holy

holiness, sacred, unholy

Definition:

The terms "holy" and "holiness" refer to the character of God that is totally set apart and separated from everything that is sinful and imperfect.

Only God is absolutely holy. He makes people and things holy.
A person who is holy belongs to God and has been set apart for the purpose of serving God and bringing him glory.
An object that God has declared to be holy is one that he has set apart for his glory and use, such as an altar that is for the purpose of offering sacrifices to him.
People cannot approach him unless he allows them to, because he is holy and they are merely human beings, sinful and imperfect.
In the Old Testament, God set apart the priests as holy for special service to him. They had to be ceremonially cleansed from sin in order to approach God.
God also set apart as holy certain places and things that belonged to him or in which he revealed himself, such as his temple.
Believers in Jesus are holy people, not because of what they have done, but rather because of their faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ. He is the one who makes them holy.
When people of any religion, true or false, consider something "sacred," they consider it holy according to their religion.

Literally, the term "unholy" means "not holy." It describes someone or something that does not honor God.

This word is used to describe someone who dishonors God by rebelling against him.
A thing that is called "unholy" could be described as being common, profane or unclean. It does not belong to God.

The term "sacred" describes something that relates to worshiping God or to the pagan worship of false gods.

In the Old Testament, the term "sacred" was often used to describe the stone pillars and other objects used in the worship of false gods. This could also be translated as "religious."
"Sacred songs" and "sacred music" refer to music that was sung or played for God's glory. This could be translated as "music for worshiping Yahweh" or "songs that praise God."
The phrase "sacred duties" referred to the "religious duties" or "rituals" that a priest performed to lead people in worshiping God. It could also refer to the rituals performed by a pagan priest to worship a false god.
The phrase "sacred gifts" refers to things that someone has set apart for God and then given to God at the temple.

Ways to translate "holy" might include "set apart for God" or "belonging to God" or "completely pure" or "perfectly sinless" or "separated from sin."
To "make holy" is often translated as "sanctify" in English. It could also be translated as "set apart (someone) for God's glory."
Ways to translate "unholy" could include "not holy" or "not belonging to God" or "not honoring to God" or "not godly."
In some contexts, "unholy" could be translated as "unclean."

01:16 He (God) blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on this day he rested from his work.
09:12 "You are standing on holy ground."
13:01 "If you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my prized possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation."
13:05 "Always be sure to keep the Sabbath day holy."
22:05 "So the baby will be holy, the Son of God."
50:02 As we wait for Jesus to return, God wants us to live in a way that is holy and that honors him.

Strong's: H2455, H2623, H4676, H4720, H6918, H6922, H6942, H6944, H6948, G37, G38, G39, G40, G41, G42, G462, G2150, G2413, G2839, G3741, G3742

holier, holiest, holiness, holy, holy duties, honored as holy, makes ... holy, sacred, sacred gifts, sacred places, unholy