English Standard Version

Greek Study Bible

1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

1Οὗτος γὰρ ὁ Μελχισέδεκ βασιλεὺς Σαλήμ ἱερεὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου ὁ συναντήσας Ἀβραὰμ ὑποστρέφοντι ἀπὸ τῆς κοπῆς τῶν βασιλέων καὶ εὐλογήσας αὐτόν

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.

2ᾧ καὶ δεκάτην ἀπὸ πάντων ἐμέρισεν Ἀβραάμ πρῶτον μὲν ἑρμηνευόμενος Βασιλεὺς δικαιοσύνης ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ Βασιλεὺς Σαλήμ ὅ ἐστιν Βασιλεὺς εἰρήνης

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.

3ἀπάτωρ ἀμήτωρ ἀγενεαλόγητος μήτε ἀρχὴν ἡμερῶν μήτε ζωῆς τέλος ἔχων ἀφωμοιωμένος δὲ τῷ Υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸ διηνεκές

4See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!

4Θεωρεῖτε δὲ πηλίκος οὗτος ᾧ [καὶ] δεκάτην Ἀβραὰμ ἔδωκεν ἐκ τῶν ἀκροθινίων ὁ πατριάρχης

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.

5καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Λευὶ τὴν ἱερατείαν λαμβάνοντες ἐντολὴν ἔχουσιν ἀποδεκατοῦν τὸν λαὸν κατὰ τὸν νόμον τοῦτ’ ἔστιν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν καίπερ ἐξεληλυθότας ἐκ τῆς ὀσφύος Ἀβραάμ

6But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

6ὁ δὲ μὴ γενεαλογούμενος ἐξ αὐτῶν δεδεκάτωκεν Ἀβραάμ καὶ τὸν ἔχοντα τὰς ἐπαγγελίας εὐλόγηκεν

7It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.

7χωρὶς δὲ πάσης ἀντιλογίας τὸ ἔλαττον ὑπὸ τοῦ κρείττονος εὐλογεῖται

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.

8Καὶ ὧδε μὲν δεκάτας ἀποθνῄσκοντες ἄνθρωποι λαμβάνουσιν ἐκεῖ δὲ μαρτυρούμενος ὅτι ζῇ

9One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,

9καὶ ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν δι’ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Λευὶ ὁ δεκάτας λαμβάνων δεδεκάτωται

10for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

10ἔτι γὰρ ἐν τῇ ὀσφύϊ τοῦ πατρὸς ἦν ὅτε συνήντησεν αὐτῷ Μελχισέδεκ

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?

11Εἰ μὲν οὖν τελείωσις διὰ τῆς Λευιτικῆς ἱερωσύνης ἦν ὁ λαὸς γὰρ ἐπ’ αὐτῆς νενομοθέτηται τίς ἔτι χρεία κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισέδεκ ἕτερον ἀνίστασθαι ἱερέα καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρὼν λέγεσθαι

12For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.

12μετατιθεμένης γὰρ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἐξ ἀνάγκης καὶ νόμου μετάθεσις γίνεται

13For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.

13Ἐφ’ ὃν γὰρ λέγεται ταῦτα φυλῆς ἑτέρας μετέσχηκεν ἀφ’ ἧς οὐδεὶς προσέσχηκεν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ

14For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

14πρόδηλον γὰρ ὅτι ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέταλκεν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν εἰς ἣν φυλὴν περὶ ἱερέων οὐδὲν Μωϋσῆς ἐλάλησεν

15This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,

15Καὶ περισσότερον ἔτι κατάδηλόν ἐστιν εἰ κατὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα Μελχισέδεκ ἀνίσταται ἱερεὺς ἕτερος

16who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.

16ὃς οὐ κατὰ νόμον ἐντολῆς σαρκίνης γέγονεν ἀλλὰ κατὰ δύναμιν ζωῆς ἀκαταλύτου

17For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”

17μαρτυρεῖται γὰρ ὅτι Σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισέδεκ

18For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness

18Ἀθέτησις μὲν γὰρ γίνεται προαγούσης ἐντολῆς διὰ τὸ αὐτῆς ἀσθενὲς καὶ ἀνωφελές

19(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

19οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐτελείωσεν ὁ νόμος ἐπεισαγωγὴ δὲ κρείττονος ἐλπίδος δι’ ἧς ἐγγίζομεν τῷ Θεῷ

20And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath,

20Καὶ καθ’ ὅσον οὐ χωρὶς ὁρκωμοσίας οἱ μὲν γὰρ χωρὶς ὁρκωμοσίας εἰσὶν ἱερεῖς γεγονότες

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.’”

21ὁ δὲ μετὰ ὁρκωμοσίας διὰ τοῦ λέγοντος πρὸς αὐτόν Ὤμοσεν Κύριος καὶ οὐ μεταμεληθήσεται Σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα

22This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

22Κατὰ τοσοῦτο καὶ κρείττονος διαθήκης γέγονεν ἔγγυος Ἰησοῦς

23The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,

23Καὶ οἱ μὲν πλείονές εἰσιν γεγονότες ἱερεῖς διὰ τὸ θανάτῳ κωλύεσθαι παραμένειν

24but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.

24ὁ δὲ διὰ τὸ μένειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἀπαράβατον ἔχει τὴν ἱερωσύνην

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.

25ὅθεν καὶ σῴζειν εἰς τὸ παντελὲς δύναται τοὺς προσερχομένους δι’ αὐτοῦ τῷ Θεῷ πάντοτε ζῶν εἰς τὸ ἐντυγχάνειν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν

26For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

26Τοιοῦτος γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ ἔπρεπεν ἀρχιερεύς ὅσιος ἄκακος ἀμίαντος κεχωρισμένος ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ ὑψηλότερος τῶν οὐρανῶν γενόμενος

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.

27ὃς 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 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.

28ὁ νόμος γὰρ ἀνθρώπους καθίστησιν ἀρχιερεῖς ἔχοντας ἀσθένειαν ὁ λόγος δὲ τῆς ὁρκωμοσίας τῆς μετὰ τὸν νόμον Υἱόν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τετελειωμένον

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.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.