Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”
Parallel Translations
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Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”
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Verely I saye vnto you whosoever shall not receave the kyngdome of God as a chylde he shall not entre therin.
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Verely I say vnto you, Whosoeuer shall not receiue the kingdome of God as a litle childe, he shall not enter therein.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (3)
Passages linked to Mark 10:15 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Matthew 18:3 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
- Luke 18:17 Most certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn’t receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”
- John 3:3-6 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (8 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain We must in malice become children, if we will…
We must in malice become children, if we will enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not…
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
Ver. 15. {See Trapp on "Mat 19:1"}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And he took them up in his arms,.... "Upon…
And he took them up in his arms,.... "Upon his arms", the Syriac version says; "he put them into his bosom", according to the Ethiopic; and the Persic renders it, "he took them into his bosom": all which expresses great tenderness towards them, and affection for them:
put his hands upon them, and blessed them. The Ethiopic version transposes these clauses, and puts blessing first, contrary to the natural order of the words, and things; for he first put his hands on the children, according to the custom of the Jews, and then prayed over them, and wished all happiness and prosperity to them; See Gill on Mat 19:15.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as…
Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child - As totally disclaiming all worthiness and fitness, as if he were but a week old.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (15) Verily I say unto you.—St. Matthew does not…
(15) Verily I say unto you.—St. Matthew does not give the verse. St. Mark has it in common with St. Luke. To receive the kingdom of God “as a little child,” is to receive it after the manner of a child, with simplicity and faith, humility and love. Unless these conditions were fulfilled, those who were disputing who was the greatest in it, were as if they had not even entered it.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive…
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein. Observe the "verily" with which our Lord introduces these words. He here adds something which extends what he has just said to those who are, not literally, but figuratively, little children. We must first receive the kingdom into our affections before we can really enter into it. It is as though Christ said, "It is not unworthy of my dignity to take little children into my arms and bless them, because by my benediction they become fit for the kingdom of heaven. And if you full-grown men would become fit for my kingdom, you must give up your ambitious aims and earthly contests, and imitate the simple unworldly ways of little children. The simplicity of the little child is the model and the rule for every one who desires, by the grace of Christ, to obtain the kingdom of heaven. Our Lord"s whole action here is a great encouragement to the receiving of little children by Holy Baptism into covenant with him.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain As a little child.
Mar_10:15
As a little child.
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Intellectual submission
Chrysostom, says Manton, has the following comparison: A smith that takes up his red-hot iron with his hands, and not with his tongs, what can he expect but to burn his fingers? So we destroy our souls, when we judge of the mysteries of faith by the laws of common reason. Common enough is this error. Men must needs comprehend when their main business is to apprehend. That which God reveals to us is, to a large extent, beyond the reach of understanding; and therefore, in refusing to believe until we can understand, we are doing ourselves and the truth a grievous wrong. Our wisdom lies as much in taking heed how we receive, as in being careful what we receive. Spiritual truth must be received by a spiritual faculty, viz., by faith. As well hope to grasp a star by the hand as Divine truth by reason. Faith is well likened to the golden tongs, with which we may carry live coals; and carnal reason is the burned hand, which lets fall the glowing mass, which it is not capable of canting. Let it not, however, be thought that faith is contrary to reason. No: it is not unreasonable for a little child to believe its fathers statements, though it is quite incapable of perceiving all their bearings. It is quite reasonable that a pupil should accept his masters principles at the beginning of his studies; he will get but little from his discipleship if he begins by disputing with his teacher. How are we to learn anything if we will not believe? In the gloriously sublime truths of Godhead, incarnation, atonement, regeneration, and so forth, we must believe, or be forever ignorant: these masses of the molten metal of eternal truth must be handled by faith, or let alone. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Necessity of humility
A high-caste Brahmin came to receive Holy Baptism. He approached the font wearing the sacred thread which, amongst his Hindoo coreligionists, was the badge of his being amongst the twice-born, entitling him to little short of religious worship from those of a lower caste. But at the moment when he answered, I renounce them all, he stripped off the sign of idolatrous preeminence and trampled it under his feet.
Childlike trust in prayer
People say, What a wonderful thing it is that God hears George Mullers prayers! But is it not a sad thing that we should think it wonderful for God to hear prayer? We are come to a pretty pass certainly when we think it wonderful that God is true! Much better faith was that of a little boy in one of the schools at Edinburgh, who had attended the prayer meetings, and at last said to his teacher who conducted the meeting, Teacher, I wish my sister could be got to read the Bible; she never reads it. Why, Johnny, should your sister read the Bible? Because if she should once read it, I am sure it would do her good, and she would be converted and be saved. Do you think so, Johnny? Yes, I do, sir; and I wish the next time theres a prayer meeting, you would ask the people to pray for my sister, that she may begin to read the Bible. Well, well, it shall be done, John. So the teacher gave out that a little boy was very anxious that prayers should be offered that his sister should begin to read the Bible. John was observed to get up and go out. The teacher thought it very unkind of the boy to disturb the people in a crowded room and go out like that, and so the next day when the lad came, he said, John, I thought that was very rude of you to get up in the prayer meeting, and go out. You ought not to have done it. Oh, sir, said the boy, I did not mean to be rude, but I thought I should just like to go home and see my sister reading her Bible for the first time. That is how we ought to believe, and wait with expectation to see the answer to prayer. The girl was reading the Bible when the boy went home. God had been pleased to hear the prayer; and if we could but trust God after that fashion we should often see similar things accomplished. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
A dying blessing
A few days previous to his death, Dr. Belfrage, of Falkirk, hearing his infant sons voice in an adjoining room, desired that he should be brought to him. When the child was lifted into the bed the dying father placed his hands upon his head, and said, in the language of Jacob, The God before whom my fathers did walk, the God who fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who redeemed me from all evil, bless the lad. When the boy was removed he added: Remember and tell John Henry of this; tell him of these prayers, and how earnest I was that he might become early acquainted with his fathers God. Happy are they who have their parents prayers.
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 whoever will not receive ... child will definitely not…
whoever will not receive ... child will definitely not enter it
"if anyone will not recieve ... child, he will definitely not enter it"
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as a little child
Jesus is comparing how people must receive the kingdom of God to how little children would receive it. AT: "in the same manner as a child would" (See: Simile)
will not receive the kingdom of God
"will not accept God as their king"
definitely not enter it
The word "it" refers to the kingdom of God.
he took the children into his arms
"he hugged the children"
translationWords
amen
receive
kingdom of God
children
bless
hand
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.