The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”
Parallel translations
- WEB The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.”
- KJV The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
- BSB The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”
- NASB The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
- NLT The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”
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
Though grass and flowers fade, the word of God endures forever, offering a sure and lasting hope.
Overview
This verse turns from human frailty to divine permanence: God's word stands unchanging through every generation. Israel could trust the promises of comfort and restoration precisely because the One who spoke them never fails. The New Testament identifies this enduring word with the gospel preached in Christ (1 Peter 1:25), the message that brings eternal life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Mark 13:31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
- Matt 24:35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
- 1 Pet 1:25but the Lord’s word endures forever.” This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.
- Ps 119:89–91Yahweh, your word is settled in heaven forever.
- Matt 5:18For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
- Isa 55:10–11For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
- Isa 46:10–11I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done. I say: My counsel will stand, and I will do all that I please.
- John 10:35If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can’t be broken),
- Isa 59:21“As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says Yahweh. “My Spirit who is on you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your offspring, nor out of the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says Yahweh, “from henceforth and forever.”
- Zech 1:6But my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, didn’t they overtake your fathers? “Then they repented and said, ‘Just as Yahweh of Armies determined to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our practices, so he has dealt with us.’”
- John 12:34The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up?’ Who is this Son of Man?”
- Rom 3:1–3Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 40:8 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 Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.