Heb7:1 This "King Melchizedek of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him";
Heb7:2 and to him Abraham apportioned "one-tenth of everything." His name, in the first place, means "king of righteousness"; next he is also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace."
Heb7:3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
Heb7:4 See how great he is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils.
Heb7:5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their kindred, though these also are descended from Abraham.
Heb7:6 But this man, who does not belong to their ancestry, collected tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises.
Heb7:7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.
Heb7:8 In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.
Heb7:9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,
Heb7:10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
Heb7:11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the levitical priesthood-- for the people received the law under this priesthood-- what further need would there have been to speak of another priest arising according to the order of Melchizedek, rather than one according to the order of Aaron?
Heb7:12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.
Heb7:13 Now the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.
Heb7:14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
Heb7:15 It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling Melchizedek,
Heb7:16 one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life.
Heb7:17 For it is attested of him, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
Heb7:18 There is, on the one hand, the abrogation of an earlier commandment because it was weak and ineffectual
Heb7:19 (for the law made nothing perfect); there is, on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope, through which we approach God.
Heb7:20 This was confirmed with an oath; for others who became priests took their office without an oath,
Heb7:21 but this one became a priest with an oath, because of the one who said to him, "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever'"--
Heb7:22 accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.
Heb7:23 Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office;
Heb7:24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.
Heb7:25 Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Heb7:26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
Heb7:27 Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself.
Heb7:28 For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.