^5:27After¹⁰⁵ this, Jesus¹⁰⁶ went out and saw a tax collector¹⁰⁷ named Levi¹⁰⁸ sitting at the tax booth.¹⁰⁹ “Follow me,”¹¹⁰ he said to him. ^5:28And he got up and followed him, leaving everything¹¹¹ behind.¹¹²

^5:29Then¹¹³ Levi gave a great banquet¹¹⁴ in his house for Jesus,¹¹⁵ and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting¹¹⁶ at the table with them. ^5:30But¹¹⁷ the Pharisees¹¹⁸ and their experts in the law¹¹⁹ complained¹²⁰ to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”¹²¹^5:31Jesus¹²² answered them, “Those who are well don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.¹²³^5:32I have not come¹²⁴ to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”¹²⁵

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Luke 5:32: I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance…

Footnotes

105 Grk “And after.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
106 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
107 See the note on tax collectors in .
108 It is possible that Levi is a second name for Matthew, because people often used alternative names in 1st century Jewish culture.
109 While “tax office” is sometimes given as a translation for τελώνιον (telōnion; so L&N 57.183), this could give the modern reader a false impression of an indoor office with all its associated furnishings. The tax booth was a booth located on the edge of a city or town to collect taxes for trade. There was a tax booth in Capernaum, which was on the trade route from Damascus to Galilee and the Mediterranean. The “taxes” were collected on produce and goods brought into the area for sale, and were a sort of “sales tax” paid by the seller but obviously passed on to the purchaser in the form of increased prices (L&N 57.183). It was here that Jesus met Levi (also named Matthew [see Matt 9:9]) who was ultimately employed by the Romans, though perhaps more directly responsible to Herod Antipas. It was his job to collect taxes for Rome and he was thus despised by Jews who undoubtedly regarded him as a traitor.
110 Follow me. For similar calls on the part of Jesus see Luke 5:10–11; 9:23, 59; 18:22.
111 On the phrase leaving everything see Luke 5:10–11; 14:33.
112 The participial phrase “leaving everything behind” occurs at the beginning of the sentence, but has been transposed to the end in the translation for logical reasons, since it serves to summarize Levi’s actions.
113 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
114 A great banquet refers to an elaborate meal. Many of the events in Luke take place in the context of meal fellowship: 7:36–50; 9:12–17; 10:38–42; 11:37–54; 14:1–24; 22:7–38; 24:29–32, 41–43.
115 Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
116 Grk “reclining.” This term reflects the normal practice in 1st century Jewish culture of eating a meal in a semi-reclining position. Since it is foreign to most modern readers, the translation “sitting” has been substituted.
117 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the implied contrast present in this context.
118 See the note on Pharisees in .
119 Or “and their scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
120 Or “grumbled”; a term often used in the OT for inappropriate grumbling: Exod 15:24; 16:7–8; Num 14:2, 26–35; 16:11.
121 The issue here is inappropriate associations (eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners) and the accusation comes not against Jesus, but his disciples.
122 Grk “And Jesus.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
123 Jesus’ point is that he associates with those who are sick because they have the need and will respond to the offer of help. A person who is well (or who thinks mistakenly that he is) will not seek treatment.
124 I have not come is another commission statement by Jesus; see 4:43–44.
125 Though parallels exist to this saying (Matt 9:13; Mark 2:17), only Luke has this last phrase but sinners to repentance. Repentance is a frequent topic in Luke’s Gospel: 3:3, 8; 13:1–5; 15:7, 10; 16:30; 17:3–4; 24:47.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me.” So, leaving everything behind, he got up and began to follow him.

Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining at the table with them. But the Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”

Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And after these things, he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me!” And leaving everything behind, he got up and began to follow him.

And Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining for the meal with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes began to complain to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are healthy do not have need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

KJV 1900King James Version

And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

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