Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

Continuing his discussion of putting off and putting on, Paul says that the thief should no longer steal. Stealing is to be discarded. what is to be put on as its replacement?

Something must always be put on to replace what has been taken off. In this case he tells us that we should labor, and do honest work with our own hands.

But there’s more to it than that. Not only should we labor, and do honest work, but we should do this so that we would have something to share with others who have needs.

When a person is needy, there are two options. Either work with ones own hands or be helped by someone who God has enabled someone to be able to share. Sometimes it’s a combination of both, isn’t it. Someone may work and still come up short and can be helped by others who have more.