Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them,
Parallel translations
- WEB He took a little child, and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,
- KJV And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,
- BSB Then He had a little child stand among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them,
- NASB And He took a child and placed him among them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them,
- NLT Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,
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
Jesus takes a little child and sets him among the disciples. The lowly child becomes a living parable of the kind of humble welcome the kingdom requires.
Overview
In that culture children had little social standing, making this object lesson striking. By embracing the child, Jesus dignifies the insignificant and prepares to teach that receiving the lowly is receiving him. The tender gesture displays the heart of a Savior who exalts the humble and lowly.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Mark 10:16He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
- Matt 18:2Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them,
- Matt 19:14–15But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 9:36 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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