Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing in the Lord.

Fathers, ¹  do not provoke ²  your children, so they will not become disheartened.

As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children,

Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth. ¹ 

He said to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and to throw it to the dogs.” ¹ 

“Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man ¹  must marry ²  the widow and father children ³  for his brother.’ ⁴ 

But Jesus called for the children, ¹  saying, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God ²  belongs to such as these. ³ 

They asked him, ¹  “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no children, that man ²  must marry ³  the widow and father children ⁴  for his brother. ⁵ 

By this ¹  the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness – the one who does not love his fellow Christian ²  – is not of God.

“It is not right ¹  to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” ²  he said. ³ 

She answered, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Now ¹  people were bringing little children to him for him to touch, ²  but the disciples scolded those who brought them. ³ 

After he took the children in his arms, he placed his hands on them and blessed them.

and then the third married her, and in this same way all seven died, leaving no children.

– children not born ¹  by human parents ²  or by human desire ³  or a husband’s ⁴  decision, ⁵  but by God.

and not for the Jewish nation ¹  only, ²  but to gather together ³  into one the children of God who are scattered.) ⁴ 

So Jesus said to them, “Children, you don’t have any fish, ¹  do you?” ²  They replied, ³  “No.”

nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants; rather “through Isaac will your descendants be counted.” ¹ 

I am not writing these things to shame you, but to correct you as my dear children.

Now as a fair exchange – I speak as to my ¹  children – open wide your hearts to us ²  also.