Chapter 7
1 For this Melchizedek , king of Salem , priest of God Most High , who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him ,
2 to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all ( being first , by interpretation , "king of righteousness ", and then also "king of Salem ", which means "king of peace ",
3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life , but made like the Son of God ), remains a priest continually .
4 Now consider how great this man was , to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth out of the best plunder.
5 They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’ s office have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law , that is , of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham,
6 but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has accepted tithes from Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises .
7 But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater .
8 Here people who die receive tithes , but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives .
9 We can say that through Abraham even Levi , who receives tithes , has paid tithes ,
10 for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him .
11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood ( for under it the people have received the law ), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek , and not be called after the order of Aaron?
12 For the priesthood being changed , there is of necessity a change made also in the law .
13 For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe , from which no one has officiated at the altar .
14 For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah , about which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
15 This is yet more abundantly evident , if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest ,
16 who has been made , not after the law of a fleshly commandment , but after the power of an endless life ;
17 for it is testified , " You are a priest forever , according to the order of Melchizedek ."
18 For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness
19 ( for the law made nothing perfect ), and a bringing in of a better hope , through which we draw near to God .
20 Inasmuch as he was not made priest without the taking of an oath
21 ( for they indeed have been made priests without an oath ), but he with an oath by him that says of him , " The Lord swore and will not change his mind , ‘ You are a priest forever , according to the order of Melchizedek.’"
22 By so much , Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant .
23 Many , indeed , have been made priests , because they are hindered from continuing by death .
24 But he , because he lives forever , has his priesthood unchangeable.
25 Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him , seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them .
26 For such a high priest was fitting for us : holy , guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens ;
27 who doesn’ t need , like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices daily , first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people . For he did this once for all , when he offered up himself .
28 For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath , which came after the law , appoints a Son forever who has been perfected .