Easton's Bible Dictionary One who farmed the taxes (e.g., Zacchaeus, Luke 19:2) to be levied from a town or district, and thus undertook to pay to the supreme government a certain amount. In order to collect the taxes, the publicans employed subordinates (5:27; 15:1; 18:10), who, for their own ends, were often guilty of extortion and peculation. In New Testament times these taxes were paid to the Romans, and hence were regarded by the Jews as a very heavy burden, and hence also the collectors of taxes, who were frequently Jews, were hated, and were usually spoken of in very opprobrious terms. Jesus was accused of being a "friend of publicans and sinners" (Luke 7:34). Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A farmer of the taxes and public revenues; hence, a collector of toll or tribute. The inferior officers of this class were often oppressive in their exactions, and were regarded with great detestation. 2. (n.) The keeper of an inn or public house; one licensed to retail beer, spirits, or wine. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia PUBLICAN pub'-li-kan. See TAX, TAXING.

Multi-Version Concordance Publican (7 Occurrences) Matthew 10:3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; (KJV ASV WBS) Matthew 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. (KJV ASV WBS) Luke 5:27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. (KJV ASV WBS) Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. (KJV ASV WBS) Luke 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (KJV ASV WBS) Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (KJV ASV WBS) Luke 19:2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. (Root in KJV ASV WBS)