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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)The priests who collect tithes are men who die, so Melchizedek is greater than they are, because we are told that he lives on.

Context of Hebrews 7:8

6This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 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. 9One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of 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 7:23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;
• Hebrews 9:27Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
• Hebrews 3:16Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?
• Hebrews 5:6And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
• Hebrews 6:20where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
• Hebrews 9:24For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.
• John 11:25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
• John 14:6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
• Revelation 1:18I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

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