7FOR THIS Melchizedek, king of Salem [and] priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,G1063G3778G3198G935G4532G2409G5310G2316G3588G4876G11G5290G575G2871G935G2532G2127G8462And Abraham gave to him a tenth portion of all [the spoil]. He is primarily, as his name when translated indicates, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, which means king of peace.G3739G2532G11G3307G1181G575G3956G4412G3303G2059G935G1343G1161G1899G2532G935G4532G3603G935G15153Without [record of] father or mother or ancestral line, neither with beginning of days nor ending of life, but, resembling the Son of God, he continues to be a priest without interruption {and} without successor.G540G282G35G2192G3383G746G2250G3383G5056G2222G1161G871G5207G2316G3306G2409G1519G13364Now observe {and} consider how great [a personage] this was to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth [the topmost or the pick of the heap] of the spoils.G1161G2334G4080G3778G3739G2532G3966G11G1325G1181G1537G2055And it is true that those descendants of Levi who are charged with the priestly office are commanded in the Law to take tithes from the people--which means, from their brethren--though these have descended from Abraham.G2532G3303G1537G5207G3017G3588G2983G2405G2192G1785G586G2992G2596G3551G5123G846G80G2539G1831G1537G3751G116But this person who has not their Levitical ancestry received tithes from Abraham [himself] and blessed him who possessed the promises [of God].G1161G1075G3361G1075G1537G846G1183G11G2532G2127G2192G18607Yet it is beyond all contradiction that it is the lesser person who is blessed by the greater one.G1161G5565G3956G485G1640G2127G5259G29098Furthermore, here [in the Levitical priesthood] tithes are received by men who are subject to death; while there [in the case of Melchizedek], they are received by one of whom it is testified that he lives [perpetually].G2532G5602G3303G444G599G2983G1181G1161G1563G3140G3754G21989A person might even say that Levi [the father of the priestly tribe] himself, who received tithes (the tenth), paid tithes through Abraham,G2532G5613G2031G2036G3017G2532G3588G2983G1181G1183G1223G1110For he was still in the loins of his forefather [Abraham] when Melchizedek met him [Abraham].G1063G2258G2089G1722G3751G3962G3753G3198G4876G84611Now if perfection (a perfect fellowship between God and the worshiper) had been attainable by the Levitical priesthood--for under it the people were given the Law--why was it further necessary that there should arise another {and} different kind of Priest, one after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one appointed after the order {and} rank of Aaron?G1487G3303G3767G5050G2258G1223G3020G2420G1063G1909G846G2992G3549G5101G2089G5532G2087G2409G450G2596G5010G3198G2532G3756G3004G2596G5010G212For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is of necessity an alteration of the law [concerning the priesthood] as well.G1063G2420G3346G1096G1537G318G3331G2532G355113For the One of Whom these things are said belonged [not to the priestly line but] to another tribe, no member of which has officiated at the altar.G1063G1909G3739G5023G3004G3348G2087G5443G575G3739G3762G4337G237914For it is obvious that our Lord sprang from the tribe of Judah, and Moses mentioned nothing about priests in connection with that tribe.G1063G4271G3754G2257G2962G393G1537G2455G1519G3739G5443G3475G2980G3762G4012G242015And this becomes more plainly evident when another Priest arises Who bears the likeness of Melchizedek,G2532G2076G2089G4054G2612G1487G2596G3665G3198G450G2087G240916Who has been constituted a Priest, not on the basis of a bodily legal requirement [an externally imposed command concerning His physical ancestry], but on the basis of the power of an endless {and} indestructible Life.G3739G1096G3756G2596G3551G4559G1785G235G2596G1411G179G222217For it is witnessed of Him, You are a Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.G1063G3140G3754G4771G2409G1519G165G2596G5010G319818So a previous physical regulation {and} command is cancelled because of its weakness {and} ineffectiveness and uselessness--G1063G1096G3303G115G1785G4254G1223G772G2532G512G84619For the Law never made anything perfect--but instead a better hope is introduced through which we [now] come close to God.G1063G3551G5048G3762G5048G1161G1898G2909G1680G1223G3739G1448G231620And it was not without the taking of an oath [that Christ was made Priest],G2532G2596G3745G3756G5565G372821For those who formerly became priests received their office without its being confirmed by the taking of an oath by God, but this One was designated {and} addressed {and} saluted with an oath, The Lord has sworn and will not regret it {or} change His mind, You are a Priest forever {according to the order of Melchizedek.}G1063G2409G3303G1526G1096G5565G3728G1161G3326G3728G1223G3004G4314G846G2962G3660G2532G3338G3756G3338G4771G2409G1519G165G2596G5010G319822In keeping with [the oath's greater strength and force], Jesus has become the Guarantee of a better (stronger) agreement [a more excellent and more advantageous covenant].G2596G5118G1096G2424G1096G1450G2909G124223[Again, the former successive line of priests] was made up of many, because they were each prevented by death from continuing [perpetually in office];G2532G1526G3303G1526G1096G4119G2409G2967G3887G1223G228824But He holds His priesthood unchangeably, because He lives on forever.G1161G1223G846G3306G1519G165G2192G531G242025Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God {and} intercede with Him {and} intervene for them.G3606G1410G2532G4982G1519G3838G4334G2316G1223G846G3842G2198G1519G1793G5228G84626[Here is] the High Priest [perfectly adapted] to our needs, as was fitting--holy, blameless, unstained by sin, separated from sinners, and exalted higher than the heavens.G1063G5108G749G4241G2254G3741G172G283G5563G575G268G2532G1096G5308G377227He has no day by day necessity, as [do each of these other] high priests, to offer sacrifice first of all for his own [personal] sins and then for those of the people, because He [met all the requirements] once for all when He brought Himself [as a sacrifice] which He offered up.G3739G2192G318G3756G2596G2250G5618G749G399G2378G4386G5228G2398G266G1899G2992G1063G5124G4160G2178G399G143828For the Law sets up men in their weakness [frail, sinful, dying human beings] as high priests, but the word of [God's] oath, which [was spoken later] after the institution of the Law, [chooses and appoints as priest One Whose appointment is complete and permanent], a Son Who has been made perfect forever.G1063G3551G2525G444G749G2192G769G1161G3056G3728G3588G3326G3551G5207G5048G1519G165
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