1 F or this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

¶ 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 t o 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;

to whom Abraham also 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 w ithout father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God), remains a priest continually.

without father, without mother, without lineage, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually.

4 N ow consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the best plunder.

Now consider how great this one was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

5 T hey indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham,

And verily those that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they also have come out of the loins of Abraham;

6 b ut he whose genealogy is not counted from them has accepted tithes from Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises.

but he whose descent is not counted in those took tithes from Abraham and blessed him that had the promises.

7 B ut without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.

And without any contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

8 H ere people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives.

In the same manner, here men that die take tithes; but there he received them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

9 W e can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes,

And as I may so say, Levi also, who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham.

10 f or he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him.

For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

11 N ow if there were perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

¶ 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 F or the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also in the law.

For the priesthood being transposed, there is made of necessity a translation also of the law.

13 F or he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.

For he of whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, of which no one presided at the altar.

14 F or it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, about which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

For it is manifest that our Lord sprang out of Juda, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

15 T his is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest,

And it is yet far more manifest: if there arises another priest who is like unto Melchisedec,

16 w ho has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life:

who is not made according to the law of a carnal commandment, but by the virtue of an indissoluble life;

17 f or it is testified, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”

for the testimony is of this manner, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

18 F or there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness

For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness of it;

19 ( for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw near unto God.

20 I nasmuch as he was not made priest without the taking of an oath

And even more, inasmuch as it is not without an oath

21 ( for they indeed have been made priests without an oath), but he with an oath by him that says of him, “The Lord swore and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.’”

(for the others indeed without an oath were made priests, but this one with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord swore and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec);

22 B y so much, Jesus has become the collateral of a better covenant.

by so much better testament is Jesus made surety.

23 M any, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death.

And the others, truly, were many priests because they were not able to continue by reason of death:

24 B ut he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable.

but this man, because he continues forever, has the intransmissible priesthood.

25 T herefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them.

Therefore he is able also to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.

26 F or such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

For it was expedient that we have such a high priest, who is holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens,

27 w ho doesn’t need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself.

who needs 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 F or the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath which came after the law appoints a Son forever who has been perfected.

For the law makes men high priests who have weakness; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, has made perfect a Son forever.