Bible Strands
Hebrews 7:21
but Jesus became a priest with an oath by the One who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The author addresses believers to contrast Jesus’ priestly appointment with the earlier Levitical system. God the Father speaks to Jesus at His exaltation, declaring His permanent priestly status.
The words — μετὰ ὁρκωμοσίας (meta horkōmosias) translates literally as “with an oath,” indicating a divine rather than human establishment. διὰ τοῦ λέγοντος (dia tou legontos) means “through the One saying,” identifying God as the speaker of the binding declaration.
The thread — The author quotes this divine oath from Psalm 110:4 and restates it in Hebrews 7:17 to anchor Jesus’ priesthood in Scripture. Hebrews 6:16 supplies the conceptual framework that divine oaths function as final confirmations to end all dispute.
Why it lands — The text states that Jesus holds His priesthood permanently because God swore an unchangeable oath to confirm it. Readers are asked to recognize that their covenant foundation rests on a guaranteed divine promise rather than a temporary human system.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
(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:)
Cross-references
- Psalms 110:4 The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
- Hebrews 7:17 For it is testified: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
- Hebrews 6:16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.
- 1 Samuel 15:29 Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man, that He should change His mind.”