'Farmers' in the Bible
For if you have love for those who have love for you, what credit is it to you? do not the tax-farmers the same?
And it came about, when he was in the house taking food, that a number of tax-farmers and sinners came and took their places with Jesus and his disciples.
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, Why does your Master take food with tax-farmers and sinners?
The Son of man has come feasting, and they say, See, a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners! And wisdom is judged to be right by her works.
Which of the two did his father's pleasure? They say, The first. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, that tax-farmers and loose women are going into the kingdom of God before you.
For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you had no faith in him, but the tax-farmers and the loose women had faith in him: and you, when you saw it, did not even have regret for your sins, so as to have faith in him.
And it came about that he was seated at meat in his house, and a number of tax-farmers and sinners were at table with Jesus and his disciples: for there were a great number of them, and they came after him.
And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was taking food with the tax-farmers and sinners, said to his disciples, Why does he take food and drink with such men?
Then tax-farmers came to him for baptism and said to him, Master, what have we to do?
And Levi made a great feast for him in his house: and a great number of tax-farmers and others were seated at table with them.
And the Pharisees and their scribes made protests against his disciples, saying, Why do you take food and drink with tax-farmers and sinners?
(And all the people, and the tax-farmers, to whom John had given baptism, when they had knowledge of these things, gave glory to God.
The Son of man came feasting, and you say, Here is a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners.
Now all the tax-farmers and sinners came near to give ear to him.