English Standard Version

New King James Version

The Priestly Order of Melchizedek

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

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The King of Righteousness

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

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and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.

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to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,”

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He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

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without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

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See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!

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Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the [a]spoils.

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And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers,a though these also are descended from Abraham.

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And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham;

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But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

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but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

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It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.

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Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better.

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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.

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Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

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One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,

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Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak,

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for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

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for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

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Jesus Compared to Melchizedek

Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?

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Need for a New Priesthood

Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?

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For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.

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For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.

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For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.

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For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has [b]officiated at the altar.

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For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

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For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning [c]priesthood.

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This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,

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And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest

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who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.

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who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.

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For it is witnessed of him,
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”

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For [d]He testifies:
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”

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For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness

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For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness,

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(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

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for the law made nothing [e]perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

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And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath,

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Greatness of the New Priest

And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath

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but this one was made 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.’”

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(for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:
“The Lord has sworn
And will not relent,
‘You are a priest [f]forever
According to the order of Melchizedek’ ”),

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This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

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by so much more Jesus has become a [g]surety of a better covenant.

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The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,

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Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.

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but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.

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But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.

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Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermostb those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

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Therefore He is also able to save [h]to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

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For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

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For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, [i]harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;

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He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

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who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

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For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

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For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

Parallel

English Standard Version

New King James Version

Hebrews 7

Hebrews 7