Beginning
Now Observe How Great This Melchizedek Is
7 For this Melchizedek[a], king of Salem, priest of the Most-High God, remains[b] a priest perpetually[c]— the one having met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and having blessed him; 2 to whom also Abraham divided a tenth from everything; who is first ([his name] being translated), king of righteousness; and then also king of Salem, which is[d] king of peace; 3 fatherless, motherless, genealogy-less, having[e] neither a beginning of days nor an end of life, but having been made-like[f] the Son of God. 4 Now observe how great this one is to whom indeed Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth from the choicest-spoils:
He Is Greater Than Abraham
5 Indeed, the ones from the sons of Levi receiving the priestly-office have a commandment to be collecting-a-tenth-from the people according to the Law (that is, from their brothers, even though their brothers have come-out of the loins of Abraham)— 6 yet the one not tracing-his-genealogy from them has collected-a-tenth from Abraham, and has blessed the one having the promises! 7 And apart from all dispute, the lesser one is blessed by the better one.
He Is Living As a Priest Perpetually
8 And here, dying men[g] receive the tenths— yet there, it is being attested[h] that he is living!
He Is Greater Than Levi And His Priesthood
9 And so to speak, through Abraham even Levi[i], the one receiving the tenths, has paid-a-tenth. 10 For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him!
Now Why Did Another Priesthood Need To Arise After Aaron?
11 Now indeed, if perfection had been through the Levitical priesthood (for the [Jewish] people have received-the-Law on the basis of it) what further need would there have been that another priest should arise according to the order[j] of Melchizedek, and not be named according to the order of Aaron?
For This New Priesthood Also Brings a Change of Law
12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is[k] also a change of law.
For Its High Priest Is From The Tribe of Judah
13 For the One about Whom these[l] things are spoken has partaken of another tribe from which no one has attended-to the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord has risen from Judah— for which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.
And He Became High Priest Based On His Indestructible Life
15 And it is still even-more very-clear[m] if Another Priest arises in accordance with the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 Who has become such not based-on the law of a fleshy[n] commandment, but based on the power of an indestructible life! 17 For it is attested that “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” [Ps 110:4].
The New Sets Aside The Old And Brings In a Better Hope
18 For a setting-aside[o] of the preceding commandment takes place because of its weakness and unprofitableness 19 (for the Law perfected nothing)— and a bringing-in of a better hope through which we draw-near to God.
Jesus Is a Better Priest Because His Priesthood Is Based On God’s Oath
20 And[p] to the degree that it was not without an oath-swearing (for the ones have become[q] priests without an oath-swearing, 21 but the One with an oath-swearing, through the One saying to Him [in Ps 110:4]: “The Lord swore and He will not change-His-mind, You are a priest forever”)— 22 to that degree also Jesus has become the guarantee[r] of a better covenant.
Jesus Serves As High Priest Forever
23 And[s] the many have been [Levitical] priests because of their being prevented from continuing by death— 24 but the One, because of His remaining forever, has a permanent[t] priesthood. 25 Hence also, He is able to save completely[u] the ones coming-to God through Him, always living so as to intercede for them.
God’s Son Perfected Forever Is a Fitting High Priest For Us
26 For such a High Priest was indeed fitting for us— holy, innocent, undefiled, having been separated[v] from sinners, and having become higher than the heavens— 27 Who does not have the daily necessity (as indeed the high priests) to be offering sacrifices first for His own sins, then the sins of the people. For He did this once-for-all, having offered Himself. 28 For the Law appoints men having weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath-swearing after[w] the Law appoints a Son having been perfected forever.
Jesus Is Our High Priest In The True Heavenly Temple
8 Now[x] the main-point in the things being said is: we have such a High Priest, Who sat-down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 Minister of the Holies[y], indeed[z] of the true tabernacle (which the Lord pitched[aa], not a human).
Earthly Priests Serve In a Copy And Shadow of The Heavenly Things
3 For every high priest is appointed that he might be offering both gifts and sacrifices. Hence it is[ab] necessary that this One also have something which He may offer. 4 Now indeed, if He were on earth He would not even be a priest— there being the ones offering the gifts according-to the Law, 5 who are serving a copy and a shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses has been warned, being about to complete the tabernacle: for “See”, He says [in Ex 25:40], “that you make everything according to the pattern having been shown to you on the mountain”.
But Jesus Has a Better Ministry As Mediator of a Better Covenant With Better Promises
6 But He has now obtained a more-excellent ministry[ac], by as much as He is indeed the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises!
For God Promised a New Covenant
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second. 8 For, finding-fault-with[ad] them, He says [in Jer 31:31-34]: “Behold— days are coming, says the Lord, and I will consummate[ae] a new covenant for the house of Israel and for the house of Judah; 9 not in accordance with the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day I took-hold-of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in My covenant, and I did not-care-for them, says the Lord. 10 Because this is the covenant which I will covenant with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: Giving My laws into their mind, I will also write them upon their heart. And I will be God to them and they will be a people to Me. 11 And they will by no means each teach his fellow-citizen and each his brother, saying ‘Know[af] the Lord’, because they all will know Me from the small[ag] one up to their great one. 12 Because I will be merciful[ah] to their wrong-doings, and I will never remember[ai] their sins again”.
God Has Thus Made The First Covenant Old
13 In that He says “New”, He has made the first old[aj]. And the thing becoming old and growing-aged is near disappearance.
The First Covenant Allowed Entrance Into The Holy of Holies Once a Year
9 Now indeed, the first covenant also had regulations of service and the earthly Holy Place. 2 For the first[ak] tabernacle was prepared[al]— in which were both the lampstand and the table, and the Presentation of the bread— which is called the Holies. 3 And behind the second curtain was the tabernacle being called the Holies of Holies, 4 having a golden altar-of-incense[am], and the ark[an] of the covenant having been covered on-all-sides with gold, in which was a golden jar having the manna and the rod of Aaron having budded and the tablets of the covenant, 5 and above it were the cherubim[ao] of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat[ap]— concerning which things there is not time now to be speaking in detail. 6 And these things thus having been prepared, the priests accomplishing the services are continually going into the first tabernacle. 7 But into the second only the high priest goes once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and the ignorances[aq] of the people—
God Was Making Clear That The Way Into The Holies Was Not Yet Revealed
8 ... the Holy Spirit making this clear: that the way of [ar] the Holies has not yet been made-known while the first tabernacle[as] was[at] still having[au] a standing, 9 which[av] is[aw] a symbol for the present[ax] time, according to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered not being able to perfect the one worshiping in relation to the conscience, 10 being[ay] only (in-addition-to foods and drinks and different cleansings[az]) regulations of [ba] flesh being imposed until the time of reformation.
But Christ Entered The True Holy of Holies Once For All And Obtained Redemption
11 But Christ, having arrived[bb] as High Priest of the good things having come, entered[bc] once-for-all into the Holies through[bd] the greater and more-perfect tabernacle not made-by-human-hands— that is, not of this creation; 12 and not through[be] the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, having obtained[bf] eternal redemption.
For Through The Spirit He Offered Himself Without Blemish To God
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the ones having been defiled sanctifies for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 by how much more will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit[bg] offered Himself without-blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works so that we may worship[bh] the living God!
Thus Christ Mediates a New Covenant Inaugurated By His Own Blood
15 And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that the ones having been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance— a death having taken-place for the redemption from the transgressions committed under[bi] the first covenant. 16 For where there is a will[bj], it is a necessity that the death of the one having made-the-will be brought-forth. 17 For a will over dead ones is firm, since it does not ever have [legal] power when the one having made-the-will is living. 18 Hence, not even the first covenant has been inaugurated[bk] without blood. 19 For every commandment having been spoken to all the people by Moses according-to[bl] the Law— having taken the blood of the calves and the goats along with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, he sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded to you” [Ex 24:8]. 21 And he likewise sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and all the objects of the ministry. 22 Indeed according-to[bm] the Law almost everything is cleansed[bn] with blood, and forgiveness does not take-place[bo] apart-from blood-shedding[bp]. 23 Therefore it was a necessity that the copies[bq] of the things in the heavens be cleansed with these[br] things— but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
He Entered The Heavenly Temple
24 For Christ did not enter into the Holies made-by-human-hands— copies of the true things— but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.
He Offered Himself Once For All As a Sacrifice To Set Aside Sin
25 Nor did He enter in order that He might offer Himself often— as indeed the high priest enters into the Holies yearly with the blood belonging-to-another— 26 otherwise He would had-to-have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once-for-all at the conclusion[bs] of the ages for the setting-aside of sin by the sacrifice[bt] of Himself.
He Will Appear To Us a Second Time For Salvation
27 And just as it is destined for people to die once and after this comes the judgment, 28 so also[bu] Christ, having been offered once so as to bear[bv] the sins of many, will appear for a second time without reference to sin to the ones eagerly-awaiting Him, for salvation.
For The Law Could Never Take Away Sins, So Jesus Came To Offer His Body
10 For the Law— having a shadow of the coming good things, not the very image[bw] of the things— is never able to perfect the ones approaching yearly with the same sacrifices which they offer perpetually[bx]. 2 Otherwise would they not have ceased being offered, because of the ones worshiping no longer having a consciousness of sins, having been cleansed once-for-all? 3 But in them[by] there is a yearly reminder of sins. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take-away sins. 5 Therefore, while entering into the world, He says [in Ps 40:6-8]: “You did not desire sacrifice and offering, but You prepared a body for Me. 6 You were not well-pleased with whole-burnt-offerings and offerings for sin. 7 Then I said, Behold, I have come— in the roll[bz] of a book it has been written about Me—that I might do Your will, God”.
Thus God Has Done Away With Animal Offerings And Established Christ’s
8 Saying above that “You did not desire nor were You well-pleased with sacrifices and offerings and whole-burnt-offerings and offerings for sin” (which are being offered according-to[ca] the Law!), 9 then He has said, “Behold, I have come that I might do Your will”— He does-away-with[cb] the first in-order-that He might establish the second,
And By God’s Will We Are Made Holy By The Offering of Christ’s Body
10 ... by which will we have been made-holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once-for-all.
The Priests Offer Sacrifices Daily, But Jesus Offered One Sacrifice For All
11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering often the same sacrifices which are never able to take-away sins— 12 but this One, having offered one sacrifice for sins[cc] for all time, sat-down at the right hand of God, 13 henceforth waiting until His enemies are put as a footstool of His feet.
For By One Offering Jesus Perfected Us For All Time
14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time the ones being made-holy.
The New Covenant Says That God Will Never Remember Our Sins Again
15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after the statement [in Jer 31:33] having said 16 “This is the covenant which I will covenant with them after those days, says the Lord: Giving My laws upon their hearts, I will also write them upon their mind”, 17 then He says “And I will never remember their sins and their lawless-deeds again”.
God’s Permanent Forgiveness Makes Further Offerings For Sin Unnecessary
18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer an offering for sin!
Therefore Let Us Approach God In Full Assurance of Faith And Hold On Without Wavering
19 Therefore, brothers, having confidence for the entering of the Holies by the blood of Jesus— 20 which fresh[cd] and living way He inaugurated for us through[ce] the curtain, that is[cf], His flesh— 21 and having a great Priest over the house of God, 22 let us be approaching God with a true heart in full-assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled[cg] from an evil conscience, and having our body washed[ch] with clean water. 23 Let us be holding-on-to the confession of our hope without-wavering, for the One having promised is faithful. 24 And let us be considering[ci] one another for the provoking[cj] of love and good works, 25 not forsaking the gathering-together of ourselves as is a habit with some, but exhorting[ck] one another, and so-much more by-as-much-as you see the day drawing-near.
To Now Do Otherwise Is To Trample Underfoot The Son of God
26 For while[cl] we are willfully[cm] sinning[cn] after the receiving of the knowledge of the truth, a sacrifice no longer remains[co] for sins, 27 but some fearful expectation[cp] of judgment and a zeal of fire going to consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone having set-aside[cq] the Law of Moses dies without compassions upon the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 For how much worse punishment[cr] do you think he will be considered-worthy— the one having trampled-underfoot the Son of God, and having regarded as defiled[cs] the blood of the covenant by which[ct] he was sanctified[cu], and having insulted[cv] the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know the One having said [in Deut 32:35]: “Vengeance is for Me, I will repay”; and again [in Deut 32:36]: “The Lord will judge His people”. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
You Need To Endure By Faith Until You Receive The Promises
32 Now[cw] remember the former days during which, having been enlightened[cx], you endured a great struggle[cy] of sufferings— 33 on this hand being made-a-spectacle[cz] by both reproaches[da] and afflictions, and on this hand having become partners of the ones living in this manner[db]. 34 For indeed you sympathized-with the prisoners, and you accepted with joy the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you-yourselves have a better and abiding possession. 35 So do not throw-away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, in order that having done the will of God, you might receive the promise. 37 For yet in a very little while, “the One coming will come and will not delay. 38 But My righteous one will live by faith. And if he draws-back[dc], My soul is not well-pleased[dd] with him” [Hab 2:3-4]. 39 But we are not of [de] a drawing-back resulting-in destruction, but of a faith resulting in the preserving of the soul.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing