Hebrews 7

1

Melchizedek and Abraham

(Genesis 14:17–24)

ThisG3778 MelchizedekG3198 was kingG935 of SalemG4532 and priestG2409 of GodG2316 Most HighG5310.1 He metG4876 AbrahamG11 returningG5290 fromG575 theG3588 slaughterG2871 of theG3588 kingsG935 andG2532 blessedG2127 himG846, 2andG2532 AbrahamG11 apportionedG3307 toG3739 him a tenthG1181 ofG575 everythingG3956. FirstG4412, his name meansG2059 “kingG935 of righteousnessG1343.” ThenG1899 alsoG2532, “kingG935 of SalemG4532” meansG1510 “kingG935 of peaceG1515.” 3Without fatherG540 or motherG282 or genealogyG35, withoutG2192G3383 beginningG746 of daysG2250 or endG5056 of lifeG2222, likeG871 theG3588 SonG5207 of GodG2316, he remainsG3306 a priestG2409 forG1519 all timeG1336.

4

ConsiderG2334 how greatG4080 Melchizedek was: EvenG2532 theG3588 patriarchG3966 AbrahamG11 gaveG1325 him a tenthG1181 ofG1537 theG3588 plunderG205. 5NowG2532G3303 theG3588 lawG3551 commandsG2192G1785 theG3588 sonsG1537G3588G5207 of LeviG3017 who becomeG2983 priestsG2405 to collect a tenthG586 from theG3588 peopleG2992—thatG3778 isG1510, fromG3588 theirG846 brothersG80—thoughG2539 they too are descendedG1831 fromG1537G3588G3751 AbrahamG11. 6ButG1161 Melchizedek, who did not trace his descentG3361G1075 fromG1537 Levi, collected a tenthG1183 from AbrahamG11 andG2532 blessedG2127 him whoG3588 hadG2192 theG3588 promisesG1860. 7AndG1161 indisputablyG5565G3956G485, theG3588 lesserG1640 is blessedG2127 byG5259 theG3588 greaterG2909.

8In the caseG2532G3303G5602 of the Levites, mortalG599 menG444 collectG2983 the tenthG1181; butG1161 in the caseG1563 of Melchizedek, it is affirmedG3140 thatG3754 he lives onG2198. 9AndG2532 soG5613 to speakG2031G2036, LeviG3017, whoG3588 collectsG2983 the tenthG1181, paid the tenthG1183 throughG1223 AbrahamG11. 10ForG1063 whenG3753 MelchizedekG3198 metG4876 AbrahamG846, Levi wasG1510 stillG2089 inG1722 theG3588 loinG3751 ofG3588 his ancestorG3962.

A Superior Priesthood

11NowG3767 ifG1487 perfectionG5050 could have been attainedG1510 throughG1223 theG3588 LeviticalG3020 priesthoodG2420 (forG1063 onG1909 this basisG846 theG3588 peopleG2992 received the lawG3549), whyG5101 was there stillG2089 needG5532 for anotherG2087 priestG2409 to appearG450—one inG2596 theG3588 orderG5010 of MelchizedekG3198 andG2532 notG3756 inG2596 theG3588 orderG5010 of AaronG2? 12ForG1063 when theG3588 priesthoodG2420 is changedG3346, the lawG3551 mustG1537G318 be changedG3331G1096 as wellG2532.

13

He ofG1909 whomG3739 these thingsG3778 are saidG3004 belonged toG3348 a differentG2087 tribeG5443, fromG575 whichG3739 no oneG3762 has ever servedG4337 at theG3588 altarG2379. 14ForG1063 it is clearG4271 thatG3754 ourG1473 LordG2962 descendedG393 fromG1537 JudahG2448, a tribeG5443 as toG1519 whichG3739 MosesG3475 saidG2980 nothingG3762 aboutG4012 priestsG2409.

15AndG2532 this point isG1510 evenG2089 moreG4053 clearG2612 ifG1487 anotherG2087 priestG2409 likeG3665 MelchizedekG3198 appearsG450, 16one whoG3739 has becomeG1096 a priest notG3756 byG2596 a lawG3551 of successionG1785G4560, butG235 byG2596 the powerG1411 of an indestructibleG179 lifeG2222. 17ForG1063 it is testifiedG3140:

18SoG3303G1063 the formerG4254 commandmentG1785 isG1096 set asideG115 becauseG1223 itG846 was weakG772 andG2532 uselessG512 19(forG1063 theG3588 lawG3551 made nothing perfectG5048G3762), andG1161 a betterG2909 hopeG1680 is introducedG1898, byG1223 whichG3739 we draw nearG1448 to GodG2316.

20AndG2532G2596 noneG3756 of thisG3745 happened withoutG5565 an oathG3728. ForG1063 others becameG1096 priestsG2409 withoutG5565 an oathG3728, 21butG1161 Jesus became a priest withG3326 an oathG3728 byG1223 theG3588 One who saidG3004 toG4314 HimG846:

22Because ofG2596 thisG5118 oath, JesusG2424 has becomeG1096 the guaranteeG1450 of a betterG2909 covenantG1242.

23NowG2532G3303 thereG1510 have beenG1096 manyG4119 other priestsG2409, sinceG1223 deathG2288 prevented them fromG2967 continuingG3887 in office. 24ButG1161 becauseG1223 Jesus livesG3306 foreverG1519G3588G165, He hasG2192 a permanentG531 priesthoodG2420. 25ThereforeG3606 He is ableG1410 to saveG4982 completelyG1519G3588G38384 those whoG3588 draw nearG4334 to GodG2316 throughG1223 HimG846, since He alwaysG3842 livesG2198 to intercedeG1793 forG5228 themG846.

26SuchG5108 a high priestG749 trulyG1063 befitsG4241 usG1473—One who is holyG3741, innocentG172, undefiledG283, set apartG5563 fromG575 sinnersG268, andG2532 exaltedG1096 aboveG5308 theG3588 heavensG3772. 27Unlike theG3588 other high priestsG749, He doesG2192 notG3756 needG318 to offerG399 dailyG2596G2250 sacrificesG2378, firstG4386 forG5228 His ownG2398 sinsG266 and thenG1899 forG3588 the sins of theG3588 peopleG2992; HeG4160G3778 sacrificed for sin once for allG2178 when He offered upG399 HimselfG1438. 28ForG1063 theG3588 lawG3551 appointsG2525 as high priestsG749 menG444 who areG2192 weakG769; butG1161 theG3588 oathG3728, whichG3588 came afterG3326 theG3588 lawG3551, appointed the SonG5207, who has been made perfectG5048 foreverG1519G3588G165.