What Does Luke 18:16 Mean?
But Jesus called them to his side and said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hold them back, for the governance of God belongs to such as these.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
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.THE KEY
The word translated suffer is a command to release the children toward Jesus, because God’s governance already belongs to the small.
THE MEANING
Jesus, Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous, Jesus), whose Hebrew name Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ, Yeshua, deliverance) comes from yasha (יָשַׁע, yasha, deliver from narrowness into spaciousness), calls the children near and tells those around him to release the path. God’s governance belongs to such as these now; their smallness does not disqualify them.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie is that someone must first become mature, useful, or important before approaching God; Jesus calls children near and says the kingdom belongs to such as these.
THE ROOT
ἄφετε
aphete
GROWS FROM
ἀφίημι
The verb ἀφίημι (aphiēmi) means to leave, release, let go, or permit; here its command form means to allow the children to come.
English “suffer” once meant allow, but the Greek command ἄφετε (aphete, let go or permit) comes from ἀφίημι (aphiēmi, release or leave). The same word family gives ἄφεσις (aphesis, release or forgiveness): the way opens as a restraint is released, because the children can already come.
ALSO GROWS
aphesis: Release; remission or forgiveness.
ἄφεσις
This noun from the same Greek word family shows release as the letting go of a claim; here, letting go of the restraint opens the way for the children.
apheinai: To leave, let go, or permit; the aorist infinitive of ἀφίημι.
ἀφεῖναι
This form makes the movement plain: what is held back is let go, so the children may come.
παιδία
paidia
GROWS FROM
παιδ-
The Greek stem παιδ- (paid-, child) belongs to a word family that includes the child and the acts of upbringing and education.
The παιδ- (paid-, child) family joins children with upbringing and instruction, keeping their dependence and formation in view. Yet Jesus does not make maturity a gate: he says not to hinder their coming.
ALSO GROWS
paideia: Upbringing, instruction, or formation.
παιδεία
Its shared παιδ- (paid-, child) family links the child with being formed, while this verse makes clear that formation is not a prerequisite for coming.
paideuō: To bring up, train, or instruct.
παιδεύω
This verb from the same word family shows the ongoing formation associated with childhood, which Jesus does not require the children to complete before they approach.
βασιλεία
basileia
GROWS FROM
βασιλευ-
The Greek stem βασιλευ- (basileu-, reign) names royal rule or governance: the act or state of reigning.
“governance of God” in this verse is basileia. The βασιλευ- (basileu-, reign) family opens “kingdom” as active governance, not only a territory. Jesus says this governance belongs to such as these, placing the small within its rule.
ALSO GROWS
basileus: King or ruler.
βασιλεύς
The same βασιλευ- (basileu-, reign) family connects the kingdom to the one who rules.
basileuō: To reign or rule.
βασιλεύω
This verb names the active governing carried by βασιλεία (basileia, kingdom or reign), illuminating the kingdom as rule in action.
THE PATTERN
God’s governance makes room for the small and works through those the status ladder discounts.
From the mouth of little ones and nursing ones you lay a foundation of strength because of those who press you, to halt the enemy and the avenger.But Jesus said, Let the little children come, and do not hold them back from coming to me, for of such is the governance of the heavens.But God picked out the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; and God picked out the weak things of the world to shame the strong.THE THREAD
Truly, I tell you, whoever does not receive the governance of God as a little child will by no means go into it.The phrase “a little child” is παιδίον (paidion, little child), from the same παιδ- (paid-, child) word family as the children named here. The next verse makes explicit the way of receiving that this verse shows: God’s governance is received in a child’s manner, not reached by outgrowing dependence.
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