1 Melchizedek|strong="G3198" was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" king|strong="G0935" of|strong="G0575" Salem|strong="G4532" and|strong="G2532" a|strong="G2532" priest|strong="G2409" for|strong="G1063" God|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3588" Most|strong="G5310" High|strong="G5310". He|strong="G2532" met|strong="G4876" Abraham|strong="G0011" when|strong="G2532" Abraham|strong="G0011" was|strong="G3588" coming back|strong="G5290" after|strong="G2532" defeating|strong="G2871" the|strong="G3588" kings|strong="G0935". That|strong="G3778" day Melchizedek|strong="G3198" blessed|strong="G2127" him|strong="G0846".
2 Then|strong="G2532" Abraham|strong="G0011" gave him|strong="G3739" a|strong="G1510" tenth|strong="G1181" of|strong="G0575" everything|strong="G3956" he|strong="G2532" had|strong="G1510".
3 No|strong="G3383" one|strong="G3588" knows who|strong="G3588" his|strong="G2192" father|strong="G0540" or|strong="G3383" mother|strong="G0282" was|strong="G3588" or|strong="G3383" where|strong="G1519" he|strong="G1161" came from|strong="G2250". And|strong="G1161" no|strong="G3383" one|strong="G3588" knows when|strong="G1161" he|strong="G1161" was|strong="G3588" born or|strong="G3383" when|strong="G1161" he|strong="G1161" died. Melchizedek is|strong="G2316" like|strong="G0871" the|strong="G3588" Son|strong="G5207" of|strong="G5207" God|strong="G2316" in|strong="G1519" that|strong="G2250" he|strong="G1161" will|strong="G2316" always be|strong="G2316" a|strong="G2192" priest|strong="G2409".
4 You|strong="G3739" can|strong="G1325" see|strong="G2334" that|strong="G3739" Melchizedek was|strong="G3739" very|strong="G3778" great|strong="G4080". Abraham|strong="G0011", our|strong="G2532" great|strong="G4080" ancestor, gave|strong="G1325" him|strong="G1325" a|strong="G1325" tenth|strong="G1181" of|strong="G1537" everything he|strong="G2532" won in|strong="G2532" battle.
5 Now|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" law|strong="G3551" says that|strong="G3778" those|strong="G3588" from|strong="G1537" the|strong="G3588" tribe of|strong="G5207" Levi|strong="G3017" who|strong="G3588" become|strong="G2192" priests must|strong="G1510" get|strong="G2192" a|strong="G2192" tenth from|strong="G1537" their|strong="G0846" own|strong="G0846" people|strong="G2992", even|strong="G2532" though|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" and|strong="G2532" their|strong="G0846" people|strong="G2992" are|strong="G1510" both|strong="G2532" from|strong="G1537" the|strong="G3588" family of|strong="G5207" Abraham|strong="G0011".
6 Melchizedek|strong="G1075" was|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3361" even|strong="G2532" from|strong="G1537" the|strong="G3588" tribe of|strong="G1537" Levi, but|strong="G1161" Abraham|strong="G0011" gave him|strong="G0846" a|strong="G2192" tenth|strong="G1183" of|strong="G1537" what|strong="G3588" he|strong="G2532" had|strong="G2192". And|strong="G2532" Melchizedek|strong="G1075" blessed|strong="G2127" Abraham|strong="G0011"—the|strong="G3588" one|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" had|strong="G2192" God’s|strong="G0846" promises|strong="G1860".
7 And|strong="G1161" everyone|strong="G3956" knows that|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" more|strong="G3956" important person always|strong="G3956" blesses the|strong="G3956" less|strong="G1640" important person.
8 Those|strong="G1161" priests get|strong="G2198" a|strong="G2983" tenth|strong="G1181", but|strong="G1161" they|strong="G2532" are|strong="G2532" only|strong="G2532" men|strong="G0444" who|strong="G3748" live|strong="G2198" and|strong="G2532" then|strong="G2532" die|strong="G0599". But|strong="G1161" Melchizedek, who|strong="G3748" got a|strong="G2983" tenth|strong="G1181" from|strong="G0444" Abraham, continues to|strong="G2532" live|strong="G2198", as|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" Scriptures say.
9 Now|strong="G2532" those|strong="G3588" from|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" family of|strong="G1223" Levi|strong="G3018" are|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" ones who|strong="G3588" get a|strong="G5613" tenth|strong="G1181" from|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" people|strong="G3588". But|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2532" can|strong="G3004" say|strong="G3004" that|strong="G3004" when|strong="G5613" Abraham|strong="G0011" paid|strong="G1183" Melchizedek a|strong="G5613" tenth|strong="G1181", then|strong="G2532" Levi|strong="G3018" also|strong="G2532" paid|strong="G1183" it|strong="G1223".
10 Levi was|strong="G1510" not|strong="G1510" yet|strong="G2089" born, but|strong="G1063" he|strong="G0846" already existed|strong="G1510" in|strong="G1722" his|strong="G0846" ancestor|strong="G3962" Abraham|strong="G0846" when|strong="G3753" Melchizedek|strong="G3198" met|strong="G4876" him|strong="G0846".
11 The|strong="G3588" people|strong="G2992" were|strong="G1510" given the|strong="G3588" law|strong="G3549" under|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3588" system of|strong="G1223" priests|strong="G2409" from|strong="G2596" the|strong="G3588" tribe of|strong="G1223" Levi. But|strong="G2532" no|strong="G3756" one|strong="G3588" could be|strong="G1510" made|strong="G3004" spiritually perfect through|strong="G1223" that|strong="G3004" system of|strong="G1223" priests|strong="G2409". So|strong="G3767" there|strong="G1510" was|strong="G1510" a|strong="G1510" need|strong="G5532" for|strong="G1063" another|strong="G2087" priest|strong="G2409" to|strong="G3004" come|strong="G1510". I|strong="G2532" mean|strong="G3004" a|strong="G1510" priest|strong="G2409" like|strong="G2596" Melchizedek|strong="G3198", not|strong="G3756" Aaron|strong="G0002".
12 And|strong="G2532" when|strong="G2532" a|strong="G1096" different kind of|strong="G1537" priest comes|strong="G1096", then|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" law|strong="G3551" must|strong="G0318" be|strong="G1096" changed too|strong="G2532".
15 And|strong="G2532" these|strong="G3588" things|strong="G3588" become even|strong="G2532" clearer|strong="G2612" when|strong="G2532" we|strong="G1487" see that|strong="G2596" another|strong="G2087" priest|strong="G2409" has|strong="G1510" come|strong="G1510" who|strong="G3588" is|strong="G1510" like|strong="G2596" Melchizedek|strong="G3198".
16 He|strong="G3739" was|strong="G3739" made|strong="G1096" a|strong="G1096" priest, but|strong="G0235" not|strong="G3756" because|strong="G2596" he|strong="G3739" met the|strong="G3739" requirement|strong="G1785" of|strong="G3551" being|strong="G1096" born|strong="G1096" into|strong="G1096" the|strong="G3739" right family. He|strong="G3739" became|strong="G1096" a|strong="G1096" priest by|strong="G2596" the|strong="G3739" power|strong="G1411" of|strong="G3551" a|strong="G1096" life|strong="G2222" that|strong="G3739" will|strong="G3739" never|strong="G3756" end.
17 This|strong="G3588" is|strong="G3588" what|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" Scriptures say about|strong="G2596" him|strong="G1519": “You|strong="G4771" are|strong="G3588" a|strong="G3140" priest|strong="G2409" forever|strong="G0165"—the|strong="G3588" kind of|strong="G2596" priest|strong="G2409" Melchizedek|strong="G3198" was|strong="G3588".”
18 The|strong="G3588" old rule is|strong="G3588" now|strong="G2532" ended because|strong="G1223" it|strong="G0846" was|strong="G3588" weak|strong="G0772" and|strong="G2532" worthless.
19 The|strong="G3588" Law|strong="G3551" of|strong="G1223" Moses could not|strong="G3762" make|strong="G5048" anything|strong="G3762" perfect|strong="G5048". But|strong="G1161" now|strong="G1161" a|strong="G3739" better|strong="G2909" hope|strong="G1680" has|strong="G2316" been given to|strong="G2316" us. And|strong="G1161" with|strong="G1223" that|strong="G3739" hope|strong="G1680" we|strong="G3739" can come|strong="G1448" near|strong="G1448" to|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316".
20 Also|strong="G2532", it|strong="G1510" is|strong="G1510" important that|strong="G1096" God made|strong="G1096" a|strong="G1096" promise with|strong="G2596" an|strong="G1510" oath|strong="G3728" when|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" made|strong="G1096" Jesus|strong="G1510" high priest|strong="G2409". When|strong="G2532" those|strong="G3588" other men became|strong="G1096" priests|strong="G2409", there|strong="G1510" was|strong="G1510" no|strong="G3756" oath|strong="G3728".
21 But|strong="G1161" Christ|strong="G0846" became a|strong="G3004" priest|strong="G2409" with|strong="G3326" God’s|strong="G0846" oath|strong="G3728". God|strong="G0846" said|strong="G3004" to|strong="G1519" him|strong="G0846",
22 So|strong="G2532" this|strong="G2532" means that|strong="G1096" Jesus|strong="G2424" is|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" guarantee|strong="G1450" of|strong="G2596" a|strong="G1096" better|strong="G2909" agreement from|strong="G2596" God to|strong="G2596" his|strong="G2532" people|strong="G5118".
23 Also|strong="G2532", when|strong="G2532" one|strong="G3588" of|strong="G1223" those|strong="G3588" other priests|strong="G2409" died|strong="G2288", he|strong="G2532" could|strong="G1096" not|strong="G1510" continue|strong="G3887" being|strong="G1510" a|strong="G1096" priest|strong="G2409". So|strong="G2532" there|strong="G1510" were|strong="G1510" many|strong="G4183" of|strong="G1223" those|strong="G3588" priests|strong="G2409".
24 But|strong="G1161" Jesus|strong="G0846" lives|strong="G3306" forever|strong="G0165". He|strong="G0846" will|strong="G0846" never stop serving as|strong="G1519" a|strong="G2192" priest.
25 So|strong="G2532" Christ|strong="G0846" can|strong="G1410" save|strong="G4982" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" come|strong="G4334" to|strong="G1519" God|strong="G2316" through|strong="G1223" him|strong="G0846". Christ|strong="G0846" can|strong="G1410" do|strong="G1410" this|strong="G3588" forever|strong="G1519", because|strong="G1223" he|strong="G2532" always|strong="G3842" lives|strong="G2198" and|strong="G2532" is|strong="G2316" ready|strong="G1410" to|strong="G1519" help people|strong="G0846" when|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" come|strong="G4334" before|strong="G1519" God|strong="G2316".
26 So|strong="G2532" Jesus|strong="G2532" is|strong="G3772" the|strong="G3588" kind|strong="G5108" of|strong="G0575" high|strong="G0749" priest|strong="G0749" we|strong="G2532" need. He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G3772" holy|strong="G3741". He|strong="G2532" has|strong="G1096" no sin in|strong="G2532" him|strong="G2532". He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G3772" pure and|strong="G2532" not|strong="G2532" influenced by|strong="G0575" sinners|strong="G0268". And|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" is|strong="G3772" raised above|strong="G5308" the|strong="G3588" heavens|strong="G3772".
27 He|strong="G3739" is|strong="G3778" not|strong="G3756" like|strong="G5618" those|strong="G3588" other|strong="G3739" priests|strong="G0749". They|strong="G3739" had|strong="G2192" to|strong="G2596" offer|strong="G4374" sacrifices|strong="G2378" every|strong="G2596" day|strong="G2250", first|strong="G4387" for|strong="G1063" their|strong="G1438" own|strong="G2398" sins|strong="G0266", and|strong="G2250" then|strong="G1899" for|strong="G1063" the|strong="G3588" sins|strong="G0266" of|strong="G2250" the|strong="G3588" people|strong="G2992". But|strong="G1063" Jesus|strong="G4160" doesn’t|strong="G3756" need|strong="G2192" to|strong="G2596" do|strong="G4160" that|strong="G3739". He|strong="G3739" offered|strong="G4374" only|strong="G3756" one|strong="G3739" sacrifice|strong="G2378" for|strong="G1063" all|strong="G3588" time|strong="G2250". He|strong="G3739" offered|strong="G4374" himself|strong="G1438".
28 The|strong="G3588" law|strong="G3551" chooses high|strong="G0749" priests|strong="G0749" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" men|strong="G0444" and|strong="G1161" have|strong="G2192" the|strong="G3588" same weaknesses|strong="G0769" that|strong="G0749" all|strong="G3588" people|strong="G0444" have|strong="G2192". But|strong="G1161" after|strong="G3326" the|strong="G3588" law|strong="G3551", God spoke|strong="G3056" the|strong="G3588" oath|strong="G3728" that|strong="G0749" made|strong="G2525" his|strong="G2192" Son|strong="G5207" high|strong="G0749" priest|strong="G0749". And|strong="G1161" that|strong="G0749" Son|strong="G5207", made|strong="G2525" perfect|strong="G5048" through suffering, will|strong="G0444" serve|strong="G2192" forever|strong="G0165".