Hebrews 7:1-14

Christian Standard Bible

The Greatness of Melchizedek

7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, ² and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace. ³ Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God,^(A) he remains a priest forever.

⁴ Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch^(B) gave a tenth of the plunder to him. ⁵ The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people^(C)—that is, from their brothers and sisters—though they have also descended from Abraham. ⁶ But one without this^[a] lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.^{(D) 7} Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior. ⁸ In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives.^{(E) 9} And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham, ¹⁰ for he was still within his ancestor^[b] when Melchizedek met him.

A Superior Priesthood

¹¹ Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law^(F)), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron?^{(G) 12} For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. ¹³ For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. ¹⁴ Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah,^(H) and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.