¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”^(A)

¹² On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’^[a](B) For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”^(C)

¹⁶ “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

¹⁸ For John came neither eating^(A) nor drinking,^(B) and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’^(C) But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

²⁹ Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors^(A) and others were eating with them. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect^(B) complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”^(C)

³¹ Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”^(D)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep^(A)

15 Now the tax collectors^(B) and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”^(C)

⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”^(A)

⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate^(A) with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰ not at all meaning the people of this world^(B) who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. ¹¹ But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister^[a](C) but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater^(D) or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.^(E)

¹³ Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor^(A) and a violent man, I was shown mercy^(B) because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.^{(C) 14} The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly,^(D) along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.^(E)

¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying^(F) that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners^(G)—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy^(H) so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience^(I) as an example for those who would believe^(J) in him and receive eternal life.^(K)