I Peter 1:24 · Bible study
1 Peter 1:24 Commentary: Flesh Like Grass, Word That Endures
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Peter's use of Isaiah 40 to contrast human frailty with God's eternal word, supporting the imperishable new birth through the Gospel.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Human life and glory are fleeting like grass and flowers, in stark contrast to God's enduring word, which gives new birth.
- Key words: σάρξ (flesh), χόρτος (grass), δόξα (glory), ἄνθος (flower), ἐξηράνθη (withered, aorist), ἐξέπεσεν (fell, aorist).
- Main debate: The pronoun “of it” (αὐτῆς) versus “of man” (ἀνθρώπου) in the quotation; the best Greek manuscripts read “of it,” but many translations follow the LXX rendering.
- Theological theme: The contrast between the frailty of the natural order and the permanence of God's word undergirds the necessity and certainty of regeneration through the spoken Gospel.
- Best use: A text for comfort in times of loss, for humility in seasons of success, and for grounding hope in the word rather than in human achievement.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,
WEB World English Bible 2000
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 King James Version 1769
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:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For, All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
because all flesh is as grass, and all glory of man as flower of grass; wither did the grass, and the flower of it fell away,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Because all flesh [is] as grass, and all its glory as [the] flower of grass. The grass has withered and [its] flower has fallen;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For all flesh is as grass and all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass is withered and the flower thereof is fallen away.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque Toda carne es como la hierba, y toda la gloria del hombre como la flor de la hierba: secóse la hierba, y la flor se cayó;
Pois toda carne é como a erva, e toda a sua glória como a flor da erva. A erva se seca, e a flor cai;
Car
Denn “ alles Fleisch ist wie Gras und alle Herrlichkeit der Menschen wie des Grases Blume. Das Gras ist verdorrt und die Blume abgefallen;
Want alle vlees is als gras, en alle heerlijkheid des mensen is als een bloem van het gras. Het gras is verdord, en zijn bloem is afgevallen;
Poiché Ogni carne è com’erba, e ogni sua gloria come il fior dell’erba. L’erba si secca, e il fiore cade;
Ponieważ wszelkie ciało jest jako trawa i wszelka chwała człowieka jako kwiat trawy; uwiędła trawa i kwiat jej opadł;
Ибо всякая плоть — как трава, и всякая слава человеческая — как цвет на траве: засохла трава, и цвет ее опал;
因為 凡 有血氣的，盡都如 草； 他 的 美榮 都像 草 上的花。 草 必枯乾， 花 必凋謝；
For it is said, All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the grass. The grass becomes dry and the flower dead:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Peter 1:24
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse quotes Isaiah 40:6, 8 to underscore the frailty of human life and glory in contrast to God's enduring word. Barnes notes the apostle had been contrasting that which is begotten by man with that which is born of God; the quotation makes the point that everything associated with human nature (flesh) is transient, like grass, and all its glory like a flower. Calvin emphasizes that the prophet reduces men to nothing so they stop flattering themselves, only then are they ready to receive the grace of new birth. Matthew Henry summarises: man in his utmost flourish is still a withering creature. The shift from "of man" (LXX reading) to "of it" in the best Greek manuscripts does not change the meaning: the glory belongs to the fragile flesh. The aorist tenses used in the quotation (ἐξηράνθη, ἐξέπεσεν) present withering and falling as dramatic, completed events, as Vincent observes, giving the sense of a quick, decisive end. The consensus is that Peter uses the quotation to support his argument in the previous verse: new birth comes through the incorruptible seed of God's word, which alone abides forever.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Emphasis on human frailty and humility: Calvin and many Reformed commentators see the quotation as designed to strip away human pride and self-reliance so the reader is prepared for grace.
- Emphasis on the permanence of the word and assurance of new birth: Barnes, Gill, and Matthew Henry stress that the contrast grounds the believer's hope: if the word abides forever, then those born of it also abide forever.
- Textual focus on the pronoun 'of it' vs 'of man': Textual critics and commentators (Cambridge Bible, Vincent) note the variant and discuss its implications for the quotation's accuracy and Peter's handling of the LXX.
What is clear: The verse contrasts the fleeting nature of human life and glory with the enduring character of God's word, and it functions as scriptural support for the prior claim that believers are born again through the imperishable seed of that word.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Source of the quotation | All commentators identify this as a quotation from Isaiah 40:6, 8, likely from the Septuagint (LXX). | Some emphasize Peter's use of the LXX as evidence of his Hellenistic context; others note the slight changes (e.g., 'of man' in the LXX becomes 'of it' in the best Greek manuscripts) and discuss whether Peter quoted from memory or adapted the text deliberately. |
| Textual variant: 'of it' versus 'of man' | The meaning of the passage is not substantially affected; both readings describe human glory as fragile and transitory. | The earliest manuscripts (e.g., Codex Sinaiticus, Vaticanus) read 'of it' (αὐτῆς), agreeing that the glory belongs to the flesh. Many English translations follow the LXX reading 'of man' (ἀνθρώπου) because the quotation is from a well-known passage. The debate concerns which reading is original to Peter's letter. |
| What 'glory' refers to | The glory includes everything humans pride themselves on: wisdom, strength, wealth, honor, beauty, and external righteousness. | Wesley and Matthew Henry emphasize outward advantages; Gill includes 'external righteousness, holiness, and goodness' as part of this fading glory. Calvin and Barnes take it more broadly as all that constitutes human greatness, which must be stripped away for a person to receive the grace of regeneration. |
| How the quotation supports the argument for new birth | The verse shows the insufficiency and impermanence of natural human life, making the need for new birth through God's word obvious. | Some commentators focus on the logical link: if you were born of flesh (corruptible seed), you perish like grass; but since you were born of the word (incorruptible seed), you will not perish. Others (Calvin) see the quotation as primarily humbling the reader so they are ready to receive the comfort of the Gospel that follows. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Peter writes to Christians scattered across Asia Minor, many facing social pressure and suffering (1 Peter 1:6, 7). In this context he builds a case for hope and holy living, grounding both in the new birth. Verse 23 introduced the image of being born again not from perishable but from imperishable seed, the living and enduring word of God. To reinforce that point, Peter reaches for one of the most familiar passages of comfort in the Old Testament, Isaiah 40:6, 8, a text from the exilic prophecy that promises restoration.
Isaiah had addressed a people whose nation was destroyed, whose temple lay in ruins, and whose hope was fading. The prophet's voice cried out that human might, Babylon's or Israel's, is mere grass, while God's word stands forever. Now Peter applies that same assurance to these new believers. The LXX translation, which Peter follows closely, uses χόρτος (grass, fodder) and ἄνθος (flower), imagery drawn from the Palestinian landscape where green shoots appear after rain only to wither in the summer heat. The phrase "all flesh" echoes the Hebrew idiom for humanity in its weakness, not just sinful nature but mortal existence itself.
For early Christian readers, Isaiah 40 already carried messianic overtones through John the Baptist's ministry (Mark 1:2, 3). Peter thus taps into a deep well of hope: the same word that promised comfort to exiles now brings eternal life to those who hear the Gospel. The contrast between withering grass and the Lord's enduring word could not have been more relevant for believers whose own lives were fragile, threatened by persecution, and tempted to find security in human alliances or cultural status. Peter's pastoral logic is simple: if everything human passes away, cling to the one thing that lasts, the word of God preached to you.
Textual Notes
The verse is a quotation of Isaiah 40:6, 8, apparently from the Septuagint (LXX) with one notable variation. In the LXX, the phrase reads “all the glory of man” (πᾶσα δόξα ἀνθρώπου). The best Greek manuscripts of 1 Peter, however, read πᾶσα δόξα αὐτῆς (all its glory), referring to “the flesh” (σάρξ). This is the reading adopted by modern critical editions (NA28, UBS5). The variant probably arose because scribes conformed the text to the more familiar LXX wording. The difference does not change the overall meaning: whether the glory belongs to “man” or to “the flesh,” it is equally perishable. The verbs ἐξηράνθη and ἐξέπεσεν are aorist passive and aorist active, respectively, emphasizing the sudden, decisive end of human vitality. No other significant textual variants affect this verse.
Reception History
This verse, together with the Isaiah passage it quotes, has been a staple of Christian reflection on mortality and the hope of resurrection. In the Eastern tradition, it appears in the funeral service, reminding mourners that human life is fleeting but God's mercy endures. Western hymnody has taken up the image: hymns like "O God, Our Help in Ages Past" (based on Psalm 90) echo the same grass-and-flower analogy. The Puritans often used this text to counsel believers not to put their trust in earthly achievements but to anchor themselves in Scripture. In modern pastoral practice, 1 Peter 1:24 remains a source of comfort for those grieving the loss of loved ones, especially when paired with verse 25: "the word of the Lord endures forever." Its placement in the argument for new birth also makes it a key text for teaching about regeneration: the same word that brought life at creation and comfort to exiles now brings eternal life to those who receive the Gospel.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The frailty of human life. "All flesh is like grass." Every person, regardless of strength, status, or age, shares the same mortal trajectory. Peter does not moralize; he simply states a fact that the Bible everywhere affirms (Psalm 103:15, James 1:10, 11).
- The fading of human glory. "All its glory like the flower of grass." Our achievements, beauty, wealth, and righteousness, everything we take pride in, is as temporary as the wildflowers that bloom for a few days and then fall. The aorist tense makes the fall sound sudden and total.
- The permanence of God's word. The quotation continues in verse 25: "But the Lord's word endures forever." That word is the imperishable seed by which believers are born again. What grass cannot provide, lasting life, God's word gives.
Five-point outline
- Humanity as grass (v.24a)
- Human glory as a flower (v.24b)
- The withering of grass (v.24c)
- The falling of the flower (v.24d)
- The enduring word (introduced in v.25)
Illustration hooks
- A garden after a frost. One morning the flowers are brilliant; the next, they are brown and broken. The change is sudden, not gradual. Peter uses the aorist tense to capture that suddenness.
- Newspapers from last year. Headlines that once seemed urgent now look outdated and trivial. Human glory, political power, celebrity, wealth, has the same shelf life.
- Family photo albums. We look at pictures of grandparents we barely remember. The faces are vivid, but that generation is gone. The reminder is not morbid, it is an invitation to anchor our hope in what does not fade.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If everything is so temporary, what can I really count on?
- Why does Peter quote the Old Testament here? How does Isaiah's message speak to New Testament believers?
- How does the frailty of human life connect to being born again through the word of God?
Leading a Discussion
Peter quotes a prophet who spoke to exiles. These are people who had lost everything, their land, their temple, their national identity. Yet through that same prophet God promised comfort. Peter sees the same pattern in the lives of these scattered Christians: human security fails, but the word of God does not. This study helps a group see how the contrast between withering flesh and the enduring word leads to a sturdy hope.
Discussion questions
- In your own words, what point is Peter making by quoting Isaiah 40:6, 8?
- Look at the way Peter introduces the quotation: "All flesh is like grass." What does the word "flesh" mean in this context?
- How does the aorist tense of "withered" and "fell" (completed action) change the force of the image? What would be different if he had used a present tense?
- Why do you think Peter describes the glory of man as a flower? What kinds of human glory come to mind?
- Read verse 23 again: being born again through the word of God. How does this quotation from Isaiah support that idea?
- In what ways do people today build their lives on things that are as fragile as grass? How does this passage speak to that tendency?
- What would it look like for a believer to live as if the word of the Lord really endures forever? What is one area where you need to trust that more this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Kings 19:26 | Therefore their inhabitants had little power. They were dismayed and confounded. They were like the grass of the field and like the green herb, like the grass on the housetops and like grain blasted before it has grown up. |
| Psalms 37:2 | For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb. |
| Psalms 90:5 | You sweep them away as they sleep. In the morning they sprout like new grass. |
| Psalms 92:7 | though the wicked spring up as the grass, and all the evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. |
| Psalms 102:4 | My heart is blighted like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread. |
| Psalms 103:15 | As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. |
| Psalms 129:6 | Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up, |
| Isaiah 40:6 | The voice of one saying, “Cry out!” One said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the contrast: grass withers but returns in spring, while human flesh does not come back in any natural cycle. For him, the image underscores the finality of human mortality—earthly generations perish permanently, unlike the recurring bloom of the field.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes the contrast between the decaying, fragile nature of humans and the enduring nature of God and His word. He notes that the comparison of people to grass and flowers highlights how even the best of human achievements and beauty quickly fade, while God and what He produces remain forever.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists the prophet's words about fading grass and flower are not about human allies or enemies. Instead they strip away pride and self-reliance so people become ready for God's promised restoration. Only when we see our own emptiness can we embrace the grace of the new birth.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator highlights that the verse quotes Isaiah 40:6-8, likely from the Greek Septuagint, linking Peter's words to John the Baptist and the Epistle of James. The Greek term for "word" here is rhema, not logos, though Peter probably considered them equivalent and simply followed the LXX wording.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note presses the contrast between human frailty and God's enduring word. All people are as perishable as grass, and even their finest achievements last no longer than a wildflower that withers and falls. The point is complete transience: nothing human survives the passage of time.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the frailty of human life applies to all people, including believers and preachers, not only the wicked as some Jewish interpreters claimed. The contrast drives home that while everything about human glory fades, the gospel endures forever.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that the Greek tenses show the natural man's glory as already withered and fallen away the moment it appears. He notes the oldest manuscripts read "of it" (the flesh) rather than "of man," driving home that everything belonging to our earthly nature is transitory, in sharp contrast to God's enduring word.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists that brotherly love demands ongoing purification of the soul through obedience to the eternal word, not merely a past event at conversion. This constant cleansing from selfishness and hypocrisy, enabled by the word's living power, is what makes love genuine and fervent.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry contrasts the frailty of human glory, which withers like grass, with the enduring power of God's word. He stresses that the gospel preached is the same eternal word that can transform a perishing creature into an incorruptible one. Receiving this word preserves a person to everlasting life.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent points out that the best Greek manuscripts read "thereof" rather than "of man" in this verse. He also highlights how the aorist tense presents the withering and falling as sudden, startling events, as if described in a vivid narrative.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley emphasizes that not only human life is fleeting like grass, but also everything people take pride in—wisdom, strength, wealth, even righteousness—withers as quickly as a flower. He stresses that this fading happens even as we speak, making the point urgent.