Hebrews 7:21

Hebrews 7:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
• New International Version (NIV)but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)(for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn And will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek’ ”),

Context of Hebrews 7:21

19God's Laws that he gave to Moses could not make anything completely right. But now God has brought us something better to hope for. And in that way, we ourselves can come near to God. 20Also, when God said that Jesus would be his special priest, he made a strong promise. When the Levites became priests, he did not make a strong promise like that. But when Jesus became God's priest, God made a strong promise. God said: ‘The Lord God has promised this strongly. He will not change his mind. You will be a priest for ever.’ 22Because God promised that to Jesus, we know that his new agreement with his people is very strong. It is a much better agreement than the old one. 23In the old way, there were many Levite priests. Each one of them died, so that they could not continue to serve God as priests.

Hebrews 7:21 word by word

ὁ δὲ μετὰ ὁρκωμοσίας διὰ τοῦ λέγοντος πρὸς αὐτόν· ὤμοσεν κύριος καὶ οὐ μεταμεληθήσεται· σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶναRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• priestsἱερεύςhiereus · priestG2409
• wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• withoutχωρίςchōris · withoutG5565
• an oathὁρκωμοσίαhorkōmosia · oathG3728
• butδέde · thenG1161
• thisὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• him that saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• The Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• swareὄμνυμιomnuō · to swearG3660
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• willμεταμέλλομαιmetamellomai · to repentG3338
• notοὐou · noG3756
• Thouσύsu · youG4771
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• everαἰώνaiōn · an age: eternityG165
• afterκατάkata · according toG2596
• the orderτάξιςtaxis · orderG5010
• of MelchisedecΜελχισεδέκMelchisedek · MelchizedekG3198

Cross-references for Hebrews 7:21

• Hebrews 7:17The Bible speaks about him as a priest like this: ‘You will be a priest for ever, in the same way that Melchizedek was God's priest.’
• Psalms 110:4The Lord has made a strong promise. He will not change it. He has promised, ‘You will be a priest for ever, in the same way that Melchizedek was my priest.’
• Hebrews 6:16When someone makes a strong promise, he uses the authority of a person who is greater than himself. This shows that he will certainly obey his promise. Then nobody can argue about it.

Commentaries on Hebrews 7:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Those priests - The Levitical, were made without an oath, to show that the whole system was changeable, and might be abolished. But this - The everlasting priesthood of Christ, with an oath, to show that the Gospel dispensation should never change, and never be abolished. By him - God the Father, that said unto him - the promised Messiah, Psalm 110:4, The Lord sware, to show the immutability of his counsel, and will not repent - can never change his mind…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21For those priests were made without an oath - The Levitical priests were set apart and consecrated without their office being confirmed to them by an oath on the part of God. They received it by regular descent, and when they arrived at a suitable age they entered on it of course. Jesus received his office by special appointment, and it was secured to him by an oath. The word rendered “oath” is in the margin “swearing of an oath.” This is the proper…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-25Verses 11-25 The priesthood and law by which perfection could not come, are done away; a Priest is risen, and a dispensation now set up, by which true believers may be made perfect. That there is such a change is plain. The law which made the Levitical priesthood, showed that the priests were frail, dying creatures, not able to save their own lives, much less could they save the souls of those who came to them. But the High Priest of our profession holds…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21This new system is about how God chooses a priest. God’s serious promise is shown in the quote from Psalm 110:4.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-281. this Melchisedec--(He 6:20; Psa 110:4). The verb does not come till He 7:3, "abideth." king ... priest--Christ unites these offices in their highest sense, and so restores the patriarchal union of these offices. Salem--Jerusalem, that is, seeing peace; others make Salem distinct, and to be that mentioned (Ge 33:18; Joh 3:23). the most high God--called also "Possessor of heaven and earth" (Ge 14:19, 22). This title of God, "the Most High," handed down…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 7:21

• Jesus Continued
• Melchizedek
• Oath
• Priest
• Succession

In the dictionaries

• Attendance
• Harmless
• Melchizedek
• Separate
• Adam in the New Testament
• Christ, Offices of
• Congregation
• Faithful; Faithfulness
• Hebrews, Epistle to the
• Jashobeam

Commentaries on Hebrews 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings