28 Bible Verses about Tax Collectors

Why, this is really the reason you pay taxes; for tax-gatherers are ministers of God, devoting their energies to this very work. Pay promptly to all men what is due to them: taxes to those to whom taxes are due, toll to those to whom toll is due, respect to those to whom respect is due, honour to those to whom honour is due.

After their arrival at Capernaum the collectors of the half-shekel came and asked Peter, "Does not your Teacher pay the half-shekel?" "Yes," he replied, and then went into the house. But before he spoke a word Jesus said, "What think you, Simon? From whom do this world's kings receive customs or capitation tax? from their own children, or from others?" "From others," he replied. "Then the children go free," said Jesus.

The Pharisee, standing erect, prayed as follows by himself: "'O God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people--I am not a thief nor a cheat nor an adulterer, nor do I even resemble this tax-gatherer.

For if you love only those who love you, what reward have you earned? Do not even the tax-gatherers do that?

If he refuses to hear them, appeal to the Church; and if he refuses to hear even the Church, regard him just as you regard a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.

There came also a party of tax-gatherers to be baptized, and they asked him, "Rabbi, what are we to do?" "Do not exact more than the legal amount," he replied.

Which of the two did as his father desired?" "The first," they said. "I solemnly tell you,' replied Jesus, "that the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners are entering the Kingdom of God in front of you. For John came to you observing all sorts of ritual, and you put no faith in him: the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners did put faith in him, and you, though you saw this example set you, were not even afterwards sorry so as to believe him.

And all the people, including the tax-gatherers, when they listened to him upheld the righteousness of God, by being baptized with John's baptism.

Now the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners were everywhere in the habit of coming close to Him to listen to Him;

And while He was reclining at table, a large number of tax-gathers and notorious sinners were of the party with Jesus and His disciples.

When He was sitting at table in Levi's house, a large number of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners were at table with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many such who habitually followed Him.

Levi also gave a great entertainment at his house in honour of Jesus, and there was a large party of tax-gatherers and others at table with them.

and this led the Pharisees and the Scribes indignantly to complain, saying, "He gives a welcome to notorious sinners, and joins them at their meals!"

The Pharisees noticed this, and they inquired of His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with the tax-gatherers and notorious sinners?"

But when the Scribes of the Pharisee sect saw Him eating with the sinners and the tax-gatherers, they said to His disciples, "He is eating and drinking with the tax-gatherers and sinners!"

This led the Pharisees and Scribes of their party to expostulate with His disciples and ask, "Why are you eating and drinking with these tax-gatherers and notorious sinners?"

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they exclaim, 'See this man! --given to gluttony and tippling, and a friend of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners!' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, there is a man who is overfond of eating and drinking--he is a friend of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners!'

So He entered Jericho and was passing through the town. There was a man there called Zacchaeus, who was the local surveyor of taxes, and was wealthy. He was anxious to see what sort of man Jesus was; but he could not because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.read more.
So he ran on in front and climbed up a mulberry tree to see Him; for He was about to pass that way. As soon as Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for I must stay at your house to-day." So he came down in haste, and welcomed Him joyfully. When they all saw this, they began to complain with indignation. "He has gone in to be the guest of a notorious sinner!" they said.

He heard the question and replied, "It is not men in good health who require a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means, 'It is mercy that I desire, not sacrifice'; for I did not come to appeal to the righteous, but to sinners." At that time John's disciples came and asked Jesus, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?"

Jesus heard the words, and He said, "It is not the healthy who require a doctor, but the sick: I did not come to appeal to the righteous, but to sinners."

But Jesus replied to them, "It is not men in good health who require a physician, but the sick.

So in figurative language He asked them, "Which of you men, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in their pasture and go in search of the lost one till he finds it?

"But the tax-gatherer, standing far back, would not so much as lift his eyes to Heaven, but kept beating his breast and saying, "'O God, be reconciled to me, sinner that I am.' "I tell you that this man went home more thoroughly absolved from guilt than the other; for every one who uplifts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be uplifted."

Passing on thence Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, "Follow me." And he arose, and followed Him.

Again He went out to the shore of the Lake, and the whole multitude kept coming to Him, and He taught them. And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, "Follow me." So he rose and followed Him.

After this He went out and noticed a tax-gatherer, Levi by name, sitting at the Toll office; and He said to him, "Follow me." He rose, left everything, and followed Him.

So He entered Jericho and was passing through the town. There was a man there called Zacchaeus, who was the local surveyor of taxes, and was wealthy. He was anxious to see what sort of man Jesus was; but he could not because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.read more.
So he ran on in front and climbed up a mulberry tree to see Him; for He was about to pass that way. As soon as Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for I must stay at your house to-day." So he came down in haste, and welcomed Him joyfully. When they all saw this, they began to complain with indignation. "He has gone in to be the guest of a notorious sinner!" they said. Zacchaeus however stood up, and addressing the Lord said, "Here and now, Master, I give half my property to the poor, and if I have unjustly exacted money from any man, I pledge myself to repay to him four times the amount." Turning towards him, Jesus replied, "To-day salvation has come to this house, seeing that he too is a son of Abraham.