What Jesus said about Parenting & Children

Jesus on children: receiving them instead of pushing them away, welcoming a child in His name, not despising little ones, and the seriousness of causing a little one to stumble.

1. God gives good gifts to those who ask him.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) Matthew 7:7–11; Luke 11:9–13

   King James Version

   Matthew 7:7–11

   ⁷Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

   ⁸For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

   ⁹Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

   ¹⁰Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

   ¹¹If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

   Luke 11:9–13

   ⁹And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

   ¹⁰For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

   ¹¹If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

   ¹²Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

   ¹³If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

2. Avoid causing little ones or vulnerable believers to stumble.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) Matthew 18:6–7; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:1–2

   King James Version

   Matthew 18:6–7

   ⁶But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

   ⁷Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

   Mark 9:42

   ⁴²And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

   Luke 17:1–2

   ¹Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

   ²It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

3. Do not despise little ones.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) Matthew 18:10, 14

   King James Version

   Matthew 18:10, 14

   ¹⁰Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

   ¹⁴Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

4. Trust the Father's goodness in answering prayer.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) Matthew 7:9–11; Luke 11:11–13

   King James Version

   Matthew 7:9–11

   ⁹Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

   ¹⁰Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

   ¹¹If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

   Luke 11:11–13

   ¹¹If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

   ¹²Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

   ¹³If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

5. Honor father and mother must not be nullified through religious loopholes.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) Matthew 15:4–6; Mark 7:9–13

   King James Version

   Matthew 15:4–6

   ⁴For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

   ⁵But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

   ⁶And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

   Mark 7:9–13

   ⁹And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

   ¹⁰For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

   ¹¹But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

   ¹²And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

   ¹³Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

6. Receive children rather than pushing them away.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) Matthew 19:13–15; Mark 10:13–16; Luke 18:15–17

   King James Version

   Matthew 19:13–15

   ¹³Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

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

   ¹⁵And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

   Mark 10:13–16

   ¹³And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

   ¹⁴But 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.

   ¹⁵Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

   ¹⁶And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

   Luke 18:15–17

   ¹⁵And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

   ¹⁶But 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.

   ¹⁷Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

7. Welcoming a child in Jesus' name is welcoming Jesus and the One who sent him.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) Matthew 18:5; Mark 9:37; Luke 9:48

   King James Version

   Matthew 18:5

   ⁵And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

   Mark 9:37

   ³⁷Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

   Luke 9:48

   ⁴⁸And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.

8. Causing a little one who believes to stumble is gravely serious.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2

   King James Version

   Matthew 18:6

   ⁶But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

   Mark 9:42

   ⁴²And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

   Luke 17:2

   ²It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

9. The prodigal son teaches repentance, lavish welcome, and restoration of the lost.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) Luke 15:11–24

   King James Version

   Luke 15:11–24

   ¹¹And he said, A certain man had two sons:

   ¹²And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

   ¹³And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

   ¹⁴And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

   ¹⁵And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

   ¹⁶And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

   ¹⁷And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

   ¹⁸I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

   ¹⁹And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

   ²⁰And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

   ²¹And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

   ²²But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

   ²³And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

   ²⁴For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

10. Jesus welcomes children and the socially overlooked.

    Read the Scripture (KJV) Matthew 19:13–15; Mark 10:13–16; Luke 18:15–17

    King James Version

    Matthew 19:13–15

    ¹³Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

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

    ¹⁵And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

    Mark 10:13–16

    ¹³And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

    ¹⁴But 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.

    ¹⁵Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

    ¹⁶And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

    Luke 18:15–17

    ¹⁵And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

    ¹⁶But 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.

    ¹⁷Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.