Hebrews 3:1

Context

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters,¹ partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess,²

Hebrews 5:6

Context
5:6 as also in another place God³ says, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”⁴

Hebrews 5:10

Context
5:10 and he was designated⁵ by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.⁶

Hebrews 7:1-21

Context

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.⁷ 7:2 To him⁸ also Abraham apportioned a tithe⁹ of everything.¹⁰ His name first means¹¹ 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, if¹² Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe¹³ of his plunder. 7:5 And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office¹⁴ have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen,¹⁵ although they too are descendants of Abraham.¹⁶ 7:6 But Melchizedek¹⁷ who does not share their ancestry¹⁸ collected a tithe¹⁹ from Abraham and blessed²⁰ 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 loins²¹ when Melchizedek met him.

Jesus and the Priesthood of Melchizedek

7:11 So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood – for on that basis²² 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? 7:12 For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come²³ as well. 7:13 Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to²⁴ a different tribe, and no one from that tribe²⁵ has ever officiated at the altar. 7:14 For it is clear that our Lord is descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. 7:15 And this is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 7:16 who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent²⁶ but by the power of an indestructible life. 7:17 For here is the testimony about him:²⁷ “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”²⁸ 7:18 On the one hand a former command is set aside²⁹ because it is weak and useless,³⁰ 7:19 for the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. 7:20 And since³¹ this was not done without a sworn affirmation – for the others have become priests without a sworn affirmation, 7:21 but Jesus³² did so³³ 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’”³⁴ –

[3:1] ¹tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

[3:1] ²tn Grk “of our confession.”

[5:6] ³tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:6] ⁴sn A quotation from Ps 110:4.

[5:10] ⁵tn Grk “having been designated,” continuing the thought of Heb 5:9.

[5:10] ⁶sn The phrase in the order of Melchizedek picks up the quotation from Ps 110:4 in Heb 5:6.

[7:1] ⁷sn A series of quotations from Gen 14:17-19.

[7:2] ⁸tn 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.

[7:2] ⁹tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:2] ¹⁰sn A quotation from Gen 14:20.

[7:2] ¹¹tn Grk “first being interpreted,” describing Melchizedek.

[7:4] ¹²tn Grk “to whom.”

[7:4] ¹³tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:5] ¹⁴tn Or “the priesthood.”

[7:5] ¹⁵tn Grk “from their brothers.” See BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.

[7:5] ¹⁶tn Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”

[7:6] ¹⁷tn Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.

[7:6] ¹⁸tn Grk “is not descended from them.”

[7:6] ¹⁹tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:6] ²⁰sn The verbs “collected…and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.

[7:10] ²¹tn 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).

[7:11] ²²tn Grk “based on it.”

[7:12] ²³tn Grk “of necessity a change in the law comes to pass.”

[7:13] ²⁴tn Grk “shares in.”

[7:13] ²⁵tn Grk “from which no one.”

[7:16] ²⁶tn Grk “a law of a fleshly command.”

[7:17] ²⁷tn Grk “for he/it is witnessed that.”

[7:17] ²⁸sn A quotation from Ps 110:4 (see Heb 5:6 and 6:20).

[7:18] ²⁹tn Grk “the setting aside of a former command comes to pass.”

[7:18] ³⁰tn Grk “because of its weakness and uselessness.”

[7:20] ³¹sn 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.”

[7:21] ³²tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:21] ³³tn The words “did so” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[7:21] ³⁴sn A quotation from Ps 110:4 (see Heb 5:6, 6:20, and 7:17).