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Bible Lexicons
Old & New Testament Greek Lexical Dictionary Greek Lexicon
Strong's #2812 - κλέπτης
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- Strong
- Mounce
- an embezzler, pilferer
- the name is transferred to false teachers, who do not care to instruct men, but abuse their confidence for their own gain
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κλέπτ-ης, ου, ὁ,
1. thief, Il. 3.11; τὸν πυρὸς κ. A. Pr. 946; κλέπτα δύο Ar. V. 928; opp. ἅρπαξ (a robber), Myrtil. 4; λῃστὰς ἢ κλέπτας Pl. R. 351c, cf. John 10:8; ὁ τοῦ κ. λόγος, a logical fallacy, Arist. SE 180b18.
2. generally, cheat, knave, S. Aj. 1135; κακῶν ἀλλοτρίων κ. D. 45.59.
κλέπτης, κλέπτου, ὁ (κλέπτω) (from Homer down), the Sept. for גַּנָּב, a thief: Matthew 6:19; Matthew 24:43; Luke 12:33, 39; John 10:1, 10; 1 Corinthians 6:10; 1 Peter 4:15; an embezzler, pilferer, John 12:6; ἔρχεσθαι or ἥκειν ... ὡς κλέπτης ἐν νυκτί, equivalent to to come unexpectedly, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 3:3; Revelation 16:15; the name is transferred to false teachers, who do not care to instruct men, but abuse their confidence for their own gain, John 10:8. (Synonym: see λῃστής, at the end.)
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κλέπτης , -ου , ὁ ,
[in LXX for H1590;]
a thief: Matthew 6:19-20; 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 (κλέπτας , WH, txt., R, mg.; v. Lft., Notes, 73; but cf. also M, Th., l.c.), 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 3:3; Revelation 16:15. Metaph., of false teachers, John 10:8.†
SYN.: λῃστής G3027, a robber, a brigand who plunders, openly, with violence; κ . is a thief who steals in secret, by fraud and cunning (Tr., Syn., § xliv).
Copyright © 1922 by G. Abbott-Smith, D.D., D.C.L.. T & T Clarke, London.
PSI IV. 393.18 (B.C. 242–1) νυκτὸς παραγενόμενοι κλέπται recalls 1 Thessalonians 5:2. In P Lond 46.172ff. (iv/A.D.) (= I. p. 70) we have a charm—.172 κλέπτην πιάσαι, ";to catch a thief,"; in which there occurs an invocation to Hermes—.188 κλεπτῶν εὑρέτην. With Paul’s list of vices in 1 Corinthians 6:9 f. Deissmann (LAE p. 320 f.) compares the popular names of vices in Latin on the backs of tesserae or counters, which were used in an ancient game resembling draughts : thus corresponding to κλέπται we have fur, and to ἅρπαγες arpax. With the use of κλέπται for ";false teachers"; in John 10:8 we may perhaps compare the mention of φῶρες in a census-paper containing a list of professions, P Petr III. 59 (a)ii. 9 (Ptol.). These, as the editors point out, can hardly be ";thieves"; in the ordinary sense of the word : they were more likely ";searchers for stolen property"; on the principle ";set a thief to catch a thief.";
The Klefts of modern Greece have made the MGr form κλέφτης familiar to every one : to propitiate the brigands a capital letter is generally used.
Copyright © 1914, 1929, 1930 by James Hope Moulton and George Milligan. Hodder and Stoughton, London.
Derivative Copyright © 2015 by Allan Loder.