| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him. | 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, |
| 2To him also Abraham apportioned a tithe of everything. His name first means king of righteousness, then 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; |
| 3Without father, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time. | 3without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God-- remains a priest forever. |
| 4But see how great he must be, if Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of his plunder. | 4Now consider how great this man was--even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him! |
| 5And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, although they too are 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 Melchizedek who does not share their ancestry collected a tithe from Abraham and blessed the one who possessed the promise. | 6But one without this lineage collected tenths from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. |
| 7Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, | 7Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior. |
| 8and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. | 8In the one case, men who will die receive tenths, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. |
| 9And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. | 9And in a sense Levi himself, who receives tenths, has paid tenths through Abraham, |
| 10For he was still in his ancestor Abraham's loins when Melchizedek met him. | 10for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. |
| 11So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood--for on that basis the people received the law--what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in Aaron's order? | 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? |
| 12For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come as well. | 12For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. |
| 13Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever officiated 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. |
| 14For it is clear that our Lord is descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. | 14Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests. |
| 15And this is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, | 15And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, |
| 16who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent but by 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 here is the testimony about him: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." | 17For it has been testified: You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. |
| 18On the one hand a former command is set aside because it is weak and useless, | 18So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable |
| 19for the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. | 19(for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. |
| 20And since this was not done without a sworn affirmation--for the others have become priests without a sworn affirmation, | 20None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, |
| 21but Jesus did so with a sworn affirmation 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 made by the One who said to Him: The Lord has sworn, and He will not change His mind, You are a priest forever. |
| 22accordingly Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. | 22So Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant. |
| 23And the others who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them from continuing in office, | 23Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. |
| 24but he holds his priesthood permanently since he lives forever. | 24But because He remains forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. |
| 25So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. | 25Therefore, He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. |
| 26For it is indeed fitting for us to have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and 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 do every day what those priests do, to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people, since he did this in offering himself once for all. | 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 subject to weakness, but the word of solemn affirmation that came after the law appoints a son made perfect forever. | 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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