In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Parallel translations
- WEB In that he says, “A new covenant”, he has made the first old. But that which is becoming old and grows aged is near to vanishing away.
- KJV In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
- BSB By speaking of a new covenant, He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.
- NASB When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is about to disappear.
- NLT When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.
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
By announcing a 'new' covenant, God thereby declared the first one obsolete and ready to pass away. The old order was always meant to give way to something better.
Overview
The author reasons from the word 'new' in Jeremiah's prophecy: a new covenant implies the first is now old and fading. Written likely before the temple's destruction in AD 70, this signals the old sacrificial system was passing. The point is not that the law was bad, but that it was preparatory, finding its goal and end in Christ and the better covenant he mediates.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 2 Cor 5:17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
- Heb 7:18–19For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness
- Heb 7:11–12Now if there were perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
- Heb 9:15For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
- Heb 9:9–10which is a symbol of the present age, where gifts and sacrifices are offered that are incapable, concerning the conscience, of making the worshiper perfect;
- 1 Cor 13:8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
- Isa 51:6Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish away like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment; and its inhabitants will die in the same way: but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will not be abolished.
- Matt 24:35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
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Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 8:13 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
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