Hebrews 7:3-21
New American Standard Bible
4Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils.
5And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their countrymen, although they are descended from Abraham.
6But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.
7But without any dispute the lesser person is blessed by the greater.
8In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on.
9And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, has paid tithes,
10for he was still in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met him.
11So if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?
12For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.
13For the one about whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.
14For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses said nothing concerning priests.
15And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,
16who has become a priest not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.
18For, on the one hand, there is the nullification of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness
19(for the Law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, there is the introduction of a better hope, through which we come near to God.
20And to the extent that it was not without an oath
King James Version
4Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
5And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
8And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
12For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
13For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
16Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
19For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
20And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
21For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
Christian Standard Bible
4Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him.
5The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people —that is, from their brothers and sisters—though they have also descended from Abraham.
6But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.
7Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior.
8In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives.
9And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham,
10for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
11Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law ), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron?
12For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well.
13For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar.
14Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.
15And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears,
16who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life.
New Living Translation
4Consider then how great this Melchizedek was. Even Abraham, the great patriarch of Israel, recognized this by giving him a tenth of what he had taken in battle.
5Now the law of Moses required that the priests, who are descendants of Levi, must collect a tithe from the rest of the people of Israel, who are also descendants of Abraham.
6But Melchizedek, who was not a descendant of Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham. And Melchizedek placed a blessing upon Abraham, the one who had already received the promises of God.
7And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed.
8The priests who collect tithes are men who die, so Melchizedek is greater than they are, because we are told that he lives on.
9In addition, we might even say that these Levites — the ones who collect the tithe — paid a tithe to Melchizedek when their ancestor Abraham paid a tithe to him.
10For although Levi wasn’t born yet, the seed from which he came was in Abraham’s body when Melchizedek collected the tithe from him.
12And if the priesthood is changed, the law must also be changed to permit it.
13For the priest we are talking about belongs to a different tribe, whose members have never served at the altar as priests.
14What I mean is, our Lord came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never mentioned priests coming from that tribe.
15This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared.
16Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed.
English Standard Version
4See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!
5And 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.
6But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
7It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.
8In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.
9One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,
10for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
11Now 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?
12For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.
13For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.
14For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
15This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,
16who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.
17For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."
New International Version
4Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!
5Now 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.
6This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
7And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater.
8In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.
9One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,
10because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
11If 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?
12For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also.
13He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.
14For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
15And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears,
16one 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.
New King James Version
4Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.
5And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham;
6but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
7Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better.
8Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.
9Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak,
10for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
11Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?
12For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.
13For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.
14For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
15And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest
16who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.
