Mark 9:36

36 He put a child in the middle of the room. Then, cradling the little one in his arms, he said,

Mark 9:36 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 9:36

And he took a child
Which was in the house, and which he called unto him, and set by him, as the other evangelists observe:

and set him in the midst of them;
his disciples, that all might see and learn from this instance;

and when he had taken him in his arms;
and embraced him, to show his great regard to humility, and humble persons:

he said unto them;
the following words.

Mark 9:36 In-Context

34 The silence was deafening - they had been arguing with one another over who among them was greatest.
35 He sat down and summoned the Twelve. "So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all."
36 He put a child in the middle of the room. Then, cradling the little one in his arms, he said,
37 "Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me - God who sent me."
38 John spoke up, "Teacher, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and we stopped him because he wasn't in our group."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.