After this he went forth and noticed a tax-gatherer, named Levi, sitting at the tax-office, and said to him, "Follow me."

Levi also made him a great reception at his house. There was a large party of tax-gatherers and others who were dining with them.

And the Pharisees and their scribes began complaining to his disciples, saying, "Why are you eating and drinking with tax-gatherers and sinners?"

On hearing this all the people and the tax-gatherers acknowledged the justice of God by being baptized with the baptism of John;

Now all the tax-gatherers and sinners continued to draw near him, and to listen to him.

"Two men are going up to the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, the other a tax-gatherer.

"The Pharisee stood apart and thus began to pray by himself. "'O God, I thank thee that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax gatherer;

"But the tax-gatherer, standing far back, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but kept beating his breast and saying, "'O God be merciful to me, the sinner!'

There was a man there, called Zaccheus, who was a chief of the tax-gatherers, and was wealthy.