Mark 2:13-17, King James Version
Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.
Mark 2:13-17
Jesus Calls Levi and Eats with the Disreputable
Jesus calls Levi from the tax station and shares a meal with many tax collectors and sinners, explaining that his mission addresses those who know their need.
Why this sits here
After authority to forgive is contested, Jesus enacts that mission by calling Levi and sharing a table with people labeled sinners, provoking a new question about whom his ministry includes.
Mark 2:13-17 opens with “And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he…” and closes with “When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician….”
Why this reading fits
Interpretive limit or uncertainty
Tax collectors could participate in exploitative systems, but the labels in the scene do not identify an ethnic class as morally inferior. Physician imagery explains mission, not a license to diagnose neighbors.
A needed correction
Reading Mark 2:13-17 in its complete Markan, Jewish, first-century, and Passion-shaped setting rules out these uses:
Table fellowship does not excuse exploitation or erase accountability.
The sick-and-whole saying does not authorize labeling disliked people diseased.
The scene does not teach that respectable Jewish people had no need of grace.
What remains true
Jesus' table fellowship brings morally compromised and socially disreputable people near without denying the need for change.
How this should shape us
What faithful practice follows?
Make room for accountable restoration without using social labels to declare some people beyond mercy.
Go deeper
The explanation above is meant to stand on its own. Open these notes only if you want language, history, disagreements, or source locations.
Read it sentence by sentenceEach line inside the larger movement
Narrative and structural evidence
Mark 2:13-17 opens with “And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he…” and closes with “When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician….” The internal movement runs from “Jesus calls Levi from the tax station and shares a meal with many tax collectors and sinners, explaining that his mission addresses those who know their need” to “Jesus calls Levi from the tax station and shares a meal with many tax collectors and sinners, explaining that his mission addresses those who know their need.”
Interpretive limit or uncertainty
Tax collectors could participate in exploitative systems, but the labels in the scene do not identify an ethnic class as morally inferior. Physician imagery explains mission, not a license to diagnose neighbors.
What the first readers would have understoodRelevant history and culture
Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, and Roman rule
Mark narrates Jesus and Jewish contemporaries within first-century Galilean, Judean, temple, village, household, synagogue, and Roman-imperial settings. For Mark 2:13-17, the needed reconstruction is bounded by: Tax collectors could participate in exploitative systems, but the labels in the scene do not identify an ethnic class as morally inferior. Physician imagery explains mission, not a license to diagnose neighbors.
How certain? probableWhy translations sometimes differMaterial translation choices
KJV wording in 2:13-17
The pinned KJV remains displayed. SBLGNT, STEP, and NET comparison clarify older English, syntax, and material alternatives where this unit requires them: Tax collectors could participate in exploitative systems, but the labels in the scene do not identify an ethnic class as morally inferior. Physician imagery explains mission, not a license to diagnose neighbors.
How certain? probableEarlier Scripture and inherited backgroundSupported quotations, allusions, and inherited ideas
Israel's Scriptures and Jewish life
Mark 2:13-17 belongs inside Jewish Scripture, worship, purity, Sabbath, kingdom, temple, Passover, prophetic hope, and debate as locally relevant. Christian interpretation must preserve that first horizon and reject antisemitic or supersessionist caricature.
How certain? strongHow this connects with the rest of ScriptureThe passage's own meaning remains primary
Synoptic and canonical relationships
Mark's own wording and sequence control Mark 2:13-17. Matthew and Luke often reuse or reshape Mark under the widely supported Markan-priority model, while Matthean-priority and other models remain alternatives; parallels may clarify reception but cannot overwrite Mark.
How certain? probableTextual variantsManuscript differences only when they affect meaning
Text and transmission
Mark's textual history is checked against the SBLGNT and NET notes. The material local control is: Tax collectors could participate in exploitative systems, but the labels in the scene do not identify an ethnic class as morally inferior. Physician imagery explains mission, not a license to diagnose neighbors.
How certain? probableWhere careful interpreters disagreeThe strongest options and their difficulties
Where do careful interpreters differ?
Best judgment: Tax collectors could participate in exploitative systems, but the labels in the scene do not identify an ethnic class as morally inferior. Physician imagery explains mission, not a license to diagnose neighbors.
How certain? probableTheology that emerges from this passageConclusions drawn after reading the complete section
Theological contribution
God's kingdom, Jesus' identity and authority, Passion-shaped service, faithful following, accountable power, mercy, resurrection hope, and care for vulnerable people control the theological use of Mark 2:13-17.
How certain? strongTheological contribution
Jesus calls Levi from the tax station and shares a meal with many tax collectors and sinners, explaining that his mission addresses those who know their need.
How certain? strongCommon ways this passage gets misusedFair explanation, context check, and stronger reading
Table fellowship does not excuse exploitation or erase accountability.
A memorable line or action in movement 9 can be detached from its actors, first-century setting, and Mark's Passion-shaped plot.
Jesus calls Levi from the tax station and shares a meal with many tax collectors and sinners, explaining that his mission addresses those who know their need.
Read Mark 2:13-17 as the complete unit, preserve Tax collectors could participate in exploitative systems, but the labels in the scene do not identify an ethnic class as morally inferior. Physician imagery explains mission, not a license to diagnose neighbors.
Table fellowship does not excuse exploitation or erase accountability.
The sick-and-whole saying does not authorize labeling disliked people diseased.
A memorable line or action in movement 9 can be detached from its actors, first-century setting, and Mark's Passion-shaped plot.
Jesus calls Levi from the tax station and shares a meal with many tax collectors and sinners, explaining that his mission addresses those who know their need.
Read Mark 2:13-17 as the complete unit, preserve Tax collectors could participate in exploitative systems, but the labels in the scene do not identify an ethnic class as morally inferior. Physician imagery explains mission, not a license to diagnose neighbors.
The sick-and-whole saying does not authorize labeling disliked people diseased.
The scene does not teach that respectable Jewish people had no need of grace.
A memorable line or action in movement 9 can be detached from its actors, first-century setting, and Mark's Passion-shaped plot.
Jesus calls Levi from the tax station and shares a meal with many tax collectors and sinners, explaining that his mission addresses those who know their need.
Read Mark 2:13-17 as the complete unit, preserve Tax collectors could participate in exploitative systems, but the labels in the scene do not identify an ethnic class as morally inferior. Physician imagery explains mission, not a license to diagnose neighbors.
The scene does not teach that respectable Jewish people had no need of grace.
Research trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section
Supports: Exact KJV wording, paragraph flags, supplied-word markup, and coverage.
Mark 2:13-17, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Supports: Greek wording, sentence relations, and material variants checked independently of the KJV.
Faithlife SBLGNT official repository, data/sblgnt/text/Mark.txt, 2:13-17
Supports: Greek forms, morphology, and lexical ranges; context controls sense.
STEP Bible Data official repository, TAGNT Matthew–Acts data, rows for 2:13-17
Supports: Verse-level translation, syntax, older-English clarification, variants, background, and alternatives.
NET Bible Mark PDF, printed pp. 1868–1901, 2:13-17 and attached translator/textual notes
Supports: Narrative boundaries, plot, characterization, kingdom, Christology, discipleship, conflict, Passion, and ending.
Broadhead, Mark, printed pp. 15–30, Mark 1.21–3.7a; subsection covering 2:13-17
Supports: Authorship/date limits, whole-book movement, secrecy, disciple failure, Passion, Sonship, and reader-first context.
Enter the Bible Mark course, Summary, Outline, Background, Introductory Issues, Theological Themes, and related passage index; applied to 2:13-17
Supports: A complete confessional evangelical interpretation used as one traditioned voice, not consensus.
McKinley, “Mark,” Introduction and commentary heading covering Mark 2:13-17
Sources for This Section
These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact KJV wording, paragraph flags, supplied-word markup, and coverage.
Exact location: Mark 2:13-17, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, sentence relations, and material variants checked independently of the KJV.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT official repository, data/sblgnt/text/Mark.txt, 2:13-17
Open the Mark Greek text file ↗Lexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: Greek forms, morphology, and lexical ranges; context controls sense.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data official repository, TAGNT Matthew–Acts data, rows for 2:13-17
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Mark with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005–2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level translation, syntax, older-English clarification, variants, background, and alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible Mark PDF, printed pp. 1868–1901, 2:13-17 and attached translator/textual notes
Open the official NET Mark PDF ↗modern scholarly narrative commentary
Mark, Second Edition
Edwin K. Broadhead
Sheffield Phoenix Press; distributed online by the Society of Biblical Literature, 2009
Supports: Narrative boundaries, plot, characterization, kingdom, Christology, discipleship, conflict, Passion, and ending.
Exact location: Broadhead, Mark, printed pp. 15–30, Mark 1.21–3.7a; subsection covering 2:13-17
Open Broadhead's complete Mark commentary ↗modern scholarly book introduction
Mark course: summary, outline, background, introductory issues, theological themes, and Bible in the world
Paul S. Berge; revised by Kristofer Phan Coffman
Enter the Bible, Luther Seminary, 2023 revision; current online course inspected 2026
Supports: Authorship/date limits, whole-book movement, secrecy, disciple failure, Passion, Sonship, and reader-first context.
Exact location: Enter the Bible Mark course, Summary, Outline, Background, Introductory Issues, Theological Themes, and related passage index; applied to 2:13-17
Open the Enter the Bible Mark course ↗modern open confessional commentary
Mark
Mike McKinley
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023 online edition
Supports: A complete confessional evangelical interpretation used as one traditioned voice, not consensus.
Exact location: McKinley, “Mark,” Introduction and commentary heading covering Mark 2:13-17
Open McKinley's Mark commentary ↗