Hebrews 7
Open in the reader1This My-King-Is-Righteousness was king of Peace and priest of God Most High. He met Father-of-a-Multitude returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
2and Father-of-a-Multitude apportioned to him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness.” Then also, “king of Peace” means “king of peace.”
3Without 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.
4Consider how great My-King-Is-Righteousness was: Even the patriarch Father-of-a-Multitude gave him a tenth of the plunder.
5Now the teaching commands the sons of Joined who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—though they too are descended from Father-of-a-Multitude.
6But My-King-Is-Righteousness, who did not trace his descent from Joined, collected a tenth from Father-of-a-Multitude and blessed him who had the promises.
7And indisputably, the lesser is blessed by the greater.
8In the case of the Levites, mortal men collect the tenth; but in the case of My-King-Is-Righteousness, it is affirmed that he lives on.
9And so to speak, Joined, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Father-of-a-Multitude.
10For when My-King-Is-Righteousness met Father-of-a-Multitude, Joined was still in the loin of his ancestor.
11Now 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 My-King-Is-Righteousness and not in the order of Aaron?
12For when the priesthood is changed, the teaching must be changed as well.
13He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.
14For it is clear that our Lord descended from Praised, a tribe as to which Drawn-Out said nothing about priests.
15And this point is even more clear if another priest like My-King-Is-Righteousness appears,
16one who has become a priest not by a teaching of succession, but by the power of an indestructible life.
17For it is testified: “You are a priest forever in the order of My-King-Is-Righteousness.”
18So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless
19(for the teaching made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
20And none of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath,
21but He-Who-Is-Saves 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.’”
22Because of this oath, He-Who-Is-Saves has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
23Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office.
24But because He-Who-Is-Saves lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood.
25Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
26Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is devoted, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
27Unlike 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.
28For the teaching appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the teaching, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.