Matthew 11:16

11:16 “To ¹  what should I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to one another, ² 

Matthew 18:3-4

18:3 and said, “I tell you the truth, ³  unless you turn around and become like little children, ⁴  you will never ⁵  enter the kingdom of heaven! 18:4 Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:13

Jesus and Little Children

19:13 Then little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray. ⁶  But the disciples scolded those who brought them. ⁷ 

[11:16]  ¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[11:16]  ² tn Grk “who call out to one another, saying.” The participle λέγουσιν (legousin) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[18:3]  ³ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[18:3]  ⁴ sn The point of the comparison become like little children has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit, as well as willingness to be dependent and receive from others, than any inherent humility the child might possess.

[18:3]  ⁵ tn The negation in Greek (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong here.

[19:13]  ⁵ tn Grk “so that he would lay his hands on them and pray.”

[19:13]  ⁶ tn Grk “the disciples scolded them.” In the translation the referent has been specified as “those who brought them,” since otherwise the statement could be understood to mean that the disciples scolded the children rather than their parents who brought them.