Daily Bread

Jesus Like Melchizedek

¹¹ If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people^(A) established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come,^(B) one in the order of Melchizedek,^(C) not in the order of Aaron? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. ¹³ He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe,^(D) and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.^{(E) 14} For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah,^(F) and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. ¹⁵ And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, ¹⁶ one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is declared:

¹⁸ The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless^{(H) 19} (for the law made nothing perfect),^(I) and a better hope^(J) is introduced, by which we draw near to God.^(K)

²⁰ And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, ²¹ but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:

²² Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.^(N)

²³ Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; ²⁴ but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.^{(O) 25} Therefore he is able to save^(P) completely^[c] those who come to God^(Q) through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.^(R)

²⁶ Such a high priest^(S) truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners,^(T) exalted above the heavens.^{(U) 27} Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices^(V) day after day, first for his own sins,^(W) and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all^(X) when he offered himself.^{(Y) 28} For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness;^(Z) but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son,^(AA) who has been made perfect^(AB) forever.