Mark 2:14-16

Expanded Bible

¹⁴ While he was walking along, he saw a man named Levi son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax collector’s booth [^Cprobably a tariff booth for taxing goods in transit]. Jesus said to him, “Follow me,” and he stood up and followed Jesus.

¹⁵ Later, as Jesus was ·having dinner [^Lreclining; ^Caround a low table, the posture for a formal banquet or dinner party] at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating there with Jesus and his followers. Many people like this followed Jesus. ¹⁶ When the ·teachers of the law [scribes] who were Pharisees saw Jesus eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they asked his followers, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” [^CTax collectors were despised because they worked for the Roman rulers and were notorious for corruption and extortion.]