Matthew 9:9

“And passing on from there, Jesus saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he says to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.”

Matthew 9:9 · direct translation from the Greek
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Matthew, the tax collector, gets up from his table and follows himFollowing Jesus

With the Greek beneath

9

Matthew 9:9, word by word

passing onπαράγωνparagōn

pass by

To go along near someone or something, without stopping.

Where else “paragōn” appears
from thereἐκεῖθενekeithen

from there

From there.

Where else “ekeithen” appears
JesusἸησοῦςIēsous

Jesus

Jesus, the Greek form of the Hebrew Yehoshua (Joshua), which means "YHWH saves". It is the name the angel told Joseph to give him (Matthew 1:21).

Where else “Iēsous” appears
sawεἶδενeiden

see

To perceive with sight, to look and notice what is in front.

Where else “eiden” appears
a manἄνθρωπονanthrōpon

someone

Any person, without saying who, as in the parables.

Where else “anthrōpon” appears
namedλεγόμενονlegomenon

call

To call someone by a name.

Where else “legomenon” appears
MatthewΜαθθαῖονMaththaion

Matthew

Matthew, the tax collector whom Jesus called; one of the Twelve.

Where else “Maththaion” appears
sittingκαθήμενονkathēmenon

sit

To be seated somewhere, or riding on an animal.

Where else “kathēmenon” appears
the tax boothτελώνιονtelōnion

tax booth

Tax booth, the stall where taxes were collected.

Where else “telōnion” appears
“FollowἈκολούθειAkolouthei

follow as disciple

To leave everything to go with Jesus as a disciple.

Where else “Akolouthei” appears
he got upἀναστὰςanastas

get up

To stand up, or set out somewhere.

Where else “anastas” appears

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

The call of Levi (Matthew)

Mark 2:13-17Luke 5:27-32

See them side by side

Matthew 9:9-13

9And passing on from there, Jesus saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he says to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10And it happened, as he was reclining at table in the house, that look, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11And seeing this, the Pharisees were saying to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with the tax collectors and sinners?” 12But he, hearing it, said, “The healthy have no need of a doctor, but those who are ill. 13So go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Mark 2:13-17

13And he went out again beside the sea; and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he says to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 15And it happens that he is reclining at table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many, and they were following him. 16And the scribes of the Pharisees, seeing that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, were saying to his disciples, “Why does he eat with the tax collectors and sinners?” 17And hearing it, Jesus says to them, “Those who are well have no need of a doctor, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Luke 5:27-32

27And after this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” 28And leaving behind everything, he got up and began following him. 29And Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining at table with them. 30And the Pharisees and their scribes were grumbling to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” 31And Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a doctor, but those who are sick. 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to a change of mind.”

The context

8Seeing it, the crowds were afraid and glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.

9 · This verse (above)

10And it happened, as he was reclining at table in the house, that look, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.

Read all of Matthew 9

To study Matthew 9 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What did Jesus say to the paralyzed man before healing him, and how did some scribes react (vv. 2–3)?

  2. 2. What it means

    What did Jesus mean by “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” as he sat with them (vv. 10–13)?

  3. 3. How I live it

    Jesus saw the crowds with compassion (v. 36). Whom around you could you look at with more compassion today?

How to use it