<t /><p class="bodytext">We are Jews by birth<n id="1" /> and not Gentile sinners,<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now all the tax collectors<n id="1" /> and sinners were coming<n id="2" /> to hear him.

But if while seeking to be justified in Christ we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages<n id="1" /> sin? Absolutely not!

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded.<n id="1" />

As<n id="1" /> Jesus<n id="2" /> was having a meal<n id="3" /> in Matthew&#8217;s<n id="4" /> house, many tax collectors<n id="5" /> and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;If<n id="1" /> you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners<n id="2" /> love those who love them.<n id="3" />

And<n id="1" /> if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even<n id="2" /> sinners<n id="3" /> do the same.

And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid,<n id="1" /> what credit is that to you? Even sinners<n id="2" /> lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full.<n id="3" />

He<n id="1" /> answered them, &#8220;Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners<n id="2" /> than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things?

For just as through the disobedience of the one man<n id="1" /> many<n id="2" /> were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man<n id="3" /> many<n id="4" /> will be made righteous.

As Jesus<n id="1" /> was having a meal<n id="2" /> in Levi&#8217;s<n id="3" /> home, many tax collectors<n id="4" /> and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

to execute judgment on<n id="1" /> all, and to convict every person<n id="2" /> of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds<n id="3" /> that they have committed,<n id="4" /> and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.&#8221;<n id="5" />