Luke 5:27-32

New International Reader's Version

Jesus Chooses Levi and Eats With Sinners

²⁷ After this, Jesus left the house. He saw a tax collector sitting at the tax booth. The man’s name was Levi. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him. ²⁸ Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

²⁹ Then Levi gave a huge banquet for Jesus at his house. A large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and their teachers of the law complained to Jesus’ disciples. They said, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

³¹ Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor. Sick people do. ³² I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to turn away from their sins.”