JESUS CALLS THE SINNERS

Passage: Mark 2:13-17

Key verse: 17

NIV

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners(A)

13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him,(B) and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,”(C) Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees(D) saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”(E)

17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”(F)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Jesus Calls Levi

13 He went out again beside the sea, and (A)all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 (B)And as he passed by, he saw (C)Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many (D)tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And (E)the scribes of[a] the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, (F)“Why does he eat[b] with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (G)I came not to call the righteous, (H)but sinners.”

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 2:16 Some manuscripts and
  2. Mark 2:16 Some manuscripts add and drink
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Jesus went out to the lake and began teaching a crowd gathered there. When he saw Levi sitting at the tax collector's booth, he called out to him: "Follow me." Levi's occupation as a tax collector labeled him as a “public sinner” but provided him a comfortable life. We do not know what led him to choose such a controversial occupation.

It did not matter to Jesus how Levi ended up there. Jesus invited him to leave life as a sinner and become a disciple of Jesus. And Levi decided to follow Jesus right away, leaving everything behind (14).

Levi must have thrown a farewell party as he was leaving his home. When the Pharisees learned about Jesus having dinner at Levi's house with many tax collectors and sinners, they started to question Jesus' disciples about Jesus' integrity. The Pharisees considered themselves righteous for keeping the law and staying away from sinners. However, before the Lord, no one is righteous (Ro 3:1

). Only those who confess their sins and ask for forgiveness and salvation will receive Jesus' healing (17).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for sending Jesus to call a sinner like me. Please help me to be honest before you, recognize the sickness in my heart, and receive healing from you.

One Word: I follow you, Lord