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

¹³ Jesus went out again to the Sea; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. ¹⁴ As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting in the tax-office, and said to him: "Follow me." Levi got up and followed him.

¹⁵ And later on he was in his house at table, and a number of tax-gatherers and outcasts took their places at table with Jesus and his disciples; for many of them were following him. ¹⁶ When the Teachers of the Law belonging to the party of the Pharisees saw that he was eating in the company of such people, they said to his disciples: "He is eating in the company of tax- gatherers and outcasts!"

¹⁷ Hearing this, Jesus said: "It is not those who are in health that need a doctor, but those who are ill. I did not come to call the religious, but the outcast."

²⁷ After this, Jesus went out; and he noticed a tax-gatherer, named Levi, sitting in the tax-office, and said to him: "Follow me." ²⁸ Levi left everything and got up and followed him.

²⁹ And Levi gave a great entertainment at his house, in honor of Jesus; and a large number of tax-gatherers and others were at table with them. ³⁰ The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law belonging to their party complained of this to the disciples of Jesus."

³¹ In answer Jesus said: "It is not those who are well that need a doctor, but those who are ill. ³² I have not come to call the religious, but the outcast, to repent."