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The Call of Matthew

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

10 And as he sat at dinner[a] in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting[b] with Jesus and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”(A) 12 But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”(B)

The Question about Fasting

14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often,[c] but your disciples do not fast?”(C) 15 And Jesus said to them, “The wedding attendants cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 9.10 Gk reclined
  2. 9.10 Gk were reclining
  3. 9.14 Other ancient authorities lack often

The Calling of Matthew(A)

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

10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”(C)

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a](D) For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”(E)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting(F)

14 Then John’s(G) disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often,(H) but your disciples do not fast?”

15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?(I) The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 9:13 Hosea 6:6