And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
Parallel translations
- WEB When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
- BSB When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
- NKJV And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
- NASB And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?”
- NLT But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Pharisees object that Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners. Their complaint reveals a self-righteousness blind to mercy.
Overview
The Pharisees, prizing ceremonial separation, are scandalized that Jesus would share a meal with the impure. Their question exposes a religion of exclusion rather than compassion. It sets the stage for Jesus to explain that he came precisely for such people, overturning their assumptions about righteousness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Matt 11:19The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
- Luke 5:30But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
- Luke 15:1–2Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
- Mark 2:16And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
- 1 Cor 5:9–11I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
- Gal 2:15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
- Heb 5:2Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
- Luke 19:7And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
- Isa 65:5Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
- 2 Jn 1:10If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
- Mark 9:14–16And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 9:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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