Hebrews 7
Evangelical Heritage Version
A Priest Forever
7 This Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, is the one who met Abraham as he was returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,[a] 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.[b] First, Melchizedek means “king of righteousness,” and then “king of Salem,” which is “king of peace.” 3 He is without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, and resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
4 Consider how great this man was. Even Abraham, the patriarch, gave him a tenth from the best of the spoils. 5 According to the law, those sons of Levi who received the priesthood have a command to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brother Israelites, even though they also came from Abraham’s body. 6 But here the one who was not descended from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 And without any question, it is the lesser who is blessed by the greater.
8 In the one case, those who are mortal collect the tenth; in the other case, the one who collects has testimony in Scripture[c] that he lives. 9 And, through Abraham, even Levi, who collects the tenth, has paid a tenth, so to speak, 10 because he was still in the body of his forefather when Melchizedek met Abraham.
11 So if everything could have been brought to its goal through the Levitical priesthood (for the people received the law on the basis of that priesthood), what further need was there for another priest to arise who was like Melchizedek, yet not said to be like Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood is changed, by necessity a change in the law also happens. 13 Yet these things are said about the one who belonged to another tribe, from which no one had served at the altar. 14 It is certainly clear that our Lord is descended from Judah. Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe.
15 And this becomes even clearer if another priest arises like Melchizedek, 16 who became a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement about physical descent, but on the basis of the power of an endless[d] life. 17 For it has been testified in Scripture about him:
You are a priest forever, like Melchizedek.[e]
18 To be sure, the former requirement is annulled, because it was weak and useless— 19 for the law did not bring anything to its goal—but now a better hope is introduced, by which we approach God.
20 And something like this did not happen without an oath. Indeed, others who became priests did so without an oath, 21 but this one became a priest with an oath, through the one who said to him:
The Lord has sworn an oath
and will not change his mind:
“You are a priest forever.”[f]
22 In this way, Jesus has become the guarantor[g] of a better covenant.[h]
23 There were many who became priests because death prevented any of them from continuing to remain in office. 24 But because this one endures forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 So for this reason he is able to save forever those who come to God through him, because he always lives to plead on their behalf.
Jesus Is the High Priest We Need
26 This is certainly the kind of high priest we needed: one who is holy, innocent, pure, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices on a daily basis, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. In fact, he sacrificed for sins once and for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weaknesses. But the word of the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been brought to his goal forever.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 7:1 Genesis 14:17-20
- Hebrews 7:2 Genesis 14:20
- Hebrews 7:8 The Greek term for has testimony appears six more times in this letter (Hebrews 7:17; 10:15; 11:2,4,5,39). Each time it clearly implies by usage and context that it is referring to testimony in Scripture.
- Hebrews 7:16 Or indestructible
- Hebrews 7:17 Psalm 110:4
- Hebrews 7:21 Psalm 110:4. Some witnesses to the text add like Melchizedek.
- Hebrews 7:22 A guarantor is someone who guarantees to pay for another person’s debt.
- Hebrews 7:22 The Greek term translated covenant (diatheke) can also be translated testament or will, depending on the context.
Hebrews 7
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem [and] priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
2 And Abraham gave to him a tenth portion of all [the spoil]. He is primarily, as his name when translated indicates, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, which means king of peace.
3 Without [record of] father or mother or ancestral line, neither with beginning of days nor ending of life, but, resembling the Son of God, he continues to be a priest without interruption and without successor.
4 Now observe and consider how great [a personage] this was to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth [the topmost or the pick of the heap] of the spoils.
5 And it is true that those descendants of Levi who are charged with the priestly office are commanded in the Law to take tithes from the people—which means, from their brethren—though these have descended from Abraham.
6 But this person who has not their Levitical ancestry received tithes from Abraham [himself] and blessed him who possessed the promises [of God].
7 Yet it is beyond all contradiction that it is the lesser person who is blessed by the greater one.
8 Furthermore, here [in the Levitical priesthood] tithes are received by men who are subject to death; while there [in the case of Melchizedek], they are received by one of whom it is testified that he lives [perpetually].
9 A person might even say that Levi [the father of the priestly tribe] himself, who received tithes (the tenth), paid tithes through Abraham,
10 For he was still in the loins of his forefather [Abraham] when Melchizedek met him [Abraham].
11 Now if perfection (a perfect fellowship between God and the worshiper) had been attainable by the Levitical priesthood—for under it the people were given the Law—why was it further necessary that there should arise another and different kind of Priest, one after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one appointed after the order and rank of Aaron?
12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is of necessity an alteration of the law [concerning the priesthood] as well.
13 For the One of Whom these things are said belonged [not to the priestly line but] to another tribe, no member of which has officiated at the altar.
14 For it is obvious that our Lord sprang from the tribe of Judah, and Moses mentioned nothing about priests in connection with that tribe.
15 And this becomes more plainly evident when another Priest arises Who bears the likeness of Melchizedek,(A)
16 Who has been constituted a Priest, not on the basis of a bodily legal requirement [an externally imposed command concerning His physical ancestry], but on the basis of the power of an endless and indestructible Life.
17 For it is witnessed of Him, You are a Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.(B)
18 So a previous physical regulation and command is cancelled because of its weakness and ineffectiveness and uselessness—
19 For the Law never made anything perfect—but instead a better hope is introduced through which we [now] come close to God.
20 And it was not without the taking of an oath [that Christ was made Priest],
21 For those who formerly became priests received their office without its being confirmed by the taking of an oath by God, but this One was designated and addressed and saluted with an oath, The Lord has sworn and will not regret it or change His mind, You are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.(C)
22 In keeping with [the oath’s greater strength and force], Jesus has become the Guarantee of a better (stronger) agreement [a more excellent and more advantageous covenant].
23 [Again, the former successive line of priests] was made up of many, because they were each prevented by death from continuing [perpetually in office];
24 But He holds His priesthood unchangeably, because He lives on forever.
25 Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them.
26 [Here is] the High Priest [perfectly adapted] to our needs, as was fitting—holy, blameless, unstained by sin, separated from sinners, and exalted higher than the heavens.
27 He has no day by day necessity, as [do each of these other] high priests, to offer sacrifice first of all for his own [personal] sins and then for those of the people, because He [met all the requirements] once for all when He brought Himself [as a sacrifice] which He offered up.
28 For the Law sets up men in their weakness [frail, sinful, dying human beings] as high priests, but the word of [God’s] oath, which [was spoken later] after the institution of the Law, [chooses and appoints as priest One Whose appointment is complete and permanent], a Son Who has been made perfect forever.(D)
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
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