^10 (A)Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.

¹³ although ^(A)I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an ^[a]insolent man; but I obtained mercy because ^(B)I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ^14 (C)And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, ^(D)with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. ^15 (E)This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that ^(F)Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. ¹⁶ However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

^29 (A)Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And ^(B)there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. ^30 [a]And their scribes and the Pharisees ^[b]complained against His disciples, saying, ^(C)“Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

³¹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ^32 (D)I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

^15 (A)Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. ¹⁶ And when the scribes ^[a]and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, He said to them, ^(B)“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, ^[b]to repentance.”

³¹ Now we know that ^(A)God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.

^46 (A)For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your ^[a]brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the ^[b]tax collectors do so?