And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
Parallel translations
- WEB and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing babies you have perfected praise?’”
- BSB “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?”
- NKJV and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’ ?”
- NASB and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?”
- NLT They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’”
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 defends the children's praise by quoting Psalm 8, that God has perfected praise from infants. He affirms that the children's worship is fitting and divinely ordained.
Overview
Citing Psalm 8:2, Jesus endorses the children's praise as the very worship God ordains and even applies to himself a text about praise due to God. This both vindicates the children and makes a striking claim to his own deity. It underscores that true worship often comes from the humble and lowly rather than the proud and learned.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Ps 8:2Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
- Matt 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
- Luke 19:39–40And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
- Matt 12:3But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
- Matt 19:4And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
- Mark 2:25And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
- Matt 22:31But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
- Acts 4:16–18Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
- John 11:47–48Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 21:16 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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