κλέπτ-ης G2812
Thief; one who takes another’s property by stealth, distinguished from a robber who uses violence.
Kleptes describes someone who steals covertly, in contrast to lestes, the bandit or robber who takes by force. Jesus warns against storing treasure where thieves break through and steal (Matt 6:19-20) and calls the false shepherd who bypasses the gate a thief (John 10:1, 10). The word takes on vivid eschatological force when the Lord’s return is compared to a thief coming at an unexpected hour (Matt 24:43; 1 Thess 5:2; Rev 3:3). Spanish ladrón, French voleur, and German Dieb all preserve the core sense of covert theft rather than armed robbery.
Senses
1. thief (one who steals) — A person who steals by stealth or cunning rather than by open violence. In literal usage, thieves break into houses or storerooms to take valuables (Matt 6:19-20; Luke 12:33). Figuratively, Jesus brands the false shepherd a thief (John 10:1), and Judas is identified as one who pilfered from the common purse (John 12:6). The most theologically charged usage compares Christ’s parousia to a thief’s sudden, unannounced arrival (1 Thess 5:2; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 16:15). All target languages consistently select a single covert-theft term, confirming no semantic division. 16×
AR["السَّارِقُ", "السّارِقونَ", "سارِق", "سارِقونَ", "سارِقٍ", "سَارِقٌ", "لِصٍّ"]·ben["চোর", "চোর,", "চোরের", "চোরেরা", "চোরেরা,"]·DE["Dieb", "κλέπται", "κλέπτης"]·EN["a-thief", "thief", "thieves"]·FR["voleur"]·heb["גַּנָּב", "גַּנָּבִים"]·HI["चोर", "चोर,"]·ID["pencuri", "pencuri,"]·IT["ladro"]·jav["maling", "maling,"]·KO["도둑", "도둑,", "도둑들", "도둑들이요", "도둑은", "도둑이", "도둑이였기", "도둑이요", "도적이"]·PT["ladrão", "ladrão,", "ladrões"]·RU["Вор", "вор", "вор,", "вор.", "воры", "воры,"]·ES["ladrones", "ladrón", "un-ladrón"]·SW["anakuja", "mwizi", "mwizi,", "mwizi.", "wevi", "wezi", "wezi,"]·TR["hırsız", "hırsızlar", "ve-"]·urd["چور", "چور،"]
Matt 6:19, Matt 6:20, Matt 24:43, Luke 12:33, Luke 12:39, John 10:1, John 10:8, John 10:10, John 12:6, 1 Cor 6:10, 1 Thess 5:2, 1 Thess 5:4 (+4 more)
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)G1325 2. be given, be granted (70×)H5414 2. put, place, set (68×)H7999a 1. pay, repay, recompense (63×)H7069 1. Buy, purchase (59×)H1892 1. vanity, futility, absurdity (58×)H5159 2. heritage as covenant portion (52×)H6299 1. redeem or ransom (Qal active) (49×)H4376 1. Sell (Qal active) (47×)H1350a 1. Redeem, buy back (46×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κλέπτ-ης, ου, ὁ, thief, Refs 8th c.BC+; opposed to ἅρπαξ (a robber), NT+5th c.BC+; ὁ τοῦ κ. λόγος, a logical fallacy, Refs 4th c.BC+ __2 generally, cheat, knave, Refs 5th c.BC+