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HebrewsChapter 7

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This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. His name means "king of righteousness," and he was also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace."
Without father or mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
See how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils.
Now the descendants of Levi who receive the priesthood have a commandment in the law to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their own brothers, though they too are descended from Abraham.
But this man, who does not trace his descent from them, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who held the promises.
And beyond all dispute, the lesser is blessed by the greater.
In the one case the tenth is received by men who die; in the other, by him of whom it is testified that he lives.
One might even say that Levi, who receives the tenth, paid it through Abraham,
for he was still in his ancestor's body when Melchizedek met him.
If perfection had come through the Levitical priesthood—for under it the people received the law—why was there still need for another priest to arise in the order of Melchizedek rather than one named in the order of Aaron?
For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed as well.
The one of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.
For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests from that tribe.
And this becomes even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,
one who has become a priest not on the basis of a law about physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life.
For it is testified of him: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless—
for the law made nothing perfect—and a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
And to the degree that this came with an oath—for the others became priests without any oath,
but he became a priest with an oath, when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.'"
To that same degree, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.
Now there have been many priests, since death kept them from continuing in office;
but because he lives forever, he holds his priesthood permanently.
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.
Such a high priest is exactly what we needed: holy, blameless, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son, made perfect forever.
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