1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham, who was returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him.
2To him also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, Melchizedek first being by interpretation "king of righteousness," and after that also king of Salem, which means "king of peace."
3Without father, without mother and without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, he abideth a priest continually.
4Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.
5And verily, those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law -- that is, from their brethren -- though they come out of the loins of Abraham.
6But Melchizedek, whose descent is not counted from them, received tithes from Abraham and blessed him that had the promises.
7And beyond all contradiction, the lesser is blessed by the greater.
8And here men who 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, paid tithes through Abraham,
10for he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met Abraham.
11If therefore perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to 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 Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
15And this is yet far more evident when there ariseth another priest according to the similitude of Melchizedek,
16who is made not according to the law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.
17For He testifieth: "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek."
18For there is verily an annulling of the former commandment because of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
19For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw nigh unto God.
20And inasmuch as it was not without an oath that He was made priest
21(for those priests were made without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said unto Him: "The Lord swore and will not repent, `Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.'"),
22by so much more was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23And those priests truly were many, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death;
24but this Man, because He continueth forever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26For such a High Priest who is befitting for us, holy, undisposed to harm, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens,
27who needeth not, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice daily 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 who have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which came since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.