Mark 2:13-17 - Levi Called To Follow Jesus

¹³ He went out of the town again and along the seashore, and all the people kept coming to Him and He kept teaching them. ¹⁴ And as He was passing by, He saw Levi, the son of Alpheus, sitting in the tax-collector's office, and He said to him, "Follow me." Then he got up and followed Him.

¹⁵ Levi was at table in his house, and he had many tax-collectors and notorious sinners as guests, along with Jesus and His disciples, for there were many of them, and they began to follow Him. ¹⁶ And when the scribes who belonged to the Pharisees' party saw that He was eating with notorious sinners and tax-collectors, they said to His disciples, "Why does He eat with tax-collectors and notorious sinners?"

¹⁷ Jesus heard it, and said to them, "Not well but sick people have to send for the doctor. It is not upright but sinful people that I have come to invite."

²⁷ After this He went out and saw a tax-collector named Levi in his seat at the tax-collector's desk, and He said to him, "Follow me." ²⁸ So he left everything behind, got up and followed Him.

²⁹ Then Levi gave a great reception for Him in his house, and there was a large crowd of tax-collectors and others who were at table with them. ³⁰ Now the Pharisees and their scribes were grumbling at His disciples, and were saying, "Why are you eating and drinking with tax-collectors and notorious sinners?"

³¹ But Jesus answered them, "Not well but sick people have to send for the doctor. ³² It is not upright but sinful people that I have come to invite to repentance."