Do you rob temples?

[tonychanyt]

Ro 2:

2 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

Did Paul mean it literally?

The question "do you rob temples?" was just one word in Greek.

Strong's Greek: 2416. ἱεροσυλέω (hierosuleó) — 1 Occurrence

BDAG:
① to take objects from a temple by force or stealth, rob temples
② to commit irreverent acts, commit sacrilege

With ἱεροσυλέω, did Paul refer to pagan temples or the Jerusalem Temple?

G2416 referred to pagan temples. People stole valuable items from pagan temples. It was a common and serious crime. At Ephesus, the town clerk tried to calm the agitated crowds. NIV, Ac 19:

37 You have brought these men [Paul et al] here, though they have neither robbed temples [G2417 adjective] nor blasphemed our goddess.

The Antiquities of the Jews, 4.207:

10. Let no one blaspheme those gods which other cities esteem such; nor may any one steal what belongs to strange temples, nor take away the gifts that are dedicated to any god.

Was Paul talking about literally robbing pagan temples (①) or more broadly, committing sacrilege (②)?

I think it is ①. Let's see the context in parallelisms:

You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself?
While you preach against stealing, do you steal?
You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?
You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

Paul warned against general hypocrisy and religious hypocrisy. He used rhetorical questions to highlight a contradiction between teaching and practice. You abhor idols. That's good. Do you steal from pagan temples and make a profit? Stealing is a sin, even when you steal from a pagan temple. Roman Christians, don't be a religious hypocrite. Don't steal from a Roman temple.