5:30a

But: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But is literally “And.” It introduces what happened next in the story. This next event happened after the meal. Connect this verse in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

Then
-or-
However

In some languages, a conjunction is not necessary here.

the Pharisees and their scribes: The phrase the Pharisees and their scribes indicates that only the scribes who were Pharisees joined other Pharisees in the complaining (see Mark 2:16). Some of the scribes at this banquet belonged to the Pharisee party and others did not. Some other ways to translate this are:

the Pharisees, including the teachers of the law among them
-or-
the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect (New International Version)
-or-
Some Pharisees and some teachers of the Law who belonged to their group (Good News Translation)

the Pharisees: See the note on Pharisees at 5:17a.

their scribes: See the note on scribes at 5:17a. See teacher of the law in the Glossary.

complained: The verb complained here means “grumbled” or “protested.” These religious leaders were disturbed that Jesus and his disciples were eating with tax collectors.

The form of the Greek verb may indicate that they continued complaining for a period of time, rather than that they complained just once. It may also indicate the beginning of such a period. Some English versions therefore translate this as:

began grumbling (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
began to complain (New Century Version)

to Jesus’ disciples: The Pharisees addressed their complaints to Jesus’ disciples. They did not speak to Jesus. However, their complaints concerned Jesus. In some languages it may be more natural to say they “complained against” rather than “complained to.” This is because the disciples were included in the group they complained about.

disciples: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as disciples means “learners” who are in a relationship with a teacher. The learners commit themselves to their teacher in order to learn from him and live according to his teaching and example. In the New Testament, disciples often lived with their teacher and followed him wherever he went.

Some ways to translate disciples are:

• Use a term that refers to people who learn from a teacher or an expert. It is helpful if the term also implies that the learners are often with his teacher. For example:

learners/students
-or-
apprentices

Be careful not to use a term that would refer only to a student in a school or classroom.

• Use a term that refers to people who follow a teacher or leader by obeying his teaching. It is helpful if this term also implies learning from the teacher and actually following the teacher wherever he goes. For example:

followers
-or-
those who are committed/faithful (to a teacher/leader)

See disciple in the Glossary for more information.

5:30b

Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?: This is a rhetorical question. The religious leaders were rebuking and criticizing Jesus and the disciples because they ate with tax collectors and other sinners. They believed that close contact with such people would make them unclean and unfit for worshiping God with other people.

Some ways to translate this rebuke are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Why do you eat and drink with those tax collectors and other sinners? (Contemporary English Version)

• As a statement or exclamation. For example:

You should not be eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners!
-or-
You are wrong to eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners.

Translate this rebuke in a way that is natural in your language.

you: The word you here is plural and includes Jesus as well as his disciples.

eat and drink with: The phrase eat and drink with is an idiom. It means “have meals with.” Jesus was in the habit of eating meals in the company of sinners. This was not the only time he did this. Another way to translate this is:

have your meals with (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

tax collectors and sinners: The Pharisees were speaking about people whom they considered worse sinners than others. In your translation, it should be clear that tax collectors were included among the sinners. Some ways to translate this are:

those tax collectors and other sinners (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
such scum (New Living Translation (2004))

If you are using footnotes to give background information, you might use one here:

Jews believed that all Jews, except the most sinful, would be saved. Tax collectors were one class of people who were considered terrible sinners, and so God would not save them. Most Jews who kept God’s law would not enter the house of a tax collector or eat a meal with him

tax collectors: See the note on “tax collector” at 5:27b.

sinners: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sinners refers to people who habitually do what is against God’s law. The Pharisees had added many other rules to God’s law. They considered people who did not obey those rules to be sinners. They also believed that such people deserved to be outcasts. Tax collectors were included in this group of people.

The Bible implies that God did not necessarily consider such people to be worse sinners than other people. The New International Version indicates this by using single quote marks: ‘sinners.’ In some languages there may be a special way to refer to people whom others consider to be bad.

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