Hebrews, 7

1. Melchizedek, king of Salem, a priest of God Most High, came to meet Abraham when he returned from defeating the kings, and blessed him;

1. For this Melchiz'edek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him;

2. and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. By the interpretation of his name, he is, first, 'king of saving justice' and also king of Salem, that is, 'king of peace';

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.

3. he has no father, mother or ancestry, and his life has no beginning or ending; he is like the Son of God. He remains a priest for ever.

3. He is without father or mother or genealogy, and has neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest for ever.

4. Now think how great this man must have been, if the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the finest plunder.

4. See how great he is! Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of the spoils.

5. We know that any of the descendants of Levi who are admitted to the priesthood are obliged by the Law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their own brothers although they too are descended from Abraham.

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 brethren, though these also are descended from Abraham.

6. But this man, who was not of the same descent, took his tithe from Abraham, and he gave his blessing to the holder of the promises.

6. But this man who has not their genealogy received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

7. Now it is indisputable that a blessing is given by a superior to an inferior.

7. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.

8. Further, in the normal case it is ordinary mortal men who receive the tithes, whereas in that case it was one who is attested as being alive.

8. Here tithes are received by mortal men; there, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.

9. It could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, actually paid tithes, in the person of Abraham,

9. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,

10. because he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek came to meet him.

10. for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchiz'edek met him.

11. Now if perfection had been reached through the levitical priesthood -- and this was the basis of the Law given to the people -- why was it necessary for a different kind of priest to arise, spoken of as being of the order of Melchizedek rather than of the order of Aaron?

11. Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levit'ical 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 Melchiz'edek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?

12. Any change in the priesthood must mean a change in the Law as well.

12. For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.

13. So our Lord, of whom these things were said, belonged to a different tribe, the members of which have never done service at the altar;

13. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.

14. everyone knows he came from Judah, a tribe which Moses did not mention at all when dealing with priests.

14. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

15. This becomes even more clearly evident if another priest, of the type of Melchizedek, arises who is a priest

15. This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchiz'edek,

16. not in virtue of a law of physical descent, but in virtue of the power of an indestructible life.

16. who has become a priest, not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life.

17. For he is attested by the prophecy: You are a priest for ever of the order of Melchizedek.

17. For it is witnessed of him, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchiz'edek."

18. The earlier commandment is thus abolished, because of its weakness and ineffectiveness

18. On the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness

19. since the Law could not make anything perfect; but now this commandment is replaced by something better-the hope that brings us close to God.

19. (for the law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

20. Now the former priests became priests without any oath being sworn,

20. And it was not without an oath.

21. but this one with the swearing of an oath by him who said to him, The Lord has sworn an oath he will never retract: you are a priest for ever;

21. Those who formerly became priests took their office without an oath, but this one was addressed with an oath, "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, `Thou art a priest for ever.'"

22. the very fact that it occurred with the swearing of an oath makes the covenant of which Jesus is the guarantee all the greater.

22. This makes Jesus the surety of a better covenant.

23. Further, the former priests were many in number, because death put an end to each one of them;

23. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office;

24. but this one, because he remains for ever, has a perpetual priesthood.

24. but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever.

25. It follows, then, that his power to save those who come to God through him is absolute, since he lives for ever to intercede for them.

25. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

26. Such is the high priest that met our need, holy, innocent and uncontaminated, set apart from sinners, and raised up above the heavens;

26. For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

27. he has no need to offer sacrifices every day, as the high priests do, first for their own sins and only then for those of the people; this he did once and for all by offering himself.

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; he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

28. The Law appoints high priests who are men subject to weakness; but the promise on oath, which came after the Law, appointed the Son who is made perfect for ever.

28. Indeed, 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 for ever.