^7:1Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him.¹^7:2To 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. ^7:3Without 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. ^7:4But see how great he must be, if⁶ Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe⁷ of his plunder. ^7:5And 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.¹⁰^7:6But Melchizedek¹¹ who does not share their ancestry¹² collected a tithe¹³ from Abraham and blessed¹⁴ the one who possessed the promise. ^7:7Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, ^7:8and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. ^7:9And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. ^7:10For he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins¹⁵ when Melchizedek met him.

Jesus and the Priesthood of Melchizedek

^7:11So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood—for on that basis¹⁶ the people received the law—what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in Aaron’s order? ^7:12For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come¹⁷ as well. ^7:13Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to¹⁸ a different tribe, and no one from that tribe¹⁹ has ever officiated at the altar. ^7:14For it is clear that our Lord is descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. ^7:15And this is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, ^7:16who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent²⁰ but by the power of an indestructible life. ^7:17For here is the testimony about him:²¹ “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”²²^7:18On the one hand a former command is set aside²³ because it is weak and useless,²⁴^7:19for the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. ^7:20And since²⁵ this was not done without a sworn affirmation—for the others have become priests without a sworn affirmation, ^7:21but Jesus²⁶ did so²⁷ with a sworn affirmation by the one who said to him, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever’ ”²⁸—^7:22accordingly Jesus has become the guarantee²⁹ of a better covenant. ^7:23And the others³⁰ who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them³¹ from continuing in office,³²^7:24but he holds his priesthood permanently since he lives forever. ^7:25So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. ^7:26For it is indeed fitting for us to have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. ^7:27He has no need to do every day what those priests do, to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people, since he did this in offering himself once for all. ^7:28For the law appoints as high priests men subject to weakness,³³ but the word of solemn affirmation that came after the law appoints a son made perfect forever.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

1 A series of quotations from Gen 14:17–19.
2 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 Or “a tenth part.”
4 A quotation from Gen 14:20.
5 Grk “first being interpreted,” describing Melchizedek.
6 Grk “to whom.”
7 Or “a tenth part.”
8 Or “the priesthood.”
9 Grk “from their brothers.” See ἀδελφός 2.b.
10 Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”
11 Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.
12 Grk “is not descended from them.”
13 Or “a tenth part.”
14 The verbs “collected … and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.
15 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). 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.
16 Grk “based on it.”
17 Grk “of necessity a change in the law comes to pass.”
18 Grk “shares in.”
19 Grk “from which no one.”
20 Grk “a law of a fleshly command.”
21 Grk “for he/it is witnessed that.”
22 A quotation from Ps 110:4 (see Heb 5:6 and 6:20).
23 Grk “the setting aside of a former command comes to pass.”
24 Grk “because of its weakness and uselessness.”
25 The Greek text contains an elaborate comparison between v. 20a and v. 22, with a parenthesis (vv. 20b–21) in between; the comparison is literally, “by as much as … by so much” or “to the degree that … to that same degree.”
26 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
27 The words “did so” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
28 A quotation from Ps 110:4 (see Heb 5:6, 6:20, and 7:17).
29 Or “surety.”
30 Grk “they on the one hand” in contrast with “he on the other hand” in v. 24.
31 Grk “they were prevented by death.”
32 Grk “from continuing” (the words “in office” are supplied for clarity).
33 See Heb 5:2 where this concept was introduced.