Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹¹ It was while the sons of Levi were priests that the law was made for the people. If those priests were good enough, why would another priest need to come who was like Melchizedek? Why would he not be like Aaron?

¹² If the kind of priest is changed, then the law must be changed also.

¹³ The one we are talking about belonged to another tribe. No man from his tribe ever made sacrifices in God's house.

¹⁴ Everyone knows that our Lord Jesus came from the tribe of Judah. And Moses never said anything about priests coming from that tribe.

¹⁵ You can understand it even better when another priest comes who is like Melchizedek.

¹⁶ He was not made a priest by law. The law said that the priest must come from a certain tribe. But he was made a priest because he has power to live for ever.

¹⁷ This is what the holy writings say about him, `You are a priest for ever, like Melchizedek.'

¹⁸ The old law given to Moses by God was put away. It was weak and no good.

¹⁹ The law did not make anything right. But something better has been brought to us. It is God's promise. And by that promise we come near to God.

²⁰ Also Christ was not made a priest without God's strong promise. The others were made priests without God's strong promise.

²¹ But this man was made priest by God's strong promise. God said to him, `The Lord has made a strong promise, and he will not change it. "You are a priest for ever." '

²² Also because of this, Jesus makes a better agreement with God for people.