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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,
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and Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness.” Then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”
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Without father or mother or genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God, he remains a priest for all time.
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Consider how great Melchizedek was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder.
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Now the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people — that is, from their brothers — though they too are descended from Abraham.
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But Melchizedek, who did not trace his descent from Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
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And indisputably, the lesser is blessed by the greater.
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In the case of the Levites, mortal men collect the tenth; but in the case of Melchizedek, it is affirmed that he lives on.
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And so to speak, Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham.
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For when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the loin of his ancestor.
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Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood ( for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear — one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron?
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For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed as well.
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He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.
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For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, a tribe as to which Moses said nothing about priests.
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And this point is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears,
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one who has become a priest not by a law of succession, but by the power of an indestructible life.
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For it is testified: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
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So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless
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( for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
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And none of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath,
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but Jesus became a priest with an oath by the One who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’”
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Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
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Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office.
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But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood.
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Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
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Such a high priest truly befits us — One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
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Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself.
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For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.