Luke 15:1
New Living Translation
Parable of the Lost Sheep
15 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.
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Luke 5:29-32
New Living Translation
29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?[a]”
31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
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- 5:30 Greek with tax collectors and sinners?
Matthew 9:10-13
New Living Translation
10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?[a]”
12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’[b] For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
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1 Timothy 1:15
New Living Translation
15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.
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Ezekiel 18:27
New Living Translation
27 And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives.
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Matthew 21:28-31
New Living Translation
Parable of the Two Sons
28 “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 30 Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
31 “Which of the two obeyed his father?”
They replied, “The first.”[a]
Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.
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- 21:29-31 Other manuscripts read “The second.” In still other manuscripts the first son says “Yes” but does nothing, the second son says “No” but then repents and goes, and the answer to Jesus’ question is that the second son obeyed his father.
Luke 7:29
New Living Translation
29 When they heard this, all the people—even the tax collectors—agreed that God’s way was right,[a] for they had been baptized by John.
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- 7:29 Or praised God for his justice.
Romans 5:20
New Living Translation
20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.
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Luke 13:30
New Living Translation
30 And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.[a]”
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- 13:30 Greek Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.