Greek · G40 · unreviewed

ἅγιος

Holy

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ἅγιος G40

Pronunciation hágios

What does ἅγιος (hágios) mean in the Bible?

ἅγιος (hágios) is a Greek word meaning "holy". ἅγιος, -α, ον (τό ἅγός, religious awe; ἅζω, to venerate), [in LXX chiefly for קֹ֫דֶשׁ ;] primarily, dedicated to the gods, sacred (Hdt. Affirms Christ’s divine holiness. This term runs through the canonical themes of Holiness, Messiah.

Full entry for ἅγιος (G40) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

holy

Extended definition

Set apart to God for his service, characterized by moral purity reflecting God's own nature.

(τό ἅγός, religious awe; ἅζω, to venerate), [in LXX chiefly for קֹ֫דֶשׁ ;] primarily, dedicated to the gods, sacred (Hdt.; rare in Att., never in Hom., Hes. and Trag., who use ἁγνός), hence, holy, characteristic of God, separated to God, worthy of veneration.

1Its highest application is to God himself, in his purity, majesty, and glory: Luk.1:49, Jhn.17:11, Rev.4:8. Hence

aof things and places which have a claim to reverence as sacred to God, e.g. the Temple: Mat.24:15, Heb.9:1;

bof persons employed by him, as angels: 1Th.3:13; prophets, Luk.1:70; apostles, Eph.3:5.

2Applied to persons as separated to God's service:

aof Christ, Mrk.1:24, Jhn.6:69, Act.4:30;

bof Christians, Act.9:13, Rom.1:7, Heb.6:10, Rev.5:8.

3In the moral sense of sharing God's purity: Mrk.6:20, Jhn.17:11, Act.3:14, Rev.3:7.

4Of pure, clean sacrifices and offerings: 1Co.7:14, Eph.1:4.

Synonymsἁγνός, pure, both in ceremonial and spiritual sense; ἱερός (sacer), sacred, that which is inviolable because of its (external) relation to God; ὅσιος (sanctus as opposite to nefas), that which is based on everlasting ordinances of right. (Cf. Tr., Syn., §lxxxviii; DB, ii, 399 f.; Cremer, 34, 594-601; MM, VGT, see word)

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Why This Word Matters

Affirms Christ’s divine holiness. 1 Peter 1:13-25

Defines Christian ethics as reflecting God’s distinct character. Luke 4:31–37

Grammatical Forms

How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.

Nominative · Singular · Neuter Mark 13:11 · Luke 1:35 · Luke 1:49 · Luke 2:23 · Luke 2:25 · Luke 12:12 · John 14:26 · Acts 1:16 · Acts 5:32 · Acts 10:44 · Acts 11:15 · Acts 13:2 · Acts 19:2 · Acts 19:6 · Acts 20:23 · Acts 20:28 22×

Nominative · Singular · Masculine Mark 1:24 · Luke 4:34 · John 6:69 · Rom 7:12 · 1 Cor 3:17 · 1 Pet 1:16 · Rev 3:7 · Rev 4:8 · Rev 6:10 · Rev 20:6 · Rev 22:11 13×

Nominative · Plural · Masculine 1 Cor 6:2 · 2 Cor 13:12 · Phil 4:22 · Col 3:12 · 1 Pet 1:15 · 1 Pet 1:16 · Rev 18:20 7×

Nominative · Singular · Feminine Acts 7:33 · Rom 7:12 · Rom 11:16 · 1 Cor 7:34 · Eph 5:27 6×

Nominative · Plural · Neuter 1 Cor 7:14 · Heb 9:2 · Heb 9:3 3×

Nominative · Plural · Feminine 1 Pet 3:5 1×

Genitive · Singular · Neuter Matt 1:18 · Matt 1:20 · Matt 12:32 · Matt 28:19 · Luke 1:15 · Luke 1:41 · Luke 1:67 · Luke 2:26 · Luke 4:1 · Acts 1:2 · Acts 1:8 · Acts 2:4 · Acts 2:33 · Acts 2:38 · Acts 4:8 · Acts 4:25 38×

Genitive · Plural · Masculine Matt 27:52 · Mark 8:38 · Luke 1:70 · Luke 9:26 · Acts 3:21 · Acts 26:10 · Rom 8:27 · Rom 12:13 · Rom 15:26 · Rom 16:2 · 1 Cor 6:1 · 1 Cor 14:33 · 2 Cor 9:12 · Eph 2:19 · Eph 3:8 · Eph 4:12 34×

Genitive · Singular · Masculine Acts 4:30 · Acts 6:13 · Acts 10:22 · 1 John 2:20 4×

Genitive · Plural · Neuter Heb 8:2 · Heb 9:3 · Heb 9:8 · Heb 10:19 4×

Canonical Themes

Holiness Messiah

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses

1 Peter 1:13-25 holy hágios Nominative · Singular · Masculine

set apart, consecrated

Luke 4:31–37 Ἅγιος hágios Nominative · Singular · Masculine

Holy One

Additional Occurrences

Luke 1:26–38 ἅγιον hágios

Holy

Luke 2:21–24 ἅγιον hágios

Holy, set apart

Mark 1:21–28 Ἅγιος hágios

holy one

Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 16 — Ordered Giving, Open Doors, Faithful Labor, and Final Exhortations in the Lord 1 Corinthians 6 — Judge Righteously, Flee Sexual Immorality, and Glorify God in Your Body Acts 1 — The Risen Christ Commissions His Waiting Witnesses Acts 11 — Jerusalem Recognizes God’s Grace to the Gentiles Acts 15 — The Gospel of Grace Clarified and the Gentiles Received Acts 16 — The Gospel Enters Macedonia: Opened Hearts, Broken Chains, and Household Faith Acts 19 — The Word of the Lord Grows Mightily in Ephesus Acts 20 — Paul’s Farewell Charge to Shepherd the Church of God Acts 26 — Paul Before Agrippa: The Risen Christ Sends Light to Jews and Gentiles Acts 28 — Paul in Rome: The Kingdom Proclaimed Without Hindrance Acts 3 — The Risen Christ Heals and Calls Israel to Repentance Acts 4 — Christ Alone Saves and His Witnesses Speak Boldly Acts 5 — Holy Fear, Bold Witness, and Joyful Suffering Acts 8 — The Scattered Church Carries Christ Beyond Jerusalem Acts 9 — The Risen Christ Converts His Fiercest Persecutor Colossians 3 — Raised with Christ: Putting Off the Old Life and Putting On the New Ephesians 5 — Walking in Love, Light, Wisdom, and Spirit-Filled Order John 14 — The Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Father Revealed in the Son, and the Promise of the Spirit John 17 — The Son’s High Priestly Prayer: Glory, Preservation, Sanctification, Unity, Mission, and Love John 20 — The Risen Lord: Empty Tomb, Eyewitness Faith, Peace, Mission, Spirit, Thomas, and the Purpose of the Gospel John 6 — The Bread of Life, the Words of Eternal Life, and the Crisis of True Discipleship Luke 1 — The Promised Savior Announced in the Fullness of Time Luke 10 — The Kingdom Mission Expanded, Mercy Defined, and the Better Portion Chosen Luke 11 — Prayer, Kingdom Conflict, True Hearing, and the Exposure of Hypocrisy Luke 12 — Fear God, Confess Christ, Seek the Kingdom, and Be Ready Luke 3 — The Way Prepared, the Son Revealed, and the Lineage Traced Luke 4 — The Spirit-Anointed Son Tested, Rejected, and Proclaiming the Kingdom Mark 1 — The Beginning of the Gospel: The Servant-King Appears with Authority Mark 12 — The Rejected Son, the Greatest Commandment, the Lord of David, and the Widow’s Offering Mark 13 — Watch and Endure: Temple Judgment, Gospel Witness, Tribulation, the Son of Man, and Readiness Mark 3 — The Servant-King Confronted: Sabbath Mercy, Demonic Accusation, and the Family of God Mark 6 — Rejected Prophet, Sending Lord, Wilderness Shepherd, and Divine Son on the Sea Mark 8 — Seeing Jesus Clearly: Bread, Blindness, Confession, Cross, and Discipleship Matthew 1 — The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus the Messiah Matthew 24 — The Olivet Discourse: Temple Desolation, Coming Judgment, the Son of Man, and Watchful Readiness Matthew 28 — The Resurrection of Jesus and the Great Commission of the Risen King Matthew 3 — The Forerunner, the Kingdom, and the Beloved Son Matthew 4 — The Tested Son, the Kingdom Proclaimed, and the First Disciples Called Matthew 7 — Kingdom Discernment, the Narrow Way, and the Wise Builder Philippians 1 — Gospel Partnership and Joyful Witness in Christ Romans 12 — Living Sacrifices, Renewed Minds, Humble Service, and Love Without Hypocrisy Romans 14 — Receiving One Another, Honoring the Lord, and Pursuing Peace in Matters of Conscience Romans 15 — Bearing with the Weak, Welcoming One Another, and Paul’s Priestly Mission to the Gentiles Romans 16 — Gospel Partnership, Holy Greeting, False-Teacher Warning, and Doxology to the God Who Establishes Romans 5 — Peace with God, Rejoicing in Grace, and Life Through the One Man Jesus Christ Romans 7 — Released from the Law, Exposed by the Law, and Crying Out for Deliverance

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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