5:32

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance: In this statement, Jesus used the proverb (in 5:31) to explain the reason why he was eating with sinners. Jesus came to call people who were “sick with sin” to repent and be with him. Jesus did not come to call people who were already righteous. That would be like telling healthy people to go to a doctor.

5:32a

I have not come to call the righteous: Jesus used the phrase I have not come to introduce a general statement about the purpose of his ministry. He was not referring specifically to his purpose for coming to Levi’s house. He used the verb come here in the sense that he had come “to the earth” or come “from God.” In some languages, it may be necessary to express the meaning in a different way. For example:

My work/ministry is not to call the righteous

call: In this context the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as call means “invite someone to do something.” It does not mean to shout or use a loud voice.

This verb could be followed by either indirect speech (as it is in Greek and in most English versions) or by direct speech. An example of using direct speech could be:

I have not come to say to the righteous, “Repent.” No/Instead, I have come to say that to sinners.

the righteous: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as righteous refers to people who live according to God’s standards. In other words, they consistently do what is right. Some other ways to translate this word are:

those who obey God’s law
-or-
those who do what is right

In some languages people use an idiom to express this meaning. For example:

those who follow a straight path
-or-
upright people

In this context Jesus was using irony. There are no truly righteous people, because everyone has sinned. Jesus may have been referring to people who think that they are doing what is right and do not recognize their sins.

5:32b

but sinners, to repentance: There is ellipsis here. Its full form is:

but ⌊I have come to call⌋ sinners to repentance

This explains the reason why Jesus was eating with tax collectors and other sinners. He had come to earth for the purpose of calling them to repent and turn to God.

In some languages it may be natural to translate this as a separate sentence. For example:

Instead, ⌊I have come to call⌋ sinners to repent ⌊of their sins⌋.

sinners: In your translation, use the same word for sinners that you used in 5:30b. Jesus did not say who the sinners were. The Pharisees and teachers of the law believed that they themselves were not sinners. Jesus knew that everyone at the feast except himself was a sinner. But he did not make this explicit here. He left this for everyone to think about.

to repentance: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as repentance refers to changing one’s own mind, heart, or will. In the Bible it refers specifically to a change of mind and heart about sin and about God. The person who repents is sorry for his past sins. He decides to stop sinning and to obey God. Some ways to translate to repentance are:

to change their hearts/minds
-or-
to reject sin

In some languages, you may have an idiom for this type of change. For example:

to turn from sin to God
-or-
to leave sin behind

Other ways to translate to repentance in this context are:

to quit/leave their sinful way of life/behaving
-or-
to stop sinning and turn towards God

General Comment on 5:32a–b

In some languages it may be natural to state first what Jesus had come to do:

32b
⌊I have come⌋ to call sinners to repent of their sins. 32aI have not come to call righteous people.

General Comment on 5:31–32

Jesus’ words in 5:32 explain the sense in which he was using the proverb in 5:31. He implied that the Pharisees thought that they were already righteous. That was the reason why they would not come to him for help to become truly righteous. Jesus did not mean that the tax collectors and sinners were the only sinners. He implied that they knew that they needed him, just as sick people know that they need a doctor.

Most readers will probably be able to connect the meaning of the proverb to what Jesus says in 5:32. However, if people in your language group do not readily think of sin as a kind of “sickness,” you might consider making this connection clearer. For example:

Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ⌊In a similar way,⌋ I have not come to call the righteous to repent. Instead I have come to call sinners to repent of their sins.”

In some languages it may be necessary to make some of the implied information explicit. For example:

Jesus answered them ⌊using a proverb⌋, “People who ⌊think that they⌋ are healthy do not go to a doctor. It is the sick people who ⌊know that they⌋ need a doctor. ⌊Like a doctor,⌋ my work is not to invite people who ⌊think that they⌋ are righteous ⌊to repent⌋. I came to invite ⌊those who know that they are⌋ sinners to repent.”
-or-
Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” (New Living Translation (2004))

In some languages, it may be more natural to use a different order for some of the information. For example:

Jesus answered them, “It is sick people who ⌊know that they⌋ need a doctor. People who ⌊think that they⌋ are healthy do not seek a doctor. I came to invite people who ⌊know that they⌋ are sinners ⌊to be with me⌋. I did not come for those who ⌊think that they⌋ are ⌊already⌋ righteous.”

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