Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Luke 18:16 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 16. 16But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Luke 18:16 calls infants to Jesus and refuses disciple gatekeeping.
Read It With
- Luke 18:15–18:17
Read Luke 18:16 with 18:15–18:17. Luke 18:16 calls infants to Jesus and refuses disciple gatekeeping. The complete unit's controlling movement is: People bring infants for touch, disciples rebuke them, Jesus calls the children, declares God's kingdom belongs to such, and says it must be received like a child.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Luke 18:16 calls infants to Jesus and refuses disciple gatekeeping. This selected detail moves Luke 18:15–18:17 from its initiating question or action toward the unit's response and prepares Luke's next movement.
Follow the Context
- Identify the actors, setting, and initiating speech or action in Luke 18:15–18:17.
- People bring infants for touch, disciples rebuke them, Jesus calls the children, declares God's kingdom belongs to such, and says it must be received like a child.
- Hold this material interpretive limit in view: Luke's word includes infants, emphasizing low status, dependence, and reception; it does not define children as morally innocent in every theological system.
What This Verse Is Not Saying
The scene does not sentimentalize children, bypass safeguarding or consent, exclude caregivers, or excuse adult irresponsibility as childlikeness.
What Remains True
Luke 18:16 calls infants to Jesus and refuses disciple gatekeeping. Read inside Luke 18:15–18:17, this contribution supports the unit's proportionate truth: People bring infants for touch, disciples rebuke them, Jesus calls the children, declares God's kingdom belongs to such, and says it must be received like a child. Its use remains accountable to affected people and the unit's explicit boundary.
How It Can Shape Life
- When teaching Luke 18:16, explain this exact contribution inside Luke 18:15–18:17, identify the unit's source-controlled uncertainty, and refuse this misuse before proposing action: The scene does not sentimentalize children, bypass safeguarding or consent, exclude caregivers, or excuse adult irresponsibility as childlikeness.
Teach It Back
Explain Luke 18:16's specific contribution to Luke 18:15–18:17: calls infants to Jesus and refuses disciple gatekeeping. Include the preceding and following movement, one source-controlled uncertainty, one affected person or group, and what the verse does not authorize.
Your explanation stays in this browser. It is not sent or saved.
Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Luke 18:15–18:17 — Jesus Welcomes Infants and Defines ReceivingSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
Luke's word includes infants, emphasizing low status, dependence, and reception; it does not define children as morally innocent in every theological system.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact displayed KJV wording, verse order, paragraph metadata, supplied-word markup, and coverage.
Exact location: Luke 18:15–18:17, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM-derived repository corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording and sentence relations; the edition is not treated as a complete apparatus.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT official repository, data/sblgnt/text/Luke.txt, 18:15–18:17
Open the Luke Greek text file ↗open translation and translator notes
NET Bible First Edition Notes: Luke
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2006
Supports: Verse-level translation, syntax, KJV-language clarification, historical notes, Synoptic parallels, and textual alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible First Edition Luke PDF, exact tn/tc/sn entries attached to Luke 18:15–18:17
Open source ↗