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)): Mat_5:46-47 Rec.; ; Luk_3:12; Luk_5:27; Luk_5:29; Luk_7:29; Luk_18:10-11; Luk_18:13; the plural is joined with ἁμαρτωλοί, Mat_9:10 f; (); Mar_2:15; Luk_5:30; Luk_7:34; Luk_15:1; with πόρναι, Mat_21:31 f; ὁ ἐθνικός καί ὁ τελώνης, Mat_18:17. Cf. Winers RWB, under the words, Zoll, Zöllner; (BB. DD., under the word ; Wetstein on Mat_5:46; Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah, i. 515ff).

τελώνης telōnēs 21x one who farms the public revenues; in NT a publican, collector of imposts, revenue officer, tax gatherer, Mat_5:46 ; Mat_9:10-11 ; Mat_10:3 ; Mar_2:15 f.; Luk_3:12 tax collector.

* τελώνης , -ου , ὁ ( < τέλος , ὠνέομαι ), 1. a farmer of taxes (Let. publicanus ). 2. A subordinate of the former, who collected taxes or tolls in a particular district, a tax-gatherer ( EV , publican ): Mat_5:46 ; Mat_10:3 , Luk_3:12 ; Luk_5:27 ; Luk_5:29 ; Luk_7:29 ; Luk_18:10-11 ; Luk_18:13 ; pl ., τ . κ . ἁμαρτωλοί , Mat_9:10-11 ; Mat_11:19 , Mar_2:15-16 , Luk_5:30 ; Luk_7:34 ; Luk_15:1 ; τ . κ . πόρναι , Mat_21:31-32 ; ὁ ἐθνικὸς κ . ὁ τ ., Mat_18:17 ( cf. DB , iv, 172; ext., 394 f .; MM , xxiv).†

τελώνης [page 631] tax-gatherer. P Par 61 (B.C. 156) throws a vivid light on the practices of tax-gatherers, as after special mention of .8 τῶν πρὸς ταῖς τελωνίαις ἐντυγχανόντων , instructions are given that no one should be wronged (ἀδικῆται ) by .15 τῶν συκοφαντεῖν (cf. Luk_19:8 ) ἐπιχειρούντων [τελωνῶν : see Wilcken Ostr i. p. 568, where reference is made to Herodas VI. 64 τοὺς γὰρ τελώνας πᾶσα νῦν θύρη φρίσσει . Cf. also P Petr III. 32 ( f ) .17 (iii/B.C.) ἐπισε < .ίει† .>ν μοι Αἴθωνα τὸν τελώνην , to threaten me with Aithon the tax-gatherer, P Grenf 11. 34 .1 (B.C. 99) a docket to a contract showing that a tax of 10% had been paid δι᾽ Ἀπολλω (νίου ) τελών (ου ) καὶ τῶν μετό (χων ) on the price of a priest s lodging (παστοφόριον ), P Oxy IV. 732 .2 (A.D. 150) τελῶναι ὠνῆς προθμίδων ( l . πορθμίδων ) πόλεως , farmers of the contract for the tax on ferry-boats at the city (Edd.), and from the ostraca Ostr 1031 (A.D. 31) τελώνης ὑικῆς and 1040 (A.D. 58) τελ (ῶναι ) γερδ (ιακοῦ ). For the verb τελωνέω , cf. P Tebt I. 5 .26 (B.C. 118) τι τῶν μὴ τετελωνημ̣ε̣ν [ων , something on which duty has not been paid (Edd.), and OGIS 55 .17 (B.C. 240) : for the subst. τελωνία , cf. P Par 61 .9 (B.C. 156) ut supra; and for the adj. τελωνικός , cf. P Rev L xxi. 12 (B.C. 258) ὅσα δ᾽ ἐγκλήματα γίνεται ἐκ τ [ῶν νόμων ] τ̣ῶν τελωνικω̣ν ἔστω καλεῖσθαι . . ., when disputes arise out of the laws concerning tax-farming, the Crown officials may bring an action . . . (Ed.). † In the print edition ίει is on a separate line directly above < . . >

τελώνης τελ-ώνης, ου, ὁ, [Etym: τέλος V] "a farmer or collector of the taxes", Ar. , Aeschin. : in NTest. = Lat. publicanus.

τελώνης, -ου, ὁ (τέλος, ὠνέομαι) __1. a farmer of taxes (Let. publicanus). __2. A subordinate of the former, who collected taxes or tolls in a particular district, a tax-gatherer (EV, publican): Mat.5:46 10:3, Luk.3:12 5:27, 29 7:29 18:10-11, 13; pl., τ. κ. ἁμαρτωλοί, Mat.9:10-11 11:19, Mrk.2:15-16, Luk.5:30 7:34 15:1; τ. κ. πόρναι, Mat.21:31-32; ὁ ἐθνικὸς κ. ὁ τ., Mat.18:17 (cf. DB, iv, 172; ext., 394 f.; MM, xxiv).† (AS)