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κλέπτης

kléptēs

G2812 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

One who steals; a person who takes property belonging to another without consent, typically with the intent of secrecy and avoidance of detection. The term denotes the act of theft by stealth or deceit, rather than by force. In various contexts, it may refer to literal thieves or serve metaphorically for those who unlawfully or deceitfully appropriate what does not belong to them, including in moral, spiritual, or allegorical senses.

Semantic Range

thief, one who steals in secret, deceiver (figurative), unauthorized appropriator, one who commits theft by stealth rather than force

Root / Etymology

Derived from the verb κλέπτω (to steal), from the root κλεπ-. The nominal suffix -της forms an agent noun, indicating the one who performs the action. Cognate with Latin clepere, Old English hlēapan (to leap, sneak away), and related Indo-European roots regarding stealth or theft.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, κλέπτης primarily describes a person engaged in theft, emphasizing stealth, secrecy, and cunning. The term is distinct from λῃστής, which refers to a robber or bandit who uses violence or open force. κλέπτης appears in both the Septuagint and the New Testament, often in legal, moral, and parabolic contexts, including descriptions of unlawful takers, the figurative depiction of spiritual impostors, and warnings against covert malefactors (e.g., John 10:1, 'he who does not enter by the door... but climbs in another way is a thief and a robber'). English translations often use 'thief,' but this may obscure the contrast with λῃστής ('robber'), which is important in some passages. In Hellenistic and Roman contexts, κλέπτης is associated with secretive thievery, as opposed to the violent acts of λῃσταί; κλέπτης never refers to insurgent or political bandits. The figurative usage in moral or spiritual teaching develops in Jewish and early Christian literature, emphasizing deceit and the wrongful appropriation of trust or goods through subterfuge.

Translation Consistency

primary "thief" 0 occurrences

"Thief" is the natural, common English noun that captures the primary sense (one who steals, typically by stealth or deceit). It matches the typical usage and covers both literal and figurative senses better than awkward hyphenations; it is also the most frequently used form in the P2 renderings.

Alternatives (16 occurrences):
"stealth-thief" (11x) "stealth-thieves" (4x) "thieves" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from κλέπτω; a stealer (literally or figuratively):--thief. Compare λῃστής.

Root Family

κλέπτης (kleptēs) — thief, stealth-stealer, secret taker, deceiver

Root κλεπ- to steal, to act secretly or by deceit

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2812-03 κλέπτης kleptes N NOM M SG a thief stealth-thief stealth-thief 11
G2812-01 κλέπται kleptai N NOM M PL thieves stealth-thieves stealth-thieves 4
G2812-02 κλέπτας kleptas N ACC M PL a thief stealth-thieves thieves 1

Occurrences in Scripture

16 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2812-01 Matthew 6:19 κλέπται kleptai N NOM M PL thieves stealth-thieves stealth-thieves
G2812-01 Matthew 6:20 κλέπται kleptai N NOM M PL thieves stealth-thieves stealth-thieves
G2812-03 Matthew 24:43 κλέπτης kleptes N NOM M SG thief stealth-thief stealth-thief
G2812-03 Luke 12:33 κλέπτης kleptes N NOM M SG thief stealth-thief stealth-thief
G2812-03 Luke 12:39 κλέπτης kleptes N NOM M SG thief stealth-thief stealth-thief
G2812-03 John 10:1 κλέπτης kleptes N NOM M SG a thief stealth-thief stealth-thief
G2812-01 John 10:8 κλέπται kleptai N NOM M PL thieves stealth-thieves stealth-thieves
G2812-03 John 10:10 κλέπτης kleptes N NOM M SG thief stealth-thief stealth-thief
G2812-03 John 12:6 κλέπτης kleptes N NOM M SG thief stealth-thief stealth-thief
G2812-01 1 Corinthians 6:10 κλέπται kleptai N NOM M PL thieves stealth-thieves stealth-thieves
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