Luke 5:27

The Call of Levi; Eating with Sinners

5:27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” he said to him.


tn Grk “And after.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

sn See the note on tax collectors in 3:12.

sn It is possible that Levi is a second name for Matthew, because people often used alternative names in 1st century Jewish culture.

tn While “tax office” is sometimes given as a translation for τελώνιον (telwnion; so L&N 57.183), this could give the modern reader a false impression of an indoor office with all its associated furnishings.

sn Follow me. For similar calls on the part of Jesus see Luke 5:10-11; 9:23, 59; 18:22.