But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”
Parallel translations
- WEB When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
- KJV And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans 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?”
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 gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”
- Luke 5:30Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?”
- Luke 15:1–2Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
- Mark 2:16The scribes and the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”
- 1 Cor 5:9–11I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners;
- Gal 2:15“We, being Jews by nature, and not Gentile sinners,
- Heb 5:2The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness.
- Luke 19:7When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner.”
- Isa 65:5who say, ‘Stay by yourself, don’t come near to me, for I am holier than you.’ These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day.
- 2 Jn 1:10If anyone comes to you, and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him,
- Mark 9:14–16Coming to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes questioning 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.