Some people brought children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and to pray for them, but the disciples scolded the people.

Jesus said, "Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

O LORD God, you have let me succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and don't know how to rule.

But the LORD said to me, "Do not say that you are too young, but go to the people I send you to, and tell them everything I command you to say.

Then he took a child and had him stand in front of them. He put his arms around him and said to them,

"Whoever welcomes in my name one of these children, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not only me but also the one who sent me."