Hebrews 7
1 Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of the Most High God. He met Abraham who was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him.
It was this Melchisedek, King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him;
2 Abraham gave him a tithe of all that he had won. Melchizedek's name means “king of right” while king of Salem means “king of peace.”
and it was to him that Abraham apportioned a tithe of all the spoil. He was first, as his name signifies, King of righteousness, and then King of Salem, that is, King of Peace;
3 We don't have any information about his father or his mother or his family tree. We don't know when he was born or when he died. Like the Son of God he continues as a priest forever.
without father or mother, without lineage, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest in perpetuity.
4 Think how great this man was for Abraham the patriarch to give him a tithe of what was won in battle.
But observe how great this man was, to whom even Abraham, the Patriarch, gave a tenth part of the spoils.
5 Yes, the sons of Levi who are priests were commanded by the law to receive a tithe from the people, their brothers and sisters, who are descended from Abraham.
Now those of the sons of Levi who are appointed to the priesthood, are authorized by the Law to take tithes of the people, that is, of their brothers, and that too, although these are descended from Abraham.
6 But Melchizedek who doesn't share their ancestry received tithes from Abraham, and blessed the one who had God's promises.
But this man who had no Levitical genealogy actually took tithes of Abraham, and blessed him to whom the promises belong.
7 There's no argument that the lesser person is blessed by the one who is greater.
Now it is beyond all controversy that the inferior is always blessed by the superior.
8 In the one case tithes are received by men who die, but in the other by one who is said to be living.
Again it is mortal men who receive tithes in the one case; while in the other it is he of whom it is attested, "He lives."
9 So you could say that Levi, the one who receives tithes, has paid tithes through being a descendant of Abraham,
And even Levi, who is the receiver of tithes, so to speak, paid tithes through Abraham;
10 for he was yet to be born from his father when Melchizedek met Abraham.
for Levi was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedek met Abraham.
11 Now if perfection could have been achieved through the priesthood of Levi (for that's how the law was received), what was the need for another priest to come following the order of Melchizedek, and not following the order of Aaron?
Now if there were perfection through the Levitical priesthood, (and it was under it that the people received the Law) why was it still necessary for another kind of priest to arise, after the order of Melchisedek, instead of being reckoned according to the order of Aaron?
12 If the priesthood is changed, then the law needs to be changed too.
For when the priesthood changes, of necessity the law also changes.
13 The one we're talking about comes from a different tribe, a tribe that has never provided priests to serve at the altar.
He who is thus described belonged to another tribe, not one member of which has ever served at the altar.
14 It's clear that our Lord is a descendant of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests coming from this tribe.
For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe of which Moses said nothing concerning the priesthood.
15 What makes it even clearer is when another priest appears who is similar to Melchizedek,
And this is yet more abundantly clear if, after the likeness of Melchisedek, there arises another Priest,
16 and who didn't become a priest by virtue of his human ancestry but by the power of a life that cannot be ended.
who has become such, not according to the law of a transitory enactment, but according to the energy of an indissoluble life.
17 That's why it says, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (aiōn g165)
For the words are in evidence, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedek. (aiōn g165)
18 So the previous rule has been set aside because it was powerless and didn't work,
For there is a setting aside of a foregoing commandment, because of its weakness and unprofitableness
19 (for the law didn't make anything perfect). But now it's been replaced by a better hope by which we can come close to God.
(for the Law brought nothing to perfection); and there is the bringing in of a better hope by which we draw near to God;
20 This was not without an oath, even though those who become priests do so without an oath.
mightier because it was not promised apart from an oath.
21 But he became a priest with an oath because God told him, “The Lord has taken a solemn vow and will not change his mind: You are a priest forever.” (aiōn g165)
For although those priests became such without an oath, He had an oath form God who said to him, The Lord hath sworn and will not change, Thou art a priest forever. (aiōn g165)
22 This is how Jesus became the guarantee of an agreed relationship with God that is so much better.
And by so much Jesus becomes the guarantor of a better covenant.
23 There have been many priests because death prevented them from being able to continue;
And they indeed have been made priests, many in number, because they have been prevented by death from continuing;
but he, because of his abiding forever, holds his priesthood inviolable. (aiōn g165)
25 As a result he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, living always to plead their case on their behalf.
Hence also he is able to continue saving to the uttermost those who are ever drawing near to God through him, seeing that he is ever living to intercede for them.
26 He is exactly the high priest we need: holy and without fault, pure and separate from sinners, and given a place in the highest heavens.
For we needed just such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens;
27 Unlike those human high priests, he doesn't need to offer a daily sacrifice for his sins and then the sins of the people. He did this once, and for everyone, when he offered himself.
one who has no need, like the high priests, to offer up daily sacrifices, first for his own sins, then for those of the people. For his sacrifice was made once for all, when he offered up himself.
28 The law appoints imperfect men as high priests, but God gave his solemn vow after the law, and appointed his Son, perfect forever. (aiōn g165)
For the Law appoints human beings to be high priests, men with all their weakness; but the word of the oath, which was later than the Law, appoints a Son, perfected forevermore. (aiōn g165)
