Quick Definition
τελώνης, ου, ὁ n.m. a collector of taxes
Strong's Definition
from 5056 and 5608; a tax-farmer, i.e. collector of public revenue
KJV Usage: publican
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, m. | -ου | τελέω + ὠνέομαι
57.184 · Possess, Transfer, Exchange · Tax, Tribute
tax collector, revenue officer (derivative of τελέω[e] ‘to pay taxes,’ 57.178) one who collects taxes for the government Since Jews who farmed the taxes for the Romans (that is to say, who paid Roman authorities for the privilege of collecting taxes) were considered traitors to their own people, the term τελώνης has strongly negative connotations in the NT. In any translation of the Gospels it may be especially important to have an adequate marginal note designed to explain the basis for the hostility which many people had toward tax collectors.
MAT 5:46 · MAT 9:10 · MAT 9:11 · MAT 10:3 · MAT 11:19 · MAT 18:17 · MAT 21:31 · MAT 21:32 · MRK 2:15 · MRK 2:16 · MRK 2:16 · LUK 3:12 · LUK 5:27 · LUK 5:29 · LUK 5:30 · LUK 7:29 · LUK 7:34 · LUK 15:1 · LUK 18:10 · LUK 18:11 · LUK 18:13
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
τελώνης, -ου, 6, (fr. τέλος [(4. ν. 2)] tax, and ὠνέομαι to buy; cf. δημοσιώνης, ὀψώνης, δεκατώνης), fr. Arstph., Aeschin., Aristot., Polyb. down; 1. α renter or | farmer of taxes (Lat. publicanus); 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 ἃ 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 Artem. oneir. 1,23; 4,57, with καπήλοις καὶ τοῖς pera ἀναιδείας ζῶσι καὶ λῃσταῖς καὶ ζυγοκρούσταις καὶ παραλογισταῖς ἀνθρώποις ; Leian. necyom. ὁ. 11 puts together μοιχοί, πορνοβοσκοὶ kal τελῶναι καὶ κόλακες καὶ συκοφάνται [ Theophr. charact. 6 (περὶ ἀπονοίας) πανδοχεῦσαι, καὶ πορνοβοσκῆσαι, καὶ τελωνῆσαι}) : Mt. v. 46,47 Rec.; χ. ὃ; Lk. iii.12; v. 27, 29; vii. 29; xviii. 10, 11,13; the plur. is joined with ἁμαρτωλοί, Mt. ix. 10 sq.; [xi. 19]; Mk. ii. 15 sq.; Lk. v. 30; vii. 345 xv. 1; with πόρναι, Mt. xxi. 31 sq.; ὁ ἐθνιKos κι ὁ τελώνης, Mt. xviii. 17. Cf. Win. RWB. 8. v. Zoll, Zollner; [BB. DD. s.v. Publican; Wetstein on Mt. v. 46; Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah, i. 515 sqq.].
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
τελώνης telōnēs 21x
one who farms the public revenues; in NT a publican, collector of imposts, revenue officer, tax gatherer, Mt. 5:46; 9:10, 11; 10:3; Mk. 2:15f.; Lk. 3:12
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
* τελώνης, -ου, ὁ
(< τέλος, ὠνέομαι)
a farmer of taxes (Lat. publicanus).
A subordinate of the former, who collected taxes or tolls in a particular district, a tax-gatherer (EV, publican): Mt 5:46 10:3, Lk 3:12 5:27, 29 7:29 18:10, 11, 13; pl., τ. κ. ἁμαρτωλοί, Mt 9:10, 11 11:19, Mk 2:15, 16, Lk 5:30 7:34 15:1; τ. κ. πόρναι, Mt 21:31, 32; ὁ ἐθνικὸς κ. ὁ τ., Mt 18:17 (cf. DB, iv, 172; ext., 394 f.; MM, xxiv).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
τελώνης, “*tax-gatherer.”” Ρ Par 61 (B.C, 156) throws a vivid light on the practices of tax-gatherers. as after special mention of “τῶν πρὸς Tats τελωνίαις ἐντυγχανόντων, instructions are given that no one should be wronged (ἀδικῆται) by 15 τῶν συκοφαντεῖν (cf. Lk 198) ἐπιχειρούντων [τελωνῶν : see Wilcken Os¢v i. p. 568, where reference is made to Herodas VI. 64 τοὺς yap TeAdvas πᾶσα viv θύρη φρίσσει. Cf. also fev P Petr IIT. 32(/)?? (iii/B.c.) émure< - - >v μοι Αἴθωνα τὸν τελώνην, ‘to threaten me with Aithon the tax-gatherer,”’ P Grenf 11. 347 (B.C. 99) a docket to a contract showing that a tax of 10% had been paid δι’ ᾿Απολλω(νίου) τελών(ου) kal τῶν μετό(χων) on the price of a priest’s lodging (παστοφόprov), P Oxy IV. 732° (A.D. 150) τελῶναι ὠνῆς προθμίδων (λ πορθμίδων) πόλεως, ‘farmers of the contract for the tax on ferry-boats at the city” (Edd.), and from the ostraca Ost ΙΟ31 (A.D. 31) τελώνης ὑικῆς and 1040 (A.D. 58) τελ(ῶναι) γερδί(ιακοῦ). For the verb τελωνέω, cf. P Tebt I. ς᾽8 (B.c. 118) τι τῶν μὴ τετελωνημέν[ων, “something on which duty has not been paid” (Edd.), and OG/S 5517 (B.c. 240): for the subst. τελωνία, cf. P Par 619 (B.c. 156) ut supra; and for the adj. τελωνικός, cf. P Rey Lil? (B.c. 258) ὅσα δ᾽ ἐγκλήματα γίνεται ἐκ τῶν νόμων] τῶν τελωνικῶν ἔστω καλεῖσθαι. . ., “‘when disputes arise out of the laws concerning tax-farming, the Crown officials may bring an action . . .” (Ed.).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
τελώνης (telōnēs) — tax collector. τελών-ης, ου, ὁ, (τέλος 1.8, ὠνέομαι) farmer or collector of tolls, customs, or taxes, [Refs 5th c.BC+], of the Oropians, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; = Latin publicanus, [NT]; πορνοβοσκοὶ καὶ τ. [Refs 2nd c.AD+]