Open Source Edition

Article 7. The Seventh Commandment

You shall not steal.1

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The seventh commandment forbids unjustly taking or keeping the goods of one’s neighbor and wronging him in any way with respect to his goods. It commands justice and charity in the care of earthly goods and the fruits of men’s labor. For the sake of the common good, it requires respect for the universal destination of goods and respect for the right to private property. Christian life strives to order this world’s goods to God and to fraternal charity.

Subsections
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I. The Universal Destination and the Private Ownership of Goods
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II. Respect for Persons and Their Goods
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III. The Social Doctrine of the Church
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IV. Economic Activity and Social Justice
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V. Justice and Solidarity Among Nations
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VI. Love For the Poor
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In Brief
Footnotes
  1. Ex 20:15; Deut 5:19; Mt 19:18.