Then Abram went home after he defeated Kedorlaomer and the kings with him. On his way home, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh. (This is now called King's Valley.) Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, also went to meet Abram. He brought bread and wine. He blessed Abram and said, "Abram, may you be blessed by God Most High, the one who made heaven and earth. And we praise God Most High, who helped you defeat your enemies." Abram gave Melchizedek one-tenth of everything he had taken during the battle.

Melchizedek was the king of Salem and a priest for God the Most High. He met Abraham when Abraham was coming back after defeating the kings. That day Melchizedek blessed him. Then Abraham gave him a tenth of everything he had. The name Melchizedek, king of Salem, has two meanings. First, Melchizedek means "king of justice." And "king of Salem" means "king of peace." No one knows who his father or mother was or where he came from. And no one knows when he was born or when he died. Melchizedek is like the Son of God in that he will always be a priest.

You can see that Melchizedek was very great. Abraham, our great ancestor, gave him a tenth of everything he won in battle.

And these things become even clearer when we see that another priest has come who is like Melchizedek. He was made a priest, but not because he met the requirement of being born into the right family. He became a priest by the power of a life that will never end. This is what the Scriptures say about him: "You are a priest forever—the kind of priest Melchizedek was." The old rule is now ended because it was weak and worthless. The Law of Moses could not make anything perfect. But now a better hope has been given to us. And with that hope we can come near to God.

Also, it is important that God made a promise with an oath when he made Jesus high priest. When those other men became priests, there was no oath. But Christ became a priest with God's oath. God said to him, "The Lord has made a promise with an oath and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.'" So this means that Jesus is the guarantee of a better agreement from God to his people. Also, when one of those other priests died, he could not continue being a priest. So there were many of those priests. But Jesus lives forever. He will never stop serving as a priest.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.