To steal, to take what belongs to another by stealth. The root of the English word 'kleptomania.' In Scripture, theft encompasses far more than property — it includes stealing dignity, truth, and divine glory.
Kleptō appears in the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:15/Rom 13:9) and in Jesus' description of His return: 'I will come like a thief' (Rev 3:3). The metaphor is startling — the Lord of all creation comes not with announced fanfare but with the suddenness of a burglar. This is not moral equivalence but urgency language: be ready, because the timing is not yours to control. Meanwhile, Jesus cleanses the temple because it had become a 'den of thieves' (Matt 21:13) — theft dressed as worship.