Leviticus 20:26 kjv
And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
Leviticus 20:26 nkjv
And you shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.
Leviticus 20:26 niv
You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.
Leviticus 20:26 esv
You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.
Leviticus 20:26 nlt
You must be holy because I, the LORD, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.
Leviticus 20 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 11:44-45 | For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy... | God's Holiness, Call to Holiness |
| Lev 19:2 | "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy." | Command to holiness mirroring God |
| Exo 19:5-6 | If you will indeed obey my voice... you shall be to me a kingdom of priests... | Israel's status as a separated people |
| Deu 7:6 | "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you... as His people, His treasured possession..." | God's choice and Israel as His possession |
| Deu 14:2 | "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you..." | Israel's holiness and chosen status |
| Psa 100:3 | Know that the LORD, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people... | Divine ownership and creation |
| Isa 43:21 | the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise. | Purpose of Israel's creation and separation |
| Eze 11:20 | that they may walk in My statutes... and be My people and I will be their God. | Covenant fulfillment and mutual relationship |
| Mal 3:17 | They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up My treasured possession. | Future declaration of God's possession |
| John 17:16 | They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. | Believers set apart from the world |
| 2 Cor 6:17-18 | Therefore "come out from them and be separate, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will receive you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty." | Call for spiritual separation and divine adoption |
| Rom 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind... | Transformation instead of world conformity |
| Eph 1:4 | He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy... | Believers chosen for holiness in Christ |
| 1 Thess 4:7 | For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. | Divine call to live in holiness |
| Titus 2:14 | who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. | Christ's purpose: redeeming a people for Himself |
| Heb 8:10 | "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel... I will be their God, and they shall be My people..." | New Covenant: God's people and His God |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." | Call to reflect God's holiness in conduct |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. | New Testament believers as God's peculiar people |
| Rev 21:2-3 | I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem... Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God himself will be with them as their God. | Ultimate fulfillment: God dwelling among His people |
| Lev 22:31-32 | "So you shall keep My commandments and do them: I am the LORD... that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you..." | God sanctifies His people for His glory |
Leviticus 20 verses
Leviticus 20 26 Meaning
Leviticus 20:26 declares that the people of Israel must be holy unto the Lord because God Himself is holy. This command for holiness is directly rooted in God's prior act of separating them from all other peoples, designating them as His peculiar possession. The verse serves as a foundational theological statement for the preceding laws, emphasizing the divine purpose behind Israel's distinct ethical and religious practices.
Leviticus 20 26 Context
Leviticus chapter 20 details various capital offenses that pollute the land and violate God's holiness, particularly relating to sexual immorality, child sacrifice, and consulting mediums. The punishments prescribed for these offenses are severe, often involving death, underscoring the gravity of breaking God's holy standards. Verse 26 functions as a summarizing principle for these commandments, explaining why Israel must adhere to such strict regulations. Their distinct laws, lifestyle, and covenant relationship with YHWH set them apart from the surrounding Canaanite nations. This holiness was not merely ritualistic but permeated ethical and moral conduct, demanding a complete departure from the detestable practices of their pagan neighbors (e.g., human sacrifice, incest, bestiality) who "defiled themselves" and would be "vomited out" of the land (Lev 18:24-28). The polemic against these contemporary beliefs and practices is direct: Israel's holiness must starkly contrast the abominations of others, validating their unique status as God's own people.
Leviticus 20 26 Word analysis
- And you shall be holy (וִהְיִיתֶם לִי קְדֹשִׁים - vihyitem li q'doshim):
- וִהְיִיתֶם (vihyitem): "And you shall be/become." This future tense command indicates an ongoing state and a required transformation or commitment. It's not just a status granted but a lifestyle demanded.
- לִי (li): "to me" or "for me." This signifies that their holiness is not for their own sake or worldly approval, but primarily directed toward God. It establishes an intimate, proprietary relationship.
- קְדֹשִׁים (q'doshim): "holy ones," "consecrated," "set apart." From the root qadosh, meaning to cut, separate, dedicate. It implies a state of being distinct, pure, and consecrated for divine use. In this context, it means Israel is to be morally pure, ritualistically clean, and devoted exclusively to YHWH, standing in contrast to the defiling ways of other nations.
- to me, for I the Lord (לִי כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה - li ki ani YHWH):
- לִי (li): Emphasized again, indicating the exclusive object of their holiness.
- כִּי (ki): "for," "because." This particle introduces the foundational reason for the command: God's inherent nature.
- אֲנִי יְהוָה (ani YHWH): "I am the Lord (YHWH)." This is God's personal covenant name, the self-existent One. His declaration of His name is often a basis for His commands, affirming His authority, sovereignty, and unchanging nature. It reinforces the theological anchor of holiness in God's being.
- am holy (קָדוֹשׁ - qadosh):
- קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh): "holy." Here, it describes God's absolute moral perfection, utter distinctness from all creation, and inherent purity. It is His very essence. Israel's holiness is a derived holiness, a reflection of His own.
- and have separated you (וָאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם - va'avdil etchem):
- וָאַבְדִּל (va'avdil): "and I have separated/distinguished." From the verb badal, meaning to divide, set apart, make a distinction. This highlights a sovereign, divine action initiated by God Himself. He actively pulled them out and marked them distinctively. It is not something Israel achieved, but something God did for them.
- אֶתְכֶם (etchem): "you." Refers directly to the Israelites as the beneficiaries of this divine act of separation.
- from the peoples (מִן־הָעַמִּים - min ha'ammim):
- מִן־הָעַמִּים (min ha'ammim): "from the peoples/nations." Refers to the Gentile nations surrounding Israel, characterized by their idolatry, immorality, and unholy practices. This emphasizes the need for a clear distinction in lifestyle, worship, and ethical conduct to avoid contamination and reflect God's glory.
- that you should be mine (לִהְיוֹת לִי - lihyot li):
- לִהְיוֹת (lihyot): "to be." Infinitive of purpose, indicating the aim or goal.
- לִי (li): "for me" or "my own." Reiteration of ownership and possession. The ultimate purpose of their separation and call to holiness is for Israel to belong exclusively to God, establishing a unique and binding covenant relationship.
Leviticus 20 26 Bonus section
The principle of Leviticus 20:26 is foundational for understanding the Christian life under the New Covenant. Believers, though redeemed by Christ, are still called to be holy as God is holy (1 Pet 1:15-16), and they are likewise a people "for His own possession" (1 Pet 2:9, Titus 2:14). This separation from the world's systems and values is not about physical isolation, but moral and spiritual distinctiveness. The Christian’s identity is likewise derived from God’s action (new birth, sanctification by the Spirit) rather than human merit, enabling them to reflect God’s holiness and live for His glory in the world (Rom 12:1-2; Eph 1:4). This verse also implies a strong warning: to fail in holiness is to negate the very purpose for which God separated His people.
Leviticus 20 26 Commentary
Leviticus 20:26 serves as a foundational theological summation for the Holiness Code, providing the divine rationale for Israel's strict ethical and ritual requirements. It anchors human obligation to divine character: because YHWH is utterly holy, those who belong to Him must reflect that holiness in their lives. The command to "be holy to me" is rooted in God's gracious and sovereign act of having "separated you from the peoples." This divine initiative precedes and enables Israel's mandated holiness; they are capable of being holy because God, in His sovereign grace, set them apart as His treasured possession. This unique relationship means that Israel’s lifestyle, morality, and worship must sharply contrast with the defiling practices of surrounding nations, embodying God's nature and demonstrating their peculiar belonging to Him. Holiness, therefore, is not merely ritualistic observance, but an all-encompassing call to moral purity and exclusive devotion, designed to uphold the covenant and allow God to dwell among His people.