The eighth commandment says, “You shall not steal.” The most obvious meaning is taking something that doesn’t belong to you. But the commandment goes deeper. There are many modern ways to steal, from cutting corners at work to withholding what we owe. Stealing values possessions over people. The solution isn’t just to stop taking. It’s to start giving.
Don’t Take What Isn’t Yours
The eighth commandment is short and direct: “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15). God’s law respects people’s property because it respects people. Leviticus expands on it.
Leviticus 19:11 Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.
Notice that stealing is listed alongside lying and deception. Theft often involves dishonesty, whether it’s shoplifting, padding an expense report, or keeping the extra change. At its root, stealing says, “I deserve this more than you do,” and it breaks trust between people.
Modern-Day Theft
We may not think of ourselves as thieves, but stealing shows up in subtle ways today: tax evasion, fraud, wasting time on the clock, pirating music or software, or manipulating someone’s affections. Even employers can steal from their workers.
James 5:4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
Underpaying workers or withholding fair wages is a form of theft that God takes seriously. Paul also warned against stealing from society by refusing to work when we’re able (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12).
Robbing God
The prophet Malachi delivered a shocking accusation from God to his people.
Malachi 3:8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and offerings.”
Everything we have belongs to God. The psalmist wrote, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). When we hold back our giving, we treat his resources as if they were ours. Generosity is an act of trust that says God owns it all and will provide what we need.
The Cure Is Generosity
The opposite of stealing isn’t just not stealing. It’s giving. Paul described the change that happens when someone follows Jesus.
Ephesians 4:28 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.
Stealing values a possession over a person. Generosity values a person over a possession. Jesus gave everything for us, and when we follow him, we learn to work hard, give freely, and care for others. Zacchaeus, a dishonest tax collector, experienced this when he met Jesus. He immediately promised to give half his possessions to the poor and pay back four times what he had taken (Luke 19:8). That’s what a changed heart looks like.
The Takeaway
What is the eighth commandment all about? It’s about more than taking what isn’t yours. There are many modern ways to steal, including from employers, workers, society, and even God. The cure for stealing is a habit of generosity that values people over possessions.
