1For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest
of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from
the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2To 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;
3Without 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.
4Now consider how great this man was,
unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth
of the spoils.
5And 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:
6But he whose descent is not counted from
them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him
that had the promises.
7And without all contradiction the less is
blessed of the better.
8And here men that die receive tithes; but
there he receiveth
them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9And as I may so say, Levi also, who
receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10For he was yet in the loins of his father,
when Melchisedec met him.
11If 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?
12For the priesthood being changed, there is
made of necessity a change also of the law.
13For he of whom these things are spoken
pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave
attendance at the altar.
14For it
is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of
which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning
priesthood.
15And it is yet far more evident: for that
after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth
another priest,
16Who is made, not after the law of a carnal
commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17For he testifieth, Thou art a
priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18For there is verily a disannulling of the
commandment going before for the weakness and
unprofitableness thereof.
19For the law made nothing perfect, but the
bringing in of a better hope did;
by the which we draw nigh unto God.
20And 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:)
22By so much was Jesus made a surety of a
better testament.
23And they truly were many priests, because
they were not suffered to continue by reason of
death:
24But this man,
because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable
priesthood.
25Wherefore 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.
26For such an high priest became us, who
is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from
sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
27Who 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.
28For 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.