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

¹³ Jesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd kept coming to him, and he kept teaching them. ¹⁴ As he was walking along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax collector's desk. Jesus told him, "Follow me!" So Levi got up and followed him.

¹⁵ Later, he was having dinner at Levi's 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 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."

²⁷ After that, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax collector's desk. He told him, "Follow me!" ²⁸ So Levi left everything behind, got up, and followed him.

²⁹ Later, Levi gave a large banquet at his home for Jesus. A large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. ³⁰ The Pharisees and their scribes started complaining to Jesus' disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"

³¹ But Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don't need a physician, but sick people do. ³² I have not come to call righteous people, but sinners, to repentance."