| 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. |
