Hebrews 7:1–10

The Nature of Melchizedek’s Priesthood

7:1 Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him.1 7:2 To him2 also Abraham apportioned a tithe3 of everything.4 His name first means5 king of righteousness, then king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 7:3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time. 7:4 But see how great he must be, if6 Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe7 of his plunder. 7:5 And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office8 have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen,9 although they too are descendants of Abraham.10 7:6 But Melchizedek11 who does not share their ancestry12 collected a tithe13 from Abraham and blessed14 the one who possessed the promise. 7:7 Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, 7:8 and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. 7:9 And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. 7:10 For he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins15 when Melchizedek met him.

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1	sn A series of quotations from Gen 14:17–19.
2	tn Grk “to whom,” continuing the description of Melchizedek. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
3	tn Or “a tenth part.”
4	sn A quotation from Gen 14:20.
5	tn Grk “first being interpreted,” describing Melchizedek.
6	tn Grk “to whom.”
7	tn Or “a tenth part.”
8	tn Or “the priesthood.”
9	tn Grk “from their brothers.” See BDAG 18–19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.
10	tn Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”
11	tn Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.
12	tn Grk “is not descended from them.”
13	tn Or “a tenth part.”
14	sn The verbs “collected … and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.
15	tn Grk “in the loins of his father” (a reference to Abraham). The name “Abraham” has been repeated in the translation at this point (cf. v. 9) in order to clarify the referent (i.e., what ancestor was in view). sn The point of the phrase still in his ancestor’s loins is that Levi was as yet unborn, still in his ancestor Abraham’s body. Thus Levi participated in Abraham’s action when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek.