Mark 2:13-17 Meaning: Who Jesus Came
13He went out again by the seaside. All the multitude came to him, and he taught them.
14As he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he arose and followed him.
15He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.
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?”
17When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
13And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
14And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
15And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
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?
17When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
13And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
14And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphæus sitting at the place of toll, and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
15And it came to pass, that he was sitting at meat in his house, and many publicans and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
16And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and publicans, said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
17And when Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.
13And he went forth again by the sea, and all the multitude was coming unto him, and he was teaching them,
14and passing by, he saw Levi of Alpheus sitting at the tax-office, and saith to him, `Be following me,' and he, having risen, did follow him.
15And it came to pass, in his reclining (at meat) in his house, that many tax-gatherers and sinners were reclining (at meat) with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.
16And the scribes and the Pharisees, having seen him eating with the tax-gatherers and sinners, said to his disciples, `Why--that with the tax-gatherers and sinners he doth eat and drink?'
17And Jesus, having heard, saith to them, `They who are strong have no need of a physician, but they who are ill; I came not to call righteous men, but sinners to reformation.'
13And he went out again by the sea, and all the crowd came to him, and he taught them.
14And passing by, he saw Levi the [son] of Alphaeus sitting at the tax-office, and says to him, Follow me. And he rose up and followed him.
15And it came to pass as he lay at table in his house, that many tax-gatherers and sinners lay at table with Jesus and his disciples; for they were many, and they followed him.
16And the scribes and the Pharisees, seeing him eating with sinners and tax-gatherers, said to his disciples, Why [is it] that he eats and drinks with tax-gatherers and sinners?
17And Jesus having heard [it] says to them, They that are strong have not need of a physician, but those who are ill. I have not come to call righteous [men], but sinners.
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus calls Levi the tax collector and eats with sinners, showing he came for the spiritually sick, not the self-righteous.
Context
In this scene, Jesus walks the shore of the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum. Crowds keep pressing in, and he keeps teaching. On his way he spots Levi (also called Matthew) sitting at the tax booth, a man despised by his neighbors for working with the Roman occupiers and skimming a profit. Jesus says two words: “Follow me.” Levi gets up and leaves his livelihood behind. Then Levi throws a feast, and the guest list shocks the religious leaders: tax collectors and people with openly sinful lives fill the room. The scribes and Pharisees watch from the edge and whisper to the disciples, wondering why Jesus would share a table with such people. Jesus overhears and answers with a quiet, piercing image: a doctor belongs among the sick. He came for the people who know they need help.
Key Words
Three Greek words shape this passage. The first is ἀκολουθέω (akoloutheō), “to follow.” It means more than walking behind someone. In the Gospels it means joining as a disciple, sharing a teacher's life, dangers, and reputation. Levi heard that call and left his booth for good.
The second word is ἁμαρτωλός (hamartōlos), “sinner.” In the Gospels this word often describes people the religious community had written off, not just people who made mistakes, but those whose lives visibly broke God's law. The Pharisees used it as a label to keep distance. Jesus used it as a reason to draw close.
The third word, μετάνοια (metanoia), means “repentance”, literally a change of mind so deep it changes the direction of a life. Some early manuscripts of Mark include it at the end of verse 17; others do not. Either way, the point stands: Jesus calls people who know they are lost, and his call reshapes everything.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions read this passage as a window into Jesus' heart. Some focus on the grace that welcomes sinners before they clean up. The feast at Levi's house shows Jesus eating with people who had not yet changed their ways. Others emphasize the call to repentance that Jesus explicitly includes (though some early manuscripts omit “to repentance” in Mark, most retain it). They point out that grace does not leave people where it finds them.
Both sides hold the same center: Jesus came for the sick. The Pharisees thought holiness meant staying separate. Jesus showed that holiness means going where the healing is needed most.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to think Jesus meant he had no interest in religious people. The statement “I came not to call the righteous” sounds like a dismissal of anyone who tries to obey God. In fact, Jesus is using irony. The Pharisees believe they are righteous. Jesus does not argue with their self-assessment, he simply says they are not the ones who need a doctor. The people who know they are sick are the ones who will actually receive his help. The door is always open to anyone who admits they need a physician.
Living This Out
Most of us have a tax-collector moment, something in our past or present we are sure God could not bless. This passage says he already sees you at the booth, and his invitation stands. You do not have to clean up your reputation first. Just get up and follow.
The harder question is which side of the table you sit on. It is easy to become a Pharisee without meaning to, standing at a distance from people whose lives look messier than yours, wondering why God lets them in. This week, let yourself be the one who needs a doctor. Then look across the table at the people he is eating with, and see if you can stay seated.
Main takeaway: Jesus did not come to stand at a distance and admire the healthy. He came to sit at the table of the sick and call them home.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Levi was a tax collector. People did not like tax collectors because they took too much money. But Jesus loved Levi and said “Follow me.” That made Levi very happy.
For ages 9, 12
Levi was a tax collector his neighbors hated. When Jesus saw him sitting at his tax booth, he said only two words, “Follow me.” Levi left everything and had a big party with all his old friends so they could meet Jesus too. Jesus wants to be with people others push away.
Questions People Ask
Who was Levi in Mark 2:14?
Levi was the son of Alphaeus. He collected taxes for the Roman government near Capernaum. He is the same person as Matthew, the disciple who wrote the Gospel of Matthew. In Jewish tradition, tax collectors were considered traitors and public sinners.
What did 'tax collectors and sinners' refer to in first-century Judaism?
Tax collectors were Jews who worked for Rome and often overcharged people. Religious leaders grouped them with 'sinners', people whose visible lifestyle violated the law, such as prostitutes or the openly immoral. The phrase was a way of saying 'the worst kind of people.'
Why did the Pharisees ask why Jesus eats with sinners?
The Pharisees believed that holiness required keeping separate from anyone who was unclean or sinful. Eating together in that culture meant acceptance and fellowship. They could not understand how a teacher claiming to speak for God would share a table with people God's law seemed to condemn.
Is 'to repentance' in Mark 2:17 original?
Some early manuscripts omit the phrase 'to repentance' at the end of Mark 2:17, while many others include it. Matthew and Luke both include 'to repentance' in their parallel accounts. Christians accept the passage either way, because the call to follow Jesus always involves turning from the old way of life.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study