EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Hebrews 7:18
18So the old law about priests no longer has authority. It was weak and it could not help people.
Hebrews 7:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
- New International Version (NIV)The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless
- English Standard Version (ESV)For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness
- New King James Version (NKJV)For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness,
Context of Hebrews 7:18
16Jesus did not become a priest because of a law about which family he came from. He became God's priest because of his powerful life that nothing could ever destroy. 17The Bible speaks about him as a priest like this: ‘You will be a priest for ever, in the same way that Melchizedek was God's priest.’ So the old law about priests no longer has authority. It was weak and it could not help people. 19God's Laws that he gave to Moses could not make anything completely right. But now God has brought us something better to hope for. And in that way, we ourselves can come near to God. 20Also, when God said that Jesus would be his special priest, he made a strong promise. When the Levites became priests, he did not make a strong promise like that.
Read all of Hebrews 7Hebrews 7:18 word by word
Ἀθέτησις μὲν γὰρ γίνεται προαγούσης ἐντολῆς διὰ τὸ αὐτῆς ἀσθενὲς καὶ ἀνωφελές,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- there isγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- verilyμένmen · on the other handG3303
- a disannullingἀθέτησιςathetēsis · nullificationG115
- of the commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
- going beforeπροάγωproagō · to go/bring beforeG4254
- forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- the weaknessἀσθενήςasthenēs · weakG772
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- unprofitablenessἀνωφελήςanōpheles · uselessG512
- thereofαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
Cross-references for Hebrews 7:18
- Hebrews 7:11The Levite priests were a necessary part of God's Law for Israel's people. But those priests could not make the people completely right with God. If that had been possible, the Levite priests could have continued their work. But we see that God has chosen a different kind of priest to serve him. That priest is not someone from Aaron's family, as the Levites were. Instead, he is a priest in the same way that Melchizedek was God's priest.
- Hebrews 8:7If there had been nothing wrong with that first agreement, then nobody would have needed a second agreement.
- Hebrews 10:1God's laws which he gave to Moses are like a shadow of the good things that would come later. But those laws do not show exactly what those good things are like. They say that the priests must continue to offer the same sacrifices on behalf of the people, year after year. So those sacrifices can never make the people completely clean when they come to worship God.
- Romans 3:31What does this show us about God's Law which he gave to Moses? When we say that all people need to believe in Jesus, does that mean that God's Law has no purpose? No! When we believe in Jesus, we are showing the true purpose of God's Law.
- Galatians 3:15My Christian friends, I will use an example from our lives. Two people may make an agreement together and they both agree to it properly. If they do that, nobody else can change that agreement. They cannot take away its authority.
- Hebrews 7:19God's Laws that he gave to Moses could not make anything completely right. But now God has brought us something better to hope for. And in that way, we ourselves can come near to God.
- Hebrews 9:9This is like a picture that means something for us today. It teaches us about the gifts and sacrifices that people offered to God, to worship him. When someone gave those things to God, it could not make him clean again in his mind.
- Hebrews 13:9Some people teach all kinds of strange new things. Do not let them lead you away from God's true message. It is good that God is very kind to us. That is what makes us strong inside ourselves. Rules about what foods we should eat do not make us strong like that. Those rules have never helped the people who tried to obey them.
- Acts 13:39God can cause anyone to become right with him. If you believe in Jesus, God will make you free from your sins. God's Law that he gave to Moses cannot do this for you. That Law cannot make you free, even if you obey all of it.
- Romans 8:3The Law that God gave to Moses could not make us free like that. We were too weak to obey his Law because we are human. But God has done what his Law could not do. He sent his own Son to become a person like us. His human body was like the body of people who do wrong things. God's Son died as a sacrifice to take away the punishment for our sins. In that way, God destroyed the power of sin over people who are weak and human.
- Galatians 4:9But now you do know God. Or really, I should say that God knows you. So you must not turn back to serve those weak spirits that rule this world. Why do you want to obey their useless rules and become their slaves again?
- 1 Timothy 4:8People say this: ‘If a person works to make his body strong and healthy, that will help him a little. But if a person works to live in a way that makes God happy, that will help him much more. It will help that person in his life now on earth. It will also help him in his future life with God in heaven.’
Commentaries on Hebrews 7:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18For there is verily a disannulling - There is a total abrogation, , 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18For 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…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-25Verses 11-25 The priesthood and law by which perfection could not come, are done away; a Priest is risen, and a dispensation now set up, by which true believers may be made perfect. That there is such a change is plain. The law which made the Levitical priesthood, showed that the priests were frail, dying creatures, not able to save their own lives, much less could they save the souls of those who came to them. But the High Priest of our profession holds…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18The previous rule for becoming a priest was being part of Aaron's family (see Exodus 28:41–43). set aside: See Hebrews 7:15–17. because it was weak and useless: This is explained in the following verses (7:19–28).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. there is--Greek, "there takes place," according to Psa 110:4. disannuling--a repealing. of the commandment--ordaining the Levitical priesthood. And, as the Levitical priesthood and the law are inseparably joined, since the former is repealed, the latter is so also (see on He 7:11). going before--the legal ordinance introducing and giving place to the Christian, the antitypical and permanent end of the former. weakness and unprofitableness--The…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 7:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hebrews 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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