Abram and Melchizedek^(A)

¹⁸ Then ^(B)Melchizedek king of Salem brought out ^(C)bread and wine; he was ^(D)the priest of ^(E)God Most High.

^20 (A)where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, ^(B)having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

The King of Righteousness^(C)

7 For this ^(D)Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” ³ without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

⁶ As He also says in another place:

¹⁰ called by God as High Priest ^(A)“according to the order of Melchizedek,”

¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Need for a New Priesthood^(A)

^11 (B)Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? ¹² For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. ¹³ For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has ^[a]officiated at the altar.

¹⁴ For it is evident that ^(C)our Lord arose from ^(D)Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning ^[b]priesthood. ¹⁵ And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest ¹⁶ who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. ¹⁷ For ^[c]He testifies:

¹⁸ For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of ^(F)its weakness and unprofitableness, ¹⁹ for ^(G)the law made nothing ^[d]perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of ^(H)a better hope, through which ^(I)we draw near to God.

Greatness of the New Priest

²⁰ And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath ²¹ (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:

²² by so much more Jesus has become a ^[f]surety of a ^(K)better covenant.

¹⁷ This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”

Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper^(A)

^26 (B)And as they were eating, ^(C)Jesus took bread, ^[a]blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; ^(D)this is My body.”

²⁷ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ^(E)“Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ For ^(F)this is My blood ^(G)of the ^[b]new covenant, which is shed ^(H)for many for the ^[c]remission of sins. ²⁹ But ^(I)I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on ^(J)until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”