| 1 | For this Melchisedec , king of Salem , priest of the most high God , who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings , and blessed him ; |
| 2 | To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all ; first being by interpretation King of righteousness , and after that also King of Salem , which is , King of peace ; |
| 3 | Without father , without mother , without descent , having neither beginning of days , nor end of life ; but made like unto the Son of God ; abideth a priest continually . |
| 4 | Now consider how great this man [was], unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils . |
| 5 | And verily they that are of the sons of Levi , who receive the office of the priesthood , have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law , that is , of their brethren , though they come out of the loins of Abraham : |
| 6 | But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham , and blessed him that had the promises . |
| 7 | And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better . |
| 8 | And here men that die receive tithes ; but there he [receiveth them], of whom it is witnessed that he liveth . |
| 9 | And as I may so say , Levi also , who receiveth tithes , payed tithes in Abraham . |
| 10 | For he was yet in the loins of his father , when Melchisedec met him . |
| 11 | If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood , (for under it the people received the law ,) what further need [was there] that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec , and not be called after the order of Aaron ? |
| 12 | For the priesthood being changed , there is made of necessity a change also of the law . |
| 13 | For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe , of which no man gave attendance at the altar . |
| 14 | For [it is] evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda ; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood . |
| 15 | And it is yet far more evident : for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest , |
| 16 | Who is made , not after the law of a carnal commandment , but after the power of an endless life . |
| 17 | For he testifieth , Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec . |
| 18 | For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof . |
| 19 | For the law made nothing perfect , but the bringing in of a better hope [did]; by the which we draw nigh unto God . |
| 20 | And inasmuch as not without an oath [he was made priest]: |
| 21 | (For those priests were made without an oath ; but this with an oath by him that said unto him , The Lord sware and will not repent , Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec :) |
| 22 | By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament . |
| 23 | And they truly were many priests , because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death : |
| 24 | But this [man], because he continueth ever , hath an unchangeable priesthood . |
| 25 | Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him , seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them . |
| 26 | For such an high priest became us , [who is] holy , harmless , undefiled , separate from sinners , and made higher than the heavens ; |
| 27 | Who needeth not daily , as those high priests , to offer up sacrifice , first for his own sins , and then for the people's : for this he did once , when he offered up himself . |
| 28 | For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity ; but the word of the oath , which was since the law , [maketh] the Son , who is consecrated for evermore . |
