Hebrews 7 - Evangelical Heritage Version - 2021（EHV）

A Priest Forever

1This Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, is the one who met Abraham as he was returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, that he lives.

9And, through Abraham, even Levi, who collects the tenth, has paid a tenth, so to speak,

10because he was still in the body of his forefather when Melchizedek met Abraham.

11So if everything could have been brought to its goal through the Levitical priesthood (for the people received the law on the basis of that priesthood), what further need was there for another priest to arise who was like Melchizedek, yet not said to be like Aaron?

12For when the priesthood is changed, by necessity a change in the law also happens.

13Yet these things are said about the one who belonged to another tribe, from which no one had served at the altar.

14It is certainly clear that our Lord is descended from Judah. Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe.

15And this becomes even clearer if another priest arises like Melchizedek,

16who became a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement about physical descent, but on the basis of the power of an endless life.

17For it has been testified in Scripture about him:

You are a priest forever, like Melchizedek.

18To be sure, the former requirement is annulled, because it was weak and useless—

19for the law did not bring anything to its goal—but now a better hope is introduced, by which we approach God.

20And something like this did not happen without an oath. Indeed, others who became priests did so without an oath,

21but this one became a priest with an oath, through the one who said to him:

The Lord has sworn an oath

and will not change his mind:

“You are a priest forever.”

22In this way, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

23There were many who became priests because death prevented any of them from continuing to remain in office.

24But because this one endures forever, he has a permanent priesthood.

25So for this reason he is able to save forever those who come to God through him, because he always lives to plead on their behalf.

Jesus Is the High Priest We Need

26This is certainly the kind of high priest we needed: one who is holy, innocent, pure, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

27Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices on a daily basis, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. In fact, he sacrificed for sins once and for all when he offered himself.

28For the law appoints as high priests men who have weaknesses. But the word of the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been brought to his goal forever.