⁶ This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed^(A) him who had the promises.^(B)

¹³ It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise^(A) that he would be heir of the world,^(B) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.^(C)

³ Without father or mother, without genealogy,^(A) without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God,^(B) he remains a priest forever.

⁴ Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch^(C) Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!^(D)

⁴ “As for me, this is my covenant with you:^(A) You will be the father of many nations.^{(B) 5} No longer will you be called Abram^[a]; your name will be Abraham,^[b](C) for I have made you a father of many nations.^{(D) 6} I will make you very fruitful;^(E) I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.^{(F) 7} I will establish my covenant^(G) as an everlasting covenant^(H) between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God^(I) and the God of your descendants after you.^{(J) 8} The whole land of Canaan,^(K) where you now reside as a foreigner,^(L) I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you;^(M) and I will be their God.^(N)”

¹⁴ The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.^{(A) 15} All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring^[a] forever.^{(B) 16} I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.^{(C) 17} Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,^(D) for I am giving it to you.”^(E)

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.^(A) He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son,

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)

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 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.^(A) Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”^[a](B) meaning one person, who is Christ.