Chapter 7

1Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham as Abraham was returning after defeating the kings, and he blessed him.

2Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had captured. Melchizedek’s name means “king of justice,” and “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”

3He is presented without father, mother, family history, beginning of days, or end of life. Portrayed as resembling God’s Son, he remains a priest continually.

4Consider how great Melchizedek was: even Abraham, the honored ancestor of the nation, gave him a tenth of the best spoils from battle.

5The descendants of Levi who become priests are commanded by the law to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their own fellow Israelites—even though they too are descended from Abraham.

6But Melchizedek, whose ancestry was not traced through Levi’s family, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the man who had received God’s promises.

7There can be no dispute that the lesser person is blessed by the greater one.

8In the Levitical system, mortal men collect tenths. In Melchizedek’s case, however, Scripture declares that he lives.

9One might even say that Levi, whose descendants collect tenths, himself paid a tenth through Abraham.

10Levi had not yet been born but was still within the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him.

11If the Levitical priesthood could have brought people to their intended completeness—for the people received the law under that priesthood—why was there still a need for another priest to arise following Melchizedek’s pattern rather than Aaron’s?

12When the priesthood changes, the law governing it must change as well.

13The person these words describe belonged to a different tribe, one from which no one had ever served as a priest at the altar.

14It is clear that our Lord arose from the tribe of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe.

15This becomes even clearer when another priest arises who resembles Melchizedek.

16He became a priest, not because of a legal requirement based on physical descent, but because he possesses the power of a life that cannot be destroyed.

17Scripture declares about him, “You are a priest forever, following Melchizedek’s pattern.”

18The earlier command is set aside because it was weak and could not accomplish what was needed.

19The law brought nothing to its intended completion. But now a better hope has been introduced, and through it we come near to God.

20Moreover, Jesus did not become priest without an oath. The other men became priests without any oath,

21but Jesus became priest through an oath from God, who said to him, “God has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’”

22Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a far better covenant—God’s binding commitment to his people.

23There had to be many other priests because death prevented each one from continuing in office.

24But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood is permanent and cannot pass to anyone else.

25Therefore, he can save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to appeal to God on their behalf.

26Jesus is exactly the kind of high priest we needed: devoted to God, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and raised higher than the heavens.

27Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins and then for the people’s. He did this once for all when he offered himself.

28The law appoints high priests who are human and weak. But the oath God gave after the law appoints his Son, who has been made completely fit for this work forever.