To the Hebrews, 7

¹ For this Mel·chizʹe·dek, king of Saʹlem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him

² and to whom Abraham apportioned a tenth from all things, is first of all, by translation, “King of Righteousness,” and is then also king of Saʹlem, that is, “King of Peace.”

³ In being fatherless, motherless, without genealogy, having neither a beginning of days nor an end of life, but having been made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

⁴ BEHOLD, then, how great this man was to whom Abraham, the family head,^*1 gave a tenth out of the chief spoils.

⁵ True, the men from the sons of Leʹvi who receive their priestly office have a commandment to collect tithes from the people according to the Law, that is, from their brothers, even if these have issued from the loins of Abraham;

⁶ but the man who did not trace his genealogy from them took tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

⁷ Now without any dispute,^*1 the less is blessed by the greater.

⁸ And in the one case it is men who are dying that receive tithes, but in the other case it is someone of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

⁹ And, if I may use the expression, through Abraham even Leʹvi who receives tithes has paid tithes,

¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his forefather when Mel·chizʹe·dek met him.

¹¹ If, then, perfection were really through the Levitical priesthood, (for with it as a feature^*1 the people were given the Law,) what further need would there be for another priest to arise according to the manner^*2 of Mel·chizʹe·dek and not said to be according to the manner of Aaron?

¹² For since the priesthood is being changed, there comes to be of necessity a change also of the law.

¹³ For the man respecting whom these things are said has been a member of another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.

¹⁴ For it is quite plain that our Lord has sprung up out of Judah, a tribe about which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

¹⁵ And it is still more abundantly clear that with a similarity^*1 to Mel·chizʹe·dek there arises another priest,

¹⁶ who has become such, not according to the law of a commandment depending upon the flesh, but according to the power of an indestructible^*1 life,

¹⁷ for in witness it is said: “You are a priest forever according to the manner of Mel·chizʹe·dek.”

¹⁸ Certainly, then, there occurs a setting aside of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and ineffectiveness.^*1

¹⁹ For the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in besides of a better hope did, through which we are drawing near to God.

²⁰ Also, to the extent that it was not without a sworn oath,

²¹ (for there are indeed men that have become priests without a sworn oath, but there is one with an oath sworn by the One who said respecting him: “Jehovah^*1 has sworn (and he will feel no regret), ‘You are a priest forever,’”)

²² to that extent also Jesus has become the one given in pledge of a better covenant.^*1

²³ Furthermore, many had to become priests [in succession] because of being prevented by death from continuing as such,

²⁴ but he because of continuing alive forever has his priesthood without any successors.^*1

²⁵ Consequently he is able also to save completely those who are approaching God through him, because he is always alive to plead^*1 for them.

²⁶ For such a high priest as this was suitable for us, loyal, guileless, undefiled, separated from the sinners, and become higher than the heavens.

²⁷ He does not need daily, as those high priests do, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for those of the people: (for this he did once for all time when he offered himself up;)

²⁸ for the Law appoints men high priests having weakness, but the word of the sworn oath that came after the Law appoints a Son, who is perfected^*1 forever.