7Melchizedek was the king of Salem. He was the priest of God Most High. He met Abraham, who was returning from winning a battle over some kings. Melchizedek blessed him. ²Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.

First, the name Melchizedek means “king of what is right.” Also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” ³Melchizedek has no father or mother. He has no family line. His days have no beginning. His life has no end. He remains a priest forever, just like the Son of God.

⁴Think how great Melchizedek was. Even our father Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had captured. ⁵Now the law lays down a rule for the sons of Levi who become priests. They must collect a tenth from the people. They must collect it even from those who belong to the family line of Abraham.

⁶Melchizedek did not trace his family line from Levi. But he collected a tenth from Abraham. Melchizedek blessed the one who had received the promises. ⁷Without a doubt, the more important person blesses the less important one. ⁸In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die. But in the other case, it is collected by the one who is said to be living.

⁹Levi collects the tenth. But we might say that Levi paid the tenth through Abraham. ¹⁰That’s because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in Abraham’s body.

Jesus Is Like Melchizedek

¹¹Suppose the Levites who were priests could have made people perfect. The law was given to the people so they could become perfect through the priests. Then why was there still a need for another priest to come? And why did he need to be like Melchizedek? Why wasn’t he from Aaron’s family line?

¹²A change of priests requires a change of law. ¹³Those things are said about one who is from a different tribe. No one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.

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