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.]

¹⁷ Jesus heard this and said to them, “It is not the healthy people who need a doctor, but the sick. I did not come to ·invite [call] ·good people [the righteous; ^Cmeaning the “self-righteous” who feel no need to repent] but to ·invite [call] sinners [^Cthose who recognize their need to repent].”