Hebrews 7:8

Hebrews 7:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
• New International Version (NIV)In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.
• English Standard Version (ESV)In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

Context of Hebrews 7:8

6As for Melchizedek, he did not come from Levi's family. But he still received a tenth part of what Abraham had. He also asked God to bless Abraham. But Abraham was the one who had already received God's promises. 7It is always the more important person who asks God to bless a less important person. We certainly know that! The Levite priests receive gifts, and they are people who one day will die. Melchizedek also received gifts, but we are told that he continues to live. 9The Levite priests receive their gifts from the people. But we could say that Levi himself gave a tenth part of what he had to Melchizedek. When Abraham gave his tenth part to Melchizedek, it was like Levi was there inside him. At that time, Levi was not yet born, but Abraham was his ancestor.

Hebrews 7:8 word by word

καὶ ὧδε μὲν δεκάτας ἀποθνῄσκοντες ἄνθρωποι λαμβάνουσιν ἐκεῖ δὲ μαρτυρούμενος ὅτι ζῇ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• hereὧδεhōde · hereG5602
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• that dieἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
• receiveλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• tithesδεκάτηdekatē · tenthG1181
• butδέde · thenG1161
• thereἐκεῖekei · thereG1563
• heμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• he livethζάωzaō · to liveG2198

Cross-references for Hebrews 7:8

• Hebrews 7:23In 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 9:27Every person must die once. After death, God will judge each person.
• Hebrews 3:16Who were those people who heard God speak? All of them were the people that Moses led away from Egypt. They heard God's message, but they refused to obey him.
• Hebrews 5:6And in another place in the Bible God says this: ‘You will be a priest for ever, in the same way that Melchizedek was a priest long ago.’
• Hebrews 6:20Jesus has already gone in there. He has gone there before us, on our behalf. He has become our special priest for ever, in the same way that Melchizedek was God's priest.
• Hebrews 9:24Christ did not go into a holy place that people had made on earth. A place like that is only a picture of the true place in heaven. No, Christ went into heaven itself, where God is. Now he is there with God and he speaks to God on our behalf.
• John 11:25Jesus said to her, ‘I have authority over death. I raise dead people, and I give people true life. Anyone who believes in me will live. Even if that person dies, he will continue to live.
• John 14:6Jesus answered, ‘I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. Nobody comes to the Father except by me.
• Revelation 1:18I am the one who always lives. I died once. But look! Now I am alive and I will be alive for ever. I have authority over death and over Hades, the place for dead people.

Commentaries on Hebrews 7:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Here men that die receive tithes - The apostle is speaking of the ecclesiastical constitution of the Jews, which was standing at the time this epistle was written. Under the Jewish dispensation, though the priests were successively removed by death, yet they were as duly replaced by others appointed from the same family, and the payment of tithes was never interrupted. But as there is no account of Melchisedec ceasing to be a priest, or of his dying, he…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And here men that die receive tithes - Another point showing the inferiority of the Levitical priesthood. They who thus received tithes, though by the right to do this they asserted a superiority over their brethren, were mortal. Like others, they would soon die; and in regard to the most essential things they were on a level with their brethren. They had no exemption from sickness, affliction, or bereavement, and death came to them with just as much…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-10Verses 4-10 That High Priest who should afterward appear, of whom Melchizedec was a type, must be much superior to the Levitical priests. Observe Abraham's great dignity and happiness; that he had the promises. That man is rich and happy indeed, who has the promises, both of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This honour have all those who receive the Lord Jesus. Let us go forth in our spiritual conflicts, trusting in his word and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8One reason Melchizedek is greater than the Levites is his “immortality” (7:3). The Levites were men who died, but Scripture says Melchizedek continues to live.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Second point of superiority: Melchisedec's is an enduring, the Levitical a transitory, priesthood. As the law was a parenthesis between Abraham's dispensation of promise of grace, and its enduring fulfilment at Christ's coming (Ro 5:20, Greek, "The law entered as something adscititious and by the way"): so the Levitical priesthood was parenthetical and temporary, between Melchisedec's typically enduring priesthood, and its antitypical realization in…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 7:8

• Abraham
• Melchizedek
• Priest
• Succession
• Tithes
• Types

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