A tax collector is a person who collects unpaid taxes from other people or corporations. Tax collectors are often portrayed as being evil, and in the modern world share a somewhat similar stereotype to that of lawyers.

Tax collectors in the Bible

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Tax collectors are mentioned many times in the Bible (mainly in the New Testament). They are generally described as being greedy, and taking more money than they are entitled to. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus sympathises with the tax collector Zacchaeus, causing outrage from the crowds that Jesus would rather be the guest of a sinner than that of a peaceful Jew.

Notable tax collectors

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• Zacchaeus
• Jacob Gaón

See also

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• Tax
• Tax farming
• Withholding tax
• Internal Revenue Service