For believers, the Bible serves as a guide for moral and ethical living, offering valuable insights into various aspects of life, including how to handle situations where someone steals from you. While the Bible doesn’t provide a step-by-step manual for every circumstance, it does offer principles and teachings that can help believers navigate the complexities of theft and its consequences.
One of the central teachings of the Bible is forgiveness. When someone steals from you, it can be a deeply hurtful experience, but the Bible encourages believers to forgive those who wrong them. Forgiveness is not only an act of grace but also a means to find peace and healing in the midst of theft.
The Bible emphasizes the importance of making amends for one’s wrongdoings. If someone steals from you, they should be encouraged to make restitution for their actions. Restitution is a way for the thief to take responsibility for their behavior and seek reconciliation.
While forgiveness is essential, it doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to wrongdoing. The Bible also teaches the importance of seeking justice. Reporting theft to the authorities is a legitimate way to address the issue and prevent further harm to others.
Proverbs 4:23 advises believers to “guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” When someone steals from you, it’s natural to feel anger and resentment. However, the Bible encourages believers to guard their hearts against these negative emotions and focus on love, compassion, and understanding.
Finally, the Bible teaches believers to trust in God’s providence. Even in the face of theft and loss, maintaining faith that God will provide and restore what has been taken can bring comfort and hope.
When someone steals from you, the Bible offers valuable guidance for believers. Forgiveness, restitution, seeking justice, guarding your heart, and trusting in God’s providence are key principles that can help navigate the difficult emotions and decisions that come with theft. Ultimately, the Bible encourages believers to respond with grace, love, and a commitment to righteousness.
Exodus 20:15
“Thou shalt not steal”
Deuteronomy 5:19
“Neither shalt thou steal”
Leviticus 19:11
“Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another”
Ephesians 4:28
“Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth”
Exodus 22:7
“If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double”
1 Corinthians 6:10
“Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God”
Proverbs 10:2
“Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death”
Proverbs 13:11
“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase”
Matthew 6:19-20
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal”
Matthew 19:18
“He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness”
Luke 3:14
“And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages”
Romans 2:21
“Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?”
Romans 13:9
“For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”
Proverbs 20:17
“Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel”
Psalm 62:10
“Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them”
Jeremiah 22:13
“Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work”
Proverbs 28:24
“Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer”
Proverbs 29:24
“Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not”
Zechariah 5:3-4
“Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof”
1 Thessalonians 4:6
“That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified”
2 Peter 2:14
“Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children”
Ezekiel 33:15
“If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die”
Psalm 50:18
“When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers”
1 Timothy 6:10
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”
Hosea 12:7
“He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress”
Jeremiah 17:11
“As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool”
Amos 8:5
“Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?”
1 Corinthians 5:11
“But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat”
Proverbs 21:6
“The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death”
Proverbs 30:9
“Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord ? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain”
Matthew 7:12
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets”
Matthew 26:52
“Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword”
Romans 12:17
“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men”
Romans 12:19
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord”
Proverbs 24:29
“Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work”
Proverbs 20:22
“Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord , and he shall save thee”
Matthew 5:38-39
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also”
Matthew 5:43-44
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you”
Luke 6:27-29
“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also”
Romans 12:20
“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head”
Proverbs 25:21-22
“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee”
Luke 6:35-36
“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful”
1 Thessalonians 5:15
“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men”
