The Phariseesand their scribes[began] grumblingat His disciples,saying,"Whydo you eatand drinkwith the tax collectorsand sinners?"
"Who say,Keepto yourself, do not comenearme, For I am holierthan you!' Theseare smokein My nostrils,A firethat burnsallthe day.
"For ifyou lovethosewho loveyou, whatrewarddoyou have?Do not eventhe tax collectorsdothe same?
When the Phariseessaw[this], they saidto His disciples,"Whyis your Teachereatingwith the tax collectorsand sinners?"
When the scribesof the Phariseessawthat He was eatingwith the sinnersand taxcollectors,they saidto His disciples,"Whyis He eatingand drinkingwith tax collectorsand sinners?"
(For the Phariseesand allthe Jewsdo not eatunlessthey carefullywashtheir hands,[thus] observingthe traditionsof the elders;
And He askedthem, "Whatare you discussingwith them?"
"The Phariseestoodand was prayingthisto himself:'God,I thankYou that I amnot likeother people:swindlers,unjust,adulterers,orevenlikethistax collector.
When they sawit, they all[began] to grumble,saying,"He has goneto be the guestof a manwho is a sinner."
OnedayHe was teaching;and there were [some] Phariseesand teachers of the lawsitting[there], whohad comefrom everyvillageof Galileeand Judeaand [from] Jerusalem;and the powerof the Lordwas [present] for Him to perform healing.
The scribesand the Phariseesbeganto reason,saying,"Whois this[man] whospeaksblasphemies?Whocanforgivesins,but Godalone?"
"The Sonof Manhas comeeatingand drinking,and you say,'Behold,a gluttonousmanand a drunkard,a friendof tax collectorsand sinners!'
Nowwhen the Phariseewho had invitedHim sawthis, he saidto himself,"Ifthis manwere a prophetHe would knowwhoand what sort of personthiswomanis whois touchingHim, that she is a sinner."
And there occurreda greatuproar;and someof the scribesof the Pharisaicpartystoodup and [began] to argue heatedly,saying,"We findnothingwrongwith thisman;supposea spiritoran angelhas spokento him?"
