¹ For this Melchizedek, 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 apportioned a tenth part of all, who by interpretation is first King of righteousness, and then also was King of Salem, which is, King of peace,

³ without father, without mother, without record of descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but likened to the Son of God, remaineth a priest for ever.

⁴ Consider now how great this man was, to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils.

⁵ And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the office of the priesthood have a command to take tithes of the people by the Law, that is, of their brethren, though they have come out of the loins of Abraham;

⁶ but he whose descent is not reckoned from them took tithes of Abraham, and blessed him who had the promises.

⁷ And beyond all contradiction the less is blessed by the greater.

⁸ And here indeed men that die receive tithes; but there he of whom it is testified that he liveth.

⁹ And so to speak, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes in Abraham;

¹⁰ for he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

¹¹ If indeed perfection had been by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people hath received the Law,) what further need was there that a different priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called alter the order of Aaron?

¹² For if the priesthood is changed, there takes place of necessity a change of the law.

¹³ For he of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, of which no one hath given attendance at the altar;

¹⁴ for it is well-known that our Lord sprang out of Judah, in regard to which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

¹⁵ And it is still more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth a different priest,

¹⁶ who hath been made, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an indissoluble life.

¹⁷ For it is testified of him, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."

¹⁸ For on the one hand there takes place an annulling of the commandment which went before, on account of its weakness and unprofitableness,—

¹⁹ for the Law perfected nothing,—and on the other, the bringing in of a better hope, by which we draw near to God.

²⁰ And inasmuch as it was not without an oath that he was made priest,

²¹ —for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath by him who said to him, "The Lord swore, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever,"—

²² by so much hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.

²³ And they indeed have been many priests, because they have been prevented from continuing by reason of death;

²⁴ but he, because he abideth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood;

²⁵ wherefore he is able also to save to the utmost those who come to God through him, since he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

²⁶ For such a high-priest also became us, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

²⁷ who hath not necessity daily, as the high-priests, to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself.

²⁸ For the Law maketh men high-priests, who have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the Law, maketh the Son, who is perfected for ever.