Find the Answer by Letter Count—Then Check the Bible Name
If you came from the July 19, 2025 New York Times crossword, the answer is ST MATTHEW, entered as nine grid letters: STMATTHEW.
If the puzzle or date is different, do not stop at the first 9-letter name. ZACCHAEUS is also nine letters and is explicitly called a chief tax collector in Luke 19.
STMATTHEW
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MATTHEW
LEVI
PUBLICAN · 8 letters
Biblical Tax Collector NYT Crossword Answer
Answer: ST MATTHEW
Enter it in the grid as STMATTHEW. Crossword grids normally omit the space and period in the abbreviation “St.”
Possible Biblical Tax Collector Answers by Letter Count
| Answer | Letters | Why it can fit | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEVI | 4 | Mark 2 and Luke 5 name Levi as a tax collector called by Jesus. | Use when the grid has four boxes or crossings clearly indicate LEVI. |
| MATTHEW | 7 | Matthew 9 and 10 identify Matthew with tax collection. | Use for a seven-letter clue without a title. |
| PUBLICAN | 8 | Older English Bible term for a tax or revenue collector. | Use when the clue asks for an old biblical term rather than a person. |
| STMATTHEW | 9 | “St.” plus Matthew, with punctuation and space removed. | Correct for the July 19, 2025 NYT clue and any matching crosses. |
| ZACCHAEUS | 9 | Luke 19 explicitly calls Zacchaeus a chief tax collector. | Possible for a generic nine-letter clue when crossing letters fit Z-A-C. |
| SAINTMATTHEW | 12 | The title written in full plus Matthew. | Only when the puzzle has 12 boxes; most crosswords shorten Saint to ST. |
How to Solve “Biblical Tax Collector” Without Guessing
Biblical Tax Collector Names and Unnamed Examples
| Person or group | Passage | How the text describes them | Main theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew | Matthew 9:9–13; 10:3 | Called from a tax-collection setting and listed among the Twelve as the tax collector. | Calling, discipleship and Jesus eating with socially rejected people. |
| Levi | Mark 2:14–17; Luke 5:27–32 | A tax collector called by Jesus in scenes closely parallel to Matthew’s call. | Leaving the booth, following Jesus and hosting a meal. |
| Zacchaeus | Luke 19:1–10 | A wealthy chief tax collector in Jericho. | Welcome, repentance, generosity and restitution. |
| Unnamed praying tax collector | Luke 18:9–14 | A character in Jesus’ parable who appeals for mercy. | Humility versus self-exalting religious pride. |
| Tax collectors asking John | Luke 3:12–13 | Unnamed collectors ask what repentance requires. | Do not collect more than authorized. |
| Tax collectors as a group | Matthew 9; Luke 7; Luke 15 and related scenes | Often grouped with “sinners” in social criticism directed at Jesus. | Mercy, repentance and conflict over table fellowship. |
Are Matthew and Levi the Same Tax Collector?
Matthew 9 names the man at the tax-collection place as Matthew. Mark 2 and Luke 5 tell closely parallel call-and-meal stories but call the man Levi. Because the narrative sequence and teaching are so similar, Christian tradition and many interpreters identify Matthew and Levi as the same person.
- Matthew is called from tax work in Matthew 9.
- Matthew 10:3 calls him “the tax collector” in the apostle list.
- Mark and Luke call a tax collector named Levi in parallel scenes.
- No single Gospel verse says, “Levi is Matthew.”
- Mark adds that Levi is the son of Alphaeus.
- Matthew’s Gospel uses Matthew where Mark and Luke use Levi.
Zacchaeus: Chief Tax Collector and Crossword Alternative
Zacchaeus is not merely inferred to be a collector. Luke 19 identifies him as a chief tax collector in Jericho and describes him as wealthy.
What Does “Publican” Mean in the Bible?
In older English Bible translations, publican means a person connected with collecting public taxes or revenue. It does not mean a pub owner.
| Term | Simple meaning | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Tax collector | Modern English translation for a person collecting taxes, tolls or revenue. | Broad, reader-friendly term used in current translations. |
| Publican | Older English wording associated with public-revenue collection. | An 8-letter crossword possibility; not a tavern keeper. |
| Chief tax collector | A higher-ranking collector connected with other collectors or a wider area. | Luke uses this description for Zacchaeus. |
| Tax booth / tax office | A collection point connected with tolls, customs or revenue work. | Not a modern government customer-service office with posted hours. |
Why Were Tax Collectors Disliked in the New Testament?
Collectors could represent Roman rule or local rulers whose revenue demands were resented.
Revenue systems could create incentives or opportunities to collect beyond the required amount.
Jewish collectors could be treated as collaborators and placed beside other publicly stigmatized people.
What Jesus and John the Baptist Teach Through Tax Collectors
Bible Passages to Read About Tax Collectors
Best starting passage for Matthew’s occupation and Jesus’ response to critics.
Explicitly identifies Matthew among the Twelve as the tax collector.
Parallel call story using the name Levi.
Another parallel account emphasizing leaving, following and the banquet.
Chief tax collector, welcome, generosity and restitution.
Parable contrasting self-exaltation with humble appeal for mercy.
Tax collectors are told not to collect beyond what is authorized.
Tax collectors are used in a challenge to religious leaders who did not respond.
Common Mistakes About the Clue and the Bible
Sources Used for the Answer and Bible Explanation
The July 19, 2025 New York Times puzzle record identifies 59-Across, “Biblical tax collector,” as STMATTHEW. This article does not reproduce the puzzle grid or other protected clue content.
The article uses the Gospel passages listed above and Bible-reference entries for Matthew, Zacchaeus, publican and tax-collector terminology. Interpretive traditions can differ, so the wording separates what the text explicitly says from later identification or title usage.
Biblical Tax Collector Crossword and Bible FAQs
What is the 9-letter answer to the biblical tax collector crossword clue?
For the New York Times crossword published July 19, 2025, the 9-letter answer is STMATTHEW, entered without a space or period. In an unspecified puzzle, ZACCHAEUS is also a 9-letter biblical tax collector, so crossing letters and the date matter.
What was the NYT answer for biblical tax collector?
The answer to 59-Across in the July 19, 2025 New York Times crossword was STMATTHEW. The grid removes the space and punctuation from “St. Matthew.”
Could the 9-letter biblical tax collector answer be Zacchaeus?
Yes. ZACCHAEUS has nine letters and Luke identifies him as a chief tax collector. It was not the answer to the July 19, 2025 NYT clue; that specific answer was STMATTHEW.
Was Matthew a tax collector in the Bible?
Yes. Matthew 9 describes Jesus calling Matthew from a tax-collection setting, and Matthew 10:3 lists him among the Twelve as Matthew the tax collector.
Are Matthew and Levi the same biblical tax collector?
Matthew 9 names Matthew, while the closely parallel call stories in Mark 2 and Luke 5 name Levi. Christian tradition and many interpreters identify them as the same person, but the texts use different names and do not contain one sentence explicitly equating them.
Who are the named tax collectors in the Bible?
The best-known named figures are Matthew, called Levi in parallel Gospel accounts, and Zacchaeus. The New Testament also describes unnamed tax collectors, including the man in Jesus’ Luke 18 parable and the collectors who ask John the Baptist how to act.
What does publican mean in the Bible?
Publican is older English Bible wording for a tax or public-revenue collector. It does not mean a pub owner in this context. Modern translations usually use “tax collector.”
Why were tax collectors disliked in the New Testament?
They were associated with Roman-era or local revenue systems, collaboration with ruling powers and opportunities for overcollection or personal profit. The Gospels show that reputation while also showing repentance, mercy and changed conduct.
What happened when Jesus met Zacchaeus?
Luke 19 presents Zacchaeus as a wealthy chief tax collector in Jericho. After Jesus welcomed him, Zacchaeus pledged generous giving and fourfold restitution where he had defrauded anyone.
What is the meaning of the Pharisee and the tax collector parable?
Luke 18 contrasts self-exalting religious confidence with humble appeal for mercy. The tax collector is not praised because of his occupation; he becomes the example because he recognizes his need and does not boast over others.