Add parallel Print Page Options

But see how great he must be, if[a] Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe[b] of his plunder. And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office[c] have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen,[d] although they too are descendants of Abraham.[e] But Melchizedek[f] who does not share their ancestry[g] collected a tithe[h] from Abraham and blessed[i] the one who possessed the promise. Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. 10 For he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins[j] when Melchizedek met him.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 7:4 tn Grk “to whom.”
  2. Hebrews 7:4 tn Or “a tenth part.”
  3. Hebrews 7:5 tn Or “the priesthood.”
  4. Hebrews 7:5 tn Grk “from their brothers.” See BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.
  5. Hebrews 7:5 tn Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”
  6. Hebrews 7:6 tn Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.
  7. Hebrews 7:6 tn Grk “is not descended from them.”
  8. Hebrews 7:6 tn Or “a tenth part.”
  9. Hebrews 7:6 sn The verbs “collected…and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.
  10. Hebrews 7:10 tn Grk “in the loins of his father” (a reference to Abraham). The name “Abraham” has been repeated in the translation at this point (cf. v. 9) in order to clarify the referent (i.e., what ancestor was in view).sn The point of the phrase still in his ancestor’s loins is that Levi was as yet unborn, still in his ancestor Abraham’s body. Thus Levi participated in Abraham’s action when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek.

But de see theōreō how great pēlikos this houtos man was to whom hos · kai the ho patriarch patriarchēs Abraham Abraam gave didōmi a tithe dekatos of ek the ho finest plunder akrothinion. And kai those ho of ek the ho sons hyios of Levi Leui who receive lambanō the ho priestly office hierateia have echō a mandate entolē according to kata the ho law nomos to collect a tithe apodekatoō from the ho people laos, that houtos is eimi, from · ho their autos fellow countrymen adelphos, although kaiper they too come exerchomai from ek the ho loins osphys of Abraham Abraam. But de this ho man who does not trace genealogeō his descent from ek them autos received tithes from dekatoō Abraham Abraam and kai blessed eulogeō the ho one who had echō the ho promises epangelia. It is without chōris · de any pas dispute antilogia that the ho person of lesser status elassōn is blessed eulogeō by hypo the ho one of greater status kreittōn. · kai In the one case hōde, mortal apothnēskō men anthrōpos receive lambanō tithes dekatos, but de in the other case ekei, by one of whom it is testified martyreō that hoti he lives zaō. And kai it could be said hōs that Levi Leui himself, who ho receives lambanō tithes dekatos, paid tithes dekatoō through dia Abraham Abraam, · kai 10 for gar he was eimi still eti in en the ho loins osphys of his ho ancestor patēr when hote Melchizedek Melchisedek met synantaō Abraham autos.

Read full chapter