1 Peter 1:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,

NIV: For, 'All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,

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,

CSB: ForAll flesh is like grass,and all its glory like a flower of the grass.The grass withers, and the flower falls,

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.

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,

This verse must be taken together with verse 25. Peter quotes from Isaiah 40:6–8 to back up his statement in verse 23 that we are born again through the undying Word of God. Human life, though intense and beautiful in many ways, comes and goes in a season. Even the most productive, most privileged, most adventurous of mortal lives begin to fade just as they get underway.

This is understood and grieved by people of every culture, every generation and every belief system. Human life is achingly temporary. Peter writes this letter, in part, to remind His readers that God has provided (by grace and through faith in Christ) a true home and a secure future on the other side of this temporary life. In Him, we have hope of a future without end.

However, the specific point he is making here is about the word of the Lord, and it concludes in verse 25.

1 Peter 1:13–25 describes how Christians—those God has caused to be born again—should live now. We must mentally engage in setting all of our hope in God’s future grace for us. We must choose to act as those who are God’s own people, rejecting the evil desires that drove our actions before we knew better. Our choices matter. Our God placed a high value on our lives, paying for them with the blood of Christ. Since God has made us able, we must now strive to earnestly give love to each other.

Peter, the apostle of Jesus, writes a letter to Christians facing persecution to comfort them with the truth of who they are in Christ—children of God with every reason to rejoice in their salvation and future glory in eternity. Next, he urges them to live like the holy ones of God they already are by obeying God now, loving each other earnestly, and placing all of their hope in the endless life to come.

This beautiful, profound, and challenging first chapter of 1 Peter lays the foundation for the rest of Peter’s letter. In spite of whatever suffering we may face, God Himself has already shown us great mercy in Christ by including us in His family! Jesus is our living hope. Our future is secure and endless and perfect. As the children of God we have every reason to rejoice, even in this present darkness. Peter then calls us to prepare ourselves to live as the holy people God has made us to be.

Some 30 years after the resurrection of Jesus, Christians are facing greater persecution for their faith. How should they respond? How should we respond to suffering today? The apostle Peter writes this letter both to comfort believers and to encourage them to stay strong. He urges them to put all their hope in their perfect future with Christ, and to obey and trust Him in the present, even in their suffering. Christ suffered greatly; now the Christ-followers have the opportunity to follow Him even in this, showing His grace and power in their hopefulness, obedience, and faith.

Accessed 5/3/2024 1:04:39 PM