King James Bible Dictionary

SANC'TIFY, verb transitive [Low Latin sanctifico; from sanctus, holy, and facio, to make.]

1. In a general sense, to cleanse, purify or make holy.

2. To separate, set apart or appoint to a holy, sacred or religious use.

God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. Genesis 2:3.

So under the Jewish dispensation, to sanctify the altar, the temple, the priests, etc.

3. To purify; to prepare for divine service, and for partaking of holy things. Exodus 19:10.

4. To separate, ordain and appoint to the work of redemption and the government of the church. John 10:36.

5. To cleanse from corruption; to purify from sin; to make holy be detaching the affections from the world and its defilements, and exalting them to a supreme love to God.

Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.

John 17:17. Ephesians 5:26.

6. To make the means of holiness; to render productive of holiness or piety.

Those judgments of God are the more welcome, as a means which his mercy hath sanctified so to me, as to make me repent of that unjust act.

7. To make free from guilt.

That holy man amaz'd at what he saw, made haste to sanctify the bliss by law.

8. To secure from violation.

Truth guards the poet, sanctifies the line.

To sanctify God, to praise and celebrate him as a holy being; to acknowledge and honor his holy majesty, and to reverence his character and laws. Isaiah 8:13.

God sanctifies himself or his name, by vindicating his honor from the reproaches of the wicked, and manifesting his glory. Ezekiel 36:23.

SANC'TIFYING, participle present tense

1. Making holy; purifying from the defilements of sin; separating to a holy use.

2. adjective Tending to sanctify; adapted to increase holiness.