Hebrews 7:1–25

THE GREATNESS OF MELCHIZEDEK

7For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, ²and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace. ³Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God,^k he remains a priest forever.

⁴Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch^l gave a tenth of the plunder to him. ⁵The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people^m—that is, from their brothers and sisters—though they have also descended from Abraham. ⁶But one without this^A lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.^{n 7}Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior. ⁸In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives.^{o 9}And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham, ¹⁰for he was still within his ancestor^B when Melchizedek met him.

A SUPERIOR PRIESTHOOD

¹¹Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law^p), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron?^{q 12}For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. ¹³For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. ¹⁴Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah,^r and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

¹⁵And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, ¹⁶who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical^C descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷For it has been testified:

You are a priest forever

according to the order of Melchizedek.^Ds

¹⁸So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable^{t 19}(for the law perfected^u nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.^v

²⁰None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, ²¹but he became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him:

The Lord has sworn

and will not change his mind,

“You are a priest forever.”^Da

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

²³Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. ²⁴But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently. ²⁵Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede^c for them.