs.

How settled is the interpretation?

Interpretive difficulty: Low

What is clear: Jesus welcomed children, rebuked his disciples for hindering them, and declared that the kingdom belongs to those who receive it with childlike trust.

What Scholars Agree and Debate

Topic	Agreed	Debated
Jesus' indignation at the disciples	All traditions see Jesus' anger as a correction of the disciples' exclusionary attitude and a defense of children's place in the kingdom.	None, this is universally accepted as the correct reading of the text.
Meaning of 'receive the kingdom as a little child'	Christians agree the phrase calls for humility, teachability, and an end to self-sufficiency.	Some emphasize a child's lack of social status (Barnes), others stress a child's obvious dependence and inability to earn favor (Wesley, Clarke). These are complementary, not contradictory.
Support for infant baptism	The text shows Jesus welcoming children and declaring them kingdom members.	Paedobaptists (Clarke, Barnes, Poole) see this as warrant to baptize infants. Credobaptists (Gill) argue the passage does not institute baptism and point to the phrase 'such as these' indicating a like disposition, not literal age. Both groups affirm the value of children in the church.
The nature of the kingdom of God in this passage	The kingdom is present and accessible, received by trusting hearts, not achieved by merit.	Some commentators (Lange) distinguish between receiving the kingdom as a inward principle and entering the future, consummated kingdom. Others see a single reality: receiving the kingdom now is entering it.

Historical & Cultural Context

In first-century Judaism, parents regularly brought infants to synagogue elders for blessing. The Cambridge Bible cites the Talmud: after the father laid hands on a child’s head, the elders blessed him and prayed he would grow up in the Law. People brought children to Jesus for the same reason, to have him lay hands on them and pray (Matthew 19:13). The disciples’ rebuke may reflect their belief that the Messiah’s time was too precious for children. Or, as Poole suggests in his annotations, they may have misunderstood the nature of the kingdom as a secular, powerful reign. Either way, they were imposing a barrier Jesus never intended.

This scene sits within a chain of teachings about relationships in the kingdom. In Mark 10:1-12, Jesus addresses marriage and divorce. Directly after this passage (10:17-22), the rich young ruler approaches, a stark contrast. He comes with possessions and self-assessment; the children come with nothing but their parents. The Jewish Scriptures repeatedly include children in covenant assembly (Deuteronomy 31:12-13; Joel 2:16). Jesus’ welcome of children restores the original, inclusive impulse of God’s people. The historical context also helps explain the disciples’ protective attitude: they saw their teacher being pressed by crowds and tried to manage access, a pattern that appears elsewhere, as in Mark 9:38 when they forbid an outsider exorcist. Jesus consistently rejects their gatekeeping.

Textual Notes

The consulted sources note no significant textual variants in Mark 10:13-16. The most noteworthy detail is the verb in verse 16: the best manuscripts read kateulogei (“he was greatly blessing”) rather than the simpler eulogei (“he blessed”). Vincent and Alford highlight this compound form, unique in the New Testament, which intensifies the blessing and shows Christ’s earnest love. The reading does not affect the meaning of the passage.

Reception History

This passage has been central to Christian teaching on children and conversion. Early church fathers used it to argue for infant baptism (e.g., Cyprian, citing it against a council that wanted to postpone baptism). During the Reformation, both Catholics and Protestants turned to it, Catholics to defend infant baptism, Anabaptists to argue that children could be saved without the rite. John Wesley and Adam Clarke (Methodist) saw in it a picture of prevenient grace, where even infants are capable of receiving Christ’s blessing. Modern readers often focus on the disciples’ failure and Jesus’ anger as a warning against excluding the marginalized. The image of Jesus taking children in his arms has also inspired hymns, art, and countless sermons on the love of God for the smallest and weakest.

Preaching This Verse

Three-point outline

The barrier the disciples built. Why did the disciples turn children away? Probably because they thought children were unworthy of Jesus’ time, or because they wanted to protect his ministry for “important” people. This exposes a tendency we all have: to decide who is in, who is out, and who matters for the kingdom.
The indignation of Jesus. Mark alone records Jesus’ anger. He is “much displeased”, the Greek aganakteō means to feel sharp irritation. Not a soft “let them come anyway.” This is a forceful correction that repositions children from the margin to the center of the kingdom.
The kingdom of such. Jesus does not say “of these” but “of such”, toioutōn. The kingdom belongs to people who share a child’s quality: receptivity, humility, total dependence. This redefines greatness (see Mark 9:35-37) and opens the door for every adult who is willing to come empty-handed.

Five-point outline

People bring children to Jesus (v.13). The action is ongoing, “they were bringing” as he went.
The disciples rebuke them (v.13). They assume control over access to Jesus.
Jesus becomes indignant (v.14). His strong emotion reveals the heart of God toward the little and lowly.
He commands free access: “Allow the little children to come to me. Don’t forbid them” (v.14). The double imperative is emphatic.
He declares the kingdom belongs to such as these, and that entering it requires becoming like a child (vv.14-15). Then he embraces and blesses them (v.16), modeling the love he commands.

Illustration hooks

The church greeter who doesn’t think a crying baby belongs in the sanctuary, and the moment of grace when the pastor welcomes the family warmly.
A church committee debating whether to fund a children’s program or a building project. Which reflects the heart of Jesus here?
The feeling of being “too small” or “too new” to approach a famous or busy person. Jesus never treats anyone that way.

Questions your congregation is asking

Are my children (or grandchildren) truly welcomed at church, or just tolerated?
Do I have a childlike faith, or is my faith complicated by pride, earning, and skepticism?
What does it mean for an adult to “receive the kingdom like a little child”?

Leading a Discussion

This passage forces us to examine who we think belongs in God’s kingdom, and whether we have unknowingly become gatekeepers. The disciples, the ones closest to Jesus, got it wrong. Their mistake is a mirror for us today. What does it mean to let the children come, and to come ourselves as children?

Discussion questions

Read Mark 10:13-16 aloud. What is the first thing that strikes you about the scene?
Why do you think the disciples rebuked the people bringing children? What might have motivated them?
Jesus is “much displeased” (or “indignant”). Why does Mark emphasize this emotion? What does it reveal about Jesus’ priorities?
Jesus says “of such is the kingdom of God.” What quality of a little child is he pointing to? (Share specific Greek: toioutōn means “such as these”, not only these children.)
Verse 15 says we must receive the kingdom “as a little child.” How is that different from earning it? Why is this so hard for adults?
How can your small group (or church) better welcome children as active members of the community?
Is there any area of your life where you are acting like the disciples, deciding who belongs or who is worthy of your time?

What the Commentators Say

6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.

Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826

Clarke argues that since Christ embraced and blessed little children, the Church should do the same through baptism, regardless of the mode. He sharply criticizes professing Christian parents who withhold infant baptism, calling it heathenish and barbarous, especially when they eagerly seek it only in a crisis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832

Barnes reframes the passage around privilege rather than duty: a parent should ask not whether he ought to present his children to Christ, but whether he may. He calls this an inestimable privilege, not a stern obligation, and applies the same logic to infant baptism.

Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748

Gill highlights Jesus' displeasure with the disciples for presuming to forbid the children without first knowing their Master's will. He stresses that receiving the kingdom like a child means laying aside pride and prejudice, not merely being innocent. Jesus' tender actions in taking them up and blessing them confirm his approval.

Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710

Henry highlights that Christ's tenderness toward little children encourages not only the young but also adults who feel weak and helpless. He notes the parents brought their children for a spiritual blessing on their souls, trusting Christ's touch to reach their hearts where no human words could.

Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887

Vincent notes that the imperfect tense shows people were bringing children to Jesus continuously as he traveled, and that Jesus' blessing included taking them in his arms and laying hands on them. The Greek verb used for blessing appears only here in the New Testament and is a stronger, compound form that expresses Christ's earnest, fervent interest in the children.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754

Wesley notes Jesus was displeased with those who hindered children from receiving a blessing, because the kingdom includes childlike persons. Receiving the kingdom as a little child means utterly disclaiming any personal worthiness or fitness, as if one were just a week old.

Word Study

The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.

ἅπτω haptō to touch G0681 · Greek → αὐτός autos it/s/he G0846 · Greek → δέ de then G1161 · Greek → ἐπιτιμάω epitimaō to rebuke G2008 · Greek → ἵνα hina in order that/to G2443 · Greek → καί kai and G2532 · Greek → μαθητής mathētēs disciple G3101 · Greek → ὁ ho the/this/who G3588 · Greek → παιδίον paidion child G3813 · Greek → προσφέρω prospherō to bring to G4374 · Greek →

Cross-References

Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)

Exodus 10:9	Moses said, “We will go with our young and with our old. We will go with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds; for we must hold a feast to Yahweh.”
Exodus 10:11	Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!” Then they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
Deuteronomy 31:12	Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and the foreigners who are within your gates, that they may hear, learn, fear Yahweh your God, and observe to do all the words of this law,
Deuteronomy 31:13	and that their children, who have not known, may hear and learn to fear Yahweh your God, as long as you live in the land where you go over the Jordan to possess it.”
Joel 2:16	Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber.
Matthew 19:13	Then little children were brought to him that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.
Matthew 19:15	He laid his hands on them, and departed from there.
Mark 9:38	John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”

Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.

For personal reflection

Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"

← Devotional