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.

HEBREWS 8:13KJV
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Hebrews 8:13 (KJV)

What does Hebrews 8:13 mean?

Hebrews 8:13 says that by calling the agreement with God “new,” the writer is showing that the earlier agreement is now old and close to disappearing. The verse points out that the old covenant is becoming outdated and will soon be replaced by the new one.

The writer of Hebrews is speaking to Jewish Christians, explaining that God’s promise of a “new covenant” means the old covenant, given through Moses, is no longer the main way God relates to people. This verse sums up the argument that the old system is fading because God himself announced something new was coming.

The Greek behind Hebrews 8:13

  • “new” (καινὴ, kainē): This word means “fresh” or “of a new kind,” not just new in time but new in quality. It highlights that the covenant God is making is different in nature from the old one.
  • “made...old” / “decayeth” (πεπαλαίωκεν, pepalaiōken): This Greek word means “to make old” or “to become obsolete.” The writer is stressing that the old covenant is not just aging, but is being set aside.
  • “ready” (ἐγγὺς, engys): This word means “near” or “about to happen.” It shows that the disappearance of the old covenant is not far off but is imminent.

Why Hebrews 8:13 matters

  • Hebrews 8:13 clarifies that the old covenant was never meant to last forever; it was always pointing forward to something better.
  • The verse helps readers see that the change from old to new covenant is God’s plan, not a human invention or rejection of tradition.
  • This statement ties together the argument in Hebrews 8, showing that Jesus’ priesthood and the new covenant are now the way God works with his people.

Where else these words appear

“old” Greek G1095 · used in 2 verses

  • John 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

“made” Greek G3822 · used in 3 verses

  • Luke 12:33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
  • Hebrews 1:11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

“ready” Greek G1451 · used in 30 verses

  • Matthew 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
  • John 3:23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
  • Acts 1:12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

“new” Greek G2537 · used in 38 verses

  • Matthew 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
  • Luke 5:38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
  • Hebrews 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: