What Does Mark 10:15 Mean?
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not take in the governance of God as a little child will by no means enter into it.
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
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.THE KEY
God’s governance is entered through welcome, and the little child names the posture in which it can be received.
THE MEANING
God’s governance meets you as something to receive. A little child gives the shape of that receiving: dependence on what is given. The verse ties entering to this welcome here and now.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that access to God is secured by proving your self-sufficiency.
THE ROOT
δέξηται
dexētai
GROWS FROM
δεχ-
dech-
To receive or welcome.
“take in” in this verse is dexētai. The Greek verb carries the sense of welcoming or accepting. In this sentence, welcome comes before entry: the child’s dependence gives the shape of receiving what is offered.
ALSO GROWS
apodechomai: Receive or welcome.
ἀποδέχομαι
Its compound form keeps the same receiving sense, making welcome visible in the word family.
paradechomai: Accept or receive.
παραδέχομαι
This branch also shows reception as taking something in, echoing the child’s posture in the verse.
βασιλεία
basileia
GROWS FROM
βασιλ-
basil-
Kingly rule or reign.
Βασιλεία (basileia, kingdom or reign) can name kingly rule itself. The phrase can therefore be heard as God’s governance: a living order that is received and entered.
ALSO GROWS
basileus: King.
βασιλεύς
The king is the source of the rule named by this word family.
basileuō: Reign or rule as king.
βασιλεύω
This verb makes the active reign within kingdom explicit, illuminating what is received.
THE PATTERN
God’s life is received as a gift, with childlike openness rather than self-sufficient achievement.
Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters, and whoever has no silver, come, break open and eat. Yes, come, break open wine and milk, without silver and without price.And he said, Truly, I say to you, Unless you turn and become as little children, you shall not enter into the governance of the heavens.But as many as took him in, he gave the right to become children of God, to those who trust in his nature.THE THREAD
Whoever receives one of such children in my nature receives me, and whoever receives me does not receive me but the one who sent me.Mark 9:37 uses the same Greek verb for receive or welcome and joins it to a child: receiving a child in Jesus’ nature is receiving Jesus, and through him the One who sent him. The shared verb opens this verse’s childlike welcome into relationship with God.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us