1. Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him.
2. To him also Abraham apportioned a tithe of everything. His name first means king of righteousness, then king of Salem, that is, king of peace.
3. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time.
4. But see how great he must be, if Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of his plunder.
5. And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, although they too are descendants of Abraham.
6. But Melchizedek who does not share their ancestry collected a tithe from Abraham and blessed the one who possessed the promise.
7. Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior,
8. and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive.
9. And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham.
10. For he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins when Melchizedek met him.
11. So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood – for on that basis the people received the law – what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in Aaron’s order?
12. For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come as well.
13. Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever officiated at the altar.
14. For it is clear that our Lord is descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe.
15. And this is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,