Hebrews 7:8-12

Expanded Bible

⁸ ·Priests receive a tenth, even though they are only men who live and then die [^LIn the one case, mortal men receive a tithe,…]. ·But Melchizedek, who received a tenth from Abraham, continues living, as the Scripture says [^L…but in the other case, the one (receives the tithe) who is declared (by Scripture) to be alive]. ⁹ We might even say that Levi, who receives a ·tenth [tithe], also paid it when Abraham paid Melchizedek a tenth. ¹⁰ Levi was not yet born, but he was in the ·body [loins] of his ancestor when Melchizedek met Abraham [^Cthe Levitical priesthood is considered inferior to Melchizedek’s (and Christ’s) priesthood, since Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek through his ancestor Abraham].

¹¹ ·The people were given the law concerning the system of priests from the tribe of Levi, but they could not be made perfect through that system [^LIf perfection could be attained through the Levitical priesthood, established for the people in the law…]. ·So there was [^L…why was there…?] a need for another priest to come, a priest ·like [^Lin the priestly order/line of] Melchizedek, not [^Lin the priestly order/line of] Aaron [^CMoses’ brother and Israel’s first high priest (5:4; Ex. 28:1); the existence of Melchizedek’s priestly line implies that the priesthood through Levi and Aaron was inadequate]. ¹² And when a different ·kind of priest [priesthood; priestly line] comes, the law must be changed, too.