Stealing, or taking what does not belong to us, is a direct violation of God’s commandments and disrupts societal trust and harmony. The Bible speaks clearly against theft, emphasizing the importance of honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness. Here are 25 Bible verses for stealing, each with a brief commentary.
25 Bible Verses For Stealing
Exodus 20:15
“You shall not steal.”
This commandment is clear and absolute, forbidding theft in any form.
Leviticus 19:11
“Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”
Stealing is grouped with lying and deceit, highlighting its moral gravity.
Proverbs 10:2
“Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.”
Wealth obtained through theft is ultimately worthless and transient.
Ephesians 4:28
“Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.”
Former thieves are called to honest work and generosity.
Proverbs 12:22
“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”
Trustworthiness is treasured by God, contrasting with the deceit involved in stealing.
Zechariah 5:3-4
“And he said to me, ‘This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished. The Lord Almighty declares, I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.'”
God’s judgment is severe against thieves and those who swear falsely.
Matthew 19:18
“‘Which ones?’ he inquired. Jesus replied, ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony.'”
Jesus reiterates the commandment against stealing, affirming its enduring relevance.
Romans 13:9
“The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”
Stealing is contrary to loving one’s neighbor as oneself.
Proverbs 6:30-31
“People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.”
Even when driven by necessity, theft requires restitution.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Thieves, among other wrongdoers, are excluded from God’s kingdom.
Isaiah 61:8
“For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.”
God’s love for justice includes a strong stance against theft and robbery.
Jeremiah 7:9-10
“‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things?'”
Hypocrisy is condemned, especially when stealing is involved.
Mark 10:19
“You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.'”
Stealing is explicitly forbidden in Jesus’ summary of the commandments.
Psalm 62:10
“Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.”
Ill-gotten wealth is unreliable and should not be valued.
Hosea 4:2
“There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.”
Stealing is part of a pattern of lawlessness that leads to societal decay.
Micah 2:1-2
“Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance.”
Plotting and executing theft is condemned, emphasizing its moral corruption.
Leviticus 6:2-5
“If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the Lord by deceiving a neighbor about something entrusted to them or left in their care or about something stolen, or if they cheat their neighbor, or if they find lost property and lie about it, or if they swear falsely about any such sin that people may commit—when they sin in any of these ways and realize their guilt, they must return what they have stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to them, or the lost property they found, or whatever it was they swore falsely about. They must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering.”
Restitution is required for theft, along with an additional penalty.
Bible Verses For Stealing
Exodus 22:1
“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.”
Theft requires restitution multiple times the value of the stolen property.
Deuteronomy 5:19
“You shall not steal.”
This reiteration of the commandment underscores its importance.
Job 24:14
“When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up, kills the poor and needy, and in the night steals forth like a thief.”
Theft is associated with other grievous sins, highlighting its severity.
Proverbs 29:24
“The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify.”
Associating with thieves brings self-destructive consequences.
1 Peter 4:15
“If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.”
Believers are urged to avoid suffering due to criminal behavior, including theft.
Luke 19:8
“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.'”
True repentance involves restitution and generosity, as exemplified by Zacchaeus.
Proverbs 30:8-9
“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”
Seeking contentment prevents the temptation to steal, honoring God.
Matthew 6:19-20
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Investing in eternal treasures prevents the impact of earthly theft.
- 25 Powerful Bible Verses About Cheating (With Commentary)
- Bible Verses About Revival
- Bible Verses About Parenting Responsibilities
- What Does The Bible Say About Abstain From Drugs? (25 Bible Verses)
- What Does The Bible Say About Absolute Truth? (25 Bible Verses)
- 30 Bible Verses About Sanctity Of Life
- Bible Verses About Insomnia