Luke 5:27

The Call of Levi; Eating with Sinners

5:27 After ¹  this, Jesus ²  went out and saw a tax collector ³  named Levi ⁴  sitting at the tax booth. ⁵  “Follow me,” ⁶  he said to him.

[5:27]  ¹ tn Grk “And after.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[5:27]  ² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[5:27]  ³ sn See the note on tax collectors in 3:12.

[5:27]  ⁴ sn It is possible that Levi is a second name for Matthew, because people often used alternative names in 1st century Jewish culture.

[5:27]  ⁵ 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.

[5:27]  ⁶ sn Follow me. For similar calls on the part of Jesus see Luke 5:10-11; 9:23, 59; 18:22.