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 7,22 Heb 7,22
I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then {Hebrew: I shall have sinned against thee for ever.}let me bear the blame for ever:
But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises.
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.
For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then shall I bear the blame to my father for ever.
And for this cause he is the mediator of a new {The Greek word here used signifies both covenant and testament.}covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first {The Greek word here used signifies both covenant and testament.}covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
For where a {The Greek word here used signifies both covenant and testament.}testament is, there must of necessity {Greek: be brought.}be the death of him that made it.
For a {The Greek word here used signifies both covenant and testament.}testament is of force {Greek: over the dead.}where there hath been death: {Or, for doth it ever…liveth?}for it doth never avail while he that made it liveth.
Wherefore even the first covenant hath not been dedicated without blood.
For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses unto all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
saying, {Exodus 24:8}This is the blood of the {The Greek word here used signifies both covenant and testament.}covenant which God commanded to you-ward.
Moreover the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry he sprinkled in like manner with the blood.
And according to the law, I may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.
It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbor,If thou hast stricken {Or, thy hand with a stranger}thy hands for a stranger;
and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better {Or, than Abel}than that of Abel.
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger;And {Or, take a pledge of him}hold him in pledge that is surety for {Another reading is, a foreign woman.}foreigners.
Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep {Or, by Greek: in.}with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus,
And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the {Or, meal-offering}oblation to cease; and {Or, upon the pinnacle of abominations shall be &c.}upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate.
for this is my blood of the {Many ancient authorities insert new.}covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins.
And he said unto them, This is my blood of the {Some ancient authorities insert new.}covenant, which is poured out for many.
And the cup in like manner after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you.
In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.