en_tw/bible/other/thief.md

# thief

## Related Ideas:

bandit, booty, loot, marauding band, plunder, raider, revolutionary, rob, robber, robbery, steal

## Definitions:

The term "thief" refers to a person who steals money or property from other people. The plural of "thief" is "thieves." The term "robber" often refers to a thief who also physically harms or threatens the people he is stealing from.

* Jesus told a parable about a Samaritan man who took care of a Jewish man who had been attacked by robbers. The robbers had beaten the Jewish man and wounded him before stealing his money and clothing.
* Both thieves and robbers come suddenly to steal, when people are not expecting it. Often they use the cover of darkness to hide what they are doing.
* In a figurative sense, the New Testament describes Satan as a thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. This means that Satan's plan is to try to get God's people to stop obeying him. If he succeeded in doing this Satan would be stealing from them the good things that God has planned for them.
* Jesus compared the suddenness of his return to the suddenness of a thief coming to steal from people. Just as a thief comes at a time when people are not expecting it, so Jesus will return at a time when people do not expect it.
* "Marauding bands" and "raiding parties" are large groups people who go from place to place to steal things and cause others harm.
* "Bandits" are thieves who work together.
* "Plunder" and "loot" are words that mean the same thing as "steal." They are used to speak of stealing many things at one time.
* "Raiders" are people who attack others, stealing and destroying property, and often killing and harming the people whose property they are stealing.
* The words "booty," "loot," and "plunder" also refer to the things that are stolen.

(See also: [bless](../kt/bless.md), [crime](../other/criminal.md), [crucify](../kt/crucify.md), [darkness](../other/darkness.md), [destroyer](../other/destroyer.md), [power](../kt/power.md), [Samaria](../names/samaria.md), [Satan](../kt/satan.md))

## Bible References:

* [2 Peter 03:10](rc://en/tn/help/2pe/03/10)
* [Luke 12:33](rc://en/tn/help/luk/12/33)
* [Mark 14:48](rc://en/tn/help/mrk/14/48)
* [Proverbs 06:30](rc://en/tn/help/pro/06/30)
* [Revelation 03:03](rc://en/tn/help/rev/03/03)

## Word Data:

* Strong's: H957, H962, H1214, H1416, H1497, H1589, H1590, H1980, H4455, H6530, H7703, H7997, H7998, G727, G941, G2417, G2812, G3027

## Forms Found in the English ULB:

bandits, booty, loot, marauding band, marauding bands, plunder, plundered, plundered things, raiders, raiding parties, raiding party, revolutionary, rob, robbed, robber, robbers, robbery, robbing, robs, steal, stealing, steals, stolen, thief, thieves