Jesus chooses Levi to be his disciple
13 Jesus went to the shore of Lake Galilee again. A large crowd came to him, and he taught them. 14 While Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Levi, the son of Alphaeus. Levi's job was to take taxes from people. He was sitting in his office. Jesus said to him, ‘Come with me and be my disciple.’ Levi stood up and he went with Jesus.
2:14Levi took taxes on behalf of the Roman government. People did not like men who did this job because they were working for the Romans. Also, they often took more money than they should do.
15 Then Jesus went to eat a meal at Levi's house. Many people followed Jesus and they ate there with him and with his disciples. Many of these were bad people and also men who took taxes. 16 Some teachers of God's Law who were Pharisees saw what was happening. They said to Jesus' disciples, ‘He is eating with bad people and men who take taxes. That is not right.’
2:16The Pharisees taught people the rules that God had given to Moses. They also taught many of their own ideas. They thought that it was wrong for Jesus to eat with those kinds of people.
17 Jesus heard what these people were saying. He said to them, ‘People who are well do not need a doctor. It is people who are ill that need a doctor. Some people think that they always obey God. I did not come to help people like that. But some people know that they have done wrong things. I am asking those people to come to me for help.’
