tax collectors

¹²Now the tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³But he said to them, “You should do nothing more than what has been appointed to you.”

¹⁹The Son of man came eating and drinking; and they say, ‘Behold, a man who eats voraciously and who drinks wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is justified by her sons.”

¹⁵But if your brother has sinned against you, go and correct him, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you will have regained your brother. ¹⁶But if he will not listen you, invite with you one or two more, so that every word may stand by the mouth of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷And if he will not listen to them, tell the Church. But if he will not listen to the Church, let him be to you like the pagan and the tax collector.

⁹Now about certain persons who consider themselves to be just, while disdaining others, he told also this parable: ¹⁰“Two men ascended to the temple, in order to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. ¹¹Standing, the Pharisee prayed within himself in this way: ‘O God, I give thanks to you that I am not like the rest of men: robbers, unjust, adulterers, even as this tax collector chooses to be. ¹²I fast twice between Sabbaths. I give tithes from all that I possess.’ ¹³And the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing to even lift up his eyes to heaven. But he struck his chest, saying: ‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ ¹⁴I say to you, this one descended to his house justified, but not the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even tax collectors behave this way?

¹⁰“Two men ascended to the temple, in order to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.

⁶Therefore, you must also offer tribute. For they are the ministers of God, serving him in this. ⁷Therefore, render to all whatever is owed. Taxes, to whom taxes is due; revenue, to whom revenue is due; fear, to whom fear is due; honor, to whom honor is due.

²⁴He said, “Yes.” And when he had entered into the house, Jesus went before him, saying: “How does it seem to you, Simon? The kings of the earth, from whom do they receive tribute or the census tax: from their own sons or from foreigners?” ²⁵And he said, “From foreigners.” Jesus said to him: “Then the sons are free. ²⁶But so that we may not become an obstacle to them: go to the sea, and cast in a hook, and take the first fish that is brought up, and when you have opened its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take it and give it to them, for me and for you.”

¹¹And the Pharisees, seeing this, said to his disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

⁹And when Jesus passed on from there, he saw, sitting at the tax office, a man named Matthew. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And rising up, he followed him.

²⁹And upon hearing this, all the people and the tax collectors justified God, by being baptized with the baptism of John.

¹⁴And as he was passing by, he saw Levi of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs office. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And rising up, he followed him.

¹Now tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to him, so that they might listen to him. ²And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This one accepts sinners and eats with them.” ³And he told this parable to them, saying: ⁴“What man among you, who has one hundred sheep, and if he will have lost one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the one whom he had lost, until he finds it? ⁵And when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶And returning home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them: ‘Congratulate me! For I have found my sheep, which had been lost.’

¹¹Standing, the Pharisee prayed within himself in this way: ‘O God, I give thanks to you that I am not like the rest of men: robbers, unjust, adulterers, even as this tax collector chooses to be.

¹Let every soul be subject to higher authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those who have been ordained by God. ²And so, whoever resists authority, resists what has been ordained by God. And those who resist are acquiring damnation for themselves. ³For leaders are not a source of fear to those who work good, but to those who work evil. And would you prefer not to be afraid of authority? Then do what is good, and you shall have praise from them. ⁴For he is a minister of God for you unto good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid. For it is not without reason that he carries a sword. For he is a minister of God; an avenger to execute wrath upon whomever does evil. ⁵For this reason, it is necessary to be subject, not solely because of wrath, but also because of conscience. ⁶Therefore, you must also offer tribute. For they are the ministers of God, serving him in this.