ἅγιος, -α, ον
(< τό ἅγός, religious awe; ἅζω, to venerate), [in LXX chiefly for קֹ֫דֶשׁ ;]
primarily, dedicated to the gods, sacred (Hdt.; rare in Att., never in Hom., Hes. and Trag., who use ἁγνός), hence, holy, characteristic of God, separated to God, worthy of veneration.
__1. Its highest application is to God himself, in his purity, majesty, and glory: Luk.1:49, Jhn.17:11, Rev.4:8. Hence
__(a) of things and places which have a claim to reverence as sacred to God, e.g. the Temple: Mat.24:15, Heb.9:1;
__(b) of persons employed by him, as angels: 1Th.3:13; prophets, Luk.1:70; apostles, Eph.3:5.
__2. Applied to persons as separated to God's service:
__(a) of Christ, Mrk.1:24, Jhn.6:69, Act.4:30;
__(b) of Christians, Act.9:13, Rom.1:7, Heb.6:10, Rev.5:8.
__3. In the moral sense of sharing God's purity: Mrk.6:20, Jhn.17:11, Act.3:14, Rev.3:7.
__4. Of pure, clean sacrifices and offerings: 1Co.7:14, Eph.1:4.
SYN.: ἁγνός, pure, both in ceremonial and spiritual sense; ἱερός (sacer), sacred, that which is inviolable because of its (external) relation to God; ὅσιος (sanctus as opp. to nefas), that which is based on everlasting ordinances of right. (Cf. Tr., Syn., §lxxxviii; DB, ii, 399 f.; Cremer, 34, 594-601; MM, VGT, see word) (AS)