9 But we are persuaded of better things concerning you, beloved, and 1things which belong to 2salvation, though we speak thus.
10 For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your awork and the love which you have shown toward His bname in having 1cministered to the saints and in ministering still.
11 But we desire earnestly that each of you show the same diligence unto the full aassurance of our bhope cuntil the end,
12 That you may not be 1sluggish, but aimitators of those who through bfaith and long-suffering are cinheriting the promises.
13 For God, when He made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, aswore by Himself,
14 Saying, a“Surely blessing, I will bless you; and multiplying, I will multiply you.”
15 And thus when Abraham had patiently aendured, he obtained the bpromise.
16 For men swear by the greater, and for all disputes among them an oath is final for confirmation.
17 Therefore God, intending to show more abundantly to the aheirs of the promise the bunchangeableness of His counsel, interposed with an oath,
18 In order that by 1two unchangeable things, in which it was impossible for God to alie, we may have strong encouragement, we who have 2fled for 3refuge to lay hold of the bhope set before us,
19 Which we have as an 1anchor of the soul, both secure and firm and which 2enters within the veil,
20 Where the 1aForerunner, Jesus, has entered for us, having become forever a High Priest according to the border of Melchisedec.
CHAPTER 7
1 1For this 2aMelchisedec, 2king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the bslaughter of the kings and blessed him,
2 To whom also Abraham apportioned a atenth part of all; first being interpreted 1bking of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is 1cking of peace;
3 Being 1without father, without mother, without genealogy; having neither abeginning of days nor bend of life, but likened to the Son of God, abides a priest cperpetually.
4 And consider how 1agreat this one was, to whom the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the choice spoils.
5 And they of the sons of Levi, who received the priestly service, have a commandment to take atithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, though they have come forth from the loins of Abraham.
6 But he whose genealogy is not counted from them has taken tithes from Abraham and has 1ablessed him who has the promises.
7 But without any dispute the 1lesser is blessed by the 2greater.
8 And here men, who die, receive tithes; but there, one aof whom it is testified that he blives.
9 And, so to speak, through Abraham, 1Levi also, he who receives tithes, has been made to pay tithes,
10 For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchisedec met him.
11 If indeed then perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what need was there still that a different 1Priest should arise according to the order of aMelchisedec and that He should not be said to be according to the order of Aaron?