Mark 2:16

Καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι, ἰδόντες αὐτὸν ἐσθίοντα μετὰ τῶν τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν, ἔλεγον τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, Τί ὅτι μετὰ τῶν τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει;

RBT Greek Interlinear:

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; And; Conj

Strongs 3588; hoi; οἱ; the; Art-NMP

Strongs 1122; grammateis; γραμματεῖς; scholars; N-NMP

Strongs 3588; tōn; τῶν; the; Art-GMP

Strongs 5330; Pharisaiōn; Φαρισαίων; Separatists; N-GMP

Strongs 3708; idontes; ἰδόντες; those who have perceived; V-APA-NMP

Strongs 3754; hoti; ὅτι; that; Conj

Strongs 2068; esthiei; ἐσθίει; eats; V-PIA-3S

Strongs 3326; meta; μετὰ; in company with; Prep

Strongs 3588; tōn; τῶν; the; Art-GMP

Strongs 268; hamartōlōn; ἁμαρτωλῶν; sinners; Adj-GMP

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; and; Conj

Strongs 5057; telōnōn; τελωνῶν; of tax collectors; N-GMP

Strongs 2036; elegon; ἔλεγον; kept saying; V-IIA-3P

Strongs 3588; tois; τοῖς; the; Art-DMP

Strongs 3101; mathētais; μαθηταῖς; learners; N-DMP

Strongs 846; autou; αὐτοῦ; himself; PPro-GM3S

Strongs 3754; Hoti; Ὅτι; that; Conj

Strongs 3326; meta; μετὰ; in company with; Prep

Strongs 3588; tōn; τῶν; the; Art-GMP

Strongs 5057; telōnōn; τελωνῶν; of tax collectors; N-GMP

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; and; Conj

Strongs 268; hamartōlōn; ἁμαρτωλῶν; sinners; Adj-GMP

Strongs 2068; esthiei; ἐσθίει; eats; V-PIA-3S

RBT Translation:

And the Scholars of the Separatists, those who have perceived that he is eating in company with the Missers and of Tax Farmers, were saying to the Learners of himself that "In company with the Tax Farmers and missers he is eating!"

Tax farmers, commonly referred to as publicans in Roman society, were often wealthy citizens of the Equestrian Order (ordo equester), originally a class of horsemen who served in the cavalry. By the late Republic and Imperial periods, their role shifted from military service to administrative and financial activities, including the lucrative but controversial practice of tax farming. These individuals leased the right to collect taxes on behalf of the state, profiting from any excess revenue beyond their contracted payment to the government. This system was prone to extortion and corruption, as publicans frequently over-collected taxes to maximize their profits, leading to widespread resentment among the general populace.

At the lower end of the hierarchy were the τελώναι (tax collectors or toll gatherers), often hired by the publicans to carry out the actual collection of taxes. These lower-class employees were despised even more than their employers, as they worked directly with the Roman authorities to extract money from their fellow citizens, often through harsh or dishonest means. In the New Testament, the term τελώνης refers to these tax collectors, who were widely regarded as sinners and social pariahs.

LITV Translation:
And the scribes and Pharisees seeing Him eating with tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, Why is it that He eats and drinks with the tax collectors and sinners?

ESV Translation:
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