Hebrews 7:18
New International Version
The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless

New Living Translation
Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless.

English Standard Version
For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness

Berean Standard Bible
So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless

Berean Literal Bible
For indeed, there is a putting away of the preceding commandment, because of its weakness and uselessness

King James Bible
For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

New King James Version
For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness,

New American Standard Bible
For, on the one hand, there is the nullification of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness

NASB 1995
For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness

NASB 1977
For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness

Legacy Standard Bible
For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness

Amplified Bible
For, on the one hand, a former commandment is cancelled because of its weakness and uselessness [because of its inability to justify the sinner before God]

Christian Standard Bible
So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable

American Standard Version
For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But there was a change in the first testament because of its impotence, and there was no benefit in it.

Contemporary English Version
In this way a weak and useless command was put aside,

Douay-Rheims Bible
There is indeed a setting aside of the former commandment, because of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof:

English Revised Version
For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The former requirements are rejected because they are weak and useless.

Good News Translation
The old rule, then, is set aside, because it was weak and useless.

International Standard Version
Indeed, because it was weak and ineffective, the former commandment has been annulled,

Literal Standard Version
for an annulling indeed comes of the command going before because of its weakness, and unprofitableness

Majority Standard Bible
So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless

New American Bible
On the one hand, a former commandment is annulled because of its weakness and uselessness,

NET Bible
On the one hand a former command is set aside because it is weak and useless,

New Revised Standard Version
There is, on the one hand, the abrogation of an earlier commandment because it was weak and ineffectual

New Heart English Bible
For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness

Webster's Bible Translation
For there is verily a disannulling of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and unprofitableness.

Weymouth New Testament
On the one hand we have here the abrogation of an earlier code because it was weak and ineffective--

World English Bible
For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness

Young's Literal Translation
for a disannulling indeed doth come of the command going before because of its weakness, and unprofitableness,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Superior Priesthood
17For it is testified: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” 18So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless 19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.…

Cross References
Romans 8:3
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,

Galatians 3:21
Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.

Hebrews 7:11
Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear--one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron?


Treasury of Scripture

For there is truly a cancellation of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

a disannulling.

Hebrews 7:11,12
If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? …

Hebrews 8:7-13
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second…

Hebrews 10:1-9
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect…

the weakness.

Hebrews 7:19
For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

Hebrews 8:7,8
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second…

Hebrews 9:9,10
Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; …

Jump to Previous
Account Annulling Code Command Commandment Earlier Feeble Former Hand Indeed Ineffective Preceding Regulation Setting Side Thereof Useless Verily Weak Weakness
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Account Annulling Code Command Commandment Earlier Feeble Former Hand Indeed Ineffective Preceding Regulation Setting Side Thereof Useless Verily Weak Weakness
Hebrews 7
1. Christ Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek;
11. and so far more excellent than the priests of Aaron's order.














(18, 19) The intimate connection between these two verses is obscured by the ordinary translation. They point out with greater fulness and clearness what is involved in the statement of Hebrews 7:16. "For there is an annulling of a preceding commandment, because of its weakness and unprofitableness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, by which we draw nigh unto God." (It must be borne in mind throughout that by the "commandment" is meant the ordinance which created the Levitical priesthood, not the Law in general.) That Jesus was not made Priest according to a law of a carnal commandment (Hebrews 7:16) involves the annulling of that commandment; in His becoming Priest according to a power of indissoluble life is involved the introduction of a better hope. This is the general meaning, but each division of the thought is expanded. The appointment of a different priest by the very authority on which the former commandment rested, the divine decree, showed that commandment to be of force no longer: as we have already seen (Hebrews 7:11), this is because the commandment is weak and unprofitable--because the priesthood it creates cannot attain the end of its institution, which is to bring men into fellowship with God. The parenthesis, "for the Law made nothing perfect," points out that the weakness just spoken of corresponds to that imperfection which confessedly belongs to the earlier dispensation: even the Jew (who would have accounted a change of priestly line impossible) expected perfection only when Messiah should have appeared. When the earlier commandment is annulled, in its place there is brought in a better hope. The "better hope" stands connected with the "better covenant" (Hebrews 7:22) and the "better promises" (Hebrews 8:6). "And by this (better hope) we draw nigh unto God." The end of the priesthood therefore is attained. (See Hebrews 7:11.) In the Law (Leviticus 10:3) the priests are "those who come nigh unto God," that is, in the service of the sanctuary: with a nobler meaning this name shall now belong to all God's people. . . . Verses 18, 19. - For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof (for the Law made nothing perfect); but [there is on the other hand] a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God. Such is certainly the construction of the sentence (not as in the A.V.); οὐδεν γὰρ, etc., in ver. 19 being parenthetical, and ἐπεισαγωγὴ depending on γίνεται in ver. 18. We have here the conclusion of the argument of the vers. 11-18, with a further expression of the inherent insufficiency of the Law, given as the reason of its supersession; reminding us of similar views of what the Law was worth frequent in St. Paul's Epistles (cf. Romans 8:3; Galatians 3:10, etc.). The final clause, δἱ ῆς ἐγγίζομεν τῷ Θεῷ, leads directly up to the main subject in the writer's view, viz. the exposition of Christ's eternal priesthood. But two proofs are first to be given of Christ's priesthood being, unlike the Aaronic, thus eternally availing to bring us near to God. These proofs are to be found in the Divine oath which established it, and the expression, "forever," in Psalm 90, once more adduced.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So
μὲν (men)
Conjunction
Strong's 3303: A primary particle; properly, indicative of affirmation or concession; usually followed by a contrasted clause with de.

the former
προαγούσης (proagousēs)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4254: From pro and ago; to lead forward; intransitively, to precede (participle, previous).

commandment
ἐντολῆς (entolēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1785: An ordinance, injunction, command, law. From entellomai; injunction, i.e. An authoritative prescription.

is
γίνεται (ginetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

set aside
Ἀθέτησις (Athetēsis)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 115: Annulment, nullification, abrogation. From atheteo; cancellation.

because
διὰ (dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

it [was]
αὐτῆς (autēs)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

weak
ἀσθενὲς (asthenes)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 772: (lit: not strong), (a) weak (physically, or morally), (b) infirm, sick. Strengthless.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

useless
ἀνωφελές (anōpheles)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 512: Useless, unprofitable. Useless or inutility.


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NT Letters: Hebrews 7:18 For there is an annulling (Heb. He. Hb)
Hebrews 7:17
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