You shall not steal.

The seventh commandment, “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15), forbids the unjust taking or keeping of a neighbor’s goods. Its primary purpose is to promote and enforce justice and charity in the care and administration of earthly possessions (CCC 2451).

This commandment operates within a theological framework that balances private property rights with the universal destination of goods, which asserts that the earth’s resources are destined for the entire human race (CCC 2401, 2452).

Beyond the simple theft of objects, the seventh commandment forbids any action that leads to human enslavement or disregards personal dignity (CCC 2414). It is a sin against human dignity to treat people as merchandise or reduce them solely to their productive value, and the use of resources must be guided by moral imperatives that consider the well-being of future generations (CCC 2415).

In practice, theft is defined as the usurpation of another’s goods against their reasonable will, an act that necessitates restitution as a form of commutative justice (CCC 2453-2454). Respecting human dignity in economic matters requires the exercise of the virtues of justice, temperance, and solidarity (CCC 2407). Furthermore, the prohibition against theft applies even in instances where the act does not contradict civil law (CCC 2408-2409).

The seventh commandment is deeply connected to other moral teachings and the broader structure of the Decalogue. Ultimately, the seventh commandment is part of an organic unity within the Decalogue (CCC 2069) and is fulfilled through the second greatest commandment to love one’s neighbor as oneself (CCC 2055, Rom 13:9-10).