Original Word: τελώνης
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: telónés
Pronunciation: te-lo'-nace
Phonetic Spelling: (tel-o'-nace)
Definition: Tax collector, publican
Meaning: a publican, collector of taxes.

tax collector

From telos and oneomai; a tax-farmer, i.e. Collector of public revenue -- publican.

see GREEK telos

see GREEK oneomai

5057 telṓnēs – a publican; a tax-collector, gathering public taxes from the Jews for the Romans.

[5057 /telṓnēs (literally, "paying-at-the-end") referred to the toll-house where the Romans collected taxes from the public. "Publican/tax-gatherer" (5057 /telṓnēs) is derived from telos ("a tax at the end") and ōneomai ("to buy").]

Word Origin
from telos and óneomai
Definition
a farmer of taxes, i.e. a tax collector
NASB Translation
collector (1), tax collector (5), tax collectors (15).

STRONGS NT 5057: τελώνης

τελώνης, τελωνου, ὁ (from τέλος ((which see 2)) tax, and ὠνέομαι to buy; cf. δημοσιώνης, ὀψώνης, δεκατωνης), from Aristophanes, Aeschines, Aristotle, Polybius down;

1. a renter or farmer of taxes (Latinpublicanus); among the Romans usually a man of equestrian rank.

2. a tax-gatherer, collector of taxes or tolls (Vulg.publicanus incorrectly: (so A. V. publican)), one employed by a publican or farmer-general in collecting the taxes. The tax-collectors were, as a class, detested not only by the Jews but by other nations also, both on account of their employment and of the harshness, greed, and deception, with which they prosecuted it; (hence, they are classed by Artemidorus Daldianus, oneir. 1, 23; 4, 57, with καπηλοις καί τοῖς μετά ἀναιδειας ζῶσι καί λῃσταῖς καί ζυγοκρουσταις καί παραλογισταις ἀνθρώποις; Lucian, necyom. c. 11 puts together μοιχοί, πορνοβοσκοι καί τελῶναι καί κολακες καί συκοφανται (Theophrastus, charact. 6 (περί ἀπονοίας) πανδοχευσαι, καί πορνοβοσκησαι, καί τελωνησαι)): Matthew 5:46, 47 Rec.; ; Luke 3:12; Luke 5:27, 29; Luke 7:29; Luke 18:10, 11, 13; the plural is joined with ἁμαρτωλοί, Matthew 9:10f; (); Mark 2:15; Luke 5:30; Luke 7:34; Luke 15:1; with πόρναι, Matthew 21:31f; ὁ ἐθνικός καί ὁ τελώνης, Matthew 18:17. Cf. Winers RWB, under the words, Zoll, Zöllner; (BB. DD., under the word ; Wetstein on Matthew 5:46; Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah, i. 515ff).

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek word "τέλος" (telos), meaning "tax" or "end," combined with "ὠνέομαι" (ōnéomai), meaning "to buy" or "to purchase."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Hebrew equivalent for τελώνης, as the concept of a Roman tax collector is specific to the New Testament context. However, the role of tax collection in ancient Israelite society can be loosely associated with terms related to tribute or levy, such as מַס (mas, Strong's Hebrew 4522), which refers to forced labor or tribute.

Usage: The term τελώνης is used in the New Testament to describe individuals who collected taxes, often viewed negatively by Jewish society due to their association with the Roman authorities and their reputation for extortion and corruption.

Context: The term τελώνης appears in the New Testament primarily in the Gospels, where tax collectors are often depicted as social outcasts and sinners. Despite their negative reputation, Jesus frequently interacted with them, demonstrating His message of redemption and grace.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus calls Matthew, a tax collector, to be one of His disciples (Matthew 9:9, BSB: "As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. 'Follow Me,' He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him."). This act signifies the inclusivity of Jesus' ministry and His willingness to reach out to those marginalized by society.

The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:10-14 highlights the humility of the tax collector in contrast to the self-righteousness of the Pharisee. The tax collector's prayer, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" (Luke 18:13, BSB), exemplifies a repentant heart, which Jesus commends.

Zacchaeus, another tax collector, is a notable figure who encounters Jesus in Jericho. His story, found in Luke 19:1-10, illustrates the transformative power of Jesus' acceptance and love. Zacchaeus' decision to repay those he defrauded and give to the poor demonstrates genuine repentance and restitution.

Tax collectors, while often despised, serve as powerful examples of the transformative impact of Jesus' ministry. Their inclusion in the narrative underscores the theme of redemption and the breaking down of social barriers.

τελωναι τελώναι τελῶναι τελωνην τελώνην τελωνης τελώνης τελωνων τελωνών τελωνῶν telonai telônai telōnai telō̂nai telonen telōnēn telṓnen telṓnēn telones telōnēs telṓnes telṓnēs telonon telonôn telōnōn telōnō̂nInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts