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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 NIV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../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="../topmenuchap/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="../">NIV</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 class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New International Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/niv/esv/hebrews/7.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="sectionhead">Melchizedek the Priest</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.</p> <p class="sectionhead">Jesus Like Melchizedek</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>For it is declared:</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line1">“You are a priest forever,</p><p class="line2">in the order of Melchizedek.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Psalm 110:4">a</a></sup></span> </p></div> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/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.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line1">“The Lord has sworn</p><p class="line2">and will not change his mind:</p><p class="line2">‘You are a priest forever.’ ” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Psalm 110:4">b</a></sup></span> </p></div> <p class="pcontinued"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Therefore he is able to save completely <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or forever">c</a></sup></span> those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrews/7-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="footnotes"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">17</span> <span class="footnotebot">Psalm 110:4</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">b</span> <span class="fnverse">21</span> <span class="footnotebot">Psalm 110:4</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">c</span> <span class="fnverse">25</span> <span class="footnotebot">Or <i>forever</i></span><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><p class="ntext"><a href="http://niv.scripturetext.com/version.htm">New International Version</a> (NIV)</p><p class="ntext2">Holy Bible, New International Version&reg, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by <a href="http://biblica.com">Biblica, Inc.</a>® Used by permission. 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