¹⁸ Then Melchizedek^(A) king of Salem^(B) brought out bread^(C) and wine.^(D) He was priest of God Most High,^{(E) 19} and he blessed Abram,^(F) saying,

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.^(J)

²¹ The king of Sodom^(K) said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods^(L) for yourself.”

²² But Abram said to the king of Sodom,^(M) “With raised hand^(N) I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High,^(O) Creator of heaven and earth,^{(P) 23} that I will accept nothing belonging to you,^(Q) not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’

Psalm 110

Of David. A psalm.

5 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God,^(A) to offer gifts and sacrifices^(B) for sins.^{(C) 2} He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray,^(D) since he himself is subject to weakness.^{(E) 3} This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.^{(F) 4} And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.^(G)

⁵ In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory^(H) of becoming a high priest.^(I) But God said^(J) to him,

⁶ And he says in another place,

⁷ During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions^(N) with fervent cries and tears^(O) to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard^(P) because of his reverent submission.^{(Q) 8} Son^(R) though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered^{(S) 9} and, once made perfect,^(T) he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ¹⁰ and was designated by God to be high priest^(U) in the order of Melchizedek.^(V)

The Certainty of God’s Promise

¹³ When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,^{(A) 14} saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”^{[a](B) 15} And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.^(C)

¹⁶ People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.^{(D) 17} Because God wanted to make the unchanging^(E) nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,^(F) he confirmed it with an oath. ¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,^(G) we who have fled to take hold of the hope^(H) set before us may be greatly encouraged. ¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,^{(I) 20} where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.^(J) He has become a high priest^(K) forever, in the order of Melchizedek.^(L)

Melchizedek the Priest

7 This Melchizedek was king of Salem^(A) and priest of God Most High.^(B) He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,^{(C) 2} and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” ³ Without father or mother, without genealogy,^(D) without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God,^(E) he remains a priest forever.

⁴ Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch^(F) Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!^{(G) 5} Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people^(H)—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. ⁶ This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed^(I) him who had the promises.^{(J) 7} And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸ In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.^{(K) 9} One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, ¹⁰ because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

Jesus Like Melchizedek

¹¹ If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people^(L) established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come,^(M) one in the order of Melchizedek,^(N) not in the order of Aaron? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. ¹³ He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe,^(O) and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.^{(P) 14} For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah,^(Q) and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. ¹⁵ And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, ¹⁶ one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is declared:

¹⁸ The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless^{(S) 19} (for the law made nothing perfect),^(T) and a better hope^(U) is introduced, by which we draw near to God.^(V)

²⁰ And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, ²¹ but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:

²² Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.^(Y)

²³ Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; ²⁴ but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.^{(Z) 25} Therefore he is able to save^(AA) completely^[c] those who come to God^(AB) through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.^(AC)

²⁶ Such a high priest^(AD) truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners,^(AE) exalted above the heavens.^{(AF) 27} Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices^(AG) day after day, first for his own sins,^(AH) and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all^(AI) when he offered himself.^{(AJ) 28} For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness;^(AK) but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son,^(AL) who has been made perfect^(AM) forever.