An extortioner indicates a robber who steals by violence; the Greek word, harpax, means "to obtain by violence, threat, oppression, or abuse of authority." It is an adjective that literally describes a grappling iron used in warfare, and so it means "grasping that to which one has no right." It is also translated as "ravening" in Scripture.
An extortioner obtains things from others by force, intimidation, or undue power. Parents can train a child to extort if they give him everything he demands through his cries and tantrums. That child is stealing what he wants from his parents. Christ condemns the Pharisees for extorting from the people. They used their office to intimidate the people into giving offerings (Matthew 23:25). Christ admonishes the tax collector to avoid stealing from people by not collecting more than his due (Luke 3:12-13).
Find more Bible verses about Extortion: Extortion {Nave's}
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