They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
Parallel translations
- KJV And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
- BSB 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.
- NKJV Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
- NASB Now they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them.
- NLT One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
People bring even infants to Jesus for his blessing, but the disciples rebuke them. The disciples misjudge who matters in the Kingdom.
Overview
Parents sought Jesus' touch for their babies, recognizing his blessing. The disciples, perhaps thinking children unimportant, try to turn them away. Their reaction sets up Jesus' correction and his teaching that the Kingdom belongs to the lowly and dependent.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Mark 10:13–16They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them.
- Matt 19:13–15Then little children were brought to him, that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.
- 1 Sam 1:24When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to Yahweh’s house in Shiloh. The child was young.
- Luke 9:49–50John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.”
- Luke 9:54When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky, and destroy them, just as Elijah did?”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 18:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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