text: A parable compares one of these people, standing in the distance and beating his breast in shame, to a Pharisee who is thankful that he is not one of these people.
full_question: A parable compares one of these people, standing in the distance and beating his breast in shame, to a Pharisee who is thankful that he is not one of these people. An encounter with Jesus prompts a man with this profession to declare that he will give half of his possessions to the poor. Jesus is often described as eating dinner with these people "and sinners." A man with this job is so short that he is forced to (*) climb up a fig tree to see Jesus among a large crowd. A disciple with this job is alternately called Levi. This profession, shared by Zacchaeus and Matthew, was considered traitorous because its practitioners frequently overcharged their clients. For 10 points, identify this profession which was responsible for gathering money for the Roman Empire.
first_sentence: A parable compares one of these people, standing in the distance and beating his breast in shame, to a Pharisee who is thankful that he is not one of these people.
raw_answer: tax collectors [or publicans; or publicanus; or publicani; or telones]