But Jesus said, ”Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (KJV) 1611 --------------------------------------------------------------- The use of the word SUFFER in the 1611 KJV translation carries a very different definition of the word that was used in that period of time but not today. SUFFER in the context of the 1611 KJV means: to allow, to permit; not to forbid or not to hinder.
There are many words used in the KJV that have archaic meanings that are confusing to a modern reader. The word SUFFER to a modern reader conveys a meaning that is just the opposite to what a reader in 1611 would have understood.
Current translations convey in contemporary English terms the same meaning that SUFFER conveyed in the era of 1611. Some of the current translations are noted below:
But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (NKJV)
But Jesus said, “Let (or Permit) the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (NASB)
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (NIV)
but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (ESV)
But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (NET)
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and do not hinder them from coming to me; for the kingdom of the heavens is of such: (DBY)
Yes, I understood the joke. However the comparison is between "me" as Jesus, in the KJV and the "me" as Jesus in your revised passage. You should have used "them" in your revised passage since it is not Jesus who is the molester and is not the person to whom the children are coming. It is the corrupt religious leaders who are the abusers.
You used mixed comparisons: Suffer, from the KJV as allow and then its opposite, Suffer, as to hurt or abuse in your comparison. Then you used "me" as a reference to Jesus in the KJV but used "me" as a reference to Jesus again as if He had become the opposite as the molester but it is the current leaders who are the opposites from Jesus. I understand the joke, but Jesus "suffers" in the process from a wrong comparison.