Matthew 9:11

New English Translation

¹¹When the Pharisees^[a] saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”^[b]

Matthew 9:11 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
Matthew 9:11 sn The issue here is inappropriate associations (on the status of tax collectors see the note at 5:46; the phrase often occurs in the NT in collocation with sinners). Jews were very careful about personal associations and contact as a matter of ritual cleanliness. Their question borders on an accusation that Jesus is ritually unclean because of who he associates with.

New English Translation (NET)