⁴ Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch^(A) Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!^{(B) 5} Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people^(C)—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham.

¹⁴ For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah,^(A) 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^{(C) 19} (for the law made nothing perfect),^(D) and a better hope^(E) is introduced, by which we draw near to God.^(F)

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.^(I)

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.^{(J) 25} Therefore he is able to save^(K) completely^[c] those who come to God^(L) through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.^(M)

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

⁵ Therefore, when Christ came into the world,^(A) he said:

¹⁰ And by that will, we have been made holy^(A) through the sacrifice of the body^(B) of Jesus Christ once for all.^(C)

¹¹ Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices,^(D) which can never take away sins.^{(E) 12} But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins,^(F) he sat down at the right hand of God,^{(G) 13} and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.^{(H) 14} For by one sacrifice he has made perfect^(I) forever those who are being made holy.^(J)