¹⁰ While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat^[a] with Jesus and His disciples.^{(A) 11} When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”^(B)

³¹ “Which of the two did his father’s will?”

“The first,” they said.

Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you! ³² For John came to you in the way of righteousness,^(A) and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him.

Dining with Sinners

²⁹ Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests^[a] with them.^{(A) 30} But the Pharisees and their scribes^(B) were complaining to His disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

²⁹ (And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God’s way of righteousness,^[a] because they had been baptized with John’s baptism.^(A)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 All^(A) the tax collectors^(B) and sinners were approaching to listen to Him.