• Hebrews 7:21
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 21 οἱ the (ones) μὲν indeed γὰρ for χωρὶς apart from ὁρκωμοσίας sworn oath εἰσὶν are ἱερεῖς priests γεγονότες, having become, ὁ the (one) δὲ but μετὰ with ὁρκωμοσίας sworn oath διὰ through τοῦ the (one) λέγοντος saying πρὸς toward αὐτόν him Ὤμοσεν Swore Κύριος, Lord, καὶ and οὐ not μεταμεληθήσεται, he will change his concern, Σὺ You ἱερεὺς priest εἰς into τὸν the αἰῶνα, age,

  • Hebrews 7:21
    The Bible in Living English

    • 21 (for those are priests made such without the taking of an oath, but he with the taking of an oath, through him who says to him “The Lord has sworn, and will not revoke it, ‘You are priest forever’”),

  • Hebrews 7:21
    American Standard Version

    • 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);

  • Hebrews 7:21
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 21 For they indeed apart from oath-taking have been made priests, But he with an oath-taking,—Through him that was saying unto him—The Lord sware and will not regret,—Thou art a priest age-abidingly

  • Hebrews 7:21
    King James Version

    • 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:)

  • Hebrews Study Notes—Chapter 7
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 7:21

      priests without a sworn oath: Jehovah instructed Moses to install Aaron as the first high priest of Israel, and He designated the sons of Aaron as underpriests. (Ex 28:1; 29:35) Thereafter, the descendants of Aaron served as the priests of Israel, and the rest of the males of the tribe of Levi assisted them. (Ex 29:9; Nu 3:6-10) So the priests of Israel received their honored position “without a sworn oath”; rather, they received it by means of “fleshly descent.” (Heb 7:16) Paul forcefully argues that a priesthood based on God’s own sworn oath is far superior to one based on human ancestry.

      Jehovah: In this quote from Ps 110:4, the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text. Therefore, the divine name is used here in the main text.​—See App. C1 and C2.

      Jehovah has sworn: Paul again quotes from Ps 110:4, but this time he includes a part that he has not quoted earlier: “Jehovah has sworn [an oath], and he will not change his mind.” (See study notes on Heb 5:6.) Paul had already established that Jehovah’s sworn oath is unchangeable; it is the most trustworthy guarantee possible. (See study notes on Heb 6:17, 18.) So Jehovah’s oath regarding Jesus, “You are a priest forever” in the manner of king-priest Melchizedek, constitutes a personal covenant between Jehovah and his Son. (Heb 7:17) Jesus apparently referred to that covenant when he made his own covenant “for a kingdom” with his followers.​—Lu 22:29 and study note.