Devine Scripture

Matthew 9:11

What does Matthew 9:11 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 9:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 9:11 means

Observing Jesus dining with tax collectors and sinners, the Pharisees confront His disciples, questioning why their teacher, who claimed to be a righteous man, would associate with such individuals. This highlights the Pharisees' rigid adherence to ceremonial purity and social separation, viewing contact with "sinners" as defiling. Their question reveals their judgment of Jesus based on their own traditions, failing to grasp the true nature of His mission to reach the lost.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Teacher with the publicans and sinners?

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Teacher with the publicans and sinners?

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, Why does your Master take food with tax-farmers and sinners?

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and the Pharisees having seen, said to his disciples, `Wherefore with the tax-gatherers and sinners doth your teacher eat?'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples: Why doth your master eat with publicans and sinners?

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the Pharisees seeing [it], said to his disciples, Why does your teacher eat with tax-gatherers and sinners?

Context

This verse presents the Pharisees' direct challenge concerning Jesus' table fellowship. It immediately follows the description of Jesus dining with tax collectors and sinners, establishing the conflict. Their question directed to the disciples sets the stage for Jesus' powerful defense of His actions and clarification of His mission, which He will deliver directly to His critics.

v.10And it came to pass, as he sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

v.11This passage

v.12But when he heard it, he said, They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Mark 9:14

    And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great multitude about them, and scribes questioning with them.

  • Luke 19:7

    And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner.

  • Mark 2:16

    And 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?

  • Luke 15:1

    Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him.

  • 1 Corinthians 5:9

    I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators;

  • Luke 5:30

    And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with the publicans and sinners?

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