Mark 2:17

Mark 2:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
• New International Version (NIV)On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
• New King James Version (NKJV)When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Context of Mark 2:17

15Later Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners who were followers of Jesus were eating with him and his disciples. 16When the experts in Moses’ Teachings who were Pharisees saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard that, he said to them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor; those who are sick do. I’ve come to call sinners, not people who think they have God’s approval.” 18John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came to Jesus and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but your disciples don’t?” 19Jesus replied, “Can wedding guests fast while the groom is still with them? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast.

Mark 2:17 word by word

Καὶ ἀκούσας ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς· ὅτι οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ᾽ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες· οὐκ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλ᾽ ἁμαρτωλούςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·καίkai · andG2532
• Whenἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• he saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• They that are wholeἰσχύωischuō · be strongG2480
• haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• noοὐou · noG3756
• needχρείαchreia · needG5532
• of the physicianἰατρόςiatros · physicianG2395
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• sickκακῶςkakōs · badlyG2560
• I cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• to callκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• the righteousδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
• sinnersἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• repentanceμετάνοιαmetanoia · repentanceG3341

Cross-references for Mark 2:17

• Matthew 9:12When Jesus heard that, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor; those who are sick do.
• Luke 5:31Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor; those who are sick do.
• Luke 15:7I can guarantee that there will be more happiness in heaven over one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts than over 99 people who already have turned to God and have his approval.”
• Luke 16:15So Jesus said to them, “You try to justify your actions in front of people. But God knows what’s in your hearts. What is important to humans is disgusting to God.
• John 9:34The Jews answered him, “You were born full of sin. Do you think you can teach us?” Then they threw him out ⌞of the synagogue⌟.
• Isaiah 1:18“Come on now, let’s discuss this!” says the Lord. “Though your sins are bright red, they will become as white as snow. Though they are dark red, they will become as white as wool.
• Isaiah 55:7Let wicked people abandon their ways. Let evil people abandon their thoughts. Let them return to the Lord, and he will show compassion to them. Let them return to our God, because he will freely forgive them.
• Luke 15:10So I can guarantee that God’s angels are happy about one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts.”
• Luke 19:10Indeed, the Son of Man has come to seek and to save people who are lost.”
• Acts 20:21I warned Jews and Greeks to change the way they think and act and to believe in our Lord Jesus.
• Acts 26:20Instead, I spread the message that I first told to the ⌞Jewish⌟ people in Damascus and Jerusalem and throughout the whole country of Judea. I spread the same message to non-Jewish people. Both groups were expected to change the way they thought and acted and to turn to God. I told them to do things that prove they had changed their lives.
• Romans 5:6Look at it this way: At the right time, while we were still helpless, Christ died for ungodly people.
• 1 Corinthians 6:9Don’t you know that wicked people won’t inherit God’s kingdom? Stop deceiving yourselves! People who continue to commit sexual sins, who worship false gods, those who commit adultery, homosexuals,
• 1 Timothy 1:15This is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the foremost sinner.

Commentaries on Mark 2:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17To repentance - This is omitted by ABDKL, twenty-seven others; both the Syriac, Persic, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Gothic, Vulgate; six copies of the Itala; Euthymius and Augustin. Griesbach has left it out of the text; Grotius, Mill, and Bengel approve of the omission. See on Matthew 9:13; (note). I leave it as in the parallel place above quoted. Properly speaking, the righteous cannot be called to repentance. They have already forsaken sin, mourned for…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 Matthew was not a good character, or else, being a Jew, he would never have been a publican, that is, a tax-gatherer for the Romans. However, Christ called this publican to follow him. With God, through Christ, there is mercy to pardon the greatest sins, and grace to change the greatest sinners, and make them holy. A faithful, fair-dealing publican was rare. And because the Jews had a particular hatred to an office which proved that they were…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Jesus answered his opponents with a well-known proverb. He compared himself to a doctor and sinners to sick people. Salvation is for those who know they are sinners, not for those who think they are righteous (Luke 16:15; 18:9; Romans 3:23).Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 2:17

• Irony
• Jesus, the Christ
• Physician
• Repentance
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Blaspheme
• Blasphemy
• Press
• Grace
• Jesus Christ
• Justification
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Physician

Commentaries on Mark 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings