For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,
Parallel translations
- WEB For, “All flesh is like grass, and all of man’s glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls;
- KJV For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
- NKJV because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,
- NASB For, “All flesh is like grass, And all its glory is like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off,
- NLT As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Quoting Isaiah, Peter notes that all human life and glory are as fleeting as grass and flowers that wither. Human strength and splendor are temporary and fading.
Overview
Peter draws on Isaiah 40:6-8 to contrast frail, transient humanity with the enduring word of God. All flesh and its glory, however impressive, quickly fade like grass scorched by the sun. This sober realism humbles human pride and sets up the enduring permanence of God's word in the next verse.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Isa 40:6–8A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field.
- Ps 103:15As for man, his days are like grass—he blooms like a flower of the field;
- Jas 4:14You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
- Jas 1:10–11But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field.
- Ps 37:2For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender plants.
- 2 Kgs 19:26Therefore their inhabitants, devoid of power, are dismayed and ashamed. They are like plants in the field, tender green shoots, grass on the rooftops, scorched before it is grown.
- 1 Jn 2:17The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.
- Ps 92:7that though the wicked sprout like grass, and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.
- Ps 129:6May they be like grass on the rooftops, which withers before it can grow,
- Ps 90:5You whisk them away in their sleep; they are like the new grass of the morning—
- Ps 102:4My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass; I even forget to eat my bread.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The lamb without blemish foreknown before the world, who bore our sins in his body on the tree, by whose wounds we are healed — the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.
How 1 Peter 1:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.