Hebrews 8:13 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →By speaking of a new covenant, God shows the first to be aging, and what grows old is ready to pass away.
What Does Hebrews 8:13 Mean?
The writer draws his conclusion from the single word 'new.' If God promised a new covenant, He thereby marked the former as growing old. And what is aging and worn is near its passing, having served its appointed purpose.
The point is not contempt for what came before but the recognition that it was always preparing the way. A seed gives way to the plant; the promise gives way to its fulfillment. What God gave at Sinai accomplished its work of pointing forward, and now the greater reality has come in Christ. The reader is left looking not backward at shadows but forward and upward to the abiding covenant secured in the Son.
Hebrews 8:13 in the Original Language
palaioo (παλαιόω), 'to make old' -- to render aged or obsolete, as something that has served its season.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hebrews 8:13
What does Hebrews 8:13 mean?
By speaking of a new covenant, God shows the first to be aging, and what grows old is ready to pass away.