Hebrews 7:18

New Living Translation

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

Parallel Translations

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

King James Version (1611)
For there is verily a disanulling of the commandement going before, for the weakenesse and vnprofitablenesse thereof.

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

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

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

New Century Version
The old rule is now set aside, because it was weak and useless.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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

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

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

Complete Jewish Bible
Thus, on the one hand, the earlier rule is set aside because of its weakness and inefficacy

Darby Translation
For there is a setting aside of the commandment going before for its weakness and unprofitableness,

Easy-to-Read Version
The old rule is now ended because it was weak and worthless.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For the commaundement that went afore, is disanulled, because of the weakenes thereof, and vnprofitablenes.

George Lamsa Translation
For the change which took place in the former law, was made on account of its weaknesses, and because it had become useless.

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

Lexham English Bible
For on the one hand a preceding commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness

Literal Translation
For, indeed, an annulment of the preceding command comes about because of its weakness and unprofitableness.

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]

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

Bible in Basic English
So the law which went before is put on one side, because it was feeble and without profit.

Hebrew Names Version
For there is an annulling of a foregoing mitzvah because of its weakness and uselessness

International Standard Version
Indeed, the cancellation of the former regulation has occurred because it was weak and ineffectiveRomans 8:3; Galatians 4:9;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
But the change which was made in the first institution was on account of its powerlessness, and because profit was not in it.

Murdock Translation
And the change which was made in the first statute, was on account of its impotency, and because their was no utility in it.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For there is truely a disanulling of the commaundement goyng before, for the weakenesse and vnprofitablenesse therof.

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

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

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For verily there is a disannulling of the preceding commandment, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

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

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
that repreuyng of the maundement bifor goynge is maad, for the vnsadnesse and vnprofit of it.

Update Bible Version
For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness

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

New English Translation
On the one hand a former command is set aside because it is weak and useless,

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

New Life Bible
God put the Law of Moses aside. It was weak and could not be used.

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

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, a setting aside, doth, indeed, take place, of a foregoing commandment, by reason of its own weakness and unprofitableness, -

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

Revised Standard Version
On the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then the commaundmet that went a fore is disanulled because of hir weaknes and vnproffitablenes.

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

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
then the commaundement that wente before, is disanulled, because of his weaknesse, and vnprofitablenes.

Mace New Testament (1729)
wherefore the preceeding law is abolished for its being weak and useless.

Simplified Cowboy Version
All the old Code of the Law, or the old trail, was abandoned because it couldn't save people's souls.

Contextual Overview

¹¹ So if the priesthood of Levi, on which the law was based, could have achieved the perfection God intended, why did God need to establish a different priesthood, with a priest in the order of Melchizedek instead of the order of Levi and Aaron? ¹² And if the priesthood is changed, the law must also be changed to permit it. ¹³ For the priest we are talking about belongs to a different tribe, whose members have never served at the altar as priests. ¹⁴ What I mean is, our Lord came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never mentioned priests coming from that tribe. ¹⁵ This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared. ¹⁶ Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. ¹⁷ And the psalmist pointed this out when he prophesied, "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." ¹⁸ Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless. ¹⁹ For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. ²⁰ This new system was established with a solemn oath. Aaron's descendants became priests without such an oath,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a disannulling: Hebrews 7:11, Hebrews 7:12, Hebrews 8:7-13, Hebrews 10:1-9, Romans 3:31, Galatians 3:15, Galatians 3:17

the weakness: Hebrews 7:19, Hebrews 8:7, Hebrews 8:8, Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 9:10, Hebrews 10:1-4, Hebrews 13:9, Acts 13:39, Romans 8:3, Galatians 4:9, Galatians 4:21, 1 Timothy 4:8

Reciprocal: Numbers 25:13 - an everlasting Job 40:8 - disannul Galatians 2:16 - but Galatians 3:24 - the law Colossians 2:14 - the handwriting Hebrews 8:13 - he hath Hebrews 10:9 - He taketh

Cross-References

Exodus 14:28
Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.

Job 22:16
They were snatched away in the prime of life, the foundations of their lives washed away.

Psalms 69:15
Don't let the floods overwhelm me, or the deep waters swallow me, or the pit of death devour me.

Psalms 104:26
See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment,.... Not the moral law; though what is here said of the commandment may be applied to that; that is sometimes called the commandment, Romans 7:12 it went before the promise of the Messiah, and the Gospel of Christ, and the dispensation of it; it is in some respects weak; it cannot justify from the guilt of sin, nor free from the power of it, nor secure from death, the punishment of it, nor give eternal life; though it has a power to command, accuse, convince, and condemn: and it is also unprofitable in the business of justification and salvation; though otherwise it is profitable to convince of sin, to show what righteousness is, and to be a rule of conversation to the saints in the hand of Christ; yet not this, but the ceremonial law is meant, which is the commandment that respected the Levitical priesthood, and is called a carnal one, and is inclusive of many others, and, which distinguishes that dispensation from the Gospel one: and this may be said to be

going before; with respect to time, being before the Gospel state, or the exhibition of the new covenant of grace; and with respect to use, as a type or shadow of good things to come; and as it was a schoolmaster going before, and leading on to the knowledge of evangelical truths: and this is now disannulled, abrogated, and made void; the middle wall of partition is broken down, and the law of commandments contained in ordinances is abolished:

for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof; the ceremonial law was weak; it could not expiate or atone for sin, in the sight of God; it could not remove the guilt of sin from the conscience, but there was still a remembrance of it; nor could it cleanse from the filth of sin; all it could do was, to expiate sin typically, and sanctify externally to the purifying of the flesh; and all the virtue it had was owing to Christ, whom it prefigured; and therefore, being fulfilled in him, it ceased: and it was "unprofitable"; not before the coming of Christ, for then it was a shadow, a type, a schoolmaster, and had its usefulness; but since his coming, who is the body and substance of it, it is unprofitable to be joined to him; and is of no service in the affair of salvation; and is no other than a grievous yoke of bondage; yea, is what renders Christ unprofitable and of no effect, when submitted to as in force, and as necessary to salvation; and because of these things, it is abolished and made null and void. The Jews, though they are strenuous assertors of the unalterableness of the law of Moses, yet sometimes are obliged to acknowledge the abrogation of the ceremonial law in the times of the Messiah; the commandment, they say r, meaning this, shall cease in the time to come; and again,

"all sacrifices shall cease in the future state, or time to come, (i.e. the times of the Messiah,) but the sacrifice of praise s.''

r T. Bab. Nidda, fol. 61. 2. s Vajikra Rabba, scct. 9. fol. 153. 1. & sect. 27. fol. 168. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For there is verily a disannulling - A setting aside. The Law which existed before in regard to the priesthood becomes now abrogated in consequence of the change which has been made in the priesthood; see the note at Hebrews 7:12.

Of the commandment - Relating to the office of priest, or to the ceremonial rites in general. This does not refer to the moral law, as if that was abrogated, for:

(1)The reasoning of the apostle does not pertain to that, and,

(2)That law cannot be abrogated. It grows out of the nature of things, and must be perpetual and universal.

Going before - Going before the Christian dispensation and introducing it.

For the weakness and unprofitableness thereof - That is, it was not adapted to save man; it had not power to accomplish what was necessary to be done in human salvation. It answered the end for which it was designed - that of introducing a more perfect plan, and then vanished as a matter of course. It did not expiate guilt; it did not give peace to the conscience; it did not produce perfection Hebrews 7:11, and therefore it gave place to a better system.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 18. For there is verily a disannulling — There is a total abrogation, προαγουσηςεντολης, of the former law, relative to the Levitical priesthood. See Hebrews 7:19.

For the weakness — It had no energy; it communicated none; it had no Spirit to minister; it required perfect obedience, but furnished no assistance to those who were under it.

And unprofitableness — No man was benefited by the mere observance of its precepts: it pardoned no sin, changed no heart, reformed no life; it found men dead in trespasses and sins, and it consigned them to eternal death. It was therefore weak in itself, and unprofitable to men.

The Jews, who still cleave to it, are a proof that it is both weak and unprofitable; for there is not a more miserable, distressed, and profligate class of men on the face of the earth.