Hebrews 7
7
The Priest Melchizedek
1 #
Gen 14.17–20
This Melchizedek was king of Salem and a priest of the Most High God. As Abraham was coming back from the battle in which he defeated the four kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him, 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of all he had taken. (The first meaning of Melchizedek's name is “King of Righteousness”; and because he was king of Salem, his name also means “King of Peace”.) 3There is no record of Melchizedek's father or mother or of any of his ancestors; no record of his birth or of his death. He is like the Son of God; he remains a priest for ever.
4You see, then, how great he was. Abraham, our famous ancestor, gave him a tenth of all he got in the battle. 5#Num 18.21And those descendants of Levi who are priests are commanded by the Law to collect a tenth from the people of Israel, that is, from their own people, even though they are also descendants of Abraham. 6Melchizedek was not descended from Levi, but he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him, the man who received God's promises. 7There is no doubt that the one who blesses is greater than the one who is blessed. 8In the case of the priests the tenth is collected by men who die; but as for Melchizedek the tenth was collected by one who lives, as the scripture says. 9And, so to speak, when Abraham paid the tenth, Levi (whose descendants collect the tenth) also paid it. 10For Levi had not yet been born, but was, so to speak, in the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him.
11It was on the basis of the levitical priesthood that the Law was given to the people of Israel. Now, if the work of the levitical priests had been perfect, there would have been no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek,#7.11; 7.17; 6.20 in… Melchizedek (see 5.6). not of Aaron. 12For when the priesthood is changed, there also has to be a change in the law. 13And our Lord, of whom these things are said, belonged to a different tribe, and no member of his tribe ever served as a priest. 14It is well known that he was born a member of the tribe of Judah; and Moses did not mention this tribe when he spoke of priests.
Another Priest, like Melchizedek
15The matter becomes even plainer; a different priest has appeared, who is like Melchizedek. 16He was made a priest, not by human rules and regulations, but through the power of a life which has no end. 17#Ps 110.4For the scripture says, “You will be a priest for ever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.”#7.17; 6.20; 7.11 in… Melchizedek (see 5.6). 18The old rule, then, is set aside, because it was weak and useless. 19For the Law of Moses could not make anything perfect. And now a better hope has been provided through which we come near to God.
20In addition, there is also God's vow. There was no such vow when the others were made priests. 21#Ps 110.4But Jesus became a priest by means of a vow when God said to him:
“The Lord has made a solemn promise
and will not take it back:
‘You will be a priest for ever.’ ”
22This difference, then, also makes Jesus the guarantee of a better covenant.
23There is another difference: there were many of those other priests, because they died and could not continue their work. 24But Jesus lives on for ever, and his work as priest does not pass on to someone else. 25And so he is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him, because he lives for ever to plead with God for them.
26Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinners and raised above the heavens. 27#Lev 9.7He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins first and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all, when he offered himself. 28The Law of Moses appoints men who are imperfect to be high priests; but God's promise made with the vow, which came later than the Law, appoints the Son, who has been made perfect for ever.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Hebrews 7
7
The Greatness of Melchizedek
1For this Melchizedek —
King of Salem, priest of the Most High God,
who met Abraham and blessed him
as he returned from defeating the kings,
2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything;
first, his name means king of righteousness,
then also, king of Salem,
meaning king of peace;
3without father, mother, or genealogy,
having neither beginning of days nor end of life,
but resembling the Son of God # Gn 14:18-20; Mt 4:3; Mk 5:7; Heb 7:6 —
remains a priest forever.
4Now consider how great this man was — even Abraham the patriarch # Gn 14:20; Ac 2:29; 7:8-9 gave a tenth of the plunder to him! 5The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people # Nm 18:21,26; 2Ch 31:4-5 — that is, from their brothers — though they have also descended from Abraham. # Lit have come out of Abraham’s loins 6But one without this # Lit their lineage collected tenths from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. # Gn 14:19; Rm 4:13 7Without a doubt, # Or Beyond any dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8In the one case, men who will die receive tenths, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. # Heb 5:6; 6:20 9And in a sense Levi himself, who receives tenths, has paid tenths through Abraham, 10for he was still within his ancestor # Lit still in his father’s loins when Melchizedek met him.
A Superior Priesthood
11If then, perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law # Gl 2:21; Heb 7:18-19; 8:7), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron? # Heb 7:17; 10:1 12For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. 13For the One these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. 14Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, # Is 11:1; Mc 5:2; Mt 1:3; Lk 3:33; Rv 5:5 and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.
15And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16who did not become a priest based on a legal command concerning physical # Or fleshly descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. 17For it has been testified:
You are a priest forever
in the order of Melchizedek. # Ps 110:4; Heb 5:6; 6:20; 7:21 # Ps 110:4
18So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable # Rm 8:3; Gl 4:9 19(for the law perfected # Ac 13:39; Rm 3:20; Heb 9:9 nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. # Heb 4:16; 6:18
20None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, 21but He became a priest with an oath made by the One who said to Him:
The Lord has sworn,
and He will not change His mind,
You are a priest forever. # 1Sm 15:29; Ps 110:4 # Ps 110:4
22So Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant. # Heb 8:6-10; 9:15; 12:24; 13:20
23Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. 24But because He remains forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. 25Therefore, He is always able to save # Or He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede # Rm 8:34; Heb 9:24 for them.
26For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. # 2Co 5:21; Heb 4:15 27He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do — first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all when He offered Himself. # Eph 5:2; Heb 5:1,3; 9:12,28 28For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, # Heb 1:2; 2:10; 5:2,9 who has been perfected # Php 3:12; Heb 10:14; 11:40 forever.
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