| 章 |
| 7:1 |
This "King Melchizedek of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him";
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| 7:2 |
and to him Abraham apportioned "one-tenth of everything." His name, in the first place, means "king of righteousness"; next he is also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace."
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| 7:3 |
Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
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| 7:4 |
See how great he is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils.
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| 7:5 |
And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their kindred, though these also are descended from Abraham.
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| 7:6 |
But this man, who does not belong to their ancestry, collected tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises.
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| 7:7 |
It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.
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| 7:8 |
In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.
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| 7:9 |
One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,
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| 7:10 |
for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
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| 7:11 |
Now if perfection had been attainable through the levitical priesthood-- for the people received the law under this priesthood-- what further need would there have been to speak of another priest arising according to the order of Melchizedek, rather than one according to the order of Aaron?
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| 7:12 |
For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.
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| 7:13 |
Now 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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| 7:14 |
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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| 7:15 |
It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling Melchizedek,
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| 7:16 |
one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life.
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| 7:17 |
For it is attested of him, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
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| 7:18 |
There is, on the one hand, the abrogation of an earlier commandment because it was weak and ineffectual
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| 7:19 |
(for the law made nothing perfect); there is, on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope, through which we approach God.
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| 7:20 |
This was confirmed with an oath; for others who became priests took their office without an oath,
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| 7:21 |
but this one became a priest with an oath, because of 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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| 7:22 |
accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.
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| 7:23 |
Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office;
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| 7:24 |
but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.
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| 7:25 |
Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
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| 7:26 |
For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
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| 7:27 |
Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself.
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| 7:28 |
For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, 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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