Matthew 19 · Verse 14

Matthew 19:14

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:14, King James Version

Matthew 19:14 in other translations

BSBBut Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
WEBBut Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.”
ASVBut Jesus said, Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven.
YLTBut Jesus said, ‘Suffer the children, and forbid them not, to come unto me, for of such is the reign of the heavens;'
DARBYBut Jesus said, Suffer little children, and do not hinder them from coming to me; for the kingdom of the heavens is of such:
BBEBut Jesus said, Let the little ones come to me, and do not keep them away: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
WebsterBut Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

What does Matthew 19:14 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, etc. Mark adds, he was much displeased at what the disciples said. It was a thing highly gratifying to him, and which he earnestly sought, that children should be brought to him; and a case where it was very improper that they should interfere.

Of such is the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven evidently means, here, the church. Mk 3:2. In Mark and Luke, it is said he immediately added, "Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter therein." Whosoever shall not be humble, unambitious, and docile, shall not be a true follower of Christ, or a member of his kingdom. Of such as these--that is, of persons with such tempers as these--is the church to be composed. He does not say of those infants, but of such persons as resembled them, or were like them in temper, was the kingdom of heaven made up. It was proper, therefore, that he should pray for them; it was proper that they who possessed such a temper should be brought to him. The disposition itself--the humility, the teachableness, the want of ambition--was an ornament anywhere, and little children should therefore be brought to him. It is probable--it is greatly to be hoped--that all infants will be saved. No contrary doctrine is taught in the sacred Scriptures. But it does not appear to be the design of this passage to teach that all infants will be saved. It means simply, that they should be suffered to be brought to him as amiable, lovely, and uncorrupted by the world, and having traits of mind resembling those among real Christians.

(i) "???" Mk 10:14, Lk 18:16 (k) "such is" Mt 18:3

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 Of such is the kingdom of heaven - Or, the kingdom of heaven is composed of such. This appears to be the best sense of the passage, and utterly ruins the whole inhuman diabolic system of what is called non-elect infants' damnation; a doctrine which must have sprung from Moloch, and can only be defended by a heart in which he dwells. A great part of God's kingdom is composed of such literally; and those only who resemble little children shall be received into it: see on Mat 18:3 (note). Christ loves little children because he loves simplicity and innocence; he has sanctified their very age by passing through it himself - the holy Jesus was once a little child.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 19:13-15

It is well when we come to Christ ourselves, and bring our children. Little children may be brought to Christ as needing, and being capable of receiving blessings from him, and having an interest in his intercession. We can but beg a blessing for them: Christ only can command the blessing. It is well for us, that Christ has more love and tenderness in him than the best of his disciples have. And let us learn of him…

Read the full comment on Matthew 19:13-15 →

Matthew 19:14 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὁho<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
εἶπεν·eipensaid;G2036
ἄφετεaphetedo permitG863
τὰtatheG3588
παιδίαpaidialittle childrenG3813
καὶkaiandG2532
μὴmēnotG3361
κωλύετεkōluetedo forbidG2967
αὐτὰautathemG846
ἐλθεῖνeltheinto comeG2064
πρόςprostoG4314
με·meMe;G3165
τῶνtōnof theG3588
γὰρgarforG1063
τοιούτωνtoioutōnof such kindG5108
ἐστὶνestinisG1510
ἡhētheG3588
βασιλείαbasileiakingdomG932
τῶνtōnof theG3588
οὐρανῶν.ouranōnheavens.G3772

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 19:14

  • Matthew 18:3

    And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

  • Luke 18:16-17

    But 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. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

  • 1 Corinthians 14:20

    Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

  • Mark 10:14

    But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

  • Matthew 11:25

    At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

  • 1 Peter 2:1-2

    Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

  • Judges 13:7

    But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.

  • Genesis 17:24-26

    And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

  • 1 Samuel 1:11

    And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

  • 1 Samuel 2:18

    But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

  • 1 Samuel 1:24

    And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young.

  • Genesis 17:7-8

    And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Suffer.
Ge 17:7,8,24-26; 21:4; Jud 13:7; 1Sa 1:11,22,24; 2:18; Mr 10:14
Lu 18:16,17
for.
11:25; 18:3; 1Co 14:20; 1Pe 2:1,2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 19:13

    Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

  • Matthew 19:14

    But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

  • Matthew 19:15

    And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

Read all of Matthew 19

Matthew 19:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Jesús dijo: Dejad á los niños, y no les impidáis de venir á mí; porque de los tales es el reino de los cielos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Jésus dit: Laissez venir à moi les petits enfants, et ne les en empêchez pas; car à de tels est le royaume des cieux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus aber sprach: Lasset die Kindlein und wehret ihnen nicht, zu mir zu kommen, denn solcher ist das Reich der Himmel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Jesus vero ait eis: Sinite parvulos, et nolite eos prohibere ad me venire: talium est enim regnum cælorum.