1 Peter 1:16

King James Version (1611 Edition)

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

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
for it is written, Be holy, because 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

¹³ Wherefore gird vp the loynes of your minde, bee sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to bee brought vnto you at the reuelation of Iesus Christ: ¹⁴ As obedient children, not fashioning your selues according to the former lusts, in your ignorance: ¹⁵ But as hee which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all maner of conuersation; ¹⁶ Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy. ¹⁷ And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke, passe the time of your soiourning here in feare: ¹⁸ For as much as ye know that yee were not redeemed with corruptible things, as siluer and golde, from your vaine conuersation receiued by tradition from your fathers; ¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lambe without blemish and without spot, ²⁰ Who verily was foreordeined before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. ²¹ Who by him do beleeue in God that raised him vp from the dead, and gaue him glorie, that your faith and hope might be in God. ²² Seeing yee haue purified your soules in obeying the truth through the Spirit, vnto vnfained loue of the brethren: see that ye loue one another with a pure heart feruently,

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 1:7
And God made the firmament; and diuided the waters, which were vnder the firmament, from the waters, which were aboue the firmament: and it was so.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament, Heauen: and the euening and the morning were the second day.

Genesis 1:9
And God said, Let the waters vnder the heauen be gathered together vnto one place, and let the dry land appeare: and it was so.

Genesis 1:12
And the earth brought foorth grasse, and herbe yeelding seed after his kinde, and the tree yeelding fruit, whose seed was in it selfe, after his kinde: and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:14
And God said, Let there bee lights in the firmament of the heauen, to diuide the day from the night: and let them be for signes and for seasons, and for dayes and yeeres.

Deuteronomy 4:19
And lest thou lift vp thine eyes vnto heauen, and when thou seest the sun, and the moone, and the starres, euen all the hoste of heauen, shouldest be driuen to worship them, and serue them, which the Lord thy God hath diuided vnto all nations vnder the whole heauen.

Job 31:26
If I beheld the Sunne when it shined, or the Moone walking in brightnesse:

Job 38:7
When the morning starres sang together, and all the sonnes of God shouted for ioy.

Psalms 8:3
When I consider thy heauens, the worke of thy fingers, the moone and the starres which thou hast ordained;

Psalms 19:6
His going forth is from the end of the heauen, and his circuite vnto the ends of it: and there is nothing hidde from the heat thereof.

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.