Hebrews 7
1 It was this Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and gave him his blessing;
For this man, Melchizedek, King of Salem and priest of the Most High God--he who when Abraham was returning after defeating the kings met him and pronounced a blessing on him--
2 and it was to him that Abraham allotted a tithe of all the spoil. The meaning of his name is ‘king of righteousness,’ and besides that, he was also king of Salem, which means ‘king of peace.’
to whom also Abraham presented a tenth part of all--being first, as his name signifies, King of righteousness, and secondly King of Salem, that is, King of peace:
3 There is no record of his father, or mother, or lineage, nor again of any beginning of his days, or end of his life. In this he resembles the Son of God, and stands before us as a priest whose priesthood is continuous.
with no father or mother, and no record of ancestry: having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made a type of the Son of God--this man Melchizedek remains a priest for ever.
4 Consider, then the importance of this Melchizedek, to whom even the patriarch Abraham himself gave a tithe of the choicest spoils.
Now think how great this priest-king must have been to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth part of the best of the spoil.
5 Those descendants of Levi, who are from time to time appointed to the priesthood, are directed to collect tithes from the people in accordance with the Law – that is from their own kindred, although they also are descended from Abraham.
And those of the descendants of Levi who receive the priesthood are authorized by the Law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brethren, though these have sprung from Abraham.
6 But Melchizedek, although not of this lineage, received tithes from Abraham, and gave his blessing to the man who had God’s promises.
But, in this instance, one who does not trace his origin from them takes tithes from Abraham, and pronounces a blessing on him to whom the promises belong.
7 Now no one can dispute that it is the superior who blesses the inferior.
And beyond all dispute it is always the inferior who is blessed by the superior.
8 In the one case the tithes are received by people who are mortal; in the other case by one about whom there is the statement that his life still continues.
Moreover here frail mortal men receive tithes: there one receives them about whom there is evidence that he is alive.
9 Moreover, in a sense, even Levi, who is the receiver of the tithes, has, through Abraham, paid tithes;
And Levi too--if I may so speak--pays tithes through Abraham:
10 for Levi was still in the body of his ancestor when Melchizedek met Abraham.
for Levi was yet in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met Abraham.
11 If, then, perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood – and it was under this priesthood that the people received the Law – why was it still necessary that a priest of a different order should appear, a priest of the order of Melchizedek and not of the order of Aaron?
Now if the crowning blessing was attainable by means of the Levitical priesthood--for as resting on this foundation the people received the Law, to which they are still subject-- what further need was there for a Priest of a different kind to be raised up belonging to the order of Melchizedek instead of being said to belong to the order of Aaron?
12 With the change of the priesthood a change of the Law became a necessity.
For when the priesthood changes, a change of Law also of necessity takes place.
13 And he of whom all this is said belonged to quite a different tribe, no member of which has ever served at the altar.
He, however, to whom that prophecy refers is associated with a different tribe, not one member of which has anything to do with the altar.
14 For it is plain that our Lord had sprung from the tribe of Judah, though of that tribe Moses said nothing about their being priests.
For it is undeniable that our Lord sprang from Judah, a tribe of which Moses said nothing in connection with priests.
15 All this becomes even yet plainer when we remember that a new priest has appeared, resembling Melchizedek,
And this is still more abundantly clear when we read that it is as belonging to the order of Melchizedek that a priest of a different kind is to arise,
16 and that he was appointed, not under a Law regulating only earthly matters, but by virtue of a life beyond the reach of death;
and hold His office not in obedience to any temporary Law, but by virtue of an indestructible Life.
17 for that is the meaning of the declaration – ‘You are for all time a priest of the order of Melchizedek.’ (aiōn g165)
For the words are in evidence, "Thou art a priest for ever, belonging to the order of Melchizedek." (aiōn g165)
18 On the one hand, we have the abolition of a previous regulation as being both inefficient and useless
On the one hand we have here the abrogation of an earlier code because it was weak and ineffective--
19 (for the Law never brought anything to perfection); and, on the other hand, we have the introduction of a better hope, which enables us to draw near to God.
for the Law brought no perfect blessing--but on the other hand we have the bringing in of a new and better hope by means of which we draw near to God.
20 Then again, the appointment of this new priest was ratified by an oath, which is not so with the Levitical priests,
And since it was not without an oath being taken--
21 but his appointment was ratified by an oath, when God said to him – ‘The Lord has sworn, and will not change, “You are a priest for all time.”’ (aiōn g165)
for these men hold office without any oath having been taken, but He holds it attested by an oath from Him who said to Him, "The Lord has sworn and will not recall His words, Thou art a Priest for ever" -- (aiōn g165)
22 And the oath shows the corresponding superiority of the covenant of which Jesus is appointed the surety.
so much the more also is the Covenant of which Jesus has become the guarantor, a better covenant.
23 Again, new Levitical priests are continually being appointed, because death prevents their remaining in office;
And they have been appointed priests many in number, because death prevents their continuance in office:
24 but Jesus remains for all time, and therefore the priesthood that he holds will never pass to another. (aiōn g165)
but He, because He continues for ever, has a priesthood which does not pass to any successor. (aiōn g165)
25 And that is why he is able to save perfectly those who come to God through him, living for ever, as he does, to intercede of their behalf.
Hence too He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, seeing that He ever lives to plead for them.
26 This was the high priest that we needed – holy, innocent, spotless, withdrawn from sinners, exalted above the highest heaven,
Moreover we needed just such a High Priest as this--holy, guileless, undefiled, far removed from sinful men and exalted above the heavens;
27 one who has no need to offer sacrifices daily as those high priests have, first for their own sins, and then for those of the people. For this he did once and for all, when he offered himself as the sacrifice.
who, unlike other High Priests, is not under the necessity of offering up sacrifices day after day, first for His own sins, and afterwards for those of the people; for this latter thing He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
28 The Law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the words of God’s oath, which was later than the Law, name the Son as, for all time, the perfect priest. (aiōn g165)
For the Law constitutes men High Priests--men with all their infirmity--but the utterance of the oath, which came later than the Law, constitutes High Priest a Son who has been made for ever perfect. (aiōn g165)
