Hebrews 7
7This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,G1063G3778G3198G935G4532G2409G5310G2316G3588G4876G11G5290G575G2871G935G2532G2127G8462and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace."G3739G2532G11G3307G1181G575G3956G4412G3303G2059G935G1343G1161G1899G2532G935G4532G3603G935G15153Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.G540G282G35G2192G3383G746G2250G3383G5056G2222G1161G871G5207G2316G3306G2409G1519G13364Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!G1161G2334G4080G3778G3739G2532G3966G11G1325G1181G1537G2055Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their kindred—even though their kindred are descended from Abraham.G2532G3303G1537G5207G3017G3588G2983G2405G2192G1785G586G2992G2596G3551G5123G846G80G2539G1831G1537G3751G116This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.G1161G1075G3361G1075G1537G846G1183G11G2532G2127G2192G18607And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater.G1161G5565G3956G485G1640G2127G5259G29098In the one case, the tenth is collected by those who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.G2532G5602G3303G444G599G2983G1181G1161G1563G3140G3754G21989One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,G2532G5613G2031G2036G3017G2532G3588G2983G1181G1183G1223G1110because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.G1063G2258G2089G1722G3751G3962G3753G3198G4876G84611If 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?G1487G3303G3767G5050G2258G1223G3020G2420G1063G1909G846G2992G3549G5101G2089G5532G2087G2409G450G2596G5010G3198G2532G3756G3004G2596G5010G212For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also.G1063G2420G3346G1096G1537G318G3331G2532G355113He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.G1063G1909G3739G5023G3004G3348G2087G5443G575G3739G3762G4337G237914For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.G1063G4271G3754G2257G2962G393G1537G2455G1519G3739G5443G3475G2980G3762G4012G242015And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears,G2532G2076G2089G4054G2612G1487G2596G3665G3198G450G2087G240916one 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.G3739G1096G3756G2596G3551G4559G1785G235G2596G1411G179G222217For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."G1063G3140G3754G4771G2409G1519G165G2596G5010G319818The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and uselessG1063G1096G3303G115G1785G4254G1223G772G2532G512G84619(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.G1063G3551G5048G3762G5048G1161G1898G2909G1680G1223G3739G1448G231620And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath,G2532G2596G3745G3756G5565G372821but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.' "G1063G2409G3303G1526G1096G5565G3728G1161G3326G3728G1223G3004G4314G846G2962G3660G2532G3338G3756G3338G4771G2409G1519G165G2596G5010G319822Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.G2596G5118G1096G2424G1096G1450G2909G124223Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;G2532G1526G3303G1526G1096G4119G2409G2967G3887G1223G228824but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.G1161G1223G846G3306G1519G165G2192G531G242025Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.G3606G1410G2532G4982G1519G3838G4334G2316G1223G846G3842G2198G1519G1793G5228G84626Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.G1063G5108G749G4241G2254G3741G172G283G5563G575G268G2532G1096G5308G377227Unlike 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.G3739G2192G318G3756G2596G2250G5618G749G399G2378G4386G5228G2398G266G1899G2992G1063G5124G4160G2178G399G143828For 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.G1063G3551G2525G444G749G2192G769G1161G3056G3728G3588G3326G3551G5207G5048G1519G165
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