Hebrews 7 (NMV)
1 This Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. His name means "king of righteousness," and also "king of Salem," which means "king of peace."
3 He is without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this man was: even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils.
5 The sons of Levi, who receive the priestly office, are commanded by the law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their fellow Israelites, even though they are descended from Abraham.
6 But Melchizedek, who was not from their lineage, received a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.
7 And without a doubt, the lesser is blessed by the greater.
8 In the one case, men who die collect the tenth, but in the other case, it is someone who is testified to as living.
9 In a way, Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,
10 because he was still in the body of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
11 Now if perfection had come through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron?
12 For when the priesthood is changed, the law must also be changed.
13 The One these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has served at the altar.
14 It is clear that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe.
15 And it becomes even more clear if another priest appears like Melchizedek,
16 one who has become a priest not based on a legal requirement about ancestry, but by the power of an indestructible life.
17 For it is declared: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek."
18 So the former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless,
19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better confident expectation is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
20 Now it was not without an oath. Others became priests without an oath,
21 but Jesus became a priest with an oath made by the One who said to Him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: You are a priest forever."
22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
23 Now there have been many priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office.
24 But because Jesus lives forever, He holds His priesthood permanently.
25 Therefore, He is able to completely save those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.
26 Such a High Priest truly suits us, holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
27 He does not need to offer sacrifices every day like those high priests, first for their own sins and then for the people's. He did this once for all when He offered Himself.
28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the word of the oath, after the law, appoints the Son, who has been made perfect forever.