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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Hebrews 7</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/bsb/spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/hebrews/7.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc//hebrews/7-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/hebrews/">Hebrews</a> > Hebrews 7</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../hebrews/6.htm" title="Hebrews 6">◄</a> Hebrews 7 <a href="../hebrews/8.htm" title="Hebrews 8">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div align="center" id="jump2"><a href="/niv/hebrews/7.htm">NIV</a> • <a href="/nlt/hebrews/7.htm">NLT</a> • <a href="/esv/hebrews/7.htm">ESV</a> • <a href="/kjv/hebrews/7.htm">KJV</a> • <a href="/nkjv/hebrews/7.htm">NKJ</a> • <a href="/nasb/hebrews/7.htm">NAS</a></div><br /><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="1%" valign="top">BSB</td><td width="99%" valign="top" align="right"><a href="/parallel/hebrews/7.htm" style="font-weight:normal" title="Parallel Chapters">Parallel Chapters ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">Melchizedek and Abraham<br /><span class="cross">(<a href ="../genesis/14.htm#17">Genesis 14:17–24</a>)</span><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">a</a></span> He met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, <A name="3"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>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.” <A name="4"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>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. <A name="5"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Consider how great Melchizedek was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder. <A name="6"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>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. <A name="7"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>But Melchizedek, who did not trace his descent from Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. <A name="8"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>And indisputably, the lesser is blessed by the greater. <A name="9"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>In the case of the Levites, mortal men collect the tenth; but in the case of Melchizedek, it is affirmed that he lives on. <A name="10"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>And so to speak, Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham. <A name="11"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>For when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the loin of his ancestor. <A name="12"></a><p class="hdg">A Superior Priesthood<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>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? <A name="13"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed as well. <A name="14"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. <A name="15"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, a tribe as to which Moses said nothing about priests. <A name="16"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>And this point is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, <A name="17"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>one who has become a priest not by a law of succession, but by the power of an indestructible life. <A name="18"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>For it is testified: <p class="indent1stline">“You are a priest forever <p class="indent2"> in the order of Melchizedek.”<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">b</a></span> <A name="19"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless <A name="20"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. <A name="21"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>And none of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, <A name="22"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>but Jesus became a priest with an oath by the One who said to Him: <p class="indent1stline">“The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: <p class="indent2">‘You are a priest forever.’<span class="thinq"> </span>”<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">c</a></span> <A name="23"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. <A name="24"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office. <A name="25"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. <A name="26"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Therefore He is able to save completely<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">d</a></span> those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. <A name="27"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. <A name="28"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>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. <span class="reftext"><a href="/hebrews/7-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>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.</p><A name="fn"></a><div id="fnlink"><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br><br><span class="fnverse">1</span> <span class="footnotesbot">a</span> <a href="../genesis/14.htm#18">Genesis 14:18</a><br><span class="fnverse">17</span> <span class="footnotesbot">b</span> <a href="../psalms/110.htm#4">Psalm 110:4</a><br><span class="fnverse">21</span> <span class="footnotesbot">c</span> <a href="../psalms/110.htm#4">Psalm 110:4</a><br><span class="fnverse">25</span> <span class="footnotesbot">d</span> Or <i>forever</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><br /></div><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Berean Bible (<a href=http://berean.bible>www.Berean.Bible</a>) <a href=http://bereanbible.com>Berean Study Bible (BSB)</a> © 2016, 2020 by <a href=http://biblehub.com>Bible Hub</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible>Berean.Bible</a>. 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