Definition and Context:
In the biblical context, "steals" refers to the act of taking something that does not belong to oneself without permission or legal right, often with the intent to keep it. This act is explicitly condemned in the Scriptures and is considered a violation of God's commandments.

Biblical Commandments:
The prohibition against stealing is clearly articulated in the Ten Commandments, which serve as a foundational moral code in the Bible. Exodus 20:15 states, "You shall not steal." This commandment underscores the importance of respecting others' property and upholding justice and integrity in personal and communal relationships.

Moral and Ethical Implications:
Stealing is not merely a legal issue but a moral one that reflects the condition of the heart. In the New Testament, Jesus expands on the understanding of the law by addressing the internal motivations that lead to sinful actions. In Matthew 15:19 , Jesus says, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." This highlights that theft is rooted in deeper issues of the heart, such as greed, covetousness, and a lack of trust in God's provision.

Consequences and Restitution:
The Bible outlines consequences for stealing and emphasizes the need for restitution. In the Old Testament, the Law of Moses provides specific guidelines for restitution. For example, Exodus 22:1 states, "If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep." This principle of restitution serves to restore what was lost and to deter future theft.

New Testament Teachings:
The New Testament continues to uphold the prohibition against stealing and calls believers to a higher standard of living. Ephesians 4:28 instructs, "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need." This verse not only condemns theft but also encourages productive work and generosity, reflecting a transformed life in Christ.

Spiritual Significance:
Stealing is seen as a breach of trust and a failure to love one's neighbor as oneself, which is the second greatest commandment according to Jesus (Matthew 22:39). It disrupts community harmony and reflects a lack of faith in God's provision. Believers are called to live lives of honesty and integrity, trusting in God's ability to meet their needs and seeking to bless others rather than take from them.

Examples in Scripture:
Several biblical narratives illustrate the consequences of stealing. Achan's theft of devoted items in Joshua 7 led to Israel's defeat and his own destruction. Similarly, the account of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 demonstrates repentance and restitution, as Zacchaeus, a tax collector, pledges to repay those he defrauded fourfold after encountering Jesus.

Conclusion:
The biblical teaching on stealing is clear and consistent, emphasizing the importance of respecting others' property, the need for restitution, and the call to live a life of integrity and generosity. Through the transformative power of the Gospel, believers are encouraged to turn away from theft and to embody the values of the Kingdom of God.2812. kleptes -- a thief
... 2812 -- a who steals by (in secret), rather than in the open with (, 591). Word
Origin from klepto Definition a thief NASB Word Usage thief (12), thieves (4). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2812.htm - 6k

2813. klepto -- to steal
... See 2812 (). Word Origin a prim. verb Definition to steal NASB Word Usage steal
(10), steal...away (1), steals (1), stole...away (1). steal. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2813.htm - 7k

1589. ganab -- to steal
... 1), deceive (1), deceived (1), deceiving (1), fact kidnapped (1), kidnapping (1),
kidnaps (1), steal (9), steal away (1), stealing (1), steals (3), steals him ...
/hebrew/1589.htm - 6k

This Digression Steals Me a Little Further
... THE FOURTH CENTURY 7 This digression steals me a little further. This
digression steals me a little further. Is it not the shame ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/7 this digression steals me.htm

The Eighth Commandment
... (2) The house-thief, who purloins and filches out of his master's cash, or steals
his wares and drugs. ... (5) The shop-thief, who steals in selling. ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 8 the eighth commandment.htm

Some Man Will Say, "So Then any Thief Whatever is to be Accounted ...
... 19. Some man will say, "So then any thief whatever is to be accounted equal with
that thief who steals with will of mercy?" Who would say this? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/against lying/section 19 some man will.htm

Seventh Commandment
... Talk about stealing"a man who steals the virtue of a woman is the meanest
thief that ever was on the face of the earth! One who ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/weighed and wanting/seventh commandment.htm

A Man Expects to Reap the Same Kind as He Sows.
... By this lie he got his brother's birthright blessing, but he paid ten thousand times
more for it than it was worth. "Who steals my purse steals trash." A man ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/sowing and reaping/chapter iv a man expects.htm

The Seventh Commandment
... Corinthians 7:2. Therefore, after this remedy prescribed, to be guilty of fornication
or adultery, is inexcusable; it is like a rich thief, that steals when he ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 7 the seventh commandment.htm

But we are not Here Concerned with the Nature and Existence of the ...
... You prosecute the man or woman Who steals the goose from off the common, But leave
the larger felon loose Who steals the common from the goose. ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 10 but we are.htm

These Things Being Said by God, While the Trumpets Uttered their ...
... If any one steals a calf, he shall restore five; if he steals a sheep, the penalty
shall be fourfold; and if the animals be found alive in the hands of him who ...
/.../life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter xviii these things being.htm

John who was a Torch, Laid Bare and Rebuked the Wanton Ones: they ...
... not to be at all. There is that steals and quenches his thirst, and there
is that steals and thirsts to steal. The rich steal and ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn xxi john who was.htm

How Sin came In
... The reality of moral distinctions, the essential wrongness of the sin, is obscured
by a mist of sophistication. 'There is no harm in it' steals into some young ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/how sin came in.htm

Steals (7 Occurrences)
...Steals (7 Occurrences). ... Exodus 22:1 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills
it, or sells it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. ...
/s/steals.htm - 8k

Steal (29 Occurrences)
... Exodus 22:1 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it, or sells it; he
shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. ...
/s/steal.htm - 16k

Stealing (8 Occurrences)

/s/stealing.htm - 9k

Thief (41 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) One who steals; one who commits theft or larceny.
See Theft. 2. (n.) A waster in the snuff of a candle. Int. ...
/t/thief.htm - 22k

Kills (38 Occurrences)
... (See NAS RSV NIV). Exodus 22:1 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it,
or sells it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. ...
/k/kills.htm - 17k

Kidnapper (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) One who steals or forcibly carries away a human being;
a manstealer. Multi-Version Concordance Kidnapper (1 Occurrence). ...
/k/kidnapper.htm - 6k

Terrors (21 Occurrences)
... NIV). Job 27:20 Terrors overtake him like waters. A storm steals him away
in the night. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/t/terrors.htm - 12k

Purged (19 Occurrences)
... Zechariah 5:3 Then he said to me, "This is the curse that goes out over the surface
of the whole land; for everyone who steals shall be cut off according to it ...
/p/purged.htm - 12k

Carries (27 Occurrences)
... carries away? (WEB NAS RSV). Job 27:20 Terrors overtake him like waters.
A storm steals him away in the night. (See RSV). Job 27:21 ...
/c/carries.htm - 14k

Stealer (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) One who steals; a thief. 2. (n.) The endmost
plank of a strake which stops short of the stem or stern. ...
/s/stealer.htm - 6k

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