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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Context
This verse opens Leviticus 19, the heart of the section often called the Holiness Code, where God details how His people are to live holy lives in their daily relationships and dealings.
What Does Leviticus 19:2 Mean?
This verse is the keynote of one of the most important chapters in the Law: God commands the entire community of Israel to be holy because He Himself is holy. What makes this moment striking is the audience. The instruction is given not to priests alone but to "all the congregation" -- every family, every household, every ordinary person. Holiness was not reserved for a spiritual elite. It was the calling of the whole people of God.
The chapter that follows shows what such holiness looks like in practice: honoring parents, caring for the poor, dealing honestly, refusing to slander, loving one's neighbor. So holiness here is not withdrawal from the world but a way of living in it that mirrors the character of God. To be holy is to be set apart, and Israel was set apart by reflecting the justice, mercy, and faithfulness of the One who redeemed them. The reason given is simple and weighty: "for I the LORD your God am holy." God's own nature is the pattern and the motive. Those who belong to Him are invited to become like Him -- and the rest of the chapter spells out, line by line, how that likeness shows up in everyday relationships.
In the Original Language
The repeated key word is qadosh, "holy" -- set apart, sacred, belonging to God. The same term describes both the LORD and the people He calls, linking their character to His.
Cross References
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.”
- 1 Peter 1:15
“For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy.”
- Leviticus 11:44
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
- Matthew 5:48
Application
Holiness is not a calling for a special few but for every believer in everyday life -- in how you treat your family, your neighbors, and the vulnerable. Pursue it in the ordinary.