Hebrews 7
1 You see, this Melchizedek, King of Salem, priest of the highest God,a met Abraham while returning from the slaughter of the kings and spoke well overb him, 2 and Abraham gave him the tenth of everything as his portion.c First, his name means ‘king of justness,’d and on top of that, he is also King of Salem, which means ‘king of peace.’e 3 He is fatherless, motherless, without a record of his lineage, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but having acted like the Son of God, he remains a priest permanently.
4 Notice how honored this person was to whom Abraham, ourf original ancestor,g gave a tenth of the loot. 5 Also, those who are descended from Levi and receive the priesthood have a direction for the people to give them a tenth based on Torah, even though they are their familyh and came from Abraham’s groin.i 6 Yet, this person—who is not of their lineage—has received a tenth from Abraham and has spoken well over the one who held the promise. 7 Without any contradiction,j the one with the lower status is spoken well over by the one with the higher status. 8 In the first case, people who die receive a tenth, but in the second case, one who is reported to be alive receives it. 9 And with that being said, even Levi—who receives them—gave a tenth through Abraham 10 since he was still in the groin of his ancestor when Melchizedek met with him.
11 Therefore, if completion really was through the Levitical priesthood (since the people received Torah by means of itk), why is there still need to speak about raising upl a different priest based on the order of Melchizedek and not based on the order of Aaron? 12 When the priesthood is transferred, a transfer of Torah also happens out of necessity 13 since the one about whom these things are said has had a share inm a different tribe from which no one has ever approached the altar. 14 It’s clear that our Lord arose out of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. 15 And even more plainly clear is that if a different priest is raised up who resembles Melchizedek, 16 then they have not come to be a priest based on Torah, from a directive about family line, but instead based on the power of life that isn’t cut shortn 17 since it is reported that “You are a priest throughout the Age based on the order of Melchizedek.”o
18 In one way, an earlier directive is rejectedp because of being weak and ineffective 19 (Torah did not make anyone complete), but in another way, it is a coming beside of a more beneficial hope through which we come closer to God. 20 In fact, it went so far as to include taking an oath. While the ones who had already been made priests were made so without an oath being taken, 21 in contrast, this one was made priest after an oath was taken by the one who said to him, “The LORD swears an oath and will not have a change of heart: ‘You are a priest throughout the Age.’”q 22 Jesus has become the guarantor of an arrangementr that is so much more effective.
23 And while, since they were prevented by death from continuing in it, there have been many who were made priests, 24 in contrast, he holds a permanent priesthood because he stays present throughout the Age. 25 That’s how he’s able to completely liberate those who approach God through him: always being alive to make an appeal on their behalf.
26 A high priest such as this was fitting for us: one who is ethical,s does no harm to people,t is uncorrupted,u who has been differentiated from deviators, and who came to be higher than the heavens. 27 Unlike those high priests do, he doesn’t need, first, to offer a sacrifice for his own deviations and, then, for the people each day. That’s because he did it all at once when he offered himself. 28 Torah appoints people as high priests who lack sufficient power, but what was spoken after Torah with the swearing of an oath appoints the son, who has been made complete, for the duration of the Age.
FOOTNOTES:
a Or ‘God of the highest’
b Traditionally ‘blessed.’ The more literal meaning is ‘speak well over’ which could mean praising or wishing him well, or a combination.
c Reference to Genesis 14:17-20
d The name Melchizedek is Hebrew for ‘King of Righteousness’ or ‘King of Justice’ or ‘King of All Things Being Well.’
e Salem was the name of the city where Melchizedek was king. ‘Salem’ is from the Hebrew word Shalom, meaning ‘peace’ or ‘wholeness.’ Some think it may have been an older name for Jerusalem.
f Literally, ‘the.’ The word ‘our’ has been added for clarification.
g Traditionally, ‘patriarch.’ However, the common understanding of ‘male ruler of a family’ is not in view. ‘Patri’ is from the word for ‘father’ or ‘ancestor.’ ‘Arch’ is from the Greek word for ‘beginning’ or ‘leader.’ While that could imply authority, the primary meaning is that of ‘source’ or ‘original’ in this context. Even a ‘leader’ is the one who goes first for others to follow.
h Literally, ‘brothers’ or ‘siblings’ but this word is commonly used of other family relationships, such as cousins, or even more broadly as members of the same ethnic group.
i Or ‘pelvis.’ Traditionally, ‘loins.’ It refers to the lower abdomen, often a euphemism for male sexual organs.
j Or perhaps ‘without doubt.’ This word could also be ‘debate’ or ‘dispute.’ The Greek word here is the same translated as ‘opportunity for response’ in Hebrews 6:16. The phrase here could be rephrased as, “Everyone agrees…”
k Moses, Aaron, and Miriam were Levites.
l This is the same word used for ‘Reawakening’ or ‘Resurrection’ in other places.
m Or ‘partaken of’ or ‘participated in’
n Or ‘isn’t cut off’ or ‘unending’ or ‘isn’t canceled’ or ‘isn’t brought to an end’ or ‘isn’t brought down.’
o Quotation of Psalm 110:4
p Or ‘broken’ or ‘annuled’
q Quotation of Psalm 110:4
r Or ‘covenant’
s Traditionally, ‘holy’ (this is a different word than hagios, the more common word for ‘holy’) or ‘just’ or ‘upright.’
t Traditionally, ‘harmless’ (KJV) or ‘innocent’ (NASB, NET, ESV). The word literally means ‘not harmful.’
u Traditionally, ‘undefiled’ or ‘unstained.’