Hebrews 7:16 Meaning and Explanation
“Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →This priest is appointed not by a rule about physical descent but by the power of a life that cannot end.
What Does Hebrews 7:16 Mean?
The writer contrasts the basis of the old priesthood with the new. The Levitical office came by a fleshly requirement, the commandment that traced priesthood through bloodline. A man qualified by birth and held the office only until death.
But this priest is made by something altogether different, the power of an indestructible life. His qualification is not where He came from but the life within Him that death cannot conquer. Because He lives by a power beyond the grave, His priesthood never lapses and never passes to another. Here the gospel shines: the One who rose from the dead ministers for us out of a life that will never end.
Hebrews 7:16 in the Original Language
akatalytos (ἀκατάλυτος), 'endless' -- indestructible, a life that cannot be dissolved or undone.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hebrews 7:16
What does Hebrews 7:16 mean?
This priest is appointed not by a rule about physical descent but by the power of a life that cannot end.