Melchizedek and Abraham

¹ This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest^* of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² and Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness.” Then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” ³ Without father or mother or genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God, he remains a priest^* for all time.

⁴ Consider how great Melchizedek was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder. ⁵ Now the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people — that is, from their brothers — though they too are descended from Abraham. ⁶ But Melchizedek, who did not trace his descent from Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. ⁷ And indisputably, the lesser is blessed by the greater.

⁸ In the case of the Levites, mortal men collect the tenth; but in the case of Melchizedek, it is affirmed that he lives on. ⁹ And so to speak, Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham. ¹⁰ For when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the loin of his ancestor.

A Superior Priesthood

¹¹ Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood ( for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear — one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed as well.

¹³ He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served^* at the altar. ¹⁴ For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, a tribe as to which Moses said nothing about priests.

¹⁵ And this point is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, ¹⁶ one who has become a priest not by a law of succession, but by the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is testified:

“You are a priest forever

in the order of Melchizedek.”

¹⁸ So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless ¹⁹ ( for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

²⁰ And none of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, 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.’”

²² Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

²³ Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office. ²⁴ But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.

²⁶ Such a high priest truly befits us — One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. ²⁷ Unlike the other high priests,^* He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.