1 Peter 1:16

Easy-to-Read Version

In the Scriptures God says, "Be holy, because I am holy."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.

King James Version (1611)
Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.

King James Version
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

English Standard Version
since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

New American Standard Bible
because it is written: "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

New Century Version
It is written in the Scriptures: "You must be holy, because I am holy."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

Berean Standard Bible
for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

Contemporary English Version
That's why the Scriptures say, "I am the holy God, and you must be holy too."

Complete Jewish Bible
since the Tanakh says, "You are to be holy because I am holy."

Darby Translation
because it is written, Be ye holy, for *I* am holy.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Because it is written, Be yee holie, for I am holie.

George Lamsa Translation
Because it is written, Be you holy, even as I am holy.

Good News Translation
The scripture says, "Be holy because I am holy."

Lexham English Bible
for it is written, "You will be holy, because I am holy."

Literal Translation
because it has been written, "Be holy," "because I am holy." Lev. 19:2

Amplified Bible
because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY (set apart), FOR I AM HOLY."

American Standard Version
because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy.

Bible in Basic English
Because it has been said in the Writings, You are to be holy, for I am holy.

Hebrew Names Version
because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy."

International Standard Version
For it is written, "You must be holy, because I am holy."Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 19:2">[fn]Leviticus 11:44; 19:2; 20:7;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
because it is written, Be ye holy, as I also am holy.

Murdock Translation
Because it is written: Be ye holy, even as I am holy.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Because it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy.

English Revised Version
because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy.

World English Bible
because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Weymouth's New Testament
Because it stands written, "You are to be holy, because I am holy."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
for it is writun, Ye schulen be hooli, for Y am hooli.

Update Bible Version
because it is written, You shall be holy; for I am holy.

Webster's Bible Translation
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

New English Translation
for it is written, " You shall be holy , because I am holy ."

New King James Version
because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." Leviticus 11:44, 45; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7">[fn]

New Living Translation
For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy."

New Life Bible
The Holy Writings say, "You must be holy, for I am holy."

New Revised Standard
for it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Inasmuch as it is written - Holy shall ye be, because, I, am holy.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Because it is written: You shall be holy, for I am holy.

Revised Standard Version
since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
because it is written. Be ye holy for I am holy.

Young's Literal Translation
because it hath been written, `Become ye holy, because I am holy;'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for it it wrytte: Be ye holy, for I am holy.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for it is written, "be ye holy, because I am holy."

Simplified Cowboy Version
Don't forget what the Good Book says, "Be holy because I am holy."

Contextual Overview

¹³ So prepare your minds for service. With complete self-control put all your hope in the grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ comes. ¹⁴ In the past you did not have the understanding you have now, so you did the evil things you wanted to do. But now you are children of God, so you should obey him and not live the way you did before. ¹⁵ Be holy in everything you do, just as God is holy. He is the one who chose you. ¹⁶ In the Scriptures God says, "Be holy, because I am holy." ¹⁷ You pray to God and call him Father, but he will judge everyone the same way—by what they do. So while you are visiting here on earth, you should live with respect for God. ¹⁸ You know that in the past the way you were living was useless. It was a way of life you learned from those who lived before you. But you were saved from that way of living. You were bought, but not with things that ruin like gold or silver. ¹⁹ You were bought with the precious blood of Christ's death. He was a pure and perfect sacrificial Lamb. ²⁰ Christ was chosen before the world was made, but he was shown to the world in these last times for you. ²¹ You believe in God through Christ. God is the one who raised him from death and gave honor to him. So your faith and your hope are in God. ²² You have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. Now you can have true love for your brothers and sisters. So love each other deeply—with all your heart.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Leviticus 11:44, Leviticus 19:2, Leviticus 20:7, Amos 3:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 15:11 - glorious Exodus 19:6 - and an Exodus 20:26 - thy nakedness Exodus 22:31 - holy Exodus 28:36 - HOLINESS Leviticus 6:18 - every one Leviticus 20:26 - the Lord Numbers 15:40 - be holy Deuteronomy 10:12 - to walk Deuteronomy 14:21 - an holy 1 Samuel 2:2 - none holy Psalms 99:9 - for the Isaiah 5:16 - sanctified Habakkuk 1:13 - of Matthew 5:48 - ye Luke 6:36 - General Romans 3:10 - As it is 1 Corinthians 1:2 - called Ephesians 5:1 - followers 1 Thessalonians 2:12 - walk 2 Timothy 1:9 - called Hebrews 12:10 - partakers Hebrews 12:14 - and holiness 1 John 3:7 - even Revelation 15:4 - thou only

Cross-References

Genesis 1:7
So God made the space and separated the water. Some of the water was above it, and some of the water was below it.

Genesis 1:8
God named that space "sky." There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the second day.

Genesis 1:9
Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered together so that the dry land will appear." And it happened.

Genesis 1:12
The earth grew grass and plants that made grain. And it grew trees that made fruit with seeds in it. Every plant made its own kind of seeds. And God saw that this was good.

Genesis 1:14
Then God said, "Let there be lights in the sky. These lights will separate the days from the nights. They will be used for signs to show when special meetings begin and to show the days and years.

Deuteronomy 4:19
And be careful when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon, and the stars—all the many things in the sky. Be careful that you are not tempted to worship and serve them. The Lord your God lets the other people in the world do this.

Job 31:26
I have never worshiped the bright sun or the beautiful moon.

Job 38:7
when the morning stars sang together and the angels shouted with joy?

Psalms 8:3
I look at the heavens you made with your hands. I see the moon and the stars you created.

Psalms 19:6
It starts at one end of the sky and runs all the way to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Because it is written,.... In Leviticus 11:44

be ye holy, for I am holy: an argument the apostle knew must have weight with these persons, who were chiefly Jews, scattered abroad among the Gentiles, and had a value for the Scriptures of truth; and therefore, as the argument for holiness of life, from the nature and perfections of God, is strong, it must receive additional strength from this being the declared will of God, even their sanctification on this account; and though holiness, equal to God, is never to be attained to by a creature, yet so far as it is capable of it, it is desirable, because agreeable both to the nature and will of God, by all such who are truly his children, who love his name, adore his perfections, give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness, fear his goodness, and obey his will.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy - Leviticus 11:44. This command was addressed at first to the Israelites, but it is with equal propriety addressed to Christians, as the professed people of God. The foundation of the command is, that they professed to be his people, and that as his people they ought to be like their God. Compare Micah 4:5. It is a great truth, that people everywhere will imitate the God whom they worship. They will form their character in accordance with his. They will regard what he does as right. They will attempt to rise no higher in virtue than the God whom they adore, and they will practice freely what he is supposed to do or approve. Hence, by knowing what are the characteristics of the gods which are worshipped by any people, we may form a correct estimate of the character of the people themselves; and, hence, as the God who is the object of the Christian’s worship is perfectly holy, the character of His worshipers should also be holy. And hence, also, we may see that the tendency of true religion is to make people pure. As the worship of the impure gods of the pagan moulds the character of the worshippers into their image, so the worship of Yahweh moulds the character of His professed friends into His image, and they become like him.