591. Nor of their thefts, signifies nor from taking away the knowledges of truth and good, and thus the means of acquiring for themselves spiritual life. This is evident from the signification of "theft" and of "stealing," as meaning to take away from anyone the knowledges of good and truth, which are to serve as means for acquiring for himself spiritual life (See above, n. 193). "Theft" and "stealing" have this meaning because "wealth," "raiment," "utensils," and other things that thieves take away, signify the knowledges of truth and good; therefore spiritual theft, or theft in the spiritual sense, is the taking away of these, as natural theft, or theft in the natural sense, is the taking away of the former. That this is the signification of "theft" can be seen from this, that the extinction of spiritual life in others is what is particularly treated of in this verse, and spiritual life is extinguished by the perversions of good and the falsifications of truth, also by the deprivations of the knowledges of truth and good, by means of which spiritual life is acquired; and all of these are signified by "murders, enchantments, whoredoms, and thefts," as has been shown already.