Jesus Calls Matthew^(A)

⁹ Jesus left that place, and as he walked along, he saw a tax collector, named Matthew, sitting in his office. He said to him, “Follow me.”

Matthew got up and followed him.

^10 (B)While Jesus was having a meal in Matthew's house,^[a] many tax collectors and other outcasts came and joined Jesus and his disciples at the table. ¹¹ Some Pharisees saw this and asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such people?”

¹² Jesus heard them and answered, “People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick. ^13 (C)Go and find out what is meant by the scripture that says: ‘It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices.’ I have not come to call respectable people, but outcasts.”

Jesus Calls Levi^(A)

¹³ Jesus went back again to the shore of Lake Galilee. A crowd came to him, and he started teaching them. ¹⁴ As he walked along, he saw a tax collector, Levi son of Alphaeus, sitting in his office. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Levi got up and followed him.

¹⁵ Later on Jesus was having a meal in Levi's house.^[a] A large number of tax collectors and other outcasts was following Jesus, and many of them joined him and his disciples at the table. ¹⁶ Some teachers of the Law, who were Pharisees, saw that Jesus was eating with these outcasts and tax collectors, so they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such people?”

¹⁷ Jesus heard them and answered, “People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick. I have not come to call respectable people, but outcasts.”