MARK 2:15 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, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
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 And it happens that he reclined to eat in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and his disciples, for they were many, and they were following him.

UST Later, Jesus was feasting in Levi’s home. Many people who collected taxes and other sinful people feasted with Jesus and his apprentices. All these people went with Jesus as his apprentices.

BSB While [Jesus] was dining at [Levi’s] house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with [Him] and His disciples—for there were many who followed Him.

BLB And it came to pass in His reclining in his house, that many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they were following Him.

AICNT {And it happened that he reclined in his house},[fn] and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many and they followed him.

2:15, And it happened that he reclined: Some manuscripts read “as he reclined.”

OEB Later on he was in his house having dinner, and a number of tax collectors and outcasts took their places at the table with Jesus and his disciples; for many of them were following him.

WEBBE He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.

WMBB He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Yeshua and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.

NET As Jesus was having a meal in Levi’s home, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

LSV And it came to pass, in His reclining in his house, that many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples, for there were many, and they followed Him.

FBV That evening Jesus ate dinner at Levi's house. Many tax collectors and “sinners”[fn] joined Jesus and his disciples for the meal, for there were many of these people that followed Jesus.

2:15 “Sinners” here refers to those who were not seen as so strict in their keeping of the religious law as the religious teachers and the Pharisees.

TCNT Later, as Jesus was reclining at the table in Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners reclined with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

T4T Later, Jesus was eating a meal in Levi’s house. Many men who collected taxes and other people who were considered to be sinning regularly were eating with Jesus and his disciples. This was not surprising, for there were many people like this who were going everywhere with Jesus.

LEB And it happened that he _⌊was dining_⌋[fn] in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners _⌊were dining with_⌋[fn] Jesus and his disciples, for there were many and they were following him.

2:15 Literally “was reclining for a meal”

2:15 Literally “were reclining at table with”

BBE And it came about that he was seated at meat in his house, and a number of tax-farmers and sinners were at table with Jesus and his disciples: for there were a great number of them, and they came after him.

Moff Now Levi was at table in his own house, and he had many taxgatherers and sinners as guests along with Jesus and his disciples — for there were many of them among his followers.

Wymth When He was sitting at table in Levi's house, a large number of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners were at table with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many such who habitually followed Him.

ASV And it came to pass, that he was sitting at meat in his house, and many publicans and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

DRA And it came to pass, that as he sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat down together with Jesus and his disciples. For they were many, who also followed him.

YLT And it came to pass, in his reclining (at meat) in his house, that many tax-gatherers and sinners were reclining (at meat) with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.

Drby And it came to pass as he lay at table in his house, that many tax-gatherers and sinners lay at table with Jesus and his disciples; for they were many, and they followed him.

RV And it came to pass, that he was sitting at meat in his house, and many publicans and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

SLT And it was in his reclining at table in his house, and many publicans and sinful reclined together with Jesus and his disciples: for they were many, and they followed him.

Wbstr And it came to pass, that as Jesus sat at table in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many, and they followed him.

KJB-1769 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

KJB-1611 And it came to passe, that as Iesus sate at meate in his house, many Publicanes and sinners sate also together with Iesus and his disciples: for there were many, & they followed him.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps And it came to passe, that when Iesus sate at meate in his house, many publicanes and sinners sate also together at meate with Iesus and his disciples: for there were many that folowed him.
(And it came to pass, that when Yesus/Yeshua sat at meat in his house, many publicanes and sinners sat also together at meat with Yesus/Yeshua and his disciples: for there were many that followed him.)

Gnva And it came to passe, as Iesus sate at table in his house, many Publicanes and sinners sate at table also with Iesus, and his disciples: for there were many that followed him.
(And it came to pass, as Yesus/Yeshua sat at table in his house, many Publicans and sinners sat at table also with Yesus/Yeshua, and his disciples: for there were many that followed him. )

Cvdl And it came to passe as he sat at the table in his house, there sat many publicans & synners at the table with Iesus and his disciples: For there were many yt folowed him.
(And it came to pass as he sat at the table in his house, there sat many publicans and sinners at the table with Yesus/Yeshua and his disciples: For there were many it followed him.)

TNT And it came to passe as Iesus sate at meate in his housse many publicans and synners sate at meate also with Iesus and his disciples. For there were many that folowed him.
(And it came to pass as Yesus/Yeshua sat at meat in his house many publicans and sinners sat at meat also with Yesus/Yeshua and his disciples. For there were many that followed him. )

Wycl And it was doon, whanne he sat at the mete in his hous, many pupplicans and synful men saten togidere at the mete with Jhesu and hise disciplis; for there weren many that folewiden hym.
(And it was done, when he sat at the meet in his house, many pupplicans and sinful men sat together at the meet with Yhesu and his disciples; for there were many that followed him.)

Luth Und es begab sich, da er zu Tische saß in seinem Hause, setzten sich viel Zöllner und Sünder zu Tische mit JEsu und seinen Jüngern. Denn ihrer war viel, die ihm nachfolgeten.
(And it gifted itself/yourself/themselves, there he to/for tables sat in his house, put/set/sat itself/yourself/themselves many Zöllner and sinners to/for tables with Yesu and his disciples. Because of_their/her what/which many, the him successoren.)

ClVg Et factum est, cum accumberet in domo illius, multi publicani et peccatores simul discumbebant cum Jesu et discipulis ejus: erant enim multi, qui et sequebantur eum.[fn]
(And done it_is, when/with to_sit_downt in/into/on at_home of_that, many publicni and sinners at_the_same_time discumbebant when/with Yesu and students his: they_were because multi, who/which and they_followed him. )

2.15 Et factum est. ID. Lucas: Fecit eis convivium magnum Levi in domo sua Luc. 5.. Qui enim Christum intus recipit, voluptatum delectatur ubertate, et Dominus libenter ingreditur, et in ejus recumbit affectu. Hoc est spirituale convivium bonorum pauperum, quo dives eget, pauper epulatur. Publicani. Qui publica vectigalia exigunt, vel sæculi lucra sectantes, qui exemplo publicani conversi jam de salute præsumunt, nec ut Pharisæi calumniantur in vitiis permanentes, sed pœnitentes. BEDA. Ad convivium peccatorum vadit: ut docendi occasionem habeat, et spirituales cibos impertiat. Eundo ad peccatores, Domini humilitas ostenditur: in conversione pœnitentium patet doctrinæ ejus potentia. ID. Per vocationem Matthæi fides gentium: quæ, relictis lucris sæculi, epulis charitatis et operum bonorum cum Domino convivantur. Per pharisæorum supercilium, de salute gentium Judæorum invidia designatur, quibus dicitur: Publicani et meretrices præcedent vos in regno Dei Matth. 21..

2.15 And done it_is. ID. Lucas: He_did to_them banquet magnum Levi in/into/on at_home his_own Luc. 5.. Who because Christ/Messiah inside/within receives, of_pleasures is_delighted abundantly, and Master willingly enters, and in/into/on his reclines with_feeling. This it_is spiritual banquet of_goods of_the_poor, where dives needs, poor epulatur. Publicani. Who public vectigalia exigunt, or of_the_world/of_the_ages profits sectantes, who/which example publicni converted already from/about salute beforesumunt, but_not as Pharisees calumniantur in/into/on vices/defects permanentes, but penitents. BEDA. To banquet of_sins/sinners goes: as to_teach opportunity have, and spiritual food impertiat. Eundo to sinners, Master humility is_shown: in/into/on conversion penitents clear doctrines his power. ID. Per calling Matthæi faith nations: which, abandoned lucris of_the_world/of_the_ages, food of_charity and works of_goods when/with Master convivantur. Per pharisæorum supercilium, from/about salute nations Yudahorum envy is_designated, to_whom it_is_said: Publicani and meretrices they_will_precede you(pl) in/into/on kingdom of_God Matth. 21..

UGNT καὶ γίνεται κατακεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πολλοὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ; ἦσαν γὰρ πολλοὶ, καὶ ἠκολούθουν αὐτῷ.
(kai ginetai katakeisthai auton en taʸ oikia autou, kai polloi telōnai kai hamartōloi sunanekeinto tōi Yaʸsou kai tois mathaʸtais autou; aʸsan gar polloi, kai aʸkolouthoun autōi.)

SBL-GNT Καὶ ⸀γίνεται κατακεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πολλοὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, ἦσαν γὰρ πολλοὶ καὶ ⸀ἠκολούθουν αὐτῷ.
(Kai ⸀ginetai katakeisthai auton en taʸ oikia autou, kai polloi telōnai kai hamartōloi sunanekeinto tōi Yaʸsou kai tois mathaʸtais autou, aʸsan gar polloi kai ⸀aʸkolouthoun autōi.)

RP-GNT Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ κατακεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πολλοὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· ἦσαν γὰρ πολλοί, καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.
(Kai egeneto en tōi katakeisthai auton en taʸ oikia autou, kai polloi telōnai kai hamartōloi sunanekeinto tōi Yaʸsou kai tois mathaʸtais autou; aʸsan gar polloi, kai aʸkolouthaʸsan autōi.)

TC-GNT Καὶ [fn]ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ κατακεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πολλοὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· ἦσαν γὰρ πολλοί, καὶ [fn]ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.
(Kai egeneto en tōi katakeisthai auton en taʸ oikia autou, kai polloi telōnai kai hamartōloi sunanekeinto tōi Yaʸsou kai tois mathaʸtais autou; aʸsan gar polloi, kai aʸkolouthaʸsan autōi. )

2:15 εγενετο εν τω ¦ γινεται ECM NA SBL WH ¦ γεινεται TH

2:15 ηκολουθησαν ¦ ηκολουθουν ECM^† NA SBL TH WH

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:13–17: Jesus chose a tax collector to be his disciple

In this section Jesus called a man named Levi to be his disciple. For the meaning of “disciple,” see the note on 2:15.

Levi was a tax collector who worked for the Roman government. The Roman people had conquered the Jews, and they forced them to pay taxes to Rome. The Romans hired Jews to collect taxes from their own people. The other Jews despised these tax collectors because they worked for the Romans. They also hated tax collectors because they sometimes collected more money than necessary. Then they kept the extra money and became rich.

This story also tells about another conflict that Jesus had with the Jewish religious leaders. After Levi became Jesus’ disciple, Jesus came to have dinner at his house. Levi’s friends, who were also tax collectors or other sinners, also came to the dinner. During the dinner, the religious leaders criticized Jesus for associating with such people. Jesus answered that it is people who know they are sinners who need him, not those who believe themselves to be righteous.

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus cares for outcasts

Jesus loves sinners

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 9:9–13 and Luke 5:27–32.

2:15a

While Jesus was dining at Levi’s house,

¶ Later Jesus went to eat at the house of Levi,
¶ Levi invited Jesus to eat with him. So Jesus and his disciples went to eat at Levi’s house.

While Jesus was dining at Levi’s house: The Greek that the BSB translates as While introduces something that happened later, possibly several days afterwards. Here is another way to translate this word:

Later (CEV)

In some languages it may be necessary to introduce this new action or event with a phrase such as:

Later Jesus went to Levi’s house. He was dining with Levi and others.

Levi invited Jesus to have dinner at his house. Later when Jesus was having dinner there…

dining: The Greek word that the BSB translates as dining indicates that Jesus (and the other dinner guests) were lying down to eat. This was the custom of the times, and it is not necessary to say this explicitly. However, it would be good if the word you use for dining does not exclude the idea of lying down to eat.

Levi’s house: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as Levi’s house is literally “his house.” Your translation should make it clear that the house belonged to Levi, not to Jesus. (see Luke 5:29).

2:15b

many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Him and His disciples—

and many tax collectors and other sinners were also there eating with Jesus and his disciples.
Many people who collected taxes and many other people who were considered sinners were also there and ate with him and his followers,

tax collectors and sinners: The phrase tax collectors and sinners refers to people whom the Pharisees despised because the Pharisees considered them to be particularly unrighteous. The tax collectors were one group or type of sinners. So in some languages it may be necessary to translate this as:

tax collectors and other sinners

tax collectors: In this context tax collectors received taxes from their own people to give to the people of Rome who had conquered them. See the discussion about this in the introduction to Section 2:13–17. Refer to how you translated “tax” in 2:14b.

sinners: The Greek word that the BSB translates as sinners refers to someone who habitually does what is contrary to God’s law. The Pharisees had added many other rules to God’s law. They considered people who did not obey those rules to be sinners. Tax collectors were included in this group of people.

The Bible implies that God did not necessarily consider such people to be worse sinners than other people. The NIV indicates this by using quote marks: “sinners,” and the GNT translates the word as “outcasts.” In some languages there may be a special way to refer to people whom others consider to be bad.

In other languages it may be helpful to include a footnote to explain the use of the word sinners in this context.

eating: In the Jewish culture, to eat with someone implied accepting that person as a friend. The Pharisees considered it inappropriate for a teacher like Jesus to eat with sinners. If eating with a “bad” person is not considered to be a problem in your culture, consider how to imply the Jewish viewpoint in your language. You may also want to include a footnote to explain this information.

disciples: The Greek word that the BSB translates as disciples means “learners” who are in a relationship with a teacher. The learners commit themselves to their teacher in order to learn from him and live according to his teaching and example. In the New Testament disciples often lived with their teacher and followed him wherever he went.

Here are some ways to translate disciples:

Use a term that refers to people who learn from a teacher or an expert. It is helpful if the term also implies that the learners are often with their teacher. For example:
learners/students
apprentices Be careful not to use a term that would refer only to a student in a school or classroom.
Use a term that refers to people who follow a teacher or leader by obeying his teaching. It is helpful if this term also implies learning from the teacher and actually following the teacher wherever he goes. For example:
followers
those who are committed/faithful (to a teacher/leader)

See disciple in the Glossary.

2:15c

for there were many who followed Him.

There were many such people who were followers of Jesus.
since many people like that were habitually going around with him to learn from him.

for: The Greek word that the BSB translates as for here introduces an explanation of the fact that tax collectors were eating with Jesus and Levi in 2:15b. Use a natural way to connect 2:15b and 2:15c in your language. See the General Comment on 2:15b–c for a suggestion about how to reorder the verse.

there were many who followed Him: This clause indicates that many tax collectors and sinners had become followers of Jesus.

followed Him: The phrase followed Him indicates here that the tax collectors and sinners accompanied Jesus and tried to learn from his teaching and obey it.

General Comment on 2:15b–c

In some languages it may be more natural to reorder these two parts of 2:15. For example:

^15cMany tax collectors and sinners were followers of Jesus, ^15bso they came to eat with him and his disciples.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

καὶ γίνεται

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί γίνεται κατακεῖσθαι αὐτόν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ καί πολλοί τελῶναι καί ἁμαρτωλοί συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καί τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ἦσαν γάρ πολλοί καί ἠκολούθουν αὐτῷ)

Here, the phrase And it happens that introduces something that happened soon after what Mark previously narrated. If it would be helpful in your language, you use a word or phrase that introduces an event that came soon after the previous event. Alternate translation: [Soon after that,]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

κατακεῖσθαι

˓to_be˒_reclining

In Jesus’ culture, people would usually recline, or lay on one side, when they were eating. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer to the position in which people eat in your culture, or you could just refer to eating. Alternate translation: [was sitting down to eat] or [was eating]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γὰρ

Here, the word for introduces an explanation that gives further information about the people who were dining with Jesus. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different word or phrase that introduces an explanation, or you could leave for untranslated. Alternate translation: [and indeed]

Note 4 topic: writing-pronouns

ἦσαν & πολλοὶ

˱they˲_were & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί γίνεται κατακεῖσθαι αὐτόν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ καί πολλοί τελῶναι καί ἁμαρτωλοί συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καί τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ἦσαν γάρ πολλοί καί ἠκολούθουν αὐτῷ)

The pronoun they could refer to: (1) the tax collectors and sinners who were dining with Jesus. Alternate translation: [the tax collectors and sinners were many] (2) Jesus’ disciples. Alternate translation: [his disciples were many]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἠκολούθουν αὐτῷ

˱they˲_˓were˒_following ˱after˲_him

Here, the phrase they were following him indicates that these people were traveling with Jesus and were his disciple. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [they were his disciples] or [they were traveling with him as his students]

Parallel MARK 2:15

Section 2:13–17: Jesus chose a tax collector to be his disciple

2:15a

2:15b

2:15c

General Comment on 2:15b–c