Mark 10:16 (WEB)

Passage

He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

Nearby Context

Mark 10:14 But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these.

Mark 10:15 Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”

Mark 10:16 He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

Mark 10:17 As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

Mark 10:18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "took", "arms", "blessed", "laying", and "hands". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "took" and "arms", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "Most certainly I tell you whoever will..." into verse 17's "As he was going out into the...", so "took" and "arms" belong inside that flow. In Mark context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "took" and "arms" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.