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Hebrews 7

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1 Οὗτος γὰρ ὁ Μελχισέδεκ, βασιλεὺς Σαλήμ, ἱερεὺς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου, ὁ συναντήσας Ἀβραὰμ ὑποστρέφοντι ἀπὸ τῆς κοπῆς τῶν βασιλέων καὶ εὐλογήσας αὐτόν, 2 ᾧ καὶ δεκάτην ἀπὸ πάντων ἐμέρισεν Ἀβραάμ, πρῶτον μὲν ἑρμηνευόμενος βασιλεὺς δικαιοσύνης ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ βασιλεὺς Σαλήμ, ὅ ἐστιν βασιλεὺς εἰρήνης, 3 ἀπάτωρ, ἀμήτωρ, ἀγενεαλόγητος, μήτε ἀρχὴν ἡμερῶν μήτε ζωῆς τέλος ἔχων, ἀφωμοιωμένος δὲ τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ, μένει ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸ διηνεκές. 4 Θεωρεῖτε δὲ πηλίκος οὗτος ᾧ καὶ δεκάτην Ἀβραὰμ ἔδωκεν ἐκ τῶν ἀκροθινίων ὁ πατριάρχης. 5 καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Λευὶ τὴν ἱερατείαν λαμβάνοντες ἐντολὴν ἔχουσιν ἀποδεκατοῦν τὸν λαὸν κατὰ τὸν νόμον, τοῦτ' ἔστιν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν, καίπερ ἐξεληλυθότας ἐκ τῆς ὀσφύος Ἀβραάμ: 6 ὁ δὲ μὴ γενεαλογούμενος ἐξ αὐτῶν δεδεκάτωκεν Ἀβραάμ, καὶ τὸν ἔχοντα τὰς ἐπαγγελίας εὐλόγηκεν. 7 χωρὶς δὲ πάσης ἀντιλογίας τὸ ἔλαττον ὑπὸ τοῦ κρείττονος εὐλογεῖται. 8 καὶ ὧδε μὲν δεκάτας ἀποθνῄσκοντες ἄνθρωποι λαμβάνουσιν, ἐκεῖ δὲ μαρτυρούμενος ὅτι ζῇ. 9 καὶ ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, δι' Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Λευὶ ὁ δεκάτας λαμβάνων δεδεκάτωται: 10 ἔτι γὰρ ἐν τῇ ὀσφύϊ τοῦ πατρὸς ἦν ὅτε συνήντησεν αὐτῷ Μελχισέδεκ.

1 It was this Melchisedech, king of Salem, and priest of the most high God, who met Abraham and blessed him on his way home, after the defeat of the kings;[1] 2 and to him Abraham gave a tenth of his spoils. Observe, in the first place, that his name means, the king of justice; and further that he is king of Salem, that is, of peace. 3 That is all; no name of father or mother, no pedigree, no date of birth or of death; there he stands, eternally, a priest, the true figure of the Son of God.[2] 4 Consider how great a man was this, to whom the patriarch Abraham himself gave a tenth part of his chosen spoil. 5 The descendants of Levi, when the priesthood is conferred on them, are allowed by the provisions of the law to take tithes from God’s people, although these, like themselves, come from the privileged stock of Abraham; after all, they are their brothers; 6 here is one who owns no common descent with them, taking tithes from Abraham himself. He blesses him, too, blesses the man to whom the promises have been made; 7 and it is beyond all question that blessings are only given by what is greater in dignity to what is less. 8 In the one case, the priests who receive tithe are only mortal men; in the other, it is a priest (so the record tells us) who lives on. 9 And indeed, there is a sense in which we can say that Levi, who receives the tithe, paid tithe himself with Abraham; 10 as the heir of Abraham’s body, he was present in the person of his ancestor, when he met Melchisedech.

1 Hic enim Melchisedech, rex Salem, sacerdos Dei summi, qui obviavit Abrahæ regresso a cæde regum, et benedixit ei: 2 cui et decimas omnium divisit Abraham: primum quidem qui interpretatur rex justitiæ: deinde autem et rex Salem, quod est, rex pacis, 3 sine patre, sine matre, sine genealogia, neque initium dierum, neque finem vitæ habens, assimilatus autem Filio Dei, manet sacerdos in perpetuum. 4 Intuemini autem quantus sit hic, cui et decimas dedit de præcipuis Abraham patriarcha. 5 Et quidem de filiis Levi sacerdotium accipientes, mandatum habent decimas sumere a populo secundum legem, id est, a fratribus suis: quamquam et ipsi exierint de lumbis Abrahæ. 6 Cujus autem generatio non annumeratur in eis, decimas sumpsit ab Abraham, et hunc, qui habebat repromissiones, benedixit. 7 Sine ulla autem contradictione, quod minus est, a meliore benedicitur. 8 Et hic quidem, decimas morientes homines accipiunt: ibi autem contestatur, quia vivit. 9 Et (ut ita dictum sit) per Abraham, et Levi, qui decimas accepit, decimatus est: 10 adhuc enim in lumbis patris erat, quando obviavit ei Melchisedech.

11 Εἰ μὲν οὖν τελείωσις διὰ τῆς Λευιτικῆς ἱερωσύνης ἦν, ὁ λαὸς γὰρ ἐπ' αὐτῆς νενομοθέτηται, τίς ἔτι χρεία κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισέδεκ ἕτερον ἀνίστασθαι ἱερέα καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρὼν λέγεσθαι; 12 μετατιθεμένης γὰρ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἐξ ἀνάγκης καὶ νόμου μετάθεσις γίνεται. 13 ἐφ' ὃν γὰρ λέγεται ταῦτα φυλῆς ἑτέρας μετέσχηκεν, ἀφ' ἧς οὐδεὶς προσέσχηκεν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ: 14 πρόδηλον γὰρ ὅτι ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέταλκεν ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν, εἰς ἣν φυλὴν περὶ ἱερέων οὐδὲν Μωϋσῆς ἐλάλησεν. 15 καὶ περισσότερον ἔτι κατάδηλόν ἐστιν, εἰ κατὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα Μελχισέδεκ ἀνίσταται ἱερεὺς ἕτερος, 16 ὃς οὐ κατὰ νόμον ἐντολῆς σαρκίνης γέγονεν ἀλλὰ κατὰ δύναμιν ζωῆς ἀκαταλύτου, 17 μαρτυρεῖται γὰρ ὅτι σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισέδεκ. 18 Ἀθέτησις μὲν γὰρ γίνεται προαγούσης ἐντολῆς διὰ τὸ αὐτῆς ἀσθενὲς καὶ ἀνωφελές, 19 οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐτελείωσεν ὁ νόμος, ἐπεισαγωγὴ δὲ κρείττονος ἐλπίδος, δι' ἧς ἐγγίζομεν τῷ θεῷ. 20 καὶ καθ' ὅσον οὐ χωρὶς ὁρκωμοσίας, οἱ μὲν γὰρ χωρὶς ὁρκωμοσίας εἰσὶν ἱερεῖς γεγονότες, 21 ὁ δὲ μετὰ ὁρκωμοσίας διὰ τοῦ λέγοντος πρὸς αὐτόν, ὤμοσεν κύριος, καὶ οὐ μεταμεληθήσεται, σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, 22 κατὰ τοσοῦτο καὶ κρείττονος διαθήκης γέγονεν ἔγγυος Ἰησοῦς. 23 καὶ οἱ μὲν πλείονές εἰσιν γεγονότες ἱερεῖς διὰ τὸ θανάτῳ κωλύεσθαι παραμένειν: 24 ὁ δὲ διὰ τὸ μένειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἀπαράβατον ἔχει τὴν ἱερωσύνην: 25 ὅθεν καὶ σῴζειν εἰς τὸ παντελὲς δύναται τοὺς προσερχομένους δι' αὐτοῦ τῷ θεῷ, πάντοτε ζῶν εἰς τὸ ἐντυγχάνειν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν. 26 Τοιοῦτος γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ ἔπρεπεν ἀρχιερεύς, ὅσιος, ἄκακος, ἀμίαντος, κεχωρισμένος ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν, καὶ ὑψηλότερος τῶν οὐρανῶν γενόμενος, 27 ὃς οὐκ ἔχει καθ' ἡμέραν ἀνάγκην, ὥσπερ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς, πρότερον ὑπὲρ τῶν ἰδίων ἁμαρτιῶν θυσίας ἀναφέρειν, ἔπειτα τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ: τοῦτο γὰρ ἐποίησεν ἐφάπαξ ἑαυτὸν ἀνενέγκας 28 ὁ νόμος γὰρ ἀνθρώπους καθίστησιν ἀρχιερεῖς ἔχοντας ἀσθένειαν, ὁ λόγος δὲ τῆς ὁρκωμοσίας τῆς μετὰ τὸν νόμον υἱὸν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τετελειωμένον.

11 Now, there could be no need for a fresh priest to arise, accredited with Melchisedech’s priesthood, not with Aaron’s, if the Levitical priesthood had brought fulfilment. And it is on the Levitical priesthood that the law given to God’s people is founded. 12 When the priesthood is altered, the law, necessarily, is altered with it. 13 After all, he to whom the prophecy relates belonged to a different tribe, which never produced a man to stand at the altar; 14 our Lord took his origin from Juda, that is certain, and Moses in speaking of this tribe, said nothing about priests.[3] 15 And something further becomes evident, when a fresh priest arises to fulfil the type of Melchisedech,[4] 16 appointed, not to obey the law, with its outward observances, but in the power of an unending life; 17 (Thou art a priest in the line of Melchisedech, God says of him, for ever). 18 The old observance is abrogated now, powerless as it was to help us; 19 the law had nothing in it of final achievement. Instead, a fuller hope has been brought into our lives, enabling us to come close to God. 20 And this time there is a ratification by oath; none was taken when those other priests were appointed, 21 but the new priest is appointed with an oath, when God says to him, The Lord has sworn an irrevocable oath, Thou art a priest for ever; 22 all the more solemn, then, is that covenant for which Jesus has been given us as our surety. 23 Of those other priests there was a succession, since death denied them permanence; 24 whereas Jesus continues for ever, and his priestly office is unchanging; 25 that is why he can give eternal salvation to those who through him make their way to God; he lives on still to make intercession on our behalf.[5] 26 Such was the high priest that suited our need, holy and guiltless and undefiled, not reckoned among us sinners, lifted high above all the heavens; 27 one who has no need to do as those other priests did, offering a twofold sacrifice day by day, first for his own sins, then for those of the people. What he has done he has done once for all; and the offering was himself.[6] 28 The law makes high priests of men, and men are frail; promise and oath, now, have superseded the law; our high priest, now, is that Son who has reached his full achievement for all eternity.

11 Si ergo consummatio per sacerdotium Leviticum erat (populus enim sub ipso legem accepit) quid adhuc necessarium fuit secundum ordinem Melchisedech, alium surgere sacerdotem, et non secundum ordinem Aaron dici? 12 Translato enim sacerdotio, necesse est ut et legis translatio fiat. 13 In quo enim hæc dicuntur, de alia tribu est, de qua nullus altari præsto fuit. 14 Manifestum est enim quod ex Juda ortus sit Dominus noster: in qua tribu nihil de sacerdotibus Moyses locutus est. 15 Et amplius adhuc manifestum est: si secundum similitudinem Melchisedech exsurgat alius sacerdos, 16 qui non secundum legem mandati carnalis factus est, sed secundum virtutem vitæ insolubilis. 17 Contestatur enim: Quoniam tu es sacerdos in æternum, secundum ordinem Melchisedech. 18 Reprobatio quidem fit præcedentis mandati, propter infirmitatem ejus, et inutilitatem: 19 nihil enim ad perfectum adduxit lex: introductio vero melioris spei, per quam proximamus ad Deum. 20 Et quantum est non sine jurejurando (alii quidem sine jurejurando sacerdotes facti sunt, 21 hic autem cum jurejurando per eum, qui dixit ad illum: Juravit Dominus, et non pœnitebit eum: tu es sacerdos in æternum): 22 in tantum melioris testamenti sponsor factus est Jesus. 23 Et alii quidem plures facti sunt sacerdotes, idcirco quod morte prohiberentur permanere: 24 hic autem eo quod maneat in æternum, sempiternum habet sacerdotium. 25 Unde et salvare in perpetuum potest accedentes per semetipsum ad Deum: semper vivens ad interpellandum pro nobis. 26 Talis enim decebat ut nobis esset pontifex, sanctus, innocens, impollutus, segregatus a peccatoribus, et excelsior cælis factus: 27 qui non habet necessitatem quotidie, quemadmodum sacerdotes, prius pro suis delictis hostias offerre, deinde pro populi: hoc enim fecit semel, seipsum offerendo. 28 Lex enim homines constituit sacerdotes infirmitatem habentes: sermo autem jurisjurandi, qui post legem est, Filium in æternum perfectum.

[1] Gen. 14.18.

[2] In the narrative of Genesis, Melchisedech appears on the scene very suddenly, without any explanation of his parentage or history. It seems to be on this account that the Apostle regards him as a type of Christ, whose priesthood did not descend to him by inheritance, and remains with him instead of having to be handed on to a successor.

[3] Cf. Deut. 33.7 and 8.

[4] ‘Something further becomes evident’; this is usually translated, ‘It is still more evident’, but in that case it is difficult to see what is more evident, or what makes it so. The rendering here given assumes that this verse serves to connect verse 12 with verse 18; we have seen that the alteration of the priesthood involves an alteration of the law; now we proceed to a further stage in the argument—if our new High Priest is wholly unconnected with the Old Law, that means that the Old Law has actually been abolished.

[5] ‘Eternal salvation’; the Greek has ‘complete salvation’.

[6] Cf. Lev. 16.17, where, however, the reference is not to a daily sacrifice. But it seems evident that the daily sacrifice in the Temple, whether the High Priest performed it in person or not, did include the priests themselves among the sinners for whom intercession was made. ‘What he has done, he has done’; literally, ‘he did this’, but such a rendering obscures the sense of the passage, since it is clear from the context that Jesus as High Priest has no need to make intercession for himself.

Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd