For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God), abideth a priest continually.
Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils.
And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest's office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham:
but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises.
But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better.
And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receiveth tithes, hath paid tithes;
for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.
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?
For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
For he of whom these things are said {Greek: hath partaken of. See chapter 2:14}belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests.
And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest,
who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an {Greek: indissoluble.}endless life:
for it is witnessed of him,
{Psalms 110:4}Thou art a priest for ever
After the order of Melchizedek.
For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness
(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God.
And inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath
(for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath {Or, through}by him that saith {Or, unto}of him,
{Psalms 110:4}The Lord sware and will not repent himself,
Thou art a priest for ever);
by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.
And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing:
but he, because he abideth for ever, {Or, hath a priesthood that doth not pass to another}hath his priesthood {Or, inviolable}unchangeable.
Wherefore also he is able to save {Greek: completely.}to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself.
For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, perfected for evermore.
Querverweise zu Hebräer 7,18 Heb 7,18
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?
(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God.
For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second.
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second.
For {Some ancient authorities read finding fault with it, he saith unto them &c.}finding fault with them, he saith, {Jeremiah 31:31 ff}Behold, the days come, saith the Lord,That I will {Greek: accomplish.}make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathersIn the day that I took them by the hand to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt;For they continued not in my covenant,And I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
For this is the covenant that {Greek: I will covenant.}I will make with the house of IsraelAfter those days, saith the Lord;I will put my laws into their mind,And on their heart also will I write them:And I will be to them a God,And they shall be to me a people:
And they shall not teach every man his fellow-citizen,And every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord:For all shall know me,From the least to the greatest of them.
For I will be merciful to their iniquities,And their sins will I remember no more.
In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away.
For {Some ancient authorities read finding fault with it, he saith unto them &c.}finding fault with them, he saith, {Jeremiah 31:31 ff}Behold, the days come, saith the Lord,That I will {Greek: accomplish.}make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, {Many ancient authorities read they can.}can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh.
Else would they not have ceased to be offered? because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins.
But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year.
For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, {Psalm 11:6 ff}Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not,But a body didst thou prepare for me;
In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure:
Then said I, Lo, I am come(In the roll of the book it is written of me)To do thy will, O God.
Saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law),
then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
which is a figure for the time present; according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshipper perfect,
Do we then make {Or, law}the law of none effect {Or, through the faith Galatians 2:16.}through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish {Or, law}the law.
being only (with meats and drinks and divers washings) carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.
For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, {Many ancient authorities read they can.}can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh.
Else would they not have ceased to be offered? because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins.
But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year.
For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.
Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.
Be not carried away by divers and strange teachings: for it is good that the heart be established by grace; not by meats, wherein they that {Greek: walked.}occupied themselves were not profited.
and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
For what the law could not do, {Greek: wherein.}in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of {Greek: flesh of sin.}sinful flesh {Or, and as an offering for sin Leviticus 7:37 & c. Hebrews 10:6 & c. }and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly {Or, elements See verse 3.}rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
for bodily exercise is profitable {Or, for little}for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come.