Hebrews 7:20

THE MESSAGE

The old priesthood of Aaron perpetuated itself automatically, father to son, without explicit confirmation by God. But then God intervened and called this new, permanent priesthood into being with an added promise: God gave his word; he won't take it back: "You're the permanent priest." This makes Jesus the guarantee of a far better way between us and God—one that really works! A new covenant.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath,

King James Version (1611)
And in as much as not without an othe he was made Priest,

King James Version
And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

English Standard Version
And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath,

New American Standard Bible
And to the extent that it was not without an oath

New Century Version
It is important that God did this with an oath. Others became priests without an oath,

Legacy Standard Bible
And inasmuch as it was not without an oath

Berean Standard Bible
And none of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath,

Contemporary English Version
God himself made a promise when this priest was appointed. But he did not make a promise like this when the other priests were appointed. The promise he made is, "I, the Lord, promise that you will be a priest forever! And I will never change my mind!"

Complete Jewish Bible
What is more, God swore an oath. For no oath was sworn in connection with those who become cohanim now;

Darby Translation
And by how much [it was] not without the swearing of an oath;

Easy-to-Read Version
Also, it is important that God made a promise with an oath when he made Jesus high priest. When those other men became priests, there was no oath.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And for as much as it is not without an othe (for these are made Priestes without an othe:

George Lamsa Translation
And he confirmed it for us by oath.

Good News Translation
In addition, there is also God's vow. There was no such vow when the others were made priests.

Lexham English Bible
And by as much as this was not without an oath (for these on the one hand have become priests without an oath,

Literal Translation
And by how much it was not without oath-taking;

Amplified Bible
And indeed it was not without the taking of an oath [that Christ was made priest]

American Standard Version
And inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath

Bible in Basic English
And as this is not without the taking of an oath

Hebrew Names Version
Inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath,

International Standard Version
Now none of this happened without an oath. Others became priests without any oath,

Etheridge Translation
And he hath confirmed it unto us in an oath.

Murdock Translation
And he confirmed it to us by an oath.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And in as much as that was not without an oth (For those priestes were made without an oth:

English Revised Version
And inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath

World English Bible
Inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And in as much as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath,

Weymouth's New Testament
And since it was not without an oath being taken--

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And hou greet it is, not with out sweryng; but the othere ben maad preestis with outen an ooth;

Update Bible Version
And inasmuch as [it is] not without the taking of an oath

Webster's Bible Translation
And inasmuch as not without an oath [he was made priest]:

New English Translation
And since this was not done without a sworn affirmation—for the others have become priests without a sworn affirmation,

New King James Version
And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath

New Living Translation
This new system was established with a solemn oath. Aaron's descendants became priests without such an oath,

New Life Bible
God made a promise when Christ became the Religious Leader Who made the way for man to go to God.

New Revised Standard
This was confirmed with an oath; for others who became priests took their office without an oath,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, inasmuch as not apart from oath-taking -

Douay-Rheims Bible
And inasmuch as it is not without an oath (for the others indeed were made priests without an oath:

Revised Standard Version
And it was not without an oath.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And for this cause it is a better hope that it was not promysed with out an othe.

Young's Literal Translation
And inasmuch as [it is] not apart from oath, (for those indeed apart from oath are become priests,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And for this cause is it a better hope, yt it was not promysed without an ooth.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Besides those priests were establish'd without any oath: but this with an oath,

Simplified Cowboy Version
This new trail was blazed through the world with a solemn oath. Aaron's people never made an oath to become priests.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And inasmuch as it was not without an oath

Contextual Overview

¹¹If the priesthood of Levi and Aaron, which provided the framework for the giving of the law, could really make people perfect, there wouldn't have been need for a new priesthood like that of Melchizedek. But since it didn't get the job done, there was a change of priesthood, which brought with it a radical new kind of law. There is no way of understanding this in terms of the old Levitical priesthood, which is why there is nothing in Jesus' family tree connecting him with that priestly line. ¹⁵But the Melchizedek story provides a perfect analogy: Jesus, a priest like Melchizedek, not by genealogical descent but by the sheer force of resurrection life—he lives!—"priest forever in the royal order of Melchizedek." The former way of doing things, a system of commandments that never worked out the way it was supposed to, was set aside; the law brought nothing to maturity. Another way—Jesus!—a way that does work, that brings us right into the presence of God, is put in its place. ²⁰The old priesthood of Aaron perpetuated itself automatically, father to son, without explicit confirmation by God. But then God intervened and called this new, permanent priesthood into being with an added promise: God gave his word; he won't take it back: "You're the permanent priest." This makes Jesus the guarantee of a far better way between us and God—one that really works! A new covenant. ²³Earlier there were a lot of priests, for they died and had to be replaced. But Jesus' priesthood is permanent. He's there from now to eternity to save everyone who comes to God through him, always on the job to speak up for them. ²⁶So now we have a high priest who perfectly fits our needs: completely holy, uncompromised by sin, with authority extending as high as God's presence in heaven itself. Unlike the other high priests, he doesn't have to offer sacrifices for his own sins every day before he can get around to us and our sins. He's done it, once and for all: offered up himself as the sacrifice. The law appoints as high priests men who are never able to get the job done right. But this intervening command of God, which came later, appoints the Son, who is absolutely, eternally perfect.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Cross-References

Jeremiah 3:22
"We're here! We've come back to you. You're our own true God ! All that popular religion was a cheap lie, duped crowds buying up the latest in gods. We're back! Back to our true God , the salvation of Israel. The Fraud picked us clean, swindled us of what our ancestors bequeathed us, Gypped us out of our inheritance— God-blessed flocks and God-given children. We made our bed and now lie in it, all tangled up in the dirty sheets of dishonor. All because we sinned against our God , we and our fathers and mothers. From the time we took our first steps, said our first words, we've been rebels, disobeying the voice of our God ."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And inasmuch as not without an oath,.... Our version supplies as follows,

he was made priest; which well agrees with what is said in the next verse; the Syriac version renders it, "and which he confirmed to us by an oath"; that is, the better hope, Christ and his priesthood, said to be brought in, and by which men draw nigh to God; this is established by the oath of God himself referring to Psalms 110:4 afterwards cited in proof of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And inasmuch as not without an oath - In addition to every other consideration showing the superiority of Christ as a priest, there was the solemnity of the oath by which he was set apart to the office. The appointment of one to the office of priest by an oath, such as occurred in the case of Jesus, was much more solemn and important than where the office was received merely by descent.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. Not without an oath — "The apostle's reasoning here is founded on this, that God never interposed his oath, except to show the certainty and immutability of the thing sworn. Thus he sware to Abraham, Genesis 22:16-18, that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed; and to the rebellious Israelites, Deuteronomy 1:34; Deuteronomy 1:35, that they should not enter into his rest; and to Moses, Deuteronomy 4:21, that he should not go into Canaan; and to David, Psalms 89:4, that his seed should endure for ever, and his throne unto all generations. Wherefore, since Christ was made a priest, not without an oath that he should be a priest for ever, after the similitude of Melchisedec, that circumstance showed God's immutable resolution never to change or abolish his priesthood, nor to change or abolish the covenant which was established on his priesthood; whereas the Levitical priesthood and the law of Moses, being established without an oath, were thereby declared to be changeable at God's pleasure." This judicious note is from Dr. Macknight.