Hebrews 7
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Hebrews chapter 7 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
2 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint John Chrysostom.
Hebrews 7
1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,Οὗτος γὰρ ὁ Μελχισεδέκ, βασιλεὺς Σαλήμ, ἱερεὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου, ὁ συναντήσας Ἁβραὰμ ὑποστρέφοντι ἀπὸ τῆς κοπῆς τῶν βασιλέων καὶ εὐλογήσας αὐτόν,
2to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of everything, first being interpreted “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, which is “king of peace,”ᾧ καὶ δεκάτην ἀπὸ πάντων ἐμέρισεν Ἁβραάμ—πρῶτον μὲν ἑρμηνευόμενος βασιλεὺς δικαιοσύνης, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ βασιλεὺς Σαλήμ, ὅ ἐστι βασιλεὺς εἰρήνης·
3without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but having been made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.ἀπάτωρ, ἀμήτωρ, ἀγενεαλόγητος, μήτε ἀρχὴν ἡμερῶν μήτε ζωῆς τέλος ἔχων, ἀφωμοιωμένος δὲ τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ—μένει ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸ διηνεκές.
4But observe how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.Θεωρεῖτε δὲ πηλίκος οὗτος, ᾧ καὶ δεκάτην Ἁβραὰμ ἔδωκεν ἐκ τῶν ἀκροθινίων ὁ πατριάρχης.
5And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to collect tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, though they have come from the loins of Abraham;Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Λευῒ τὴν ἱερατείαν λαμβάνοντες ἐντολὴν ἔχουσιν ἀποδεκατοῦν τὸν λαὸν κατὰ τὸν νόμον, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν, καίπερ ἐξεληλυθότας ἐκ τῆς ὀσφύος Ἁβραάμ·
6but the one not tracing his descent from them has received tithes from Abraham, and he has blessed the one having the promises.ὁ δὲ μὴ γενεαλογούμενος ἐξ αὐτῶν δεδεκάτωκε τὸν Ἁβραάμ, καὶ τὸν ἔχοντα τὰς ἐπαγγελίας εὐλόγηκε.
7Now without any contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better.Χωρὶς δὲ πάσης ἀντιλογίας, τὸ ἔλαττον ὑπὸ τοῦ κρείττονος εὐλογεῖται.
8And here on the one hand mortal men receive tithes, but there on the other he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.Καὶ ὧδε μὲν δεκάτας ἀποθνῄσκοντες ἄνθρωποι λαμβάνουσιν· ἐκεῖ δέ, μαρτυρούμενος ὅτι ζῇ.
9Even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak,Καί, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, διὰ Ἁβραὰμ καὶ Λευῒ ὁ δεκάτας λαμβάνων δεδεκάτωται·
10for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.ἔτι γὰρ ἐν τῇ ὀσφύϊ τοῦ πατρὸς ἦν, ὅτε συνήντησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Μελχισεδέκ.
11Therefore, if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), why is there yet a need for another priest to rise, after the order of Melchizedek, and not to be called after the order of Aaron?Εἰ μὲν οὖν τελείωσις διὰ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς ἱερωσύνης ἦν—ὁ λαὸς γὰρ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ νενομοθέτητο—τίς ἔτι χρεία, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἕτερον ἀνίστασθαι ἱερέα, καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρὼν λέγεσθαι;
12For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there occurs a change of law also.Μετατιθεμένης γὰρ τῆς ἱερωσύνης, ἐξ ἀνάγκης καὶ νόμου μετάθεσις γίνεται.
13For He concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.Ἐφ᾽ ὃν γὰρ λέγεται ταῦτα, φυλῆς ἑτέρας μετέσχηκεν, ἀφ᾽ ἧς οὐδεὶς προσέσχηκε τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ.
14For it is evident that our Lord has risen out of Judah, regarding which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.Πρόδηλον γὰρ ὅτι ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέταλκεν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν, εἰς ἣν φυλὴν οὐδὲν περὶ ἱερωσύνης Μωϋσῆς ἐλάλησε.
15And it is yet even more evident, if according to the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priestΚαὶ περισσότερον ἔτι κατάδηλόν ἐστιν, εἰ κατὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα Μελχισεδὲκ ἀνίσταται ἱερεὺς ἕτερος,
16who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.ὃς οὐ κατὰ νόμον ἐντολῆς σαρκικῆς γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ δύναμιν ζωῆς ἀκαταλύτου·
17For He testifies: “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”μαρτυρεῖ γὰρ ὅτι Σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ.
18For on the one hand an annulment comes about of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and uselessness.Ἀθέτησις μὲν γὰρ γίνεται προαγούσης ἐντολῆς, διὰ τὸ αὐτῆς ἀσθενὲς καὶ ἀνωφελές·
19For the law made nothing perfect; but there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐτελείωσεν ὁ νόμος, ἐπεισαγωγὴ δὲ κρείττονος ἐλπίδος, δι᾽ ἧς ἐγγίζομεν τῷ Θεῷ.
20And inasmuch as it was not without an oath,Καὶ καθ᾽ ὅσον οὐ χωρὶς ὁρκωμοσίας—οἱ μὲν γὰρ χωρὶς ὁρκωμοσίας εἰσὶν ἱερεῖς γεγονότες,
21for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him that said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek’ ”,ὁ δὲ μετὰ ὁρκωμοσίας, διὰ τοῦ λέγοντος πρὸς αὐτόν, Ὤμοσε Κύριος καὶ οὐ μεταμεληθήσεται, Σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ—
22by so much more Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.κατὰ τοσοῦτον κρείττονος διαθήκης γέγονεν ἔγγυος Ἰησοῦς.
23Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.Καὶ οἱ μὲν πλείονές εἰσι γεγονότες ἱερεῖς, διὰ τὸ θανάτῳ κωλύεσθαι παραμένειν·
24But He, because He remains forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.ὁ δέ, διὰ τὸ μένειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἀπαράβατον ἔχει τὴν ἱερωσύνην.
25Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those coming to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.Ὅθεν καὶ σῴζειν εἰς τὸ παντελὲς δύναται τοὺς προσερχομένους δι᾽ αὐτοῦ τῷ Θεῷ, πάντοτε ζῶν εἰς τὸ ἐντυγχάνειν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν.
26For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, innocent, undefiled, having been separated from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;Τοιοῦτος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἔπρεπεν ἀρχιερεύς, ὅσιος, ἄκακος, ἀμίαντος, κεχωρισμένος ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν, καὶ ὑψηλότερος τῶν οὐρανῶν γενόμενος·
27who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices beforehand, on behalf of His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.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.
28For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son who has been perfected forever.Ὁ νόμος γὰρ ἀνθρώπους καθίστησιν ἀρχιερεῖς, ἔχοντας ἀσθένειαν· ὁ λόγος δὲ τῆς ὁρκωμοσίας τῆς μετὰ τὸν νόμον, υἱὸν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τετελειωμένον.
The Fathers on Hebrews 7
Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Hebrews 7:1–3Saint John Chrysostom“For this Melchisedec, King of Salem, Priest of the most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings, and blessed him: to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of Righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of Peace, without father...
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews →
On Hebrews 7:11–14Open Hebrews 7 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint John Chrysostom“If therefore perfection were by231 the Levitical priesthood; (for under it the people have received the law’232 ) what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is233 made of necessity a...
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews →