Luke 18:16

16 But Jesus called them to himself, saying, "Allow the children to come to me, and do not forbid them, {for to such belongs} the kingdom of God.

Luke 18:16 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 18:16

But Jesus called them unto him
Not the disciples, as the Ethiopic version reads, nor the persons that brought the children, but the children themselves; for the antecedent to the relative (auta) , "them", can be no other; which shows, that these infants were not new born babes, or children at the breast, but such as were more grown up, since they were capable of being called to, and of coming to Christ:

and said;
that is, to the disciples; so the Persic version expresses it:

suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not;
(See Gill on Matthew 19:14)

for of such is the kingdom of God;
or "of heaven", as the Syriac version reads, and as in ( Matthew 19:14 ) that is, the kingdom of God belongs to such, "who are as these"; or, "like to these": as the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions render the words; ((See Gill on Matthew 19:14).)

Luke 18:16 In-Context

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than that one! For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

15 Now they were bringing even [their] babies to him so that he could touch them. But [when] the disciples saw [it], they rebuked them.

16 But Jesus called them to himself, saying, "Allow the children to come to me, and do not forbid them, {for to such belongs} the kingdom of God.

17 Truly I say to you, whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a young child will never enter into it."

18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, [by] doing what will I inherit eternal life?"

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "for of such is"