Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia MONEY-CHANGERS chan'-jers (kollubistes, from kollubos, "a small coin," so "a money-changer," or "banker" (Matthew 21:12 Mark 11:15; "changers" in John 2:15; compare John 2:14, where kermatistes, "a dealer in small bits," or "change," is also rendered "changers"); compare trapezites, "one who sits at a table," "a money-changer," "a banker" or "broker"; one who both exchanges money for a small fee and pays interest on deposits (Matthew 25:27, the King James Version "exchangers," the American Standard Revised Version "bankers")): The profession of money-changer in Palestine was made necessary by the law requiring every male Israelite who had reached the age of 20 years to pay into the treasury of the sanctuary a half-shekel at every numbering of the people, an offering to Yahweh, not even the poor being exempt. It seems to have become an annual tax, and was to be paid in the regular Jewish half-shekel (Exodus 30:11-15). Since the Jews, coming up to the feasts, would need to exchange the various coins in common circulation for this Jewish piece, there were money-changers who exacted a premium for the exchange. This fee was a kollubos (about 31 cents in U.S. money, i.e. in 1915), hence, the name kollubistes. The Jews of Christ's day came from many parts of the world, and the business of exchanging foreign coins for various purposes became a lucrative one, the exchangers exacting whatever fee they might. Because of their greed and impiety, Jesus drove them from the courts of the temple. Edward Bagby Pollard

Multi-Version Concordance Money-changers (5 Occurrences) Matthew 21:12 Entering the Temple, Jesus drove out all who were buying and selling there, and overturned the money-changers' tables and the seats of the pigeon-dealers. (WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT RSV) Matthew 25:27 thou oughtest then to have put my money to the money-changers, and when I came I should have got what is mine with interest. (DBY) Mark 11:15 They reached Jerusalem, and entering the Temple He began to drive out the buyers and sellers, and upset the money-changers' tables and the stools of the pigeon-dealers, (WEY ASV BBE WBS YLT RSV) John 2:14 And He found in the Temple the dealers in cattle and sheep and in pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. (WEY DBY YLT RSV) John 2:15 and, having made a scourge of cords, he cast them all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the change of the money-changers, and overturned the tables, (DBY YLT RSV)