¹⁵ Later, he was having dinner at Levi’s^[a] house. Many tax collectors and sinners were also eating with Jesus and his disciples, because there were many who were following him. ¹⁶ When the scribes and the Pharisees saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat and drink^[b] with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷ When Jesus heard that, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a physician, but sick ones do. I did not come to call righteous people, but sinners.”