Hebrews 7 · Verse 23

Hebrews 7:23

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

Hebrews 7:23, King James Version

Hebrews 7:23 in other translations

BSB	Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office.
WEB	Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death.
ASV	And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing:
YLT	and those indeed are many who have become priests, because by death they are hindered from remaining;
DARBY	And they have been many priests, on account of being hindered from continuing by death;
BBE	And it is true that there have been a great number of those priests, because death does not let them go on for ever;
Webster	And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

What does Hebrews 7:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

23. Another proof of superiority; the Levitical priests were many, as death caused the need of continually new ones being appointed in succession. Christ dies not, and so hath a priesthood which passes not from one to another. were--Greek, "are made." many--one after another; opposed to His "unchangeable (that does not pass from one to another) priesthood" (He 7:24). not suffered to continue--Greek, "hindered from permanently continuing," namely, in the priesthood.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 23. 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 for ever there, has now an unchangeable priesthood, and everything in regard to his office is permanent.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 7:11-25

The priesthood and law by which perfection could not come, are done away; a Priest is risen, and a dispensation now set up, by which true believers may be made perfect. That there is such a change is plain. The law which made the Levitical priesthood, showed that the priests were frail, dying creatures, not able to save their own lives, much less could they save the souls of those who came to them. But the High…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 7:11-25 →

Hebrews 7:23 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532

οἱhoithoseG3588

μὲνmenindeedG3303

πλείονέςpleionesmanyG4119

εἰσινeisinareG1510

γεγονότεςgegonoteshaving becomeG1096

ἱερεῖςhi'ereispriestsG2409

διὰdiabecause ofG1223

τὸto<the>G3588

θανάτῳthanatōby deathG2288

κωλύεσθαιkōluesthaibeing prevented fromG2967

παραμένειν·parameneincontinuing;G3887

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Hebrews 7:23

Nehemiah 12:10-11
And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada, And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.
Hebrews 7:8
And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
1 Chronicles 6:3-14
And the children of Amram; Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons also of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Eleazar begat Phinehas, Phinehas begat Abishua, And Abishua begat Bukki, and Bukki begat Uzzi, And Uzzi begat Zerahiah, and Zerahiah begat Meraioth, …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

were.
8; 1Ch 6:3-14; Ne 12:10,11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Hebrews 7:22
By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Hebrews 7:23
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
Hebrews 7:24
But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

Read all of Hebrews 7

Hebrews 7:23 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y los otros cierto fueron muchos sacerdotes, en cuanto por la muerte no podían permanecer.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et ceux-là étaient plusieurs sacrificateurs, parce que la mort les empêchait de demeurer;
German Elberfelder 1871	Und jener sind mehrere Priester geworden, weil sie durch den Tod verhindert waren zu bleiben;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et alii quidem plures facti sunt sacerdotes, idcirco quod morte prohiberentur permanere: