262. amarantinos
Lexical Summary
amarantinos: Unfading, everlasting

Original Word: ἀμαράντινος
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: amarantinos
Pronunciation: ah-mah-RAN-tee-nos
Phonetic Spelling: (am-ar-an'-tee-nos)
KJV: that fadeth not away
NASB: unfading
Word Origin: [from G263 (ἀμάραντος - fade away)]

1. "amaranthine", a flower that never withers or fades
2. (by implication) fadeless, everlasting

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
unfading

From amarantos; "amaranthine", i.e. (by implication) fadeless -- that fadeth not away.

see GREEK amarantos

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 262 amarántinos (an adjective, akin to 263 /amárantos, "unfading") – properly, the substance of amaranths (a flower in antiquity which symbolized what could never fade), i.e. unfading and hence imperishable (incorruptible, used only in 1 Pet 5:4). Observe also the -inos suffix which shows this term emphasizes how the substance of the crown of glory given to elders connects them to the unfading glory of God. See 263 (amarantos).

[The amaranth flower has incredible resiliency (ability to endure). It easily revives when moistened, even after it is uprooted.]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from amarantos
Definition
unfading
NASB Translation
unfading (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 262: ἀμαράντινος

ἀμαράντινος, (from ἀμάραντος, as ῥόδινος made of roses, from ῤόδον, a rose; cf. ἀκάνθινος), composed of amaranth (a flower, so called because it never withers or fades, and when plucked off revives if moistened with water; hence, it is a symbol of perpetuity and immortality (see Paradise Lost iii., 353ff); Pliny, h. n. 21 (15), 23 (others 47)): στέφανος, 1 Peter 5:4. (Found besides only in Philostr. her. 19, p. 741; (and (conjecturally) in Boeckh, Corp. Inscriptions 155, 39, circa ).)

Topical Lexicon
Etymological Background and Literary Setting

The term ἀμαράντινος appears only once, in 1 Peter 5:4, where it modifies “crown of glory.” The noun draws on the classical image of the amaranth, a flower believed to keep its color and form long after being plucked. Peter lifts this familiar Greek motif into a Christian frame: the reward promised by the Chief Shepherd cannot wither, fade, or be eclipsed.

Old Testament Roots of the ‘Unfading’ Motif

Although the exact word is absent from the Hebrew Scriptures, the underlying idea of imperishability undergirds many Old Testament promises.
Psalm 103:17 – “from everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of the LORD remains.”
Isaiah 40:8 – “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”

By invoking ἀμαράντινος, Peter signals continuity with these assurances, anchoring Christian hope in the same God whose covenant mercies outlast every created thing.

The Crown in Greco-Roman and Biblical Thought

In athletic contests, wreaths of laurel or pine soon shriveled; emperors’ golden diadems eventually tarnished or were buried with their wearers. Scripture contrasts these fading honors with the believer’s reward:
1 Corinthians 9:25 – “They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we do it to receive an imperishable one.”
James 1:12 – “He will receive the crown of life that God has promised.”
2 Timothy 4:8 – “the crown of righteousness, which the Lord…will award to me on that day.”

The single adjective ἀμαράντινος crystallizes all these strands into one definitive statement: the glory awaiting the faithful is categorically superior to every earthly accolade.

Eschatological Assurance in 1 Peter 5:4

Contextually, Peter addresses elders, urging them to shepherd “the flock of God” willingly and humbly. The promise, “when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4), affirms:

1. Christ’s personal return (“appears”).
2. A tangible reward (“crown of glory”).
3. The reward’s permanence (“unfading”).

Peter’s choice of ἀμαράντινος rebukes short-sighted ministry that seeks immediate applause, redirecting leaders toward eternal evaluation.

Pastoral and Discipleship Implications

• Motivation for Service: Knowing the reward is ἀμαράντινος frees shepherds to labor without fear of obscurity or persecution.
• Model of Humility: The glory is future and Christ-bestowed; therefore present leadership is to be marked by humility, not self-promotion.
• Perseverance Under Pressure: Believers in persecution (the audience of 1 Peter) are reminded that present losses are temporary, future glory is irreversible.

Historical Reception

Early church writers—e.g., Clement of Rome (First Epistle, ch. 5)—echo the language of crowns that do not fade. Patristic sermons frequently linked 1 Peter 5:4 to martyrdom narratives, accentuating the contrast between the executioner’s fading laurel and the martyr’s unfading wreath. Reformation preachers applied the text to vocational faithfulness, while evangelical hymnody (“Crown Him with many crowns”) continues to emphasize the everlasting nature of Christ’s rewards.

Relation to Other Petrine ‘Unfading’ Texts

Peter employs ἀμάραντος in 1 Peter 1:4 to describe the inheritance “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.” Together with ἀμαράντινος, these cognate terms frame the epistle: believers begin their pilgrimage with an unfading inheritance and conclude it with an unfading crown, underscoring the comprehensive security of salvation.

Theological Synthesis

1. Permanence of Glory: God’s rewards partake of His own eternal nature.
2. Christocentric Source: The crown is bestowed only when “the Chief Shepherd appears,” locating all honor in union with Christ.
3. Ethical Consequence: Anticipation of an ἀμαράντινος crown shapes present conduct—producing willingness, eagerness, and exemplary oversight (1 Peter 5:2–3).
4. Community Focus: The promise is corporate; elders labor for the flock’s good, the flock submits, and the entire community is lifted by hope.

Devotional Reflection

Believers confronted by societal hostility can meditate on 1 Peter 5:4 to recalibrate their expectations. The path to the unfading crown often runs through obscurity or suffering, but the reward is guaranteed by the resurrected Shepherd who has already triumphed over death.

“Maranatha—come, Lord Jesus,” for when He appears, the ἀμαράντινος crown of glory will shine forever, testifying to the unfading faithfulness of God and the vindication of all who shepherd His people well.

Forms and Transliterations
αμαραντινον αμαράντινον ἀμαράντινον amarantinon amarántinon
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
1 Peter 5:4 Adj-AMS
GRK: κομιεῖσθε τὸν ἀμαράντινον τῆς δόξης
NAS: you will receive the unfading crown
KJV: a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
INT: you will receive the unfading of glory

Strong's Greek 262
1 Occurrence


ἀμαράντινον — 1 Occ.

261
Top of Page
Top of Page