Isaiah 64:6

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Cross-reference

Isaiah 57:12 declares that their righteousness and works will not profit them, directly echoing Isaiah 64:6's theme of worthless self-righteousness.

Isaiah 53:6 Parallel

Isaiah 53:6 states 'all we like sheep have gone astray'—a parallel confession of universal sin, with the added atonement solution.

Isaiah 40:6-8 uses grass withering to depict human frailty, same fading-leaf imagery in Isaiah 64:6 emphasizing life's transience.

Isaiah 6:5 Allusion

Isaiah 6:5 uses the same 'unclean' imagery—Isaiah declares his own uncleanness before God, echoing the corporate confession here.

Isaiah 59:6 Parallel

Isaiah 59:6 says webs cannot become garments — directly paralleling the idea that our righteous acts do not cover us.

Isaiah 57:13 says the wind carries off idols — parallel to Isaiah 64:6's wind sweeping sins away, both using wind as divine judgment.

Revelation 7:13 shows the redeemed in white robes, the opposite of Isaiah 64:6's filthy rags, symbolizing the righteousness they receive.

Romans 7:18 Parallel

Romans 7:18 echoes that no good dwells in our sinful nature, reinforcing Isaiah's point that even righteous acts are tainted.

Romans 7:24 Parallel

Romans 7:24 cries out in wretchedness over sin, mirroring the despair and helplessness Isaiah expresses.

Ephesians 2:1 describes being dead in sins, a stronger statement of the spiritual condition Isaiah portrays as unclean and shriveled.

Philippians 3:9 contrasts Paul's own righteousness with faith in Christ, reinforcing Isaiah 64:6's point that human righteousness is insufficient.

James 1:11 Parallel

James 1:11 describes the plant withering under scorching heat — directly echoing Isaiah's shriveled leaf, reinforcing the fleeting nature of life.

Psalm 51:5 Parallel

Psalm 51:5 traces sin to birth, deepening the inherent sinfulness Isaiah laments in his confession.

Psalm 1:4 Parallel

Psalm 1:4 compares the wicked to chaff blown by wind — very similar to Isaiah 64:6's 'like the wind our sins sweep us away', both using wind for judgment.

Job 42:6 Parallel

Job 42:6 has Job despising himself and repenting, directly paralleling the confession of uncleanness in Isaiah.

Job 25:4 Parallel

Job 25:4 asks how a man can be righteous before God, directly echoing the inadequacy of human righteousness in Isaiah.

In Job 15:14-16, the same truth is pressed: no human is pure or righteous before God, matching Isaiah's confession of sinfulness.

Revelation 3:18 offers white garments to cover shame, directly addressing the problem of filthy rags in Isaiah 64:6 with a divine solution.

Revelation 3:4 contrasts those who have not soiled their garments with Isaiah's 'filthy rags', highlighting God's cleansing grace.

Romans 3:12 Allusion

Romans 3:12 reinforces the total depravity of humanity—'no one does good'—echoing Isaiah's claim that even our righteous acts are filthy.

Luke 18:13 Parallel

Luke 18:13 shows the tax collector's humble plea for mercy, embodying the proper response to the universal sinfulness Isaiah describes.

Luke 17:10 Parallel

In Luke 17:10, servants call themselves unworthy after doing all — echoing Isaiah 64:6 that even our righteous acts are like filthy rags.

Daniel 9:18 Parallel

In Daniel 9:18, Daniel pleads not based on righteousness — directly reinforcing Isaiah 64:6 that our righteous acts are worthless.

1 Kings 8:46 states 'there is no one who does not sin'—echoing Isaiah's confession that all are unclean, strengthening the theme of universal sin.

In Ezekiel 36:17, Israel's conduct is compared to menstrual uncleanness — directly parallel to Isaiah 64:6's 'unclean' and 'filthy rags'.

Romans 10:3 Parallel

Romans 10:3 describes those seeking to establish their own righteousness, which Isaiah calls 'filthy rags'—human effort that falls short of God's standard.

Galatians 3:11 declares no one is justified by the law, underscoring the insufficiency of human righteousness Isaiah laments.

Ephesians 2:3 describes humanity as 'children of wrath', aligning with Isaiah's universal uncleanness and sinfulness by nature.

Psalm 14:3 Parallel

Psalm 14:3 declares all have become filthy and none do good — directly reinforcing the universal sinfulness.

Ezra 9:15 Parallel

Ezra 9:15 confesses 'not one of us can stand in your presence'—directly paralleling Isaiah's admission that our righteousness is filthy.

Job 9:31 Parallel

Job 9:31 uses clothing imagery of being plunged into filth, mirroring the 'filthy rags' image of human impurity.

Job 10:15 Parallel

Job 10:15 admits that even if righteous, he cannot lift his head — echoing the theme that our righteous acts are worthless.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 states no one does good without sinning — directly matching the assertion that all righteousness is filthy.

1 John 1:8 Parallel

1 John 1:8 states if we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves, confirming the universal sinfulness Isaiah portrays.

Psalm 53:3 Parallel

Psalm 53:3 repeats the same verdict: all are filthy, none do good — an exact parallel.

James 3:2 Parallel

James 3:2 says 'we all stumble in many ways', echoing Isaiah's universal confession of sin and moral failure.

Leviticus 13:45 shows the leper's torn clothes and cry of 'Unclean!'—illustrating the unclean state Isaiah describes metaphorically.

Zechariah 3:3 pictures Joshua in filthy garments, symbolizing sin—the same imagery of filthy rags used in Isaiah 64:6 for human righteousness.

Exodus 28:2 Contrast

Exodus 28:2 describes the holy garments for Aaron—contrasting starkly with the filthy rags here that represent human righteousness.

1 Peter 1:25 contrasts the withering of people with the enduring word of the Lord — opposing the transient 'shrivel like a leaf' in Isaiah 64:6.

1 Peter 1:24 quotes Isaiah 40 about grass withering and flowers falling — similar imagery of human frailty, though not a direct quote of 64:6.

Psalm 90:5 Parallel

Psalm 90:5 describes life swept away like a flood and grass that withers—the same transient, fading imagery as Isaiah's 'we all do fade as a leaf.'

1 Kings 8:47 describes repentance after sin—showing the proper response to the guilt confessed in Isaiah 64:6.

Revelation 3:17 exposes the Laodiceans' delusion of being rich while actually wretched—mirroring Isaiah's point that our supposed righteousness is filthy.

Psalm 19:12 Related theme

Psalm 19:12 acknowledges secret faults and need for cleansing, complementing the confession of impurity.

James 1:10 Parallel

James 1:10 compares the rich to a fading wild flower — mirroring Isaiah's withering leaf to underscore human transience.

Titus 3:3 Parallel

Titus 3:3 describes our former sinful state—foolish, disobedient—matching Isaiah's confession of universal uncleanness and unrighteousness.

Psalm 90:6 Parallel

Psalm 90:5 compares humans to sleep and grass, paralleling Isaiah 64:6's portrayal of human life as fleeting and sinful.

Jeremiah 4:11 describes a hot wind of judgment from the desert — a destructive wind like the one in Isaiah 64:6 that sweeps sins away.

Jeremiah 4:12 continues the wind of judgment — 'a wind too strong' from God — echoing the sweeping wind of Isaiah 64:6 as divine wrath.

Ezekiel 3:20 Related theme

In Ezekiel 3:20, righteous deeds are forgotten when one turns to evil — echoing Isaiah 64:6's depiction of righteousness as filthy rags.

Ezekiel 6:9 Parallel

In Ezekiel 6:9, survivors loathe themselves for their iniquities — aligning with Isaiah 64:6's confession of being unclean and sinful.

In Ezekiel 36:31, remembering evil ways leads to loathing oneself — echoing Isaiah 64:6's confession of sinfulness.

Job 40:4 Parallel

Job 40:4 shows Job's personal confession of unworthiness before God, a specific instance of the humility Isaiah expresses.

2 Chronicles 6:37 parallels 1 Kings 8:47, calling for repentance when sin is recognized—complementing Isaiah's confession.