Heb.7.1

Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of the Highest God. He met Abraham, who was returning from "the royal massacre," and gave him his blessing.

Heb.7.1

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,

Heb.7.1

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

Heb.7.1

This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against many kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him.

Heb.7.2

Abraham in turn gave him a tenth of the spoils. "Melchizedek" means "King of Righteousness.Salem" means "Peace." So, he is also "King of Peace."

Heb.7.2

and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace."

Heb.7.2

to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated "king of righteousness," and then also king of Salem, meaning "king of peace,"

Heb.7.2

Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had won in the battle and gave it to Melchizedek. His name means "king of justice." He is also "king of peace" because Salem means "peace."

Heb.7.3

Melchizedek towers out of the past--without record of family ties, no account of beginning or end. In this way he is like the Son of God, one huge priestly presence dominating the landscape always.

Heb.7.3

Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.

Heb.7.3

without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

Heb.7.3

There is no record of his father or mother or any of his ancestors--no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling the Son of God.

Heb.7.4

You realize just how great Melchizedek is when you see that Father Abraham gave him a tenth of the captured treasure.

Heb.7.4

Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!

Heb.7.4

Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.

Heb.7.4

Consider then how great this Melchizedek was. Even Abraham, the great patriarch of Israel, recognized how great Melchizedek was by giving him a tenth of what he had taken in battle.

Heb.7.5

Priests descended from Levi are commanded by law to collect tithes from the people, even though they are all more or less equals, priests and people, having a common father in Abraham.

Heb.7.5

Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people--that is, their brothers--even though their brothers are descended from Abraham.

Heb.7.5

And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham;

Heb.7.5

Now the priests, who are descendants of Levi, are commanded in the law of Moses to collect a tithe from all the people, even though they are their own relatives.

Heb.7.6

But this man, a complete outsider, collected tithes from Abraham and blessed him, the one to whom the promises had been given.

Heb.7.6

This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

Heb.7.6

but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

Heb.7.6

But Melchizedek, who was not even related to Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham. And Melchizedek placed a blessing upon Abraham, the one who had already received the promises of God.

Heb.7.7

In acts of blessing, the lesser is blessed by the greater.

Heb.7.7

And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.

Heb.7.7

Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better.

Heb.7.7

And without question, the person who has the power to bless is always greater than the person who is blessed.

Heb.7.8

Or look at it this way: We pay our tithes to priests who die, but Abraham paid tithes to a priest who, the Scripture says, "lives."

Heb.7.8

In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.

Heb.7.8

Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

Heb.7.8

In the case of Jewish priests, tithes are paid to men who will die. But Melchizedek is greater than they are, because we are told that he lives on.

Heb.7.9

Ultimately you could even say that since Levi descended from Abraham, who paid tithes to Melchizedek,

Heb.7.9

One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,

Heb.7.9

Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak,

Heb.7.9

In addition, we might even say that Levi's descendants, the ones who collect the tithe, paid a tithe to Melchizedek through their ancestor Abraham.

Heb.7.10

when we pay tithes to the priestly tribe of Levi they end up with Melchizedek.

Heb.7.10

because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

Heb.7.10

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

Heb.7.10

For although Levi wasn't born yet, the seed from which he came was in Abraham's loins when Melchizedek collected the tithe from him.