ἁγιότης
hagiótēs
G41 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Essential quality or state of being set apart for the sacred or divine; holiness, especially in an absolute or transcendent sense. In contexts, refers to the quality that belongs preeminently to divinity (such as God) or to what is dedicated to divine purposes. Encompasses both moral purity and ritual separateness, with primary emphasis on the ontological status of being sacred rather than specific moral actions.
Semantic Range
holiness, absolute sanctity, sacredness, separateness, the essential quality of the divine or what belongs to the divine realm, the state of being consecrated
Root / Etymology
Derived from ἅγιος (hagios, meaning 'sacred,' 'holy'), with the suffix -της (-tēs), which forms abstract nouns of quality or state. Thus, ἁγιότης is the state or quality belonging to what is ἅγιος. Related to ἁγιωσύνη (hagiōsynē), also meaning 'holiness.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἁγιότης is rare and primarily describes the attribute of a deity or the inviolable quality of the sacred. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the Septuagint and New Testament, ἁγιότης acquires a more theologically nuanced sense, commonly denoting the transcendent or intrinsic holiness of God (cf. LXX Leviticus 19:2, Hebrews 12:10). Its usage is distinct from ἁγιωσύνη, which is sometimes used for moral rectitude or sanctification in believers, whereas ἁγιότης often signals the absolute quality proper to God or the sacred. In modern translations, 'holiness' is typically used but may not capture the emphatically transcendent and exclusive divine domain implied in Koine and biblical usage. Unlike ὁσιότης (hosiótēs, 'piety/righteousness'), ἁγιότης stresses separateness and divine prerogative rather than simply ethical conduct.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἅγιος; sanctity (i.e. properly, the state):--holiness.
Root Family
ἁγιότης (hagiotēs) — holiness, sacredness, state of being set apart, absolute sanctity
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G41-01 |
ἁγιότητι | agioteti | N DAT F SG |
in sacredness | 1 | |
G41-02 |
ἁγιότητος | agiotetos | N GEN F SG |
of holiness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G41-01 |
2 Corinthians 1:12 | ἁγιότητι | agioteti | N DAT F SG |
in sacredness | |
G41-02 |
Hebrews 12:10 | ἁγιότητος | agiotetos | N GEN F SG |
of holiness |