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.