Levi (Levi, son of Alphaeus, the tax collector called by Jesus (also known as Matthew))
The Tax Collector Who Became an Apostle
Levi, also known as Matthew, was a tax collector in Capernaum who was called by Jesus to become one of his twelve apostles. He left everything to follow Jesus and hosted a great banquet for him. He is traditionally regarded as the author of the Gospel of Matthew, the first gospel in the New Testament.
Family
Key events
The Calling of Levi
Jesus saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth and said to him: "Follow me!" Levi got up and followed him.
14As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.
καὶ παράγων εἶδεν Λευὶν τὸν τοῦ Ἁλφαίου καθήμενον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἀκολούθει μοι. καὶ ἀναστὰς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ.
27After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth. "Follow me," he said to him.
Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐξῆλθεν καὶ ἐθεάσατο τελώνην ὀνόματι Λευὶν καθήμενον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἀκολούθει μοι.
28And Levi left everything, got up, and followed him.
καὶ καταλιπὼν ⸀πάντα ἀναστὰς ⸀ἠκολούθει αὐτῷ.
The Feast at Levi's House
Levi held a great feast for Jesus in his home, where many tax collectors and sinners were present. The Pharisees and the scribes criticized Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners.
15Later, as Jesus was reclining at table in Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with him and his disciples—for there were many who followed him.
Καὶ ⸀γίνεται κατακεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πολλοὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, ἦσαν γὰρ πολλοὶ καὶ ⸀ἠκολούθουν αὐτῷ.
16When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς ⸂τῶν Φαρισαίων⸃ ⸀ἰδόντες ⸂ὅτι ἐσθίει⸃ μετὰ τῶν ⸂ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ τελωνῶν⸃ ἔλεγον τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· ⸀Ὅτι μετὰ τῶν ⸂τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν⸃ ⸀ἐσθίει;
17Hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
καὶ ἀκούσας ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς ⸀ὅτι Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλʼ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες· οὐκ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ⸀ἁμαρτωλούς.
29Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were reclining at table with them.
Καὶ ἐποίησεν δοχὴν μεγάλην Λευὶς αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἦν ὄχλος ⸂πολὺς τελωνῶν⸃ καὶ ἄλλων οἳ ἦσαν μετʼ αὐτῶν κατακείμενοι.
30But the Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"
καὶ ἐγόγγυζον οἱ ⸂Φαρισαῖοι καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς αὐτῶν⸃ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ λέγοντες· Διὰ τί μετὰ τῶν τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐσθίετε καὶ πίνετε;
31Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ὑγιαίνοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλὰ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες·
32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
οὐκ ἐλήλυθα καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν.
Called by the Name Matthew Among the Twelve
When Jesus chose his twelve apostles, Matthew (Levi) was among them. He is referred to as "Matthew the tax collector" in the list of apostles.
2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
τῶν δὲ δώδεκα ἀποστόλων τὰ ὀνόματά ἐστιν ταῦτα· πρῶτος Σίμων ὁ λεγόμενος Πέτρος καὶ Ἀνδρέας ὁ ἀδελφὸς ⸀αὐτοῦ, Ἰάκωβος ὁ τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ,
3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
Φίλιππος καὶ Βαρθολομαῖος, Θωμᾶς καὶ Μαθθαῖος ὁ τελώνης, Ἰάκωβος ὁ τοῦ Ἁλφαίου καὶ ⸀Θαδδαῖος,
4Simon the Cananaean,[^1] and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
[^1]: An Aramaic term meaning "the zealous one"; elsewhere rendered "Simon the Zealot."
Σίμων ὁ ⸀Καναναῖος καὶ Ἰούδας ⸀ὁ Ἰσκαριώτης ὁ καὶ παραδοὺς αὐτόν.
16These are the twelve he appointed: Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter;
καὶ ⸂ἐποίησεν τοὺς δώδεκα, καὶ⸃ ἐπέθηκεν ⸂ὄνομα τῷ Σίμωνι⸃ Πέτρον,
17James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder);
καὶ Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ Ἰακώβου (καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτοῖς ⸀ὀνόματα Βοανηργές, ὅ ἐστιν Υἱοὶ Βροντῆς),
18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananean,
καὶ Ἀνδρέαν καὶ Φίλιππον καὶ Βαρθολομαῖον καὶ Μαθθαῖον καὶ Θωμᾶν καὶ Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ἁλφαίου καὶ Θαδδαῖον καὶ Σίμωνα τὸν ⸀Καναναῖον
19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
καὶ Ἰούδαν ⸀Ἰσκαριώθ, ὃς καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτόν.
The Calling of Matthew According to the Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel of Matthew describes his own calling, where Jesus sees a man named Matthew at the tax booth and calls him to follow him.
9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And Matthew got up and followed him.
Καὶ παράγων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον καθήμενον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον, Μαθθαῖον λεγόμενον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἀκολούθει μοι· καὶ ἀναστὰς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ.
10Later, while Jesus was reclining at table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were eating with him and his disciples.
Καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτοῦ ἀνακειμένου ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ, ⸀καὶ ἰδοὺ πολλοὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐλθόντες συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ.
11When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
καὶ ἰδόντες οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ⸀ἔλεγον τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· Διὰ τί μετὰ τῶν τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐσθίει ὁ διδάσκαλος ὑμῶν;
12Hearing them, he said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
ὁ ⸀δὲ ἀκούσας ⸀εἶπεν· Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλὰ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.
13Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
πορευθέντες δὲ μάθετε τί ἐστιν· Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ⸀ἁμαρτωλούς.
Jesus' Defense for Eating with Sinners
When the Pharisees asked why Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus answered: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
12Hearing them, he said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
ὁ ⸀δὲ ἀκούσας ⸀εἶπεν· Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλὰ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.
13Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
πορευθέντες δὲ μάθετε τί ἐστιν· Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ⸀ἁμαρτωλούς.
31Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ὑγιαίνοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλὰ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες·
32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
οὐκ ἐλήλυθα καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν.
Among the Apostles After Jesus' Ascension
After Jesus' ascension, Matthew was among the apostles who gathered in prayer in the upper room in Jerusalem, awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit.
13When they arrived, they went up to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
καὶ ὅτε εἰσῆλθον, ⸂εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον ἀνέβησαν⸃ οὗ ἦσαν καταμένοντες, ὅ τε Πέτρος καὶ ⸂Ἰωάννης καὶ Ἰάκωβος⸃ καὶ Ἀνδρέας, Φίλιππος καὶ Θωμᾶς, Βαρθολομαῖος καὶ Μαθθαῖος, Ἰάκωβος Ἁλφαίου καὶ Σίμων ὁ ζηλωτὴς καὶ Ἰούδας Ἰακώβου.
14They all devoted themselves with one mind to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
οὗτοι πάντες ἦσαν προσκαρτεροῦντες ὁμοθυμαδὸν τῇ ⸀προσευχῇ σὺν γυναιξὶν καὶ ⸀Μαριὰμ τῇ μητρὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ⸀σὺν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ.