Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

Ephesians 4:28

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
- 28 Let the one who steals steal no more; rather, let him do hard work, doing good work with his hands,+ so that he may have something to share with someone in need.+

Ephesians 4:28

The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures
- 28 ὁ The (one) κλέπτων stealing μηκέτι not yet κλεπτέτω, let him be stealing, μᾶλλον rather δὲ but κοπιάτω let him be laboring ἐργαζόμενος working ταῖς to the χερσὶν hands τὸ the ἀγαθόν, good (thing), ἵνα in order that ἔχῃ he may be having μεταδιδόναι to be giving share τῷ to the (one) χρείαν need ἔχοντι. having.

Ephesians 4:28

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References
- 28 Let the stealer steal no more,+ but rather let him do hard work, doing with his hands what is good work,+ that he may have something to distribute to someone in need.+

Ephesians 4:28

The Bible in Living English
- 28 * let him who has been stealing no longer steal but rather labor, putting his hands to work at what is good, in order to have something he can share with the one who is in need;

Ephesians 4:28

American Standard Version
- 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need.

Ephesians 4:28

The Emphasized Bible
- 28 Let the stealer no more steal, But rather let him be toiling,—Working with his hands the thing that is good That he may have [wherewith] to be giving away to him that hath need;

Ephesians 4:28

King James Version
- 28 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.

Ephesians Study Notes—Chapter 4

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
- 4:28
  
  steal no more: Paul’s words may have had special meaning for the working poor who lived in Ephesus. Some may have found that work was sporadic, seasonal, and not always sufficient to provide for their families, so the temptation to steal may have been strong. Paul here urges Christians to refrain from theft for any reason. Instead, they were to work hard with their hands. (De 5:19; 1Th 4:11) Paul had earlier reminded the Ephesian elders of his own example in working hard. (Ac 20:17, 34; see also study note on Ac 18:3.) His counsel required that Ephesian Christians trust in Christ’s promise that God would care for their material needs.—Mt 6:25-33.