Have you ever read verses like “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” or “Be holy, for I am holy” and felt overwhelmed? Like God was setting an impossible standard? You’re not alone. Many believers struggle with what these verses mean—especially when taken literally.

Let’s break down what Jesus and the apostles were really saying, using one of the most accurate English translations available: the NASB (New American Standard Bible). Known for its word-for-word faithfulness to the original texts, the NASB gives us a solid foundation to explore whether God is truly asking us to be perfect—or something deeper.

1. “Be Perfect, as Your Heavenly Father is Perfect” — Matthew 5:48 (NASB)

“Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

— Matthew 5:48, NASB

At face value, this sounds like Jesus is commanding moral flawlessness. But let’s dig into the original Greek.

Greek Word: τέλειος (teleios) Meaning: Mature, complete, brought to its intended purpose

Strong’s Concordance (G5046) defines teleios as:

“Brought to its end, finished” “Full grown, adult, mature” “Complete in moral character”

Context Matters:

In Matthew 5, Jesus is teaching the Sermon on the Mount. Verses 43–47 focus on loving your enemies. So when He says “be perfect,” He’s inviting us into complete, mature love—a love like God’s that extends even to enemies.

Not flawlessness—wholeness.

2. “Be Holy, for I Am Holy” — 1 Peter 1:15–16 (NASB)

“But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written: ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

— 1 Peter 1:15–16, NASB

Peter is quoting Leviticus 11:44, where God tells Israel to be holy.

Greek Word for “Holy”: ἅγιος (hagios) Meaning: Set apart, sacred, different, morally pure

This isn’t a call to flawlessness. It’s about being distinct from the world, aligning with God’s character, and living in a way that reflects Him.

3. “Purify Yourself as He is Pure” — 1 John 3:3 (NASB)

“And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

— 1 John 3:3, NASB

Greek Word for “Purify”: ἁγνίζω (hagnizō) = to cleanse Greek Word for “Pure”: ἁγνός (hagnos) = morally clean, blameless

The verb “purifies” is in present tense, which shows a continuous action—not a one-time achievement. Purity is a process. It’s about daily intention, not immediate perfection.

4. So… Does God Really Expect Perfection?

Here’s what we find when we examine these verses in NASB and Greek:

Matthew 5:48 — God calls us to mature, complete love, not flawlessness. 1 Peter 1:16 / Leviticus 11:44 — Holiness means being set apart, not sinless. 1 John 3:3 — Purity is a lifelong journey, not an instant state.

Even in the most literal translation, these passages are not about performance-based perfection. They are about identity, relationship, and transformation.

5. What Scholars and Teachers Say

Even Bible scholars agree that these passages do not demand moral perfection:

N.T. Wright: “Jesus is describing a life of wholehearted love and forgiveness.” Dallas Willard: “Not perfectionism, but transformation. Becoming the kind of person who naturally loves as God does.” Craig Keener: “Teleios does not mean sinless—it means maturity, completeness in love.”

6. Final Thoughts: A God of Grace, Not Performance

God is not asking you to never mess up. He’s inviting you to grow, to love more deeply, and to be transformed into His likeness—day by day.

So the next time you read, “Be holy as I am holy” or “Be perfect as your Father is perfect”, take a deep breath. It’s not a call to impossible perfection. It’s a call to become whole, to live in love, and to walk with God in grace.

Resources for Further Study:

Blue Letter Bible – Greek Lexicons & Commentaries

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard

Matthew for Everyone by N.T. Wright

BibleProject – Videos on Holiness & Teleios