CategoryDoctrine / Divine Attribute
Modern Equivalentset-apart purity; sacredness.
KJV Word TypeTheological noun / attribute term
DefinitionSet-apart purity belonging to God or required by Him. Holiness describes God’s moral perfection and the life of consecration expected of His people.
Key Verses"Be ye holy; for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16); "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14)
KJV Usage NoteOften means being set apart for God as well as moral purity; it applies first to God and then to His people.
Common MisunderstandingIt is not merely moral niceness; holiness includes being set apart for God and sharing in His purity.
EtymologyFrom Old English halig ("holy, sacred").