Hebrews:7
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For this Melchizedek ,
king of Salem ,
priest of the Most High God ,
who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him ,
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to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all ,
first being translated "
king of righteousness ,"
and then also king of Salem ,
meaning "
king of peace ,"
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without father ,
without mother ,
without genealogy ,
having neither beginning of days nor end of life ,
but made like the Son of God ,
remains a priest continually .
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Now consider how great this man was ,
to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils .
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And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi ,
who receive the priesthood ,
have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law ,
that is ,
from their brethren ,
though they have come from the loins of Abraham ;
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but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises .
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Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better .
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Here mortal men receive tithes ,
but there he receives them ,
of whom it is witnessed that he lives .
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Even Levi ,
who receives tithes ,
paid tithes through Abraham ,
so to speak ,
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for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him .
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Therefore ,
if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (
for under it the people received the law ),
what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek ,
and not be called according to the order of Aaron ?
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For the priesthood being changed ,
of necessity there is also a change of the law .
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For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe ,
from which no man has officiated at the altar .
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For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah ,
of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood .
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And it is yet far more evident if ,
in the likeness of Melchizedek ,
there arises another priest
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who has come ,
not according to the law of a fleshly commandment ,
but according to the power of an endless life .
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For He testifies : "
You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek ."
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For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness ,
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for the law made nothing perfect ;
on the other hand ,
there is the bringing in of a better hope ,
through which we draw near to God .
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And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath
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for they have become priests without an oath ,
but He with an oath by Him who said to Him : "
The LORD has sworn And will not relent , "
You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek "'),
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by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant .
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Also there were many priests ,
because they were prevented by death from continuing .
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But He ,
because He continues forever ,
has an unchangeable priesthood .
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Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him ,
since He always lives to make intercession for them .
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For such a High Priest was fitting for us ,
who is holy ,
harmless ,
undefiled ,
separate from sinners ,
and has become higher than the heavens ;
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who does not need daily ,
as those high priests ,
to offer up sacrifices ,
first for His own sins and then for the people '
s ,
for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself .
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For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness ,
but the word of the oath ,
which came after the law ,
appoints the Son who has been perfected forever .