1 F or this Melchizedek, king of Salem priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

Melchizedek was king of Salem. He was a religious leader for God. When Abraham was coming back from the war where many kings were killed, Melchizedek met Abraham and showed respect to him.

2 A nd Abraham gave to him a tenth portion of all. He is primarily, as his name when translated indicates, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, which means king of peace.

Abraham gave Melchizedek one-tenth part of all he had. Melchizedek’s name means king of what is right. Salem means peace. So he is king of peace.

3 W ithout father or mother or ancestral line, neither with beginning of days nor ending of life, but, resembling the Son of God, he continues to be a priest without interruption and without successor.

Melchizedek was without a father or mother or any family. He had no beginning of life or end of life. He is a religious leader forever like the Son of God.

4 N ow observe and consider how great this was to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils.

We can see how great Melchizedek was. Abraham gave him one-tenth part of all he had taken in the war.

5 A nd it is true that those descendants of Levi who are charged with the priestly office are commanded in the Law to take tithes from the people—which means, from their brethren—though these have descended from Abraham.

The Law made the family of Levi the Jewish religious leaders. The Law said that the religious leaders were to take one-tenth part of everything from their own people.

6 B ut this person who has not their Levitical ancestry received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who possessed the promises.

Melchizedek was not even from the family group of Levi but Abraham paid him. Melchizedek showed respect to Abraham who was the one who had received God’s promises.

7 Y et it is beyond all contradiction that it is the lesser person who is blessed by the greater one.

The one who shows respect is always greater than the one who receives it.

8 F urthermore, here tithes are received by men who are subject to death; while there, they are received by one of whom it is testified that he lives.

Jewish religious leaders receive one-tenth part. They are men and they all die. But here Melchizedek received one-tenth part and is alive.

9 A person might even say that Levi himself, who received tithes (the tenth), paid tithes through Abraham,

We might say that Levi, who receives one-tenth part, paid one-tenth part through Abraham.

10 F or he was still in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met him.

Levi was not yet born. He was still inside Abraham’s body when Abraham paid Melchizedek.

11 N ow if perfection (a perfect fellowship between God and the worshiper) had been attainable by the Levitical priesthood—for under it the people were given the Law—why was it further necessary that there should arise another and different kind of Priest, one after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one appointed after the order and rank of Aaron?

The Law was given during the time when Levi and his sons were the religious leaders. If the work of those religious leaders had been perfect in taking away the sins of the people, there would have been no need for another religious leader. But one like Melchizedek was needed and not one from the family group of Aaron.

12 F or when there is a change in the priesthood, there is of necessity an alteration of the law as well.

For when the family group of religious leaders changed, the Law had to be changed also.

13 F or the One of Whom these things are said belonged to another tribe, no member of which has officiated at the altar.

These things speak of Christ Who is from another family group. That family group never had a religious leader who killed animals and gave gifts at the altar for the sins of the people.

14 F or it is obvious that our Lord sprang from the tribe of Judah, and Moses mentioned nothing about priests in connection with that tribe.

Our Lord came from the family group of Judah. Moses did not write anything about religious leaders coming from that family group. A Different Religious Leader Has Come

15 A nd this becomes more plainly evident when another Priest arises Who bears the likeness of Melchizedek,

We can see that a different Religious Leader has come. This One is like Melchizedek.

16 W ho has been constituted a Priest, not on the basis of a bodily legal requirement, but on the basis of the power of an endless and indestructible Life.

Christ did not become a Religious Leader by coming from the family group of Levi as the Law said had to be. He became the Religious Leader by the power of a life that never ends.

17 F or it is witnessed of Him, You are a Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.

The Holy Writings say this about Christ, “You are a Religious Leader forever like Melchizedek.”

18 S o a previous physical regulation and command is cancelled because of its weakness and ineffectiveness and uselessness—

God put the Law of Moses aside. It was weak and could not be used.

19 F or the Law never made anything perfect—but instead a better hope is introduced through which we come close to God.

For the Law of Moses could not make men right with God. Now there is a better hope through which we can come near to God.

20 A nd it was not without the taking of an oath,

God made a promise when Christ became the Religious Leader Who made the way for man to go to God.

21 F or those who formerly became priests received their office without its being confirmed by the taking of an oath by God, but this One was designated and addressed and saluted with an oath, The Lord has sworn and will not regret it or change His mind, You are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

God did not make such a promise when Levi’s family group became religious leaders. But when Christ became a Religious Leader, this is the promise God made, “The Lord has made a promise. He will never change His mind. You will be a Religious Leader forever.”

22 I n keeping with, Jesus has become the Guarantee of a better (stronger) agreement.

Christ makes this New Way of Worship sure for us because of God’s promise.

23 w as made up of many, because they were each prevented by death from continuing;

There had to be many religious leaders during the time of the Old Way of Worship. They died and others had to keep on in their work.

24 B ut He holds His priesthood unchangeably, because He lives on forever.

But Jesus lives forever. He is the Religious Leader forever. It will never change.

25 T herefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them.

And so Jesus is able, now and forever, to save from the punishment of sin all who come to God through Him because He lives forever to pray for them.

26 t he High Priest to our needs, as was fitting—holy, blameless, unstained by sin, separated from sinners, and exalted higher than the heavens.

We need such a Religious Leader Who made the way for man to go to God. Jesus is holy and has no guilt. He has never sinned and is different from sinful men. He has the place of honor above the heavens.

27 H e has no day by day necessity, as high priests, to offer sacrifice first of all for his own sins and then for those of the people, because He once for all when He brought Himself which He offered up.

Christ is not like other religious leaders. They had to give gifts every day on the altar in worship for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. Christ did not have to do that. He gave one gift on the altar and that gift was Himself. It was done once and it was for all time.

28 F or the Law sets up men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of oath, which after the institution of the Law,, a Son Who has been made perfect forever.

The Law makes religious leaders of men. These men are not perfect. After the Law was given, God spoke with a promise. He made His Son a perfect Religious Leader forever.