| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now this man Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, met Abraham and blessed him when he was returning from defeating the kings. | 1For this Melchizedek-- King of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, |
| 2Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. In the first place, his name means "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, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace; |
| 3He has no father, mother, or genealogy, no birth date recorded for him, nor a date of death. Like the Son of God, he continues to be a priest forever. | 3without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God-- remains a priest forever. |
| 4Just look at how great this man was! Even Abraham—the patriarch himself—gave him a tenth of what he had captured! | 4Now consider how great this man was--even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him! |
| 5The descendants of Levi who accept the priesthood have a commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their own brothers, even though they are also descendants of Abraham. | 5The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people--that is, from their brothers--though they have also descended from Abraham. |
| 6But this man, whose descent is not traced from them, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the man who had received the promises. | 6But one without this lineage collected tenths from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. |
| 7It is beyond dispute that the less important person is blessed by the more important person. | 7Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior. |
| 8Mortal men collect tithes, but we are informed by Scripture that Melchizedek keeps on living. | 8In the one case, men who will die receive tenths, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. |
| 9One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, | 9And in a sense Levi himself, who receives tenths, has paid tenths through Abraham, |
| 10because Levi was still inside his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. | 10for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. |
| 11Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—for on this basis the people received the Law—what further need would there be to speak of appointing another kind of priest according to the order of Melchizedek, not one according to the order of Aaron? | 11If then, perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron? |
| 12When a change in the priesthood takes place, there must also be a change in the Law. | 12For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. |
| 13For the person we are talking about belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. | 13For the One these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. |
| 14Furthermore, it is obvious that our Lord was a descendant of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe. | 14Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests. |
| 15This point is even more obvious in that another priest who is like Melchizedek has appeared | 15And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, |
| 16who was appointed to be a priest, not on the basis of a genealogical registry, but rather on the power of an indestructible life. | 16who did not become a priest based on a legal command concerning physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. |
| 17For it is declared about him, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." | 17For it has been testified: You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. |
| 18Indeed, because it was weak and ineffective, the former commandment has been annulled, | 18So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable |
| 19since the Law made nothing perfect, and a better hope is presented, by which we approach God. | 19(for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. |
| 20Now none of this happened without an oath. Others became priests without any oath, | 20None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, |
| 21but Jesus became a priest with an oath when God told him, "The Lord has taken an oath and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever." | 21but He became a priest with an oath made by the One who said to Him: The Lord has sworn, and He will not change His mind, You are a priest forever. |
| 22In this way, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. | 22So Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant. |
| 23There have been many priests, since each one of them had to stop serving in office when he died. | 23Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. |
| 24But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. | 24But because He remains forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. |
| 25Therefore, because he always lives to intercede for them, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him. | 25Therefore, He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. |
| 26We need such a high priest—one who is holy, innocent, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. | 26For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. |
| 27He has no need to offer sacrifices every day like high priests do, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he sacrificed himself. | 27He doesn't need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do--first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all when He offered Himself. |
| 28For the Law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promised oath, which came after the Law, results in a Son who is eternally perfect. | 28For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever. |
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