'Tax gatherers' in the Bible

'For, if ye may love those loving you, what reward have ye? do not also the tax-gatherers the same?

and if ye may salute your brethren only, what do ye abundant? do not also the tax-gatherers so?

And it came to pass, he reclining (at meat) in the house, that lo, many tax-gatherers and sinners having come, were lying (at meat) with Jesus and his disciples,

and the Pharisees having seen, said to his disciples, 'Wherefore with the tax-gatherers and sinners doth your teacher eat?'

the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Lo, a man, a glutton, and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners, and wisdom was justified of her children.'

which of the two did the will of the father?' They say to him, 'The first.' Jesus saith to them, 'Verily I say to you, that the tax-gatherers and the harlots do go before you into the reign of God,

for John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye did not believe him, and the tax-gatherers and the harlots did believe him, and ye, having seen, repented not at last -- to believe him.

And it came to pass, in his reclining (at meat) in his house, that many tax-gatherers and sinners were reclining (at meat) with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.

And the scribes and the Pharisees, having seen him eating with the tax-gatherers and sinners, said to his disciples, 'Why -- that with the tax-gatherers and sinners he doth eat and drink?'

And there came also tax-gatherers to be baptised, and they said unto him, 'Teacher, what shall we do?'

And Levi made a great entertainment to him in his house, and there was a great multitude of tax-gatherers and others who were with them reclining (at meat),

and the scribes and the Pharisees among them were murmuring at his disciples, saying, 'Wherefore with tax-gatherers and sinners do ye eat and drink?'

And all the people having heard, and the tax-gatherers, declared God righteous, having been baptized with the baptism of John,

the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and ye say, Lo, a man, a glutton, and a wine drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners;

And all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming nigh to him, to hear him,

There was a man there, called Zaccheus, who was a chief of the tax-gatherers, and was wealthy.

Why, this is really the reason you pay taxes; for tax-gatherers are ministers of God, devoting their energies to this very work.