Saint

SAINT. In KJV the word “saint” is used to translate two Hebrew words: qādôsh and hasîdh. The root idea of the first is separation. In a religious sense it means that which is separated or dedicated to God, and therefore removed from secular use. The word is applied to people, places, and things; for example, the temple, vessels, garments, the city of Jerusalem, priests. The root of the second word is personal holiness. The emphasis is on character. It has a strong ethical connotation. These words are used either in the plural or with a collective noun. The reason for this is that a person’s standing before God is regarded as a matter of his belonging to a larger whole—the nation Israel or the Christian church—this larger whole standing in covenant relationship to God. In the LXX the word hagioi is used to refer to God’s covenant people Israel.