Hebrews 7
Names of God Bible
Christ Is Superior to Melchizedek
7 Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of the Most High God. He met Abraham and blessed him when Abraham was returning from defeating the kings. 2 Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had captured.
In the first place, Melchizedek’s name means king of righteousness. He is also called king of Salem (which means king of peace). 3 No one knows anything about Melchizedek’s father, mother, or ancestors. No one knows when he was born or when he died. Like the Son of God, Melchizedek continues to be a priest forever.
4 You can see how important Melchizedek was. Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had captured, even though Abraham was the father of the chosen people. 5 Moses’ Teachings say that members of the tribe of Levi who become priests must receive a tenth of everything from the people. The priests collect it from their own people, Abraham’s descendants. 6 Although Melchizedek was not from the tribe of Levi, he received a tenth of everything from Abraham. Then Melchizedek blessed Abraham, who had God’s promises. 7 No one can deny that the more important person blesses the less important person.
8 Priests receive a tenth of everything, but they die. Melchizedek received a tenth of everything, but we are told that he lives. 9 We could even say that when Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything, Levi was giving a tenth of everything. Levi gave, although later his descendants would receive a tenth of everything. 10 Even though Levi had not yet been born, he was in the body of Abraham when Melchizedek met him.
11 The people established the Levitical priesthood based on instructions they received. If the work of the Levitical priests had been perfect, we wouldn’t need to speak about another kind of priest. However, we speak about another kind of priest, a priest like Melchizedek, not a Levitical priest like Aaron.
12 When a different kind of priesthood is established, the regulations for those priests are different. 13 The priest whom we are talking about was a member of a different tribe. No one from that tribe ever served as a priest at the altar. 14 Everyone knows that our Lord came from the tribe of Judah. Moses never said anything about priests coming from that tribe. 15 The regulations were different. This became clear when a different priest who is like Melchizedek appeared. 16 That person is a priest, not because he met human requirements, but because he has power that comes from a life that cannot be destroyed. 17 The Scriptures say the following about him: “You are a priest forever, in the way Melchizedek was a priest.” 18 The former requirements are rejected because they are weak and useless. 19 Moses’ Teachings couldn’t accomplish everything that God required. But we have something else that gives us greater confidence and allows us to approach God.
20 None of this happened without an oath. The men from the tribe of Levi may have become priests without an oath, 21 but Yeshua became a priest when God took an oath. God said about him, “The Lord has taken an oath and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever.” 22 In this way Yeshua has become the guarantee of a better promise.[a]
23 There was a long succession of priests because when a priest died he could no longer serve. 24 But Yeshua lives forever, so he serves as a priest forever. 25 That is why he is always able to save those who come to God through him. He can do this because he always lives and intercedes for them.
26 We need a chief priest who is holy, innocent, pure, set apart from sinners, and who has the highest position in heaven. 27 We need a priest who doesn’t have to bring daily sacrifices as those chief priests did. First they brought sacrifices for their own sins, and then they brought sacrifices for the sins of the people. Yeshua brought the sacrifice for the sins of the people once and for all when he sacrificed himself. 28 Moses’ Teachings designated mortals as chief priests even though they had weaknesses. But God’s promise, which came after Moses’ Teachings, designated the Son who forever accomplished everything that God required.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 7:22 Or “covenant.”
Hebrews 7
Wycliffe Bible
7 And this Melchisedec, king of Salem, and priest of the highest God [the priest of the highest God], which met Abraham, as he turned again from the slaying of the kings, and blessed him;
2 to whom also Abraham parted tithes of all things; first he is said king of rightwiseness [first soothly the which is interpreted king of rightwiseness], and afterward king of Salem, that is to say, king of peace,
3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, neither having beginning of days, neither end of life; and he is likened to the Son of God, and dwelleth priest without end [forsooth he likened to the Son of God, dwelleth priest into without end].
4 But behold ye how great is this [man] [Forsooth behold ye how great this is], to whom Abraham the patriarch gave tithes of the best things.
5 For men of the sons of Levi taking priesthood have commandment to take tithes of the people, by the law [And soothly men taking priesthood of the sons of Levi have commandment to take tithes of the people, after the law], that is to say, of their brethren, though also they went out of the loins of Abraham.
6 But he whose generation is not numbered in them, took tithes of Abraham; and he blessed this Abraham, which had repromissions.
7 Without any gainsaying [Forsooth without any against-saying], that that is less, is blessed of the better.
8 And here deadly men take tithes; but there he beareth witnessing, that he liveth. [And here soothly men dying take tithes; forsooth there it is witnessed, that he liveth.]
9 And that it be said so [And that it is so said], by Abraham also Levi, that took tithes, was tithed;
10 and yet he was in his father's loins, when Melchisedec met him.
11 Therefore if perfection was by the priesthood of Levi, for under him the people took the law, what yet was it needful, another priest to rise, by the order of Melchisedec, and not to be said by the order of Aaron [what yet was it needful, another priest to rise, after the order of Melchisedec, and not to be said after the order of Aaron]?
12 For why when the priesthood is translated, it is need [it is needful] that also [the] translation of the law be made.
13 But he in whom these things be said, is of another lineage, of which no man was priest to the altar [of which no man was priest, or ready, to the altar].
14 For it is open [Soothly it is openly known], that our Lord is born of Juda, in which lineage Moses spake nothing of priests.
15 And more yet it is known, if by the order of Melchisedec another priest is risen up; [And more yet it is known, if after the order of Melchisedec another priest riseth;]
16 which is not made by the law of fleshly commandment, but by [the] virtue of life that may not be undone. [the which is not made after the law of fleshly commandment, but after virtue of life indissoluble, or that may not be undone.]
17 For he witnesseth, That thou art a priest without end, by the order of Melchisedec; [Soothly he witnesseth, For thou art a priest into without end, after the order of Melchisedec;]
18 that reproving of the commandment before-going is made, for the unfirmness and unprofit of it.
19 For why the law brought nothing to perfection, but there is a bringing in of a better hope, by which we approach to God [by which we nigh to God].
20 And how great it is, not without swearing [that Christ is made priest after the order of Melchisedec];
21 but the others [forsooth others] be made priests without an oath; but this priest with an oath, by him that said to him, The Lord swore, and it shall not rue him, Thou art a priest without end, by the order of Melchisedec [Thou art a priest into without end, after the order of Melchisedec];
22 in so much Jesus is made [better] promiser of the better testament.
23 And [soothly] the others were made many priests, therefore for they were forbidden by death to dwell still [for that they were forbidden by death to dwell];
24 but this man, for he dwelleth without end [for that he dwelleth into without end], hath an everlasting priesthood.
25 Wherefore also he may save without end, coming nigh by himself to God, and evermore liveth to pray for us. [Wherefore and he may save into without end, coming nigh by himself to God, evermore living to pray for us.]
26 For it beseemed that such a man were a bishop to us, holy, innocent, undefouled, clean, separated from sinful men, and made higher than heavens;[a]
27 which hath not need each day, as priests, first for his own guilts to offer sacrifices, and afterward for the people; for he did this thing in offering himself once [soothly he did this thing, once offering himself].
28 And the law ordained men priests having frailty [having sickness, or frailty]; but the word of swearing, which is after the law, ordained the Son perfect without end [ordained the Son perfect into without end].
Footnotes
- Hebrews 7:26 Forsooth it became that such a man were bishop to us, holy, innocent, unfiled, parted from sinners, and made higher than heavens;
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
2001 by Terence P. Noble