1 It was this Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and gave him his blessing; 2 and it was to him that Abraham allotted a tithe of all the spoil. The meaning of his name is ‘king of righteousness,’ and besides that, he was also king of Salem, which means ‘king of peace.’ 3 There is no record of his father, or mother, or lineage, nor again of any beginning of his days, or end of his life. In this he resembles the Son of God, and stands before us as a priest whose priesthood is continuous.

4 Consider, then the importance of this Melchizedek, to whom even the patriarch Abraham himself gave a tithe of the choicest spoils. 5 Those descendants of Levi, who are from time to time appointed to the priesthood, are directed to collect tithes from the people in accordance with the Law – that is from their own kindred, although they also are descended from Abraham. 6 But Melchizedek, although not of this lineage, received tithes from Abraham, and gave his blessing to the man who had God’s promises. 7 Now no one can dispute that it is the superior who blesses the inferior. 8 In the one case the tithes are received by people who are mortal; in the other case by one about whom there is the statement that his life still continues. 9 Moreover, in a sense, even Levi, who is the receiver of the tithes, has, through Abraham, paid tithes; 10 for Levi was still in the body of his ancestor when Melchizedek met Abraham.

11 If, then, perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood – and it was under this priesthood that the people received the Law – why was it still necessary that a priest of a different order should appear, a priest of the order of Melchizedek and not of the order of Aaron? 12 With the change of the priesthood a change of the Law became a necessity. 13 And he of whom all this is said belonged to quite a different tribe, no member of which has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is plain that our Lord had sprung from the tribe of Judah, though of that tribe Moses said nothing about their being priests. 15 All this becomes even yet plainer when we remember that a new priest has appeared, resembling Melchizedek, 16 and that he was appointed, not under a Law regulating only earthly matters, but by virtue of a life beyond the reach of death; 17 for that is the meaning of the declaration –