Consecration* — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Separation of persons, utensils, buildings, or places from everyday secular uses for exclusive dedication to holy or sacred use. In the Bible consecration was demonstrated by an appropriate rite or vow. Hebrew expressions imply “separation” (Ex 13:2; Lv 8:10-12; Dt 15:19), “dedication” (Lv 21:12; Nm 6:9), or “ordination” (lit. “filling the hand,” Ex 28:41; 1 Kgs 13:33). NT references are fewer, but they frequently connote the idea of holiness (Jn 10:36; 1 Cor 7:14; 1 Tm 4:5).

Show passage in OET: EXO 13:2

OET-RV EXO 13:2

2 “All firstborn offspring are to be consecrated to me—the first product of every womb, whether human or animal, belongs to me.”

OET-LV EXO 13:2

2 Consecrate to_me every _of firstborn the_firstborn _of every _of womb among_the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) among_humankind and_on/over_cattle/livestock to_me it.

Show passage in OET: LEV 8:10–12

OET-RV LEV 8:10

10 Then Mosheh took the anointing oil and anointed Yahweh’s residence and everything in it, thus consecrating it all.

OET-RV LEV 8:11

11 Seven times he flicked some of it onto the altar—anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin and its base, thus consecrating them.

OET-RV LEV 8:12

12 He poured some of the anointing oil over Aharon’s head, thus anointing him to consecrate him.

OET-LV LEV 8:10

10 And_ Mosheh _he/it _took DOM the _oil _of (the)_anointing and_he _anointed DOM the_tabernacle and_DOM all _of that in/on/over_him/it and_he/it _consecrated DOM_them.

OET-LV LEV 8:11

11 And_he _spattered from_him/it on the_altar seven times and_he _anointed DOM the_altar and_DOM all _of utensils _of_its and_DOM the_laver and_DOM base _of_its to_set_them _apart _as _holy.

OET-LV LEV 8:12

12 And_he _poured some_of _the _oil _of (the)_anointing on the _head _of ʼAhₐron and_he _anointed DOM_him/it to_set_him _apart _as _holy.

Show passage in OET: DEU 15:19

OET-RV DEU 15:19

19 You must set apart for your god Yahweh, all the firstborn male animals from your herds and your flocks. You mustn’t use the cattle for working, and mustn’t shear the sheep or goats.

OET-LV DEU 15:19

19 Every _of (the)_firstborn which it _will _be _born in_herd _of_your and_in_flock _of_your the_male you _will _consecrate to/for_YHWH god _of_your not you _will _labour by_the _firstborn _of your _ox[en]_of_your and_not you _will _shear the _firstborn _of your _sheep _of_your.

Show passage in OET: LEV 21:12

OET-RV LEV 21:12

12 Even for a death, he mustn’t leave his duties in the sanctuary, and he mustn’t profane the sanctuary of his god, because he’s been consecrated with the anointing oil. I am Yahweh.

OET-LV LEV 21:12

12 And_from the_sanctuary not he _will _go _out and_not he _will _profane DOM the _sanctuary _of his/its_god if/because the _consecration _of the _oil _of (the)_anointing _of his/its_god on/upon/above_him/it I am_YHWH.

Show passage in OET: NUM 6:9

OET-RV NUM 6:9

9 “However, if someone right next to them suddenly died, that would defile their consecrated head, and after the regular seven days of purification, they would have to shave their head.

OET-LV NUM 6:9

9 And_because/when a _dead_person he _will _die on/upon/above_him/it with_suddenness suddenly and_he _will _make _unclean the _head _of his _consecration _of_his and_he _will _shave his/its_head in/on_day his _purification _of_his in _the_day the_seventh he_will _shave _it.

Show passage in OET: EXO 28:41

OET-RV EXO 28:41

41 Put these clothes on your brother Aharon and his sons, then anoint them with oil and ordain and consecrate them as priests to me.

OET-LV EXO 28:41

41 And_you _will _clothe DOM_them DOM ʼAhₐron your(ms)_brother/kindred and_DOM sons _of_his with_him/it and_you _will _anoint DOM_them and_you _will _fill DOM hand _of_their and_you _will _consecrate DOM_them and_they _will _serve _as _priests to_me.

Show passage in OET: KI1 13:33

OET-RV KI1 13:33

33 Despite the man of God’s warning, King Yarov’am (Jeroboam) didn’t stop his evil ways—in fact he chose more people from across the country to become priests. Anyone who wanted to be a priest would be appointed and he would become one of the priests of the hilltop worship places.

OET-LV KI1 13:33

33 After the_matter the_this not Yāroⱱˊām/(Jeroboam) he _turned _back from_way _of_his (the)_evil and_he _returned and_he/it _made from_the _ends _of the _people priests _of high _places the_one_desiring he _filled DOM his/its_hand and_let _it _be priests _of high _places.

Show passage in OET: JHN 10:36

OET-RV JHN 10:36

36 why are you telling the one that the father blessed and sent out into the world that I am insulting God because I said that I’m God’s son?

OET-LV JHN 10:36

36 are_ you _all _saying whom the father sanctified and sent _out into the world, that You _are _slandering, because I _said:
I _am the_son of_ the _god?

Show passage in OET: CO1 7:14

OET-RV CO1 7:14

14 You see, the unbelieving husband is exposed to faith through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is exposed to faith through the believing husband, otherwise your children would be ‘defiled’, but now they are declared innocent.

OET-LV CO1 7:14

14 For/Because has _been _sanctified the husband the unbelieving by the wife, and has _been _sanctified the wife the unbelieving by the brother, otherwise consequently the children of _you _all unclean is, but now holy it _is.

Show passage in OET: TI1 4:5

OET-RV TI1 4:5

5 because it’s made acceptable by God’s declaration and by prayer.

OET-LV TI1 4:5

5 for/because it _is _being _sanctified by the_message of_god and petition.

Jump to OET EXO 13:2 section.

Jump to OET LEV 8:10–12 section.

Jump to OET DEU 15:19 section.

Jump to OET LEV 21:12 section.

Jump to OET NUM 6:9 section.

Jump to OET EXO 28:41 section.

Jump to OET KI1 13:33 section.

Jump to OET JHN 10:36 section.

Jump to OET CO1 7:14 section.

Jump to OET TI1 4:5 section.

In church usage, especially among hierarchical denominations, the term describes solemn rites that establish a bishop. It is also used to describe dedication of shrines, reliquaries, cathedrals, elements of the Mass, or buildings set aside for ecclesiastical functions.

Protestant teaching stresses the priesthood of every believer. Thus all Christians are “saints” (from the same root word as “consecration”), that is, devoted to God for life. In Roman Catholic doctrine the church consecrates (canonizes) great Christians as saints after they have died.

Consecration is significant in relation both to God and to the world. The apostle Paul spells out the term’s meaning in Romans 12:1-2, stressing that consecration involves a living sacrifice to God. Its importance in relation to people and things is a basic theme of the apostle Peter’s first letter. In everyday life each Christian is meant to live out a “holy” and “royal” priesthood for God’s glory (1 Pt 2:9). Christians consider the consecration of one’s own personality by the work of the Holy Spirit to be an important mark of spiritual maturity.