God’s Word Translation
Ephesians 4:28
28Thieves must quit stealing and, instead, they must work hard. They should do something good with their hands so that they’ll have something to share with those in need.
Ephesians 4:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
Context of Ephesians 4:28
26Be angry without sinning. Don’t go to bed angry. 27Don’t give the devil any opportunity ⌞to work⌟. Thieves must quit stealing and, instead, they must work hard. They should do something good with their hands so that they’ll have something to share with those in need. 29Don’t say anything that would hurt ⌞another person⌟. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you. 30Don’t give God’s Holy Spirit any reason to be upset with you. He has put his seal on you for the day you will be set free ⌞from the world of sin⌟.
Read all of Ephesians 4Ephesians 4:28 word by word
ὁ κλέπτων μηκέτι κλεπτέτω, μᾶλλον δὲ κοπιάτω ἐργαζόμενος ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσὶν τὸ ἀγαθόν, ἵνα ἔχῃ μεταδιδόναι τῷ χρείαν ἔχοντι.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Let himκλέπτωkleptō · to stealG2813
- thatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- no moreμηκέτιmēketi · never againG3371
- butδέde · thenG1161
- ratherμᾶλλονmallon · more: ratherG3123
- let himκοπιάωkopiaō · to laborG2872
- workingἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
- withχείρcheir · handG5495
- goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- he may haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- to giveμεταδίδωμιmetadidōmi · to shareG3330
- needethχρείαchreia · needG5532
Cross-references for Ephesians 4:28
- Exodus 20:15“Never steal.
- Exodus 21:16“Whoever kidnaps another person must be put to death, whether he has sold the kidnapped person or still has him.
- Proverbs 30:9or I may feel satisfied and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or I may become poor and steal and give the name of my God a bad reputation.
- Jeremiah 7:9You steal, murder, commit adultery, lie when you take oaths, burn incense as an offering to Baal, and run after other gods that you do not know.
- Hosea 4:2There is cursing, lying, murdering, stealing, and adultery. People break ⌞my laws⌟, and there is one murder after another.
- Zechariah 5:3Then he said to me, “This is a curse that will go out all over the earth. The one side of the scroll says that every thief will be forced away. The other side of the scroll says that everyone who takes an oath will be forced away.
- John 12:6(Judas didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the moneybag and carried the contributions.)
- 1 Corinthians 6:10or thieves, those who are greedy or drunk, who use abusive language, or who rob people will not inherit God’s kingdom.
- Job 34:32Teach me what I cannot see. If I’ve done wrong, I won’t do it again.’
- Proverbs 28:13Whoever covers over his sins does not prosper. Whoever confesses and abandons them receives compassion.
- Luke 3:8Do those things that prove that you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. Don’t say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.
- Luke 19:8⌞Later, at dinner,⌟ Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Lord, I’ll give half of my property to the poor. I’ll pay four times as much as I owe to those I have cheated in any way.”
- Proverbs 13:11Wealth ⌞gained⌟ through injustice dwindles away, but whoever gathers little by little has plenty.
- Proverbs 14:23In hard work there is always something gained, but idle talk leads only to poverty.
- Acts 20:34You know that I worked to support myself and those who were with me.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11Also, make it your goal to live quietly, do your work, and earn your own living, as we ordered you.
Commentaries on Ephesians 4:28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28Let him that stole steal no more - It is supposed that, among the rabbins, stealing was not entirely discountenanced, provided a portion was given to the poor. The apostle here teaches them a different doctrine: as they should speak truth every man with his neighbor, so they should in every respect act honestly, for nothing contrary to truth and righteousness could be tolerated under the Christian system. Let no man, under pretense of helping the poor…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28Let him that stole steal no more - Theft, like lying, was, and is, almost a universal vice among the pagan. The practice of pilfering prevails in, probably, every pagan community, and no property is safe which is not guarded, or so locked up as to be inaccessible. Hence, as the Christian converts at Ephesus had been long addicted to it, there was danger that they would fall into it again; and hence the necessity of special cautions on that head. We are…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-28Verses 25-28 Notice the particulars wherewith we should adorn our Christian profession. Take heed of every thing contrary to truth. No longer flatter or deceive others. God's people are children who will not lie, who dare not lie, who hate and abhor lying. Take heed of anger and ungoverned passions. If there is just occasion to express displeasure at what is wrong, and to reprove, see that it be without sin. We give place to the devil, when the first…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28Christians should work hard, be honest, and care for others (see 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6–12).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. Greek, "Let him that stealeth." The imperfect or past tense is, however, mainly meant, though not to the exclusion of the present. "Let the stealing person steal no more." Bandits frequented the mountains near Ephesus. Such are meant by those called "thieves" in the New Testament. but rather--For it is not enough to cease from a sin, but the sinner must also enter on the path that is its very opposite [Chrysostom]. The thief, when repentant, should…Read the comment
Topics related to Ephesians 4:28
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ephesians 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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