1 Peter 1:16

THE MESSAGE

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.

Easy-to-Read Version
In the Scriptures God says, "Be holy, because 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

¹³So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy." ¹⁷ You call out to God for help and he helps—he's a good Father that way. But don't forget, he's also a responsible Father, and won't let you get by with sloppy living. ¹⁸Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ's sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It's because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God. ²²Now that you've cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God's living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That's why the prophet said, The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers; Grass dries up, flowers droop, God's Word goes on and on forever. This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.

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 1:9
God spoke: "Separate! Water-beneath-Heaven, gather into one place; Land, appear!" And there it was. God named the land Earth. He named the pooled water Ocean. God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:14
God spoke: "Lights! Come out! Shine in Heaven's sky! Separate Day from Night. Mark seasons and days and years, Lights in Heaven's sky to give light to Earth." And there it was.

Psalms 8:3
I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewelry, Moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?

Psalms 19:6
That's how God's Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset, Melting ice, scorching deserts, warming hearts to faith.

Matthew 24:29
"Following those hard times, Sun will fade out, moon cloud over, Stars fall out of the sky, cosmic powers tremble.

Matthew 27:45
From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around midafternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"

Revelation 21:23
Everything New I saw Heaven and earth new-created. Gone the first Heaven, gone the first earth, gone the sea. I saw Holy Jerusalem, new-created, descending resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride for her husband. I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: "Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, he's their God. He'll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone." The Enthroned continued, "Look! I'm making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate." Then he said, "It's happened. I'm A to Z. I'm the Beginning, I'm the Conclusion. From Water-of-Life Well I give freely to the thirsty. Conquerors inherit all this. I'll be God to them, they'll be sons and daughters to me. But for the rest—the feckless and faithless, degenerates and murderers, sex peddlers and sorcerers, idolaters and all liars—for them it's Lake Fire and Brimstone. Second death!" One of the Seven Angels who had carried the bowls filled with the seven final disasters spoke to me: "Come here. I'll show you the Bride, the Wife of the Lamb." He took me away in the Spirit to an enormous, high mountain and showed me Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God, resplendent in the bright glory of God. The City shimmered like a precious gem, light-filled, pulsing light. She had a wall majestic and high with twelve gates. At each gate stood an Angel, and on the gates were inscribed the names of the Twelve Tribes of the sons of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, three gates on the west. The wall was set on twelve foundations, the names of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb inscribed on them. The Angel speaking with me had a gold measuring stick to measure the City, its gates, and its wall. The City was laid out in a perfect square. He measured the City with the measuring stick: twelve thousand stadia, its length, width, and height all equal. Using the standard measure, the Angel measured the thickness of its wall: 144 cubits. The wall was jasper, the color of Glory, and the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. The foundations of the City walls were garnished with every precious gem imaginable: the first foundation jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate a single pearl. The main street of the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. But there was no sign of a Temple, for the Lord God—the Sovereign-Strong—and the Lamb are the Temple. The City doesn't need sun or moon for light. God's Glory is its light, the Lamb its lamp! The nations will walk in its light and earth's kings bring in their splendor. Its gates will never be shut by day, and there won't be any night. They'll bring the glory and honor of the nations into the City. Nothing dirty or defiled will get into the City, and no one who defiles or deceives. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will get in.

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.