| 1 | For this Melchisedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who did meet Abraham turning back from the smiting of the kings, and did bless him, |
| 2 | to whom also a tenth of all did Abraham divide, (first, indeed, being interpreted, `King of righteousness,` and then also, King of Salem, which is, King of Peace,) |
| 3 | without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, and being made like to the Son of God, doth remain a priest continually. |
| 4 | And see how great this one [is], to whom also a tenth Abraham the patriarch did give out of the best of the spoils, |
| 5 | and those, indeed, out of the sons of Levi receiving the priesthood, a command have to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, their brethren, even though they came forth out of the loins of Abraham; |
| 6 | and he who was not reckoned by genealogy of them, received tithes from Abraham, and him having the promises he hath blessed, |
| 7 | and apart from all controversy, the less by the better is blessed -- |
| 8 | and here, indeed, men who die do receive tithes, and there [he], who is testified to that he was living, |
| 9 | and so to speak, through Abraham even Levi who is receiving tithes, hath paid tithes, |
| 10 | for he was yet in the loins of the father when Melchisedek met him. |
| 11 | If indeed, then, perfection were through the Levitical priesthood -- for the people under it had received law -- what further need, according to the order of Melchisedek, for another priest to arise, and not to be called according to the order of Aaron? |
| 12 | for the priesthood being changed, of necessity also, of the law a change doth come, |
| 13 | for he of whom these things are said in another tribe hath had part, of whom no one gave attendance at the altar, |
| 14 | for [it is] evident that out of Judah hath arisen our Lord, in regard to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. |
| 15 | And it is yet more abundantly most evident, if according to the similitude of Melchisedek there doth arise another priest, |
| 16 | who came not according to the law of a fleshly command, but according to the power of an endless life, |
| 17 | for He doth testify -- `Thou [art] a priest -- to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;` |
| 18 | for a disannulling indeed doth come of the command going before because of its weakness, and unprofitableness, |
| 19 | (for nothing did the law perfect) and the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw nigh to God. |
| 20 | And inasmuch as [it is] not apart from oath, (for those indeed apart from oath are become priests, |
| 21 | and he with an oath through Him who is saying unto him, `The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest -- to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;`) |
| 22 | by so much of a better covenant hath Jesus become surety, |
| 23 | and those indeed are many who have become priests, because by death they are hindered from remaining; |
| 24 | and he, because of his remaining -- to the age, hath the priesthood not transient, |
| 25 | whence also he is able to save to the very end, those coming through him unto God -- ever living to make intercession for them. |
| 26 | For such a chief priest did become us -- kind, harmless, undefiled, separate from the sinners, and become higher than the heavens, |
| 27 | who hath no necessity daily, as the chief priests, first for his own sins to offer up sacrifice, then for those of the people; for this he did once, having offered up himself; |
| 28 | for the law doth appoint men chief priests, having infirmity, but the word of the oath that [is] after the law [appointeth] the Son -- to the age having been perfected. |
