Matthew 9:9-13

New International Reader's Version

Jesus Chooses Matthew and Eats With Sinners

⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew. He was sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him. Matthew got up and followed him.

¹⁰ Later Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners came. They ate with Jesus and his disciples. ¹¹ The Pharisees saw this. So they asked the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹² Jesus heard this. So he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a doctor. Sick people do. ¹³ Go and learn what this means, ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ (Hosea 6:6) I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to follow me.”