Matthew 9:12-14

International Children’s Bible

¹²Jesus heard the Pharisees ask this. So he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor. Only the sick need a doctor. ¹³Go and learn what this means: ‘I want faithful love more than I want animal sacrifices.’^[a] I did not come to invite good people. I came to invite sinners.”

Jesus Is Not Like Other Jews

¹⁴Then the followers of John^[b] came to Jesus. They said to Jesus, “We and the Pharisees often give up eating.^[c] But your followers don’t. Why?”

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Footnotes

9:13 ‘I want . . . sacrifices.’ Quotation from Hosea 6:6.
9:14 John John the Baptist, who preached to people about Christ’s coming (Matthew 3; Luke 3).
9:14 give up eating This is called “fasting.” The people would give up eating for a special time of prayer and worship to God. It was also done to show sadness.