{"book":"Hebrews","slug":"hebrews","ch":7,"genre":"letter","sub":"Hebrews","prev":"hebrews/6","next":"hebrews/8","verses":[{"v":1,"t":"This Melchizedek [was] king of Salem [and] priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,","f":["Genesis 14:18"],"h":"Melchizedek and Abraham","style":"reg"},{"v":2,"t":"and Abraham apportioned to [him] a tenth of everything. First, [his name] means “ king of righteousness.” Then also,“ king of Salem ” means “ king of peace.”","f":[]},{"v":3,"t":"Without father [or] mother [or] genealogy, without beginning of days [or] end of life, like the Son of God, he remains a priest for all time.","f":[]},{"v":4,"t":"Consider how great [Melchizedek was]: Even the patriarch Abraham gave [him] a tenth of the plunder.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":5,"t":"Now the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people — that is, from their brothers — though they [too] are descended from Abraham.","f":[]},{"v":6,"t":"But [Melchizedek], who did not trace his descent from [Levi], collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.","f":[]},{"v":7,"t":"And indisputably, the lesser is blessed by the greater.","f":[]},{"v":8,"t":"In the case [of the Levites], mortal men collect the tenth; but in the case [of Melchizedek], it is affirmed that he lives on.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":9,"t":"And so to speak, Levi, who collects [the] tenth, paid [the] tenth through Abraham.","f":[]},{"v":10,"t":"For when Melchizedek met Abraham, [Levi] was still in the loin of [his] ancestor.","f":[]},{"v":11,"t":"Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood ( for on this basis the people received [the] law ), why [was there] still need [for] another priest to appear — [one] in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron?","f":[],"h":"A Superior Priesthood","style":"reg"},{"v":12,"t":"For [when] the priesthood is changed, [the] law must be changed as well.","f":[]},{"v":13,"t":"[He] of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":14,"t":"For [it is] clear that our Lord descended from Judah, a tribe as to which Moses said nothing about priests.","f":[]},{"v":15,"t":"And [ this point ] is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears,","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":16,"t":"one who has become [a priest] not by a law of succession, but by [the] power of an indestructible life.","f":[]},{"v":17,"t":"For it is testified:“ You [are] a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”","f":["Psalm 110:4"],"lines":[{"style":"","t":"For it is testified:"},{"style":"indent1stline","t":"“ You [are] a priest forever"},{"style":"indent2","t":"in the order of Melchizedek.”"}],"style":"indent1stline"},{"v":18,"t":"So the former commandment is set aside because it [was] weak and useless","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":19,"t":"( for the law made nothing perfect ), and a better hope [is] introduced, by which we draw near to God.","f":[]},{"v":20,"t":"And none of this [happened] without an oath. For [others] became priests without an oath,","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":21,"t":"but [Jesus became 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.’”","f":["Psalm 110:4"],"lines":[{"style":"","t":"but [Jesus became a priest] with an oath by the [One who] said to Him:"},{"style":"indent1stline","t":"“ [The] Lord has sworn and will not change His mind:"},{"style":"indent2","t":"‘ You [are] a priest forever.’”"}],"style":"indent1stline"},{"v":22,"t":"Because of this [oath], Jesus has become [the] guarantee of a better covenant.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":23,"t":"Now there have been many [other] priests, since death prevented them from continuing [in office].","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":24,"t":"But because [Jesus] lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood.","f":[]},{"v":25,"t":"Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, [since He] always lives to intercede for them.","f":["Or forever"]},{"v":26,"t":"Such a high priest truly befits us — [One who is] holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":27,"t":"[Unlike] the [other] high priests, [He] does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for [His] own sins and then for [the sins] of the people; He [sacrificed for sin] once for all when He offered up Himself.","f":[]},{"v":28,"t":"For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which [came] after the law, [appointed] [the] Son, who has been made perfect forever.","f":[]}]}