Hebrews 7
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Hebrews 7
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| For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, | For this Melchizedek, the king of Salem, a priest of the Most High God, who gave Abraham his blessing, meeting him when he came back after putting the kings to death, |
| to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is King of peace; | And to whom Abraham gave a tenth part of everything which he had, being first named King of righteousness, and then in addition, King of Salem, that is to say, King of peace; |
| without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God), abideth a priest continually. | Being without father or mother, or family, having no birth or end to his life, being made like the Son of God, is a priest for ever. |
| Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils. | Now see how great this man was, to whom our father Abraham gave a tenth part of what he had got in the fight. |
| And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest's office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham: | And it is true that by the law, those of the sons of Levi who have the position of priests may take a tenth part of the people's goods; that is to say, they take it from their brothers though these are the sons of Abraham. |
| but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises. | But this man, who was not of their family, took the tenth from Abraham, and gave a blessing to him to whom God had given his undertaking. |
| But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better. | But there is no doubt that the less gets his blessing from the greater. |
| And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. | Now at the present time, men over whom death has power take the tenth; but then it was taken by one of whom it is witnessed that he is living. |
| And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receiveth tithes, hath paid tithes; | And we may say that in Abraham, even Levi, who has a right to take the tenth part, gave it; |
| for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him. | Because he was still in his father's body when Melchizedek came to him. |
| Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need [was there] that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron? | Now if it was possible for things to be made complete through the priests of the house of Levi (for the law was given to the people in connection with them), what need was there for another priest who was of the order of Melchizedek and not of the order of Aaron? |
| For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. | Because if the priests are changed, it is necessary to make a change in the law. |
| For he of whom these things are said belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar. | For he of whom these things are said comes of another tribe, of which no man has ever made offerings at the altar. |
| For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests. | Because it is clear that our Lord comes out of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests from that tribe. |
| And [what we say] is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest, | And this is even more clear if a second priest has come up who is like Melchizedek, |
| who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life: | That is to say, not made by a law based on the flesh, but by the power of a life without end: |
| for it is witnessed [of him,] Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. | For it has been witnessed of him, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. |
| For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness | So the law which went before is put on one side, because it was feeble and without profit. |
| (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God. | (Because the law made nothing complete), and in its place there is a better hope, through which we come near to God. |
| And inasmuch as [it is] not without the taking of an oath | And as this is not without the taking of an oath |
| (for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath by him that saith of him, The Lord sware and will not repent himself, Thou art a priest for ever); | (For those were made priests without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by him who says of him, The Lord gave his oath, which he will not take back, that you are a priest for ever); |
| by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. | By so much is it a better agreement which we have through Jesus. |
| And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing: | And it is true that there have been a great number of those priests, because death does not let them go on for ever; |
| but he, because he abideth for ever, hath his priesthood unchangeable. | But this priest, because his life goes on for ever, is unchanging. |
| Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. | So that he is fully able to be the saviour of all who come to God through him, because he is ever living to make prayer to God for them. |
| For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; | It was right for us to have such a high priest, one who is holy and without evil, doing no wrong, having no part with sinners, and made higher than the heavens: |
| who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the [sins] of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself. | Who has no need to make offerings for sins every day, like those high priests, first for himself, and then for the people; because he did this once and for ever when he made an offering of himself. |
| For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, [appointeth] a Son, perfected for evermore. | The law makes high priests of men who are feeble; but the word of the oath, which was made after the law, gives that position to a Son, in whom all good is for ever complete. |
