Hebrews 7:1-16

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 him ²  also Abraham apportioned a tithe ³  of everything. ⁴  His name first means ⁵  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, if ⁶  Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe ⁷  of his plunder. 7:5 And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office ⁸  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 Melchizedek ¹¹  who does not share their ancestry ¹²  collected a tithe ¹³  from Abraham and blessed ¹⁴  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 loins ¹⁵  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 basis ¹⁶  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 come ¹⁷  as well. 7:13 Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to ¹⁸  a different tribe, and no one from that tribe ¹⁹  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 descent ²⁰  but by the power of an indestructible life.

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

[7:2]  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.

[7:2]  ³ tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:2]  ⁴ sn A quotation from Gen 14:20.

[7:2]  ⁵ tn Grk “first being interpreted,” describing Melchizedek.

[7:4]  ⁶ tn Grk “to whom.”

[7:4]  ⁷ tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:5]  ⁸ tn Or “the priesthood.”

[7:5]  ⁹ tn Grk “from their brothers.” See BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.

[7:5]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”

[7:6]  ¹¹ tn Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.

[7:6]  ¹² tn Grk “is not descended from them.”

[7:6]  ¹³ tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:6]  ¹⁴ sn The verbs “collected…and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.

[7:10]  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).

[7:11]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “based on it.”

[7:12]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “of necessity a change in the law comes to pass.”

[7:13]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “shares in.”

[7:13]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “from which no one.”

[7:16]  ²⁰ tn Grk “a law of a fleshly command.”