BE HOLY, BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY
Key verse: 45
NIV
44 I am the Lord your God;(A) consecrate yourselves(B) and be holy,(C) because I am holy.(D) Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground.(E) 45 I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt(F) to be your God;(G) therefore be holy, because I am holy.(H)
46 “‘These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves about in the water and every creature that moves along the ground. 47 You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.(I)’”
Cross references
- Leviticus 11:44 : S Ex 6:2, 7; 20:2; Isa 43:3; 51:15; Eze 20:5
- Leviticus 11:44 : S Ex 19:10; Lev 20:7; Nu 15:40; Jos 3:5; 7:13; 1Ch 15:12; 2Ch 29:5; 35:6
- Leviticus 11:44 : S Ex 22:31; S Dt 14:2
- Leviticus 11:44 : S Ex 31:13; Lev 19:2; 20:7; Jos 24:19; 1Sa 2:2; Job 6:10; Ps 99:3; Eph 1:4; 1Th 4:7; 1Pe 1:15, 16*
- Leviticus 11:44 : S ver 43
- Leviticus 11:45 : Lev 25:38, 55
- Leviticus 11:45 : S Ge 17:7
- Leviticus 11:45 : S Ex 19:6; 1Pe 1:16*
- Leviticus 11:47 : Lev 10:10
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
44 For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and (A)be holy, for I am holy. (B)You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. 45 (C)For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. (D)You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”
46 This is the law about beast and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms on the ground, 47 (E)to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten.
Read full chapterCross references
- Leviticus 11:44 : ch. 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8; Ex. 19:6; Cited 1 Pet. 1:16; [1 Thess. 4:7]
- Leviticus 11:44 : [See ver. 43 above]; ch. 20:25
- Leviticus 11:45 : Ex. 6:7
- Leviticus 11:45 : [See ver. 44 above]; ch. 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8; Ex. 19:6; Cited 1 Pet. 1:16; [1 Thess. 4:7]
- Leviticus 11:47 : ch. 10:10; 20:25
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Consecrate yourselves and be holy (11:44-47)
Chapters 11-15 tell us that God demands cleanness and purity of his people. The regulations about clean and unclean animals were canceled by Jesus (Mk 7:14-23). But the principle is still valid. God wants us to have pure hearts, clean hands and chaste bodies. Letting our minds dwell on lewd things makes us unclean. God wants us to consecrate ourselves to him.
2. The purpose of ceremonial cleansing (12:1-15:33)
No person is an island. Each life affects the lives of others. Chapters 12-15 describe how unclean persons may be cleansed and restored to the community. Jesus' parents obeyed the regulations of chapter 12. Sin is an infectious disease. No person's sinful life is only a personal matter. He influences society. So the community must take seriously both contagious diseases and moral pollution. The priest was responsible for keeping the community clean.
Prayer: Lord, purify my heart and life by the blood of Jesus. Help us to stop the moral pollution of our times.
One Word: Be holy as God is holy
