Hebrews 7:23

THE MESSAGE

Earlier 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.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office.

King James Version (1611)
And they truely were many Priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death.

King James Version
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

English Standard Version
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,

New American Standard Bible
The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing;

New Century Version
When one of the other priests died, he could not continue being a priest. So there were many priests.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing,

Legacy Standard Bible
And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing,

Berean Standard Bible
Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office.

Contemporary English Version
There have been a lot of other priests, and all of them have died.

Complete Jewish Bible
Moreover, the present cohanim are many in number, because they are prevented by death from continuing in office.

Darby Translation
And they have been many priests, on account of being hindered from continuing by death;

Easy-to-Read Version
Also, when one of those other priests died, he could not continue being a priest. So there were many of those priests.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And among them many were made Priests, because they were not suffered to endure, by the reason of death.

George Lamsa Translation
And these priests were many, because they were mortal, and they were not permitted to continue because of death:

Good News Translation
There is another difference: there were many of those other priests, because they died and could not continue their work.

Lexham English Bible
And indeed many have become priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,

Literal Translation
And they truly are many priests, being prevented from continuing because of death;

Amplified Bible
The [former successive line of] priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were each prevented by death from continuing [perpetually in office];

American Standard Version
And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing:

Bible in Basic English
And it is true that there have been a great number of those priests, because death does not let them go on for ever;

Hebrew Names Version
Many, indeed, have been made Kohanim, because they are hindered from continuing by death.

International Standard Version
There have been many priests, since they have been prevented by death from continuing in office.

Etheridge Translation
There were (moreover) many [fn] priests, because they were dying, and were not permitted to remain.

Murdock Translation
And they as priests were numerous, because they were mortal, and were not permitted to continue:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And among them many were made priestes, because they were forbidden by death to endure.

English Revised Version
And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing:

World English Bible
Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And they truly were many priests, because they were hindered by death from continuing.

Weymouth's New Testament
And they have been appointed priests many in number, because death prevents their continuance in office:

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the othere weren maad manye preestis, `therfor for thei weren forbedun bi deth to dwelle stille;

Update Bible Version
And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because by death they are hindered from continuing:

Webster's Bible Translation
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

New English Translation
And the others who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them from continuing in office,

New King James Version
Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.

New Living Translation
There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office.

New Life Bible
There had to be many religious leaders during the time of the Old Way of Worship. They died and others had to keep on in their work.

New Revised Standard
Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, they, indeed, in greater numbers, have been made priests, because, by reason of death, are they hindered from remaining at hand;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the others indeed were made many priests, because by reason of death they were not suffered to continue:

Revised Standard Version
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And amonge them many were made prestes because they were not suffred to endure by the reason of deeth.

Young's Literal Translation
and those indeed are many who have become priests, because by death they are hindered from remaining;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And amonge them many were made prestes, because they were not suffred to endure by the reason of death.

Mace New Testament (1729)
besides, the priesthood then devolv'd to many, death depriving them of a lasting possession.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Every other priest and trail guide along the old trail has died.

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

were: Hebrews 7:8, 1 Chronicles 6:3-14, Nehemiah 12:10, Nehemiah 12:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 48:21 - Behold Exodus 29:9 - consecrate Leviticus 6:22 - is anointed Numbers 20:26 - General Joshua 1:2 - Moses Song of Solomon 2:3 - my beloved Zechariah 1:5 - General 1 Corinthians 15:17 - ye are Hebrews 7:3 - a priest

Cross-References

Genesis 7:1
Next God said to Noah, "Now board the ship, you and all your family—out of everyone in this generation, you're the righteous one.

Genesis 7:17
The flood continued forty days and the waters rose and lifted the ship high over the Earth. The waters kept rising, the flood deepened on the Earth, the ship floated on the surface. The flood got worse until all the highest mountains were covered—the high-water mark reached twenty feet above the crest of the mountains. Everything died. Anything that moved—dead. Birds, farm animals, wild animals, the entire teeming exuberance of life—dead. And all people—dead. Every living, breathing creature that lived on dry land died; he wiped out the whole works—people and animals, crawling creatures and flying birds, every last one of them, gone. Only Noah and his company on the ship lived.

Psalms 91:1
You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, Say this: " God , you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!" That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God 's your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.

Proverbs 11:4
A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a principled life can stand up to the worst.

Matthew 25:46
"Then those ‘goats' will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep' to their eternal reward."

Hebrews 11:7
By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn't see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God.

2 Peter 2:9
So God knows how to rescue the godly from evil trials. And he knows how to hold the feet of the wicked to the fire until Judgment Day.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they truly were many priests,.... There were many common priests at a time; and though there was but one high priest at a time, yet there were many of them in a line of succession from Aaron down to the apostle's time. The Jews say u, that under the first temple eighteen high priests ministered, and under the second temple more than three hundred: this shows the imperfection of this priesthood, since it was in many hands; no one continuing and being sufficient to execute it; but Christ is the one and only high priest; there is no other, nor is there any need of any other: the reason why there were so many under the law was,

because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death; death has a power to forbid a long continuance in this world, and no man does continue long here: death puts a stop to men's works, and to the exercise of their several callings; no office, even the most sacred, exempts from it; no, not the office of high priests: these were but men, sinful men, and so died; and their discontinuance by reason of death shows the imperfection of their priesthood: there was another reason besides this which the apostle gives, why the high priests were so many, and especially about this time; and that is, the office was bought for money, and men that would give most were put into it: hence there were frequent changes; the Jews themselves say, they changed every twelve months w.

u T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 9. 1. Piske Tosephot Zebachim, Art. 72. w T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 8. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And they truly - Under the Jewish dispensation. The object of this verse and the following is, to state one more reason of the excellence of the priesthood of Christ. It is, that owing to the frailty of human nature, and the shortness of life, the office of priest there was continually changing. But here there was no such change. Christ, being exalted to the heavens to live forever there, has now an unchangeable priesthood, and everything in regard to his office is permanent.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 23. And they truly were many priests — Under the Mosaic law it was necessary there should be a succession of priests, because, being mortal, they were not suffered to continue always by reason of death.