1 Peter 1 · Verse 16

1 Peter 1:16

Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
1 Peter 1:16, King James Version

1 Peter 1:16 in other translations

BSBfor it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
WEBbecause it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
ASVbecause it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy.
YLTbecause it hath been written, ‘Become ye holy, because I am holy;'
DARBYbecause it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.
BBEBecause it has been said in the Writings, You are to be holy, for I am holy.
WebsterBecause it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

What does 1 Peter 1:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Scripture is the true source of all authority in questions of doctrine and practice. Be ye ... for I am--It is I with whom ye have to do. Ye are mine. Therefore abstain from Gentile pollutions. We are too prone to have respect unto men [Calvin]. As I am the fountain of holiness, being holy in My essence, be ye therefore zealous to be partakers of holiness, that ye may be as I also am [Didymus]. God is essentially holy: the creature is holy in so far as it is sanctified by God. God, in giving the command, is willing to give also the power to obey it, namely, through the sanctifying of the Spirit (1Pe 1:2).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. Lev 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 compared. 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. Mic 4:5. It is a great truth, that men 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 practise 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 worshippers should also be holy. And hence, also, we may see that the tendency of true religion is to make men pure. As the worship of the impure gods of the heathen moulds the character of the worshippers into their image, so the worship of Jehovah moulds the character of his professed friends into his image, and they become like him.

(e) "written" Lev 11:44

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Peter 1:13-16

As the traveller, the racer, the warrior, and the labourer, gathered in their long and loose garments, that they might be ready in their business, so let Christians do by their minds and affections. Be sober, be watchful against all spiritual dangers and enemies, and be temperate in all behaviour. Be sober-minded in opinion, as well as in practice, and humble in your judgment of yourselves. A strong and perfect…

Read the full comment on 1 Peter 1:13-16 →

1 Peter 1:16 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

διότιdiotibecauseG1360
γέγραπται·gegraptaiit has been written:G1125
ἅγιοιhagioiHolyG40
ἔσεσθε,esestheyou will be,G1510
ὅτιhotibecauseG3754
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
ἅγιοςhagiosholyG40
εἰμι.eimiam.G1510

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Peter 1:16

  • Leviticus 11:44

    For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

  • Leviticus 19:2

    Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.

  • Leviticus 20:7

    Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Le 11:44; 19:2; 20:7; Am 3:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Peter 1:15

    But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

  • 1 Peter 1:16

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

  • 1 Peter 1:17

    And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

Read all of 1 Peter 1

1 Peter 1:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque escrito está: Sed santos, porque yo soy santo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		parce qu’il est écrit: « Soyez saints, car moi je suis saint ».
German
Elberfelder 1871		denn es steht geschrieben: "Seid heilig, denn ich bin heilig".
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		quoniam scriptum est: Sancti eritis, quoniam ego sanctus sum.