Hebrews 7
7This Melchizedek was king of Salem and a priest of the Most High God. As Abraham was coming back from the battle in which he defeated the four kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him,G1063G3778G3198G935G4532G2409G5310G2316G3588G4876G11G5290G575G2871G935G2532G2127G8462and Abraham gave him one tenth of all he had taken. (The first meaning of Melchizedek's name is "King of Righteousness"; and because he was king of Salem, his name also means "King of Peace.")G3739G2532G11G3307G1181G575G3956G4412G3303G2059G935G1343G1161G1899G2532G935G4532G3603G935G15153There is no record of Melchizedek's father or mother or of any of his ancestors; no record of his birth or of his death. He is like the Son of God; he remains a priest forever.G540G282G35G2192G3383G746G2250G3383G5056G2222G1161G871G5207G2316G3306G2409G1519G13364You see, then, how great he was. Abraham, our famous ancestor, gave him one tenth of all he got in the battle.G1161G2334G4080G3778G3739G2532G3966G11G1325G1181G1537G2055And those descendants of Levi who are priests are commanded by the Law to collect one tenth from the people of Israel, that is, from their own people, even though they are also descendants of Abraham.G2532G3303G1537G5207G3017G3588G2983G2405G2192G1785G586G2992G2596G3551G5123G846G80G2539G1831G1537G3751G116Melchizedek was not descended from Levi, but he collected one tenth from Abraham and blessed him, the man who received God's promises.G1161G1075G3361G1075G1537G846G1183G11G2532G2127G2192G18607There is no doubt that the one who blesses is greater than the one who is blessed.G1161G5565G3956G485G1640G2127G5259G29098In the case of the priests the tenth is collected by men who die; but as for Melchizedek the tenth was collected by one who lives, as the scripture says.G2532G5602G3303G444G599G2983G1181G1161G1563G3140G3754G21989And, so to speak, when Abraham paid the tenth, Levi (whose descendants collect the tenth) also paid it.G2532G5613G2031G2036G3017G2532G3588G2983G1181G1183G1223G1110For Levi had not yet been born, but was, so to speak, in the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him.G1063G2258G2089G1722G3751G3962G3753G3198G4876G84611It was on the basis of the levitical priesthood that the Law was given to the people of Israel. Now, if the work of the levitical priests had been perfect, there would have been no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek, not of Aaron.G1487G3303G3767G5050G2258G1223G3020G2420G1063G1909G846G2992G3549G5101G2089G5532G2087G2409G450G2596G5010G3198G2532G3756G3004G2596G5010G212For when the priesthood is changed, there also has to be a change in the law.G1063G2420G3346G1096G1537G318G3331G2532G355113And our Lord, of whom these things are said, belonged to a different tribe, and no member of his tribe ever served as a priest.G1063G1909G3739G5023G3004G3348G2087G5443G575G3739G3762G4337G237914It is well known that he was born a member of the tribe of Judah; and Moses did not mention this tribe when he spoke of priests.G1063G4271G3754G2257G2962G393G1537G2455G1519G3739G5443G3475G2980G3762G4012G242015The matter becomes even plainer; a different priest has appeared, who is like Melchizedek.G2532G2076G2089G4054G2612G1487G2596G3665G3198G450G2087G240916He was made a priest, not by human rules and regulations, but through the power of a life which has no end.G3739G1096G3756G2596G3551G4559G1785G235G2596G1411G179G222217For the scripture says, "You will be a priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek."G1063G3140G3754G4771G2409G1519G165G2596G5010G319818The old rule, then, is set aside, because it was weak and useless.G1063G1096G3303G115G1785G4254G1223G772G2532G512G84619For the Law of Moses could not make anything perfect. And now a better hope has been provided through which we come near to God.G1063G3551G5048G3762G5048G1161G1898G2909G1680G1223G3739G1448G231620In addition, there is also God's vow. There was no such vow when the others were made priests.G2532G2596G3745G3756G5565G372821But Jesus became a priest by means of a vow when God said to him, "The Lord has made a solemn promise and will not take it back: 'You will be a priest forever.' "G1063G2409G3303G1526G1096G5565G3728G1161G3326G3728G1223G3004G4314G846G2962G3660G2532G3338G3756G3338G4771G2409G1519G165G2596G5010G319822This difference, then, also makes Jesus the guarantee of a better covenant.G2596G5118G1096G2424G1096G1450G2909G124223There is another difference: there were many of those other priests, because they died and could not continue their work.G2532G1526G3303G1526G1096G4119G2409G2967G3887G1223G228824But Jesus lives on forever, and his work as priest does not pass on to someone else.G1161G1223G846G3306G1519G165G2192G531G242025And so he is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them.G3606G1410G2532G4982G1519G3838G4334G2316G1223G846G3842G2198G1519G1793G5228G84626Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinners and raised above the heavens.G1063G5108G749G4241G2254G3741G172G283G5563G575G268G2532G1096G5308G377227He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins first and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all, when he offered himself.G3739G2192G318G3756G2596G2250G5618G749G399G2378G4386G5228G2398G266G1899G2992G1063G5124G4160G2178G399G143828The Law of Moses appoints men who are imperfect to be high priests; but God's promise made with the vow, which came later than the Law, appoints the Son, who has been made perfect forever.G1063G3551G2525G444G749G2192G769G1161G3056G3728G3588G3326G3551G5207G5048G1519G165
Columbus, OH
