Hebrews 7
"For
this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of THE MOST HIGH GOD, who met Abraham as
he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
2 to whom
also Abraham apportioned a tenth of all the spoils, was first of
all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and
then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.
3 Without
father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of
days nor end of life, but made like THE SON OF GOD, he remains a priest
perpetually.
4 Now
observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a
tenth of the choicest spoils.
5 And
those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a
commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is,
from their countrymen, although they are descended from Abraham.
6 But the
one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth
from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.
7 But
without any dispute the lesser person is blessed by the
greater.
8 In this
case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of
whom it is witnessed that he lives on.
9 And, so
to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, has paid tithes,
10 for he
was still in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met him.
11 So if
perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of
it the people received the Law), what further need was there for
another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be
designated according to the order of Aaron?
12 For when
the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.
13 For the
one about whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which
no one has officiated at the altar.
14 For it
is evident that OUR
LORD WAS DESCENDED FROM JUDAH, a tribe with reference to which Moses
said nothing concerning priests.
15 And this
is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of
Melchizedek,
16 who has
become a priest not on the basis of a law of physical
requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.
17 For it
is attested of HIM,
‘YOU are A
PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.’
18 For, on
the one hand, there is the nullification of a former
commandment because of its weakness and uselessness
19 (for the
Law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, there is the introduction
of A BETTER HOPE,
through which we come near to GOD.
20 And to
the extent that it was not without an oath
21 (for
they indeed became priests without an oath, but HE with an oath through THE ONE WHO said to HIM,
‘THE LORD has sworn and will not
change HIS mind, ‘YOU are A
PRIEST FOREVER’;
22 by the
same extent JESUS
also has become THE
GUARANTEE OF A BETTER COVENANT.
23 The former priests,
on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by
death from continuing;
24 JESUS, on the
other hand, because HE
CONTINUES FOREVER,
HOLDS HIS PRIESTHOOD
PERMANENTLY.
25 Therefore
HE is also ABLE TO SAVE
FOREVER THOSE WHO COME TO GOD THROUGH HIM, SINCE HE ALWAYS LIVES TO MAKE
INTERCESSION FOR THEM.
26 For it
was fitting for us to have such A HIGH PRIEST – HOLY, INNOCENT, UNDEFILED, SEPARATED FROM SINNERS, AND
EXALTED ABOVE THE HEAVENS;
27 WHO HAS NO DAILY NEED, LIKE THOSE HIGH
PRIESTS, TO OFFER UP SACRIFICES, FIRST FOR HIS OWN SINS AND THEN FOR THE SINS
OF THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE HE DID THIS ONCE FOR ALL TIME WHEN HE OFFERED UP
HIMSELF.
28 For the
Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath,
which came after the Law, appoints A SON, WHO HAS BEEN MADE PERFECT FOREVER.”
