Hebrews 7

Hebrews · Chapter 7

Hebrews 7:11

1For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;2To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;3Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.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.11If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?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:21(For 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:)22By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.23And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:24But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;27Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.28For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
11If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear—one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron?Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron?

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Hebrews 7:11-22A better priesthood

About Hebrews 7Melchisedec, "king of Salem, priest of the most high God," met and blessed Abraham, and Abraham "gave a tenth part of all," showing "how great this man was." Since "the law made nothing perfect," God raised up a priest from Juda "after the order of Melchisedec," made by an oath, so Jesus is "a surety of a better testament" with "an unchangeable priesthood." "He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them," and unlike the high priests he offered for sins once, "when he offered up himself." Hebrews 7:1Hebrews 7:2Hebrews 7:4Hebrews 7:14Hebrews 7:17Hebrews 7:19Hebrews 7:21Hebrews 7:22Hebrews 7:24Hebrews 7:25Hebrews 7:27

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
IfΕἰEiG1487G
if

εἰ (ei) εἰ, conjunctive particle, used in conditions and in indirect questions. I. Conditional, if; 1. with indic, expressing a general assumption; (a) pres.: before indic, pres., Mat.11:14, Rom.8:25, al.; before imperat., Mrk.4:23 9:22, Jhn.15:18, 1Co.7:9, al.; before fut. indic., Luk.16:31, Rom.8:11, al.; before pf. or aor., with negation in apodosis, Mat.12:26, Rom.4:14, al.; similarly, before impf., Luk.17:6, Jhn.8:39; before quæst., Mat.6:23, Jhn.5:47 7:23 8:46, 1Pe.2:20; (b) fut.: Mat.26:33, 1Pe.2:20; (with) pf.: Jhn.11:12, Rom.6:5, al.; …

indeedμὲνmenG3303
on the other hand

μέν (men) μέν, conjunctive particle (originally a form of μήν), usually related to a following δέ or other adversative conjunction, and distinguishing the word or clause with which it stands from that which follows. It is generally untranslatable and is not nearly so frequent in NT as in cl. Like δέ, it never stands first in a clause. …

thenοὖνounG3767
therefore/then

οὖν (oun) οὖν, particle expressing consequence or simple sequence (never standing first in a sentence), wherefore, therefore, then: Mat.3:10, Luk.3:9, Jhn.8:38, Act.1:21, Rom.5:9, al.; in exhortations, Mat.3:8, Luk.11:35, Act.3:19, Rom.6:12, al.; in questions, Mat.13:28, Mrk.15:12, Jhn.8:[5], Rom.6:1, al.; continuing a narrative or resuming it after a digression, Mat.1:17, Luk.3:18, Jhn.1:22 2:18 (and very frequently in this Gospel), Act.26:22, al.; ἄρα οὖν (see: ἄρα); ἐπεὶ οὖν, Heb.2:14; οὖν with ptcp. (= ἐπεὶ οὖν), Act.2:30, Rom.5:1, al.; ἐὰν οὖν (where οὖν rather in sense belongs to the apodosis), …

perfectionτελείωσιςteleiōsisG5050
perfection

τελείωσις (teleiōsis) τελείωσις, -εως, ἡ (τελειόω), [in LXX chiefly for מִלֻּא, Exo.29:22, al. ;] fulfilment, completion, perfection: Luk.1:45, Heb.7:11.† (AS)

throughδιὰdiaG1223
through/because of

διά (dia) διά (before a vowel δ᾽, exc. Rom.8:10, 2Co.5:7, and in (Proper name)s; Tdf., Pr., 94), prep. with genitive, accusative, as in cl.; 1. with genitive, through; (i) of Place, after verbs of motion or action: Mat.2:12 12:43, Mrk.2:23, Luk.4:30, Jhn.4:4, 2Co.11:33, al.; σώζεσθαι (διας-) δ. πυρός, ὕδατος, 1Co.3:15, 1Pe.3:20; βλέπειν δ. ἐσόπτρου, 1Co.13:12; metaphorically, of a state or condition: Rom.14:20, 2Co.2:4 5:7, 10; δ. γράμματος, ἀκροβυστίας (Lft., Notes, 263, 279), Rom.2:27 4:11; δι ̓ὑπομενῆς, Rom.8:25. (ii) Of Time; …

LeviticalΛευιτικῆςLeuitikēsG3020
Levitical

Λευϊτικός (Leuitikos) Λευειτικός (Rec. Λευϊτ-), -ή, -όν [in LXX: Le, tit.* ;] Levitical: Heb.7:11.† (AS)

priesthoodἱερωσύνηςhi'erōsunēsG2420
priesthood

ἱερωσύνη (hierōsunē) ἱερωσύνη, -ης, ἡ (ἱερός), [in LXX: 1Ch.29:22 (כָּהַן), I Est.5:38, Sir.45:24, 1Ma.2:54 1Mac 3:49 1Mac 7:9 1Mac 7:21, 4Ma.5:35 4Mac 7:6 * ;] priesthood: Heb.7:11-12, 24.† (AS)

were —ἦν,ēnG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

peopleλαὸςlaosG2992
a people

λαός (laos) λαός, -οῦ, ὁ, [in LXX very frequently for עַם, Gen.14:16, al.; occasionally for לְאֹם ( Gen.25:23, al.), etc. ;] a word rarely found in Att. prose; 1. the people at large (Hom., al.), esp. of people assembled: Mat.27:25, Luk.1:21 3:15 al.; pl. (Hom., al., π.; see MM, xvi), Act.4:27. …

forγὰρgarG1063
for

γάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. …

uponἐπ᾽ep᾽G1909
upon/to/against

ἐπί (epi) ἐπί (before a smooth breathing ἐπ᾽, before a rough breathing ἐφ᾽), prep. with genitive, dative, accusative (accusative most frequently in NT), with primary sense of superposition, on, upon. I. C. genitive, 1. of place, answering the question, where? …

itαὐτῆςautēsG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

has received [the] Law —νενομοθέτηται,nenomothetētaiG3549
to give laws

νομοθετέω (nomotheteō) νομοθετέω, -ῶ [in LXX for יָרָה hi. ;] 1. intrans., to make laws; pass., to be furnished with laws: Heb.7:11. 2. Trans., to ordain by law, enact: pass., Heb.8:6.† (AS)

whatτίςtisG5101
which?

τίς (tis) τίς, neut., τί, genitive, τίνος, interrog. pron., [in LXX for מָה ,מִי ;] in masc. and fem., who, which, what?; in neut., which, what?, used both in direct and in indirect questions. I. I. As subst., 1. 1. masc., fem.: τίς; who, what?, Mat.3:7 26:68; Mrk.11:28, Luk.9:9, al. mult.; with genitive partit., Act.7:52, Heb.1:5, al; before ἐκ (= genitive partit.), Mat.6:27, Luk.14:28, Jhn.8:46; = ποῖος, Mrk.4:41 6:2, Luk.19:3, Act.17:19, al.; = πότερος (M, Pr., 77), Mat.21:31 27:17, Luk.22:27, al.; = ὅς or ὅστις (rare in cl.; cf. Bl., §50, 5; M, Pr., 93), Act.13:25. …

stillἔτιetiG2089
still

ἔτι (eti) ἔτι adv., yet, as yet, still; 1. of time; (a) of the present (adhuc): Mrk.5:35, 1Co.3:3 15:17, Gal.1:10, al.; (b) of the past, mostly with impf.: Mat.12:46, Luk.8:49 15:20, Jhn.20:1, Act.9:1, Rom.5:6, 8, 2Th.2:5, Heb.7:10 9:8, al.; (with) of the future: Luk.1:15, 2Co.1:10; (d) with a neg.: Mat.5:13, Luk.16:2 20:36, Heb.10:2, Rev.3:12 20:3, al. …

need [was there]χρείαchreiaG5532
need

χρεία (chreia) χρεία, -ας, ἡ [in LXX: 2Ch.2:16 (15) (צֹרֶךְ), Est.7:20 (חַשְׁחוּת) frequently in Sir.1:1-30 -2 Mac ;] 1. need, necessity: Act.28:10, Tit.3:14; πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς χ. (RV, txt., for edifying as the need may be; but see Field, Notes, 192), Eph.4:29; ἕστι χ., Luk.10:42, Heb.7:11; χ. ἔχειν, with genitive, Mat.6:8 21:3, Mrk.11:3, Luk.9:11 15:7 19:31, 34 22:71, Jhn.13:29, 1Co.12:21 12:24, 1Th.4:12, Heb.10:36, Rev.21:23 22:5; before τοῦ, with inf. (Bl., § 71, 3), Heb.5:12; absol. (sc. genitive), Act.2:45 4:35; with genitive of person(s), Mat.9:12 26:65, Mrk.2:17 14:63, Luk.5:31; with inf. (Bl., § 6 …

according toκατὰkataG2596
according to

κατά (kata) κατά (bef. a vowel κατ᾽, καθ᾽; on the frequently neglect of elision, see Tdf., Pr., 95; WH, App., 146a), prep. with genitive, accusative, down, downwards. I. C. genitive (WM, §47, k; Bl., §42, 2). 1. C. genitive of thing(s), in local sense; (a) down, down from: Mat.8:32, Mrk.5:13, Luk.8:33, 1Co.11:4; (b) throughout (late usage; Bl, l.with): κ. ὅλης κ.τ.λ., Luk.4:14 23:5, Act.9:31 10:37; (with) in a peculiar adjectival phrase: ἡ κ. βάθους, deep or extreme poverty, 2Co.8:2. 2. C. genitive of person(s), usually in hostile sense; …

orderτάξινtaxinG5010
order

τάξις (taxis) τάξις, -εως, ἡ (τάσσω), [in LXX: Job.38:12 (מָקוֹם), Psa.110:4 (דִּבְרָה), 2Ma.9:18, al. ;] 1. an arranging, hence, in military sense, disposition of an army, battle array (Thuc., al.). 2. arrangement, order (Plat., al): Luk.1:8. 3. due order: Col.2:5 (ICC, in l); κατὰ τάξιν, 1Co.14:40. 4. office, order (for exx., see MM, xxiv): Heb.5:6 (LXX), Heb.5:6 6:20 7:11, 17" (LXX) .† (AS)

of MelchizedekΜελχισέδεκMelchisedekG3198
Melchizedek

Μελχισεδέκ (Melchisedek) Μελχισεδέκ indecl., ὁ (Heb. מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק), Melchizedek: Heb.5:6, 10 6:20 7:1, 10-11 7:15, 17.† (AS)

[for] anotherἕτερονheteronG2087
other

ἕτερος (heteros) ἕτερος, -α, -ον, [in LXX chiefly for אַחֵר ;] distributive pron., prop. dual (BL, §13, 5; 51, 6), denoting the second of a pair, but in late Gk. encroaching on ἄλλος (M, Pr., 79f.); 1. of number, other; with art., the other; (a) of two, Luk.5:7 9:56, al.; opposite to ὁ πρῶτος, Mat.21:30; ὁ εἷς, Mat.6:24, Luk.7:41, Act.23:6, al.; ἕ. μὲν . . . ἕ. δέ, the one . . . the other: 1Co.15:40; the next: Luk.6:6 9:56 (sc. ἡμέρα, Xen.), Act.20:15 27:3; = ὁ πλησίον, one's neighbour: Rom.2:1 13:8, 1Co.6:1, al.; …

to ariseἀνίστασθαιanistasthaiG0450
to arise

ἀνίστημι (anistēmi) ἀνίστημι (ἀνά, ἵστημι), [in LXX chiefly for קוּם ;] 1. causal, in fut. and 1 aor. act., with accusative, to raise up: Act.9:41; from death, Jhn.6:39, Act.2:32; to raise up, cause to be born or appear: Mat.22:24, Act.3:22, 26. 2. Intrans., in mid. and 2 aor act.; (a) to rise: from lying, Mrk.1:35; from sitting, Luk.4:16; to leave a place, Mat.9:9; pleonastically, as Heb. קוּם, before verbs of going, Mrk.10:1, al. (see Dalman, Words, 23; M, Pr., 14); of the dead, Mat.17:23, Mrk.8:31; before ἐκ νεκρῶν, Mat.17:9, Mrk.9:9; …

priestἱερέαhi'ereaG2409
priest

ἱερεύς (hiereus) ἱερεύς, -έως, ὁ (ἱερός), [in LXX for כָּהֵן ;] a priest: ἱ. τ. Διός, Act.14:13; of Jewish priests, Mat.8:4 12:4-5, Mrk.1:44 2:26, Luk.1:5 5:14, Jhn.1:19, Heb.8:4, al.; of Christ, Heb.5:6 (LXX) Heb.10:21; of Christians, Rev.1:6 5:10 20:6 (Cremer, 293; on the accusative pl., ἱερεῖς, see Thack., Gr., 147 f.; Bl., § 8, 2) (AS)

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

notοὐouG3756
no

οὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. …

according toκατὰkataG2596
according to

κατά (kata) κατά (bef. a vowel κατ᾽, καθ᾽; on the frequently neglect of elision, see Tdf., Pr., 95; WH, App., 146a), prep. with genitive, accusative, down, downwards. I. C. genitive (WM, §47, k; Bl., §42, 2). 1. C. genitive of thing(s), in local sense; (a) down, down from: Mat.8:32, Mrk.5:13, Luk.8:33, 1Co.11:4; (b) throughout (late usage; Bl, l.with): κ. ὅλης κ.τ.λ., Luk.4:14 23:5, Act.9:31 10:37; (with) in a peculiar adjectival phrase: ἡ κ. βάθους, deep or extreme poverty, 2Co.8:2. 2. C. genitive of person(s), usually in hostile sense; …

orderτάξινtaxinG5010
order

τάξις (taxis) τάξις, -εως, ἡ (τάσσω), [in LXX: Job.38:12 (מָקוֹם), Psa.110:4 (דִּבְרָה), 2Ma.9:18, al. ;] 1. an arranging, hence, in military sense, disposition of an army, battle array (Thuc., al.). 2. arrangement, order (Plat., al): Luk.1:8. 3. due order: Col.2:5 (ICC, in l); κατὰ τάξιν, 1Co.14:40. 4. office, order (for exx., see MM, xxiv): Heb.5:6 (LXX), Heb.5:6 6:20 7:11, 17" (LXX) .† (AS)

of AaronἈαρὼνAarōnG0002
Aaron

Ἀαρών (Aarōn) Ἀαρών (Heb. אַהֲרוֹן), indecl. (in FlJ, -ῶνος), Aaron (Exo.4:14, al.): Luk.1:5, Act.7:40, Heb.5:4, 7:11, 9:4.† (AS)

to be named?λέγεσθαι;legesthaiG3004H
to say

λέγω (legō) λέγω, [in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Gen.22:16, al. ;] 1. in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount. 2. In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Act.13:15, 24:10; before orat. dir., Mat.9:34, Mrk.3:11, Jhn.1:29, al.; before ὅτι recit., Mrk.3:21, Luk.1:24, Jhn.6:14, al.; accusative and inf., Luk.11:18, Jhn.12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mat.11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman, Words, 24 ff.), Mat.25:9, Mrk.3:33, 7:28, Luk.24:6, 7, al.; of unspoken thought, λ. ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Mat.3:9, Luk.3:8, al.; of …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.