Hebrews 7

Melchizedek Is Greater Than Abraham

1This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against the kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him. 2Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had captured in battle and gave it to Melchizedek. The name Melchizedek means “king of justice,” and king of Salem means “king of peace.” 3There is no record of his father or mother or any of his ancestors—no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling the Son of God.

4Consider then how great this Melchizedek was. Even Abraham, the great patriarch of Israel, recognized this by giving him a tenth of what he had taken in battle. 5Now the law of Moses required that the priests, who are descendants of Levi, must collect a tithe from the rest of the people of Israel,#7:5 Greek from their brothers. who are also descendants of Abraham. 6But Melchizedek, who was not a descendant of Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham. And Melchizedek placed a blessing upon Abraham, the one who had already received the promises of God. 7And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed.

8The priests who collect tithes are men who die, so Melchizedek is greater than they are, because we are told that he lives on. 9In addition, we might even say that these Levites—the ones who collect the tithe—paid a tithe to Melchizedek when their ancestor Abraham paid a tithe to him. 10For although Levi wasn’t born yet, the seed from which he came was in Abraham’s body when Melchizedek collected the tithe from him.

11So 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?#7:11 Greek the order of Aaron?

12And if the priesthood is changed, the law must also be changed to permit it. 13For the priest we are talking about belongs to a different tribe, whose members have never served at the altar as priests. 14What I mean is, our Lord came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never mentioned priests coming from that tribe.

Jesus Is like Melchizedek

15This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared. 16Jesus 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. 17And the psalmist pointed this out when he prophesied,

“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”#7:17 Ps 110:4.

18Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless. 19For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

20This new system was established with a solemn oath. Aaron’s descendants became priests without such an oath, 21but there was an oath regarding Jesus. For God said to him,

“The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow:

‘You are a priest forever.’”#7:21 Ps 110:4.

22Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God.

23There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. 24But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. 25Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save#7:25 Or is able to save completely. those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

26He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.#7:26 Or has been exalted higher than the heavens. 27Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. 28The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.

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Hebrews 7: NLT

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Hebrews 7

The King of Righteousness

1For this #Gen. 14:18–20; Heb. 7:6Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

4Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5And indeed #Num. 18:21–26; 2 Chr. 31:4those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham #Gen. 14:19, 20and blessed #(Rom. 4:13)him who had the promises. 7Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, #Heb. 5:6; 6:20; (Rev. 1:18)of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Need for a New Priesthood

11#(Rom. 7:7–14); Gal. 2:21; Heb. 7:18; 8:7Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.

14For it is evident that #Gen. 49:8–10; Num. 24:17; Is. 1:1; Mic. 5:2; Matt. 1:3; 2:6; Rev. 5:5our Lord arose from #Matt. 1:2Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17For He testifies:

#Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:21“You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek.”

18For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of #(Rom. 8:3); Gal. 3:21; Heb. 7:11its weakness and unprofitableness, 19for #(Acts 13:39); Rom. 3:20; 7:7; Gal. 2:16; 3:21; Heb. 9:9; 10:1the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of #Heb. 6:18, 19a better hope, through which #Lam. 3:57; Rom. 5:2; (Eph. 2:18); Heb. 4:16; James 4:8we draw near to God.

Greatness of the New Priest

20And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath 21(for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:

#Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6; 7:17“The Lord has sworn

And will not relent,

‘You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek’ ”),

22by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a #Heb. 8:6better covenant.

23Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25Therefore He is also #Jude 24able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives #Rom. 8:34; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 9:24; 1 John 2:1to make intercession for them.

26For such a High Priest was fitting for us, #(2 Cor. 5:21); Heb. 4:15who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, #Eph. 1:20and has become higher than the heavens; 27who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His #Lev. 9:7; 16:6; Heb. 5:3own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

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