What does the Bible say about eat with sinners?

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The Bible teaches that Jesus graciously welcomed and ate with sinners in order to call them to repentance and faith, while also commanding His people to pursue holiness. In Matthew 9:10-13 and Mark 2:15-17, Jesus explains that the physician comes for the sick, not the self-righteous. Luke 5:29-32 and Luke 19:1-10 show that His fellowship with sinners brought a summons to leave sin and follow Him. The complaints in Luke 15:1-2 reveal God’s joy in seeking and saving the lost. Yet 1 Corinthians 5:11 distinguishes ordinary engagement with unbelievers from affirming a professing Christian’s unrepentant sin. Christians should therefore show Christlike mercy without treating sin lightly.

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Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

  • Matthew 9:10-13

    [10] It happened as he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. [11] When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" [12] When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. [13] 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."

  • 1 Corinthians 5:11

    But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner. Don't even eat with such a person.

  • Mark 2:15-17

    [15] It happened, that 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. [16] The scribes and the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?" [17] When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

  • Luke 5:29-32

    [29] Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them. [30] Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?" [31] Jesus answered them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. [32] I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

  • Luke 15:1-2

    [1] Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. [2] The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them."

  • Luke 7:34

    The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

  • Matthew 11:19

    The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."

  • Luke 19:5-7

    [5] When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." [6] He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully. [7] When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, "He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner."

  • Luke 15:1-32

    [1] Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. [2] The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them." [3] He told them this parable. [4] "Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn't leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? [5] When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. [6] When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' [7] I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. [8] Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn't light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it? [9] When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.' [10] Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting." [11] He said, "A certain man had two sons. [12] The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of your property.' He divided his livelihood between them. [13] Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. [14] When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. [15] He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. [16] He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. [17] But when he came to himself he said, 'How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough to spare, and I'm dying with hunger! [18] I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. [19] I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants."' [20] "He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. [21] The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' [22] "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. [23] Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; [24] for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.' They began to celebrate. [25] "Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. [26] He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on. [27] He said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.' [28] But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. [29] But he answered his father, 'Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. [30] But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.' [31] "He said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. [32] But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.'"

  • Luke 19:1-10

    [1] He entered and was passing through Jericho. [2] There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. [3] He was trying to see who Jesus was, and couldn't because of the crowd, because he was short. [4] He ran on ahead, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. [5] When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." [6] He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully. [7] When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, "He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner." [8] Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much." [9] Jesus said to him, "Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. [10] For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost."

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