Luke 15:2

Easy-to-Read Version

Then the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to complain, "Look, this man welcomes sinners and even eats with them!"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

King James Version (1611)
And the Pharises and Scribes murmured, murmured, saying, This man receiueth sinners, and eateth with them.

King James Version
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

English Standard Version
And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

New American Standard Bible
And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."

New Century Version
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to complain: "Look, this man welcomes sinners and even eats with them."

Amplified Bible
Both the Pharisees and the scribes began muttering and complaining, saying, "This man accepts and welcomes sinners and eats with them."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

Legacy Standard Bible
And both the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

Berean Standard Bible
So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

Contemporary English Version
So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, "This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them."

Complete Jewish Bible
and the P'rushim and Torah-teachers kept grumbling. "This fellow," they said, "welcomes sinners — he even eats with them!"

Darby Translation
and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This [man] receives sinners and eats with them.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore the Pharises and Scribes murmured, saying, Hee receiueth sinners, and eateth with them.

George Lamsa Translation
And the scribes and Pharisees murmured, saying, He receives even the sinners and eats with them.

Good News Translation
the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law started grumbling, "This man welcomes outcasts and even eats with them!"

Lexham English Bible
And both the Pharisees and the scribes were complaining, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!"

Literal Translation
And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This one receives sinners and eats with them.

American Standard Version
And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Bible in Basic English
And the Pharisees and scribes were angry, saying, This man gives approval to sinners, and takes food with them.

Hebrew Names Version
The Perushim and the Sofrim murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them."

International Standard Version
But the Pharisees and the scribes kept complaining, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."Acts 11:3; Galatians 2:12;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And the Sophree and Pharishee murmured, and said, This (man) receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Murdock Translation
And the Scribes and Pharisees murmured, and said: This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the pharisees & scribes murmured, saying: he receaueth sinners, and eateth with them.

English Revised Version
And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

World English Bible
The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured saying, This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.

Weymouth's New Testament
and this led the Pharisees and the Scribes indignantly to complain, saying, "He gives a welcome to notorious sinners, and joins them at their meals!"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Farisees and scribis grutchiden, seiynge, For this resseyueth synful men, and etith with hem.

Update Bible Version
And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners, and eats with them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

New English Translation
But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

New King James Version
And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."

New Living Translation
This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

New Life Bible
The proud religious law-keepers and the teachers of the Law began to speak against Him. They said, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

New Revised Standard
And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and both the Pharisees and the Scribes were murmuring, saying, This man, unto sinners, giveth welcome, and eateth with them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying: This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.

Revised Standard Version
And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And the pharises and scribes murmured sayinge: He receaved to his copany synners and eateth with them.

Young's Literal Translation
and the Pharisees and the scribes were murmuring, saying -- This one doth receive sinners, and doth eat with them.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And ye Pharises and scrybes murmured, and sayde: This man receaueth synners, and eateth with them.

Mace New Testament (1729)
at which the Pharisees and Scribes murmured, saying, this man gives access to men of bad character, and eats with them.

Simplified Cowboy Version
The religious know-it-alls and teachers of Moses's code started complaining, "This man would rather hang out with lowlifes than good folk!"

Contextual Overview

¹ Many tax collectors and sinners came to listen to Jesus. ² Then the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to complain, "Look, this man welcomes sinners and even eats with them!" ³ Then Jesus told them this story: ⁴ "Suppose one of you has 100 sheep, but one of them gets lost. What will you do? You will leave the other 99 sheep there in the field and go out and look for the lost sheep. You will continue to search for it until you find it. ⁵ And when you find it, you will be very happy. You will carry it ⁶ home, go to your friends and neighbors and say to them, ‘Be happy with me because I found my lost sheep!' ⁷ In the same way, I tell you, heaven is a happy place when one sinner decides to change. There is more joy for that one sinner than for 99 good people who don't need to change. ⁸ "Suppose a woman has ten silver coins, but she loses one of them. She will take a light and clean the house. She will look carefully for the coin until she finds it. ⁹ And when she finds it, she will call her friends and neighbors and say to them, ‘Be happy with me because I have found the coin that I lost!' ¹⁰ In the same way, it's a happy time for the angels of God when one sinner decides to change."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Luke 15:29, Luke 15:30, Luke 5:30, Luke 7:34, Luke 7:39, Luke 19:7, Matthew 9:11, Acts 11:3, 1 Corinthians 5:9-11, Galatians 2:12

Reciprocal: Psalms 51:17 - thou Isaiah 65:5 - Stand Matthew 9:9 - named Matthew 11:19 - a friend Matthew 20:11 - they murmured Matthew 21:31 - the publicans Mark 2:16 - How Mark 14:5 - And they Luke 3:12 - General Luke 5:17 - that there Luke 15:28 - he Luke 18:9 - and despised John 6:41 - murmured John 9:24 - a sinner Romans 15:7 - as Hebrews 12:3 - contradiction

Cross-References

Genesis 15:1
After all these things happened, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. God said, "Abram, don't be afraid. I will defend you and give you a great reward."

Genesis 15:2
But Abram said, "Lord God , there is nothing you can give me that will make me happy, because I have no son. My slave Eliezer from Damascus will get everything I own after I die."

Genesis 15:3
Abram said, "You have given me no son, so a slave born in my house will get everything I have."

Genesis 15:4
Then the Lord spoke to Abram and said, "That slave will not be the one to get what you have. You will have a son who will get everything you own."

Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the Lord , and because of this faith the Lord accepted him as one who has done what is right.

Genesis 24:2
Abraham's oldest servant was in charge of everything he owned. Abraham called that servant to him and said, "Put your hand under my leg.

Genesis 24:10
The servant took ten of Abraham's camels and left that place. The servant carried with him many different kinds of beautiful gifts. He went to Mesopotamia, to Nahor's city.

Genesis 25:21
Isaac's wife could not have children. So Isaac prayed to the Lord for her. The Lord heard Isaac's prayer, and he allowed Rebekah to become pregnant.

Genesis 39:9
My master has made me almost equal to him in his house. I cannot sleep with his wife! That is wrong! It is a sin against God."

Genesis 43:19
So the brothers went to the servant in charge of Joseph's house.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Pharisees and Scribes murmured,.... When they saw the easy access these wicked men had to Christ; and that he stopped and stayed with them, and very freely imparted instructions to them: saying,

this man receiveth sinners. The Persic version reads, "publicans and sinners", as in the preceding verse: the word "man" is not in the original text, it is only "this"; which is to be understood not by way of eminence, as this great person, this prophet, this master in Israel; but by way of diminution and reproach, this fellow; as it is sometimes supplied: the word "man" be very rightly inserted, for they took him to be a mere man; though it is certain he was more than a man, even the true and mighty God; and therefore was able to save those sinners that came to him: and great condescension and grace did he show in receiving them who were "sinners", not only by nature, but by practice; and not merely guilty of common infirmities, but were notorious sinners, covetous, extortioners, oppressors of the poor, and very debauched persons; and such as these Christ "receives": hence no man should be discouraged from coming to Christ, on account of sin; all that do come to him, should come as sinners, for he receives them as such; nor does he receive any for any worthiness there is in them: these persons he received first at his Father's hand, as he did all the elect, as his portion, and to be preserved and saved by him; with all gifts, grace, blessings, and promises for them; and in consequence of this, he receives them upon their coming to him as sinners, into his open love and affection, into his arms; which denotes communion and protection; into his house and family, and not only to hear him preach, or preached, but to converse and eat with him at his table, and even to live by faith upon him; and when he has freed them from all their sins, he will receive them to himself in glory. And there is the greatest reason imaginable to believe, that Christ still does, and will receive sinners; since he came to save the chief of sinners; and has bore their sins, and died for them; and now makes intercession for transgressors; and by the ministers of the word calls sinners to repentance.

And eateth with them; as he did in the houses of Matthew the publican, and of Zaccheus; see Matthew 9:10 each of which occasioned great murmurings among the Pharisees; and who therefore traduced him as a friend of publicans and sinners; and he is indeed so in the best sense: and not only did he eat with them corporeally, but in a spiritual sense, as he still does; admitting them into his house to eat of the provisions of it, to live on him the bread of life, to sup with him, and he with them; and feeding and delighting himself in the exercise of those graces, which he himself is the donor and author of, in them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Murmured - They affected to suppose that if Jesus treated sinners kindly he must be fond of their society, and be a man of similar character. “They” considered it disgraceful to be with them or to eat with them, and they, therefore, brought a charge against him for it. They “would” not suppose that he admitted them to his society for the purpose of doing them good; nor did they remember that the very object of his coming was to call the wicked from their ways and to save them from death.

Receiveth sinners - Receives them in a tender manner; treats them with kindness; does not drive them from his presence.

And eateth with them - Contrary to the received maxims of the scribes. By eating with them he showed that he did not despise or overlook them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 15:2. Receiveth sinners — προσδεχεται. He receives them cordially, affectionately - takes them to his bosom; for so the word implies. What mercy! Jesus receives sinners in the most loving, affectionate manner, and saves them unto eternal life! Reader, give glory to God for ever!