Hebrews 7
1 [Now I will say more about] this [man] Melchizedek. He was the king of Salem [city and was] a priest of God, the one who is greater [than anyone else]. He met Abraham who was returning [home] after [he and his men] had defeated the [armies of four] kings [SYN]. Melchizedek [asked God to] bless Abraham.
For this Melchi-sedec was King of Salem, the Priest of the most high God, who met Abraham, as he returned from the slaughter of the Kings, and blessed him:
2 Then Abraham gave to him one tenth of all [the spoils he] took after winning [the battle. Melchizedek’s name] means firstly ‘king [who rules] righteously’, and since Salem means ‘peace’, he was the ‘king [who rules] peacefully’.
To whom also Abraham gaue the tithe of all things: who first is by interpretation King of righteousnes: after that, he is also King of Salem, that is, King of peace,
3 [In the Scriptures there is] no [record of who his] father [was], nor [is there any record of who his] mother [was], nor [is there any record of who his] ancestors [were]. There is no [record of when he was] born, nor [is there any record of when he] died. [For these reasons], [it is as though] he continues to be a priest forever, and for this reason he is like God’s Son.
Without father, without mother, without kinred, and hath neither beginning of his dayes, neither ende of life: but is likened vnto the Sonne of God, and continueth a Priest for euer.
4 You can realize how great this [man Melchizedek was] from the fact that Abraham, [our famous] ancestor, gave him (a tithe/one tenth) of the spoils [from the battle].
Nowe consider how great this man was, vnto whome euen the Patriarke Abraham gaue the tithe of the spoyles.
5 According to the laws [God gave Moses], the descendants of [Abraham’s great-grandson] Levi, who were priests, should take tithes from [God’s] people who were their relatives, even though those people also were Abraham’s descendants.
For verely they which are the childre of Leui, which receiue the office of the Priesthode, haue a commandement to take, according to the Law, tithes of the people (that is, of their bethren) though they came out of ye loynes of Abraham.
6 But this man [Melchizedek], who was not among the descendants [of Levi], took tithes from Abraham. He also [asked God to] bless Abraham, the man to whom [God] promised [many descendants].
But he whose kindred is not couted among them, receiued tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7 We know for certain that it is the more [important people] who [ask God to] bless the less important people. [And Melchizedek blessed Abraham. So we conclude that Melchizedek was greater than Abraham].
And without all contradiction the lesse is blessed of the greater.
8 In the case of [the priests who are descendants of Levi], men who some day will die receive tithes. But in the case of [Melchizedek it is as if God] testifies that he was still living, [since there is no record in Scriptures about his death].
And here men that die, receiue tithes: but there he receiueth them, of whome it is witnessed, that he liueth.
9 And it was as though Levi himself, and [all the priests descended from him]—who received tithes [from the people]—paid tithes [to Melchizedek]. And when Abraham paid tithes, it [was as though Levi and all the priests descended from him acknowledged that the work Melchizedek did as a priest was greater than the work Levi did],
And to say as the thing is, Leui also which receiueth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10 since [the sperm from which all those priests were eventually born] was still in Abraham’s body [EUP] when Melchizedek met Abraham.
For hee was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham, when Melchi-sedec met him.
11 [God] gave his laws to his people at the same time he gave regulations about the priests. So, if what the priests who were descended from Levi did could have provided a way for God to completely [forgive] people [for disobeying those laws], certainly no other priest like Melchizedek would have been necessary. [RHQ] Instead, priests who were descended from Aaron, [Levi’s descendant, would have been adequate].
If therefore perfection had bene by the Priesthoode of the Leuites (for vnder it the Lawe was established to the people) what needed it furthermore, that another Priest should rise after the order of Melchi-sedec, and not to be called after the order of Aaron?
12 [But we know they were not adequate, because a new type of priest like Melchizedek has come]. And since [God] has appointed a new type of priest, he also had to change the regulations [concerning how priests were appointed] {[he appointed priests]}.
For if the Priesthood be changed, then of necessitie must there be a change of the Lawe.
13 [Jesus], the one about whom I am saying these things, is a descendant of someone else, [not a descendant of Levi]. None of the men from whom Jesus descended ever served as priests [MTY].
For hee of whome these things are spoken, perteineth vnto another tribe, whereof no man serued at the altar.
14 [We know that] since it is obvious that it is from [the tribe of] Judah that our Lord was descended. Moses never said that any of Judah’s descendants would [become] priests.
For it is euident, that our Lord sprung out of Iuda, concerning the which tribe Moses spake nothing, touching the Priesthood.
15 Furthermore, [we know that the priests who were descended from Levi were inadequate, since] it is even more obvious that another priest has appeared who is like Melchizedek.
And it is yet a more euident thing, because that after the similitude of Melchi-sedec, there is risen vp another Priest,
16 Jesus became a priest, but not because [he fulfilled] what [God’s] law required [about being a descendant of Levi]. Instead, he has the kind of power that [came from a] life that nothing can destroy (OR, [enabled him to] live [again after he was] killed).
Which is not made Priest after the Law of the carnal commandement, but after the power of the endlesse life.
17 [We know this] since [God] confirmed it in [the Scripture passage in which he said to his Son], You [(sg)] are a priest eternally just like Melchizedek was a priest. (aiōn g165)
For hee testifieth thus, Thou art a Priest for euer, after the order of Melchi-sedec. (aiōn g165)
18 On the one hand, God canceled what he commanded previously [concerning the priests] because it failed in every way to enable anyone [to become all that God intended].
For the commandement that went afore, is disanulled, because of the weakenes thereof, and vnprofitablenes.
19 Remember that no one was able to become all that God intended [by obeying] the laws [that God gave Moses]. On the other hand, [God caused that we could] confidently expect better things [than we could expect by obeying God’s laws]. [He did that by his establishing Christ as priest]. Now by means of [Christ sacrificing himself for us] we can come near to God.
For the Law made nothing perfite, but the bringing in of a better hope made perfite, whereby we drawe neere vnto God.
20 Furthermore, [when God appointed Christ, it was when God] solemnly declared [that Christ would be a priest] [LIT]. When [God appointed former] priests, it was not by his solemnly declaring [that they would be priests].
And for as much as it is not without an othe (for these are made Priestes without an othe:
21 However, when he [appointed Christ to be a priest], it was by these words that [the Psalmist wrote in Scripture]: The Lord has solemnly declared [to the Messiah], —and he will not change his mind— “You will be a priest forever!” (aiōn g165)
But this is made with an othe by him that said vnto him, The Lord hath sworne, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for euer, after the order of Melchi-sedec) (aiōn g165)
22 Because of that, Jesus guarantees that [the new] covenant will be better [than the old one].
By so much is Iesus made a suretie of a better Testament.
23 And formerly, the priests could not keep serving [as priests], because they all died [PRS]. So there were many priests [to take the place of the ones who died].
And among them many were made Priests, because they were not suffered to endure, by the reason of death.
24 But because [Jesus] lives eternally, he will continue to be a Supreme Priest forever. (aiōn g165)
But this man, because hee endureth euer, hath a Priesthood, which cannot passe from one to another. (aiōn g165)
25 So, he can completely and eternally save those who come to God by [trusting in what Jesus has done for them], since he lives forever to plead [with God] to help them.
Wherefore, hee is able also perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him, seeing he euer liueth, to make intercession for them.
26 Jesus is the kind of Supreme Priest that we need. He was holy; he did no wrong; he was completely innocent. [God] has now taken him up to the highest heaven separated from [living among] sinners.
For such an hie Priest it became vs to haue, which is holy, harmelesse, vndefiled, separate from sinners, and made hier then the heauens:
27 [The other] Supreme Priests need to sacrifice [animals] day by day [as well as year by year]. They do this, firstly, [to atone] for their own sins, and then [to atone for other] people [who have sinned]. [But because Jesus never sinned], he does not need to atone for his own sin. The only thing [he needed to do to save people] was to sacrifice himself once!
Which needeth not daily as those hie Priests to offer vp sacrifice, first for his owne sinnes, and then for the peoples: for that did he once, when he offered vp himselfe.
28 [We need a Supreme Priest like] him, because in the laws [that God gave Moses] [PRS] the ones who would be appointed to be priests would be men who tended [to sin easily]. But [God] solemnly [declared] [PRS] after [he had given] his laws [to Moses] that [he would appoint] (his Son/the man who is also God) [to be a Supreme Priest. Now] ([his Son/the man who is also God]) has forever become all that God intends him to be. (aiōn g165)
For the Law maketh men hie Priestes, which haue infirmitie: but the word of the othe that was since the Lawe, maketh the Sonne, who is consecrated for euermore. (aiōn g165)
