MAT 9:13 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT But having gone, learn what this is: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

UST You should study and learn from what God has said in the Scriptures: ‘What I most want is that people treat each other mercifully, not that people present offerings to me.’ Much like that, I am here not to invite those who think they are righteous to come to me. Rather, I invite those who know that they have sinned to come to me.”

BSB But go [and] learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[fn] For I have not come to call [the] righteous, but sinners.[fn]”

9:13 Hosea 6:6

9:13 BYZ and TR but sinners, to repentance; see Luke 5:32.

MSB But go [and] learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[fn] For I have not come to call [the] righteous, but sinners, to repentance.[fn]”

9:13 Hosea 6:6

9:13 CT does not include to repentance; see Luke 5:32.

BLB But having gone, learn what is, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

AICNT Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’[fn] For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners [[to repentance]].”[fn]

9:13, Hosea 6:6 LXX

9:13, to repentance: Later manuscripts add. BYZ TR

OEB Go and learn what this means – “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice”; for I did not come to call the religious, but the outcast.’

WEBBE But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”[fn]

9:13 NU omits “to repentance”.

WMBB (Same as above including footnotes)

NET Go and learn what this saying means: ‘ I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

LSV but having gone, learn what [this] is: Kindness I will, and not sacrifice; for I did not come to call righteous men, but sinners.”

FBV Go and discover what this means: ‘I want mercy, not sacrifice. For I didn't come to call those who do what's right—I came to call sinners.’ ”[fn]

9:13 Quoting Hosea 6:6.

TCNT Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners [fn]to repentance.”

9:13 to repentance ¦ — CT

T4T He continued by saying, “You need to learn what these words that God said mean: ‘I want you to act mercifully to people and not just to offer sacrifices.’ Keep in mind that I came from heaven, not to invite people who think [IRO] that they are righteous to turn away from their sinful lives and come to me, but to invite people who know they are sinners to turn from their sins and come to me.”

LEB But go and[fn] learn what it means, “I want mercy and not sacrifice.”[fn] For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

9:13 *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go”) has been translated as a finite verb

9:13 A quotation from Hos 6:6 |link-href="None"(see alsoMatt 12:7|link-href="None" )

BBE But go and take to heart the sense of these words, My desire is for mercy, not offerings: for I have come not to get the upright, but sinners.

Moff Go and learn the meaning of this word, I care for mercy not for sacrifice. For I have not come to call just men but sinners."

Wymth But go and learn what this means, `It is mercy that I desire, not sacrifice'; for I did not come to appeal to the righteous, but to sinners."

ASV But go ye and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice: for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

DRA Go then and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the just, but sinners.

YLT but having gone, learn ye what is, Kindness I will, and not sacrifice, for I did not come to call righteous men, but sinners, to reformation.'

Drby But go and learn what [that] is — I will have mercy and not sacrifice; for I have not come to call righteous [men] but sinners.

RV But go ye and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice: for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.
(But go ye/you_all and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice: for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. )

SLT And having gone, learn what is this, I wish mercy, and not sacrifice: for I came not to call the just, but the sinful to repentance.

Wbstr But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

KJB-1769 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
( But go ye/you_all and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. )

KJB-1611 But goe ye and learne what that meaneth, I will haue mercy and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Go ye, and learne what that meaneth, I wyll haue mercie, and not sacrifice: for I am not come, to call the righteous, but sinners to repentaunce.
(Go ye/you_all, and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come, to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.)

Gnva But goe yee and learne what this is, I will haue mercie, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance.
(But go ye/you_all and learn what this is, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance. )

Cvdl Go and learne, what that meaneth: I haue pleasure in mercy, and not in offerynge. For I am not come to call the righteous, but ye synners to repentaunce,
(Go and learne, what that meaneth: I have pleasure in mercy, and not in offering. For I am not come to call the righteous, but ye/you_all sinners to repentance,)

TNT Goo and learne what that meaneth: I have pleasure in mercy and not in offerynge. For I am not come to call the rightewes but the synners to repentaunce.
(Go and learn what that meaneth: I have pleasure in mercy and not in offering. For I am not come to call the rightewes but the sinners to repentance. )

Wycl But go ye, and lerne what it is, Y wole merci, and not sacrifice; for I cam, not to clepe riytful men, but synful men.
(But go ye/you_all, and learn what it is, I will mercy, and not sacrifice; for I came, not to call rightful men, but sinful men.)

Luth Gehet aber hin und lernet, was das sei: Ich habe Wohlgefallen an Barmherzigkeit und nicht am Opfer. Ich bin kommen, die Sünder zur Buße zu rufen und nicht die Frommen.
(Go but there/therefore and learnt, what/which the sei: I have pleasure at/to compassion and not in/at/on_the victim/prey. I am coming, the sinners to/for repentance to/for call/cry/shout and not the pious/devout_(one).)

ClVg Euntes autem discite quid est: Misericordiam volo, et non sacrificium. Non enim veni vocare justos, sed peccatores.[fn]
(Going however discite what it_is: Mercym I_want, and not/no sacrifice. Not/No because I_came to_call just, but sinners. )

9.13 Euntes autem dicite. Tumentibus de falsa justitia consilium correctionis dat, etc., usque ad ove, et drachma, et duobus filiis. Non enim veni vocure justos. Nonne Nathanæl, et Petrum, et Andream, etc., usque ad jam non justi sibi videntur.

9.13 Going however say. Tumentibus from/about false justice advice correctionis gives, etc., until to ove, and drachma, and for_two to_the_children. Not/No because I_came vocure just. Isn't_it Nathanæl, and Peter, and Andream, etc., until to already not/no just to_himself they_seem.

UGNT πορευθέντες δὲ, μάθετε τί ἐστιν: ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν, οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλούς.
(poreuthentes de, mathete ti estin: eleos thelō kai ou thusian, ou gar aʸlthon kalesai dikaious, alla hamartōlous.)

SBL-GNT πορευθέντες δὲ μάθετε τί ἐστιν· Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ⸀ἁμαρτωλούς.
(poreuthentes de mathete ti estin; Eleos thelō kai ou thusian; ou gar aʸlthon kalesai dikaious alla ⸀hamartōlous.)

RP-GNT Πορευθέντες δὲ μάθετε τί ἐστιν, Ἔλεον θέλω, καὶ οὐ θυσίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν.
(Poreuthentes de mathete ti estin, Eleon thelō, kai ou thusian; ou gar aʸlthon kalesai dikaious, alla hamartōlous eis metanoian.)

TC-GNT Πορευθέντες δὲ μάθετε τί ἐστιν, [fn]Ἔλεον θέλω, καὶ οὐ θυσίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους, [fn]ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς [fn]εἰς μετάνοιαν.
(Poreuthentes de mathete ti estin, Eleon thelō, kai ou thusian; ou gar aʸlthon kalesai dikaious, alla hamartōlous eis metanoian. )

9:13 ελεον ¦ ελεος CT

9:13 αλλα ¦ αλλ NA²⁸ TR

9:13 εις μετανοιαν ¦ — CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN 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)

UTN 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]

Parallel MAT 9:13

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