Simon the Pharisee

³⁶ A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to the Pharisee's home and got ready to eat.^[a]

^37 (A) When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume. ³⁸ Then she came and stood behind Jesus. She cried and started washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. The woman kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.

³⁹ The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him! He would know that she is a sinner.”

Jesus Chooses Matthew

(Mark 2.13-17; Luke 5.27-32)

⁹ As Jesus was leaving, he saw a tax collector^[a] named Matthew sitting at the place for paying taxes. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Matthew got up and went with him.

^10 (A) Later, Jesus and his disciples were having dinner at Matthew's house.^[b] Many tax collectors and other sinners were also there. ¹¹ Some Pharisees asked Jesus' disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and other sinners?”

¹² Jesus heard them and answered, “Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. ^13 (B) Go and learn what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others.’ I didn't come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners.”