Luke 18:16

16 But Jesus asked the children to come to him. "Let the little children come to me," he said. "Don't keep them away. God's kingdom belongs to people like them.

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, the tax collector went home accepted by God. But not the Pharisee. Everyone who lifts himself up will be brought down. And anyone who is brought down will be lifted up."

15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus. They wanted him to touch them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people to stop.

16 But Jesus asked the children to come to him. "Let the little children come to me," he said. "Don't keep them away. God's kingdom belongs to people like them.

17 What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God's kingdom like a little child will never enter it."

18 A certain ruler asked Jesus a question. "Good teacher," he said, "what must I do to receive eternal life?"