| 1 | For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, |
| 2 | to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, 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, but made like unto the Son of God), abideth a priest continually. |
| 4 | Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils. |
| 5 | And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest`s office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham: |
| 6 | but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises. |
| 7 | But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better. |
| 8 | And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. |
| 9 | And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receiveth tithes, hath paid tithes; |
| 10 | for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him. |
| 11 | Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need [was there] that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned 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 said belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar. |
| 14 | For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests. |
| 15 | And [what we say] is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest, |
| 16 | who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life: |
| 17 | for it is witnessed [of him,] Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. |
| 18 | For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness |
| 19 | (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God. |
| 20 | And inasmuch as [it is] not without the taking of an oath |
| 21 | (for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath by him that saith of him, The Lord sware and will not repent himself, Thou art a priest for ever); |
| 22 | by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. |
| 23 | And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing: |
| 24 | but he, because he abideth for ever, hath his priesthood unchangeable. |
| 25 | Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. |
| 26 | For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; |
| 27 | who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the [sins] of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself. |
| 28 | For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, [appointeth] a Son, perfected for evermore. |
