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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Hebrews 7
7
Melechizedek , a Kohen Forever
1For this Melechizedek was king of Salem, kohen of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
2and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth of everything. First, by the translation of his name, he is “King of Righteousness”; and then also King of Salem, which is “King of Shalom.”
3Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life but made like Ben-Elohim, he remains a kohen for all time.
4Now see how great this man is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth out of the plunder.
5Indeed, those sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have, according to Torah, a command to collect a tithe from the people—that is, from their kin, although they have come out of the loins of Abraham.
6But this one—who did not have their genealogy—has collected tithes from Abraham and has blessed him, the one holding the promises.
7Now it is beyond dispute that the lesser is blessed by the greater.
8In one case, dying men receive tithes; but in the other, one about whom it is testified that he lives on.
9Through Abraham even Levi, the one receiving tithes, has paid the tithe, so to speak—
10for he was still in his father’s loins when Melechizedek met him.
Yeshua, Our Kohen Gadol Forever
11Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for based on it the people had been given the Torah), what further need was there for a different kohen to arise—designated according to the order of Melechizedek , not according to the order of Aaron?
12For whenever the priesthood is altered, out of necessity an alteration of law also takes place.
13For the one about whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.
14For it is clear that our Lord has sprung forth from Judah—concerning this tribe, Moses said nothing about kohanim.
15And it is even more evident, if another kohen arises like Melechizedek —
16one made not by virtue of a Torah requirement of physical descent, but by virtue of the power of an indestructible life.
17For it is testified, “You are a kohen forever, according to the order of Melechizedek .”
18For on the one hand, a former requirement is set aside because of its weakness and ineffectiveness—
19for Torah made nothing perfect. But on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
20Moreover, it was not without a sworn oath. (Others indeed have become kohanim without a sworn oath,
21but He with an oath—sworn by the One who said to Him, “Adonai has sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a kohen forever.’”)
22How much more then has Yeshua become the guarantee of a better covenant.
23Now on the one hand, many have become kohanim, who through death are prevented from continuing in office.
24But on the other hand, the One who does remain forever has a permanent priesthood.
25Therefore He is also able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, always living to make intercession for them.
26For such a Kohen Gadol was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
27He has no need to offer up sacrifices day by day like those other kohanim g’dolim—first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people. For when He offered up Himself, He did this once for all.
28For the Torah appoints as kohanim g’dolim men who have weakness; but the word of the oath, which came after the Torah, appoints a Son—made perfect forever.
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