κλέπτηςkléptēs
a stealer (literally or figuratively)
Greek (New Testament) · G2812
Meanings
a thief: Matthew 6:19, Matthew 6:20, Matthew 24:43, Luke 12:33, Luke 12:39, John 10:1, John 10:10, John 12:6, 1 Corinthians 6:10, 1 Peter 4:15. Fig., ὡς κ. ἐν νυκτί, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:4, 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 3:3, Revelation 16:15. Metaph., of false teachers, John 10:8.
Synonyms
λῃστής, a robber, a brigand who plunders, openly, with violence; κ. is a thief who steals in secret, by fraud and cunning (Tr., Syn., § xliv).
Same root
Where it appears
Appears 16 times in the Bible.
- Matthew 6:19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
- Matthew 6:20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
- Matthew 24:43 Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into.
- Luke 12:33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
- Luke 12:39 “Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into.
- John 10:1 “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.