Hebrews 7
7
The Priestly Order of Melchizedek
1 #
Gen 14.17-20. For this Melchiz´edek, 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 by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; 3without father, without mother, without descent,#7.3 descent, Greek genealogy. having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
4Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 5#Num 18.21. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: 6but he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. 7And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. 8And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. 9And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. 10For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchiz´edek met him.
11If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchiz´edek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 13For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 14For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchiz´edek there ariseth another priest, 16who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 17#Ps 110.4. For he testifieth,
Thou art a priest for ever
after the order of Melchiz´edek.
18For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. 19For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
20And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: 21#Ps 110.4. (for those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him,
The Lord sware and will not repent,
Thou art a priest for ever
after the order of Melchiz´edek:)
22by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27#Lev 9.7. who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated#7.28 consecrated, Greek perfected. for evermore.
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Hebrews 7: KJVAE
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.
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.