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1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
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This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.
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and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”
3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.
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Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
4 See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!
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Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!
5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham.
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Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham.
6 But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
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This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.
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And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater.
8 In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.
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In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.
9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,
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One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,
10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
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because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?
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If 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?
12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.
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For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also.
13 For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.
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He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
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For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
15 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,
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And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears,
16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.
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one 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.
17 For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."
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For it is declared: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness
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The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless
19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
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(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
20 And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath,
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And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath,
21 but this one was made 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.'"
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but 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.’ ”
22 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.
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Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.
23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,
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Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;
24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.
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but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.
25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermostthose who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
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Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
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Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
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Unlike 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.
28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
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For 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.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.