| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, | 1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, |
| 2and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. | 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace." |
| 3He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. | 3Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. |
| 4See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! | 4Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! |
| 5And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. | 5Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people--that is, from their fellow Israelites--even though they also are descended from Abraham. |
| 6But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. | 6This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. |
| 7It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. | 7And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. |
| 8In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. | 8In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. |
| 9One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, | 9One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, |
| 10for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. | 10because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor. |
| 11Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? | 11If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood--and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood--why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? |
| 12For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. | 12For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. |
| 13For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. | 13He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. |
| 14For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. | 14For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. |
| 15This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, | 15And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, |
| 16who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. | 16one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. |
| 17For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” | 17For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." |
| 18For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness | 18The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless |
| 19(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. | 19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. |
| 20And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, | 20And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, |
| 21but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’” | 21but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.'" |
| 22This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. | 22Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. |
| 23The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, | 23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; |
| 24but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. | 24but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. |
| 25Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. | 25Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. |
| 26For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. | 26Such a high priest truly meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. |
| 27He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. | 27Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. |
| 28For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever. | 28For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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