Hebrews 7

Berean Standard Bible

Chapter summary

Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, blessed him, and received a tenth of everything. The text compares this priesthood to that of the Levites, noting that Abraham paid a tenth to Melchizedek, and arguing that Levi essentially did so as well since he was still in the loins of his ancestor. Because perfection was not attained through the Levitical priesthood, the text states that another priest arises in the order of Melchizedek rather than the order of Aaron. This new priest, Jesus, belongs to the tribe of Judah and becomes a priest not by a legal requirement of physical descent, but by the power of an indestructible life and through an oath. Unlike mortal Levitical priests who are prevented by death from continuing in office, Jesus holds a permanent priesthood because He lives forever, offering Himself once for all instead of daily sacrifices.

Summary automatically generated from the Bible text.

Words of Jesus in red

¹This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ²and Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness.” Then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” ³Without father or mother or genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God, he remains a priest for all time. ⁴Consider how great Melchizedek was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder. ⁵Now the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—though they too are descended from Abraham. ⁶But Melchizedek, who did not trace his descent from Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. ⁷And indisputably, the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸In the case of the Levites, mortal men collect the tenth; but in the case of Melchizedek, it is affirmed that he lives on. ⁹And so to speak, Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham. ¹⁰For when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the loin of his ancestor. ¹¹Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear—one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron? ¹²For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed as well. ¹³He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. ¹⁴For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, a tribe as to which Moses said nothing about priests. ¹⁵And this point is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, ¹⁶one who has become a priest not by a law of succession, but by the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷For it is testified: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” ¹⁸So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless ¹⁹(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. ²⁰And none of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, ²¹but Jesus became a priest with an oath by the One who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’” ²²Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. ²³Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office. ²⁴But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. ²⁵Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. ²⁶Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. ²⁷Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself. ²⁸For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

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Louis Segond 1910 and Berean Standard Bible: public domain. Cross references: open-cross-ref, Creative Commons BY 4.0.