Passage

Hebrews 7.17-28

Book: Hebrews · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"15. And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest, 16. who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life:"

"17. for it is witnessed of him, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. 18. For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness 19. (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God. 20. And inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath 21. (for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath by him that saith of him, The Lord sware and will not repent himself, Thou art a priest for ever); 22. by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. 23. And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing: 24. but he, because he abideth for ever, hath his priesthood unchangeable. 25. Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26. For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27. who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself. 28. For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, perfected for evermore." (Hebrews 7:15-28, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"15. This is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest, 16. who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life:"

"17. for it is testified, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” 18. For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 19. (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. 20. Inasmuch as he was not made priest without the taking of an oath 21. (for they indeed have been made priests without an oath), but he with an oath by him that says of him, “The Lord swore and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.’” 22. By so much, Jesus has become the collateral of a better covenant. 23. Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death. 24. But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable. 25. Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them. 26. For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27. who doesn’t need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself. 28. For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath which came after the law appoints a Son forever who has been perfected." (Hebrews 7:15-28, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"15. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, 16. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life."

"17. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 18. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. 19. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. ^{the bringing: or, it was the bringing in} 20. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: 21. (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) ^{without: or, without swearing of an oath} 22. By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24. But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. ^{an: or, which passeth not from one to another} 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. ^{to the: or, evermore} 26. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27. Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. ^{consecrated: Gr. perfected}" (Hebrews 7:15-28, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"15. And it is yet more abundantly most evident, if according to the similitude of Melchisedek there doth arise another priest, 16. who came not according to the law of a fleshly command, but according to the power of an endless life,"

"17. for He doth testify, 'Thou [art] a priest, to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;' 18. for a disannulling indeed doth come of the command going before because of its weakness, and unprofitableness, 19. (for nothing did the law perfect) and the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw nigh to God. 20. And inasmuch as [it is] not apart from oath, (for those indeed apart from oath are become priests, 21. and he with an oath through Him who is saying unto him, 'The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest, to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;') 22. by so much of a better covenant hath Jesus become surety, 23. and those indeed are many who have become priests, because by death they are hindered from remaining; 24. and he, because of his remaining, to the age, hath the priesthood not transient, 25. whence also he is able to save to the very end, those coming through him unto God, ever living to make intercession for them. 26. For such a chief priest did become us, kind, harmless, undefiled, separate from the sinners, and become higher than the heavens, 27. who hath no necessity daily, as the chief priests, first for his own sins to offer up sacrifice, then for those of the people; for this he did once, having offered up himself; 28. for the law doth appoint men chief priests, having infirmity, but the word of the oath that [is] after the law [appointeth] the Son, to the age having been perfected." (Hebrews 7:15-28, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

TBD
TBD
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Quoted in

Christians Not Under Mosaic Law

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.