¹¹ⁿIf therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people ^oreceived the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise ^pafter the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? ¹²For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. ¹³For ^qhe of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. ¹⁴For it is evident that ^q^rour Lord ^ssprang out of ^tJuda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. ¹⁵And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, ¹⁶Who is made, not after the law of ^tta carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. ¹⁷For ^uhe testifieth, ^vThou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

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Footnotes

nSo Gal. 2:21. ver. 18, 19. ch. 8:7. Comp. ver. 25.
och. 8:6 (Gk.).
pSee ch. 5:6.
qver. 14.
qver. 14.
rSee ch. 2:3.
sSee Luke 1:78 marg.
ttSo ch. 9:10.
uSee ch. 2:6.
vCited from Ps. 110:4. Cited also ver. 21. ch. 5:6.

Cross references

t Isai. 11:1. Mic. 5:2. Matt. 1:3. Luke 3:33. Rev. 5:5.

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In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him,

“You are a priest forever,

after the order of Melchizedek.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared:

“You are a priest forever,

in the order of Melchizedek.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law), 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? For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

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

You are a priest forever

according to the order of Melchizedek.

NLTNew Living Translation

So if the priesthood of Levi, on which the law was based, could have achieved the perfection God intended, why did God need to establish a different priesthood, with a priest in the order of Melchizedek instead of the order of Levi and Aaron?

And if the priesthood is changed, the law must also be changed to permit it. For the priest we are talking about belongs to a different tribe, whose members have never served at the altar as priests. What I mean is, our Lord came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never mentioned priests coming from that tribe.

This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared. Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. And the psalmist pointed this out when he prophesied,

“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Thus if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, for on the basis of it the people received the law, what further need is there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek and not said to be according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood changes, of necessity there is a change of the law also. For the one about whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe from which no one has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord is a descendant of Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses said nothing concerning priests. And it is still more clear, if another priest according to the likeness of Melchizedek arises, who has become a priest not according to a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. For it is testified,

“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”