MAT 9:13 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. πορευθέντες
2. poreuō
3. having been gone
4. -
5. 41980
6. VPAP·NMP
7. ˓having_been˒ gone
8. ˓having_been˒ gone
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew; R4997
11. 5037
1. Δέ
2. de
3. But
4. -
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. S
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5038
1. μάθετε
2. manthanō
3. learn
4. -
5. 31290
6. VMAA2··P
7. learn
8. learn
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew; R4997
11. 5039
1. τί
2. tis
3. what
4. -
5. 51010
6. R····NNS
7. what
8. what
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5040
1. ἐστίν
2. eimi
3. is this
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA3··S
7. is ‹this›
8. is ‹this›
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5041
1. Ἔλεον
2. eleos
3. -
4. -
5. 16560
6. N····AMS
7. mercy
8. mercy
9. B
10. -
11. 5042
1. Ἔλεος
2. eleos
3. Mercy
4. -
5. 16560
6. N····ANS
7. mercy
8. mercy
9. B
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5043
1. θέλω
2. thelō
3. I am wanting
4. -
5. 23090
6. VIPA1··S
7. ˱I˲ ˓am˒ wanting
8. ˱I˲ ˓am˒ wanting
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5044
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. and
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5045
1. οὒ
2. ou
3. not
4. -
5. 37560
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5046
1. θυσίαν
2. thusia
3. sacrifice
4. sacrifice
5. 23780
6. N····AFS
7. sacrifice
8. sacrifice
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5047
1. οὒ
2. ou
3. not
4. -
5. 37560
6. C·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5048
1. γάρ
2. gar
3. because/for
4. -
5. 10630
6. C·······
7. for
8. for
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5049
1. ἦλθον
2. erχomai
3. I came
4. came
5. 20640
6. VIAA1··S
7. ˱I˲ came
8. ˱I˲ came
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew; R4988; Person=Jesus
11. 5050
1. καλέσαι
2. kaleō
3. to call
4. -
5. 25640
6. VNAA····
7. ˓to˒ call
8. ˓to˒ call
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew; R4988; Person=Jesus
11. 5051
1. δικαίους
2. dikaios
3. +the righteous ones
4. righteous
5. 13420
6. S····AMP
7. ˓the˒ righteous ‹ones›
8. ˓the˒ righteous ‹ones›
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5052
1. καλέσαι
2. kaleō
3. -
4. -
5. 25640
6. VNAA····
7. ˓to˒ call
8. ˓to˒ call
9. -
10. -
11. 5053
1. ἀλλά
2. alla
3. but
4. -
5. 2350
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5054
1. ἁμαρτωλούς
2. hamartōlos
3. sinners
4. sinners
5. 2680
6. S····AMP
7. sinners
8. sinners
9. -
10. Y31; TJesus_Calls_Matthew
11. 5055
1. εἰς
2. eis
3. -
4. -
5. 15190
6. P·······
7. to
8. to
9. -
10. -
11. 5056
1. μετάνοιαν
2. metanoia
3. -
4. -
5. 33410
6. N····AFS
7. repentance
8. repentance
9. -
10. -
11. 5057

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 9:9–13: Jesus invited Matthew to be his disciple

In this section, Jesus asked a tax collector named Matthew to follow him and be his disciple. Most Jews considered tax collectors to be traitors and thieves. They were traitors because they were Jews who collected taxes for the conquering Roman government. They were thieves because they forced fellow Jews to give them more taxes than the Romans required. Then they kept the extra money and got rich.

Not only did Jesus ask a tax collector to be one of his disciples, he also ate and fellowshipped with other tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees criticized him for doing this. Jesus responded by telling them that his purpose in coming into the world was to call such sinners to repent. He did not come for people who are righteous or for those who are well. Jesus showed his critics that associating with sinners in order to help them to repent was a proper attitude for believers.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus Chooses Matthew (CEV)

The Call of Matthew (NRSV)

The Call of Matthew; Eating with Sinners (NET)

There are parallel passages for this section in Mark 2:13–17 and Luke 5:27–32.

9:13a

But go and learn what this means:

Go^(plur) and learn what it means when God said,
Read/Study more carefully and learn the correct meaning of these words that God said,

But go and learn: The clause go and learn is an expression that rabbis used when teaching their students. It means that the person should look more closely at the passage and learn what its real meaning is.

The Greek word translated here as go does not mean to literally “go.” It is a way of challenging the people to study the passage more carefully. If people will think that this word literally means to go somewhere, then it may be good to leave it out.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Study/Read more carefully and learn

Go and learn to follow

Learn (GW)

what this means: The word this refers to the quote from the book of Hosea that follows. In some languages, it may be good to indicate that what follows is a quote from the Bible.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

what it means when God said

the correct meaning of the words which are written in God’s book

9:13b

‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’

‘Kindness is what I want, not sacrifice.’
‘I want you to have pity on others more than I want your sacrifices.’

I desire mercy, not sacrifice: This quote from Hosea is a comparison of two things: mercy and sacrifice. It means that mercy is more important than sacrifice. It does not mean that God wanted his people to stop offering sacrifices.God did not abolish animal sacrifice for the Jews with this saying. God spoke these words about 700 years before Jesus came. At that time, the Jews were following all the correct rituals in worship, but were murdering and stealing and doing many other bad things to each other (Hosea 6:7–10).

In some languages, it may be more natural to express this comparison in another way. For example:

I want kindness more than I want animal sacrifices. (NCV)

I: The pronoun I refers to God. Jesus quoted words that God spoke. If people will think that the pronoun I is Jesus speaking about himself, you should indicate that God spoke here. For example:

when God said, ‘I…”

desire mercy: The word mercy means “compassion, concern, or pity toward someone in serious need.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

It is kindness that I want (GNT)

want you to pity

In some languages it may be necessary to indicate who should have mercy and to whom. For example:

I want you to be merciful to others. (CEV)

I want people to pity/love others.

sacrifice: The word sacrifice refers to the killing of animals at the temple and offering them to God. God required the Jews to offer animal sacrifices to him regularly.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

animal sacrifices (GNT)

offering sacrifices to me (CEV)

9:13c

For I have not come to call the righteous,

I did not come to call people who do what is right,
I eat with such people, because I did not come to earth to invite to repent those who think that they are upright.

Jesus’ quote from Hosea finished at the end of 9:13b. Here Jesus resumed speaking in his own words. If this is not clear in your translation, you may want to add some type of introduction. For example:

Jesus continued

For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For introduces the final part of Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees’ question (in 9:11b). It introduces the reason clause (4:6b) of a reason-result statement. The result is implied. The implied information is: “I eat with tax collectors and sinners.”

result (implied)	I eat with tax collectors and sinners ,
reason	for/because I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

Without the implied information, the word For does not make much sense. Many English versions leave it untranslated.

I have not come: Jesus used the clause I have not come to introduce a general statement about the purpose of his ministry. He used the verb come here in the sense that he came “to the earth” or came “from God.” He was not referring to coming to Matthew’s house.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

I did not come to earth

The reason I came from God was not to call the righteous

to call: The verb call means “invite.” It does not mean to shout or use a loud voice.

Matthew did not specify exactly what Jesus was calling sinners to do. In this context, the word call may refer to:

A call to repent (which is based on Jesus dealing with sinners and the theme of forgiveness in 9:6a).
A call to follow him and become his disciple (which is based on Jesus calling Matthew in 9:9c).
A call to accept him as Savior (which is one of the major themes of the book of Matthew).

The parallel passage in Luke 5:32 says “call…to repentance.” So if you use a verb that requires you to indicate the purpose of the call, you should indicate that it is a call to repent.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

to call to repent

to invite to turn to God

the righteous: The word righteous refers to people who live according to God’s standards. In other words, they consistently do what is right.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

those who obey God’s law

people who do what is right

In some languages there may be an idiom to describe this. For example:

people who follow a straight path

upright/straight people

In this context Jesus was using irony. There are no truly righteous people because everyone has sinned. He may have referred to people who think that they are doing what is right and do not recognize their sins.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

those who think they are righteous (NLT)

9:13d

but sinners.”

but/instead I came to call sinners.”
Rather I came to call/invite sinners to repent.”

but: There is a contrast here. The contrast is between what was not Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth (in 9:13c), and what was his purpose in coming (in 9:13d). Some English versions indicate this contrast with the conjunction but.

In some languages, no conjunction is necessary. The clauses themselves will indicate the contrast. For example:

^cI didn’t come to invite good people to be my followers. ^dI came to invite sinners. (CEV)

sinners: Some words from the previous clause are implied but not repeated here. In some languages, it may be more natural to repeat those words. For example:

I came to invite sinners. (CEV)

I have come to call/urge sinners to repent.

General Comment on 9:13c–d

In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of the clauses in 9:13c–d. For example:

I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough. (NLT96)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

δὲ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: πορευθέντες Δέ μάθετε τί ἐστίν Ἔλεος θέλω καί οὒ θυσίαν οὒ γάρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλά ἁμαρτωλούς)

Here, the word But introduces how Jesus will apply the proverb he spoke in the previous verse ([9:12](../09/12.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces an application, or you could leave But untranslated. Alternate translation: [So,]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

πορευθέντες & μάθετε

˓having_been˒_gone & learn

Here, the phrase having gone indicates that Jesus wants the Pharisees to study more carefully the passage that Jesus is about to quote. Jesus does not mean that they have to leave him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [carefully read and learn] or [think carefully and learn]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

μάθετε

learn

Here the command is in plural form because Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

τί ἐστιν

what (Some words not found in SR-GNT: πορευθέντες Δέ μάθετε τί ἐστίν Ἔλεος θέλω καί οὒ θυσίαν οὒ γάρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλά ἁμαρτωλούς)

Here Jesus means that they should learn the meaning of the passage he is about to quote. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [what this means] or [the meaning of this passage]

Note 5 topic: writing-quotations

τί ἐστιν: ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν

Here Jesus introduces a quotation from [Hosea 6:6](../hos/06/06.md), where God is speaking to the Israelites. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could introduce the quotation as something that God has said that is written in the Scriptures, or you could include this information in a footnote. Alternate translation: [what this passage from the book of Hosea is: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice] or [what God said through Hosea: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν

Here God says that he does not want any sacrifice. The Israelites would have understood him to mean that God primarily wants mercy, and he only wants sacrifice if there is also mercy. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different way to express the emphasis. Alternate translation: [I primarily desire mercy, and only then, sacrifice] or [I desire mercy much more than sacrifice]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἔλεος & καὶ οὐ θυσίαν

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of mercy and sacrifice, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: [people to be merciful and not to sacrifice to me]

Note 8 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

γὰρ

Here, the word For introduces a development based on what the quotation means. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a development, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: [So then,] or [In light of that,]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον

Here, the word come refers to Jesus entering this world as a human to do what God called him to do. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [For I did not come to this world] or [For I am not acting]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

δικαίους

˓the˒_righteous_‹ones›

Jesus is using the adjective righteous as a noun to mean righteous people. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [righteous people]

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλούς

Jesus is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [but I came to call sinners]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear MAT 9:13

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 9:9–13: Jesus invited Matthew to be his disciple

9:13a

9:13b

9:13c

9:13d

General Comment on 9:13c–d

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)