Holy
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
ἅγιος names holiness as belonging to God, being set apart for Him, and sharing the moral distinctness that flows from His character. The word can describe God Himself, Christ as the Holy One, the Holy Spirit, the holy calling given by grace, and the saints who belong to God.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἅγιος (G40) · Open the biblical lexicon
ἅγιος names holiness as belonging to God, being set apart for Him, and sharing the moral distinctness that flows from His character. The word can describe God Himself, Christ as the Holy One, the Holy Spirit, the holy calling given by grace, and the saints who belong to God.
The BSB source-word alignment has 234 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include holy (87), saints (51), [the] Holy (34), A holy (8), [Most] Holy Place (4).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 1:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (53), Revelation (26), Luke (20), Romans (20).
This entry includes 7 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
ἅγιος names holiness as belonging to God, being set apart for Him, and sharing the moral distinctness that flows from His character. The word can describe God Himself, Christ as the Holy One, the Holy Spirit, the holy calling given by grace, and the saints who belong to God. In the Pastoral Epistles, holiness is not decorative religion. It is tied to salvation before time began, the indwelling Spirit who guards the entrusted treasure, mercy that renews, and practical service among the saints.
Holiness therefore begins with God, is secured in Christ, is formed by the Spirit, and becomes visible in a consecrated life.
ἅγιος names what belongs to God and bears His distinct character. The Pastorals use it for the saints, the holy calling, and the Holy Spirit, keeping holiness grounded in grace, guarded doctrine, mercy, and visible service.
And well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers, washing the feet of the saints, imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work.
The saints are the holy ones served by faithful widows. Holiness here has a communal shape: God has a people whose needs are met through concrete good works.
He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
The calling is holy because it comes from God’s saving purpose and grace, not from our works. Holiness begins in grace before it appears in conduct.
Guard the treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
The entrusted treasure is guarded by the Holy Spirit who dwells in believers. Holiness is not only a demand; it is Spirit-enabled stewardship.
He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit renews those saved by mercy. Holiness is bound to new birth and renewal, not self-produced moral repair.
But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,
Peter grounds holy conduct in the holy God who calls His people. The word moves from God’s character to the believer’s whole way of life.
You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
Jesus is the Holy and Righteous One rejected by Israel’s leaders. Holiness reaches its personal center in Christ Himself.
And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
Heaven’s worship names the Lord God Almighty as Holy, Holy, Holy. Every creaturely use of holiness depends on God’s own holy majesty.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Greek word. Set apart to God for his service, characterized by moral purity reflecting God's own nature.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 240 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
set apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseset apart, holy, sacred
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 10 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 5 selected witnesses from 233 lexical occurrence verses.
ἅγιος is built from these roots:
Affirms Christ’s divine holiness. 1 Peter 1:13-25
Defines Christian ethics as reflecting God’s distinct character. Luke 4:31–37
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
ἅγιος must not be reduced to a mood, a style of worship, or a list of boundary markers. The word first belongs to God. Revelation’s worship gives the deepest starting point: the Lord God Almighty is holy. From there, the New Testament names Jesus as the Holy One and the Spirit as the Holy Spirit. The Pastoral Epistles then show what this means for the church.
God saves and calls with a holy calling by grace, not works. The Spirit guards the entrusted gospel and renews believers by mercy. The saints become a people whose holiness appears in good works, endurance, and service. Holiness is therefore gift, identity, presence, and vocation before it is behavior alone.
2Tim.1.9
ἅγιος functions as an adjective and, in plural forms such as “the saints,” as a substantive for God’s holy people. Context decides whether the focus is God’s own holiness, Christ’s holy identity, the Holy Spirit, holy calling, holy conduct, or the saints.
The Old Testament’s holy God consecrates a holy people and a holy place for His presence. The New Testament gathers that pattern in Christ the Holy One, the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence, and the saints who are called to holy conduct in every sphere of life.
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain