Hebrews 7:1-17

1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings,

2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace.

3Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

4Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him.

5The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people  — that is, from their brothers and sisters — though they have also descended from Abraham.

6But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.

7Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior.

8In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives.

9And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham,

10for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

11Now 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?

12For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well.

13For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar.

14Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

15And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears,

16who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life.

17For it has been testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.