Matthew 9:13-15

New Century Version

¹³Go and learn what this means: ‘I want kindness more than I want animal sacrifices.’^[a] I did not come to invite good people but to invite sinners.”

Jesus’ Followers Are Criticized

¹⁴Then the followers of John^[b] came to Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees often fast^[c] for a certain time, but your followers don’t?”

¹⁵Jesus answered, “The friends of the bridegroom are not sad while he is with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.

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Footnotes

9:13 ‘I want . . . sacrifices.’ Quotation from Hosea 6:6.
9:14 John John the Baptist, who preached to people about Christ’s coming (Matthew 3, Luke 3).
9:14 fast The people would give up eating for a special time of prayer and worship to God. It was also done to show sadness and disappointment.