¶ For this¹ Melchisedec, king of Salem², priest of the most³ high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter⁴ of the kings, and blessed him;

To whom also Abraham gave a tenth⁵ part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness⁶, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

Without father⁷, without mother, without descent⁸, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest⁹ continually.

Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch¹⁰ Abraham¹¹ gave¹² the tenth of the spoils.

And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who¹³ receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take¹⁴ tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come¹⁵ out of the loins of Abraham:

But he whose descent¹⁶ is not counted from them received¹⁷ tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had¹⁸ the promises.

And without¹⁹ all contradiction the less²⁰ is blessed of the better.

And here men²¹ that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth²².

And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed²³ tithes in Abraham.

¶²⁴For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

¶ If therefore perfection²⁵ were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what²⁶ further need was there that another²⁷ priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change²⁸ also of the law.

For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which²⁹ no man gave attendance at the altar.

For it is evident that our Lord³⁰ sprang³¹ out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

And it is yet far more evident: for that after³² the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

Who is made, not after the law³³ of a carnal commandment, but after the power³⁴ of an endless life.

³⁵For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

For there is verily a disannulling³⁶ of the commandment going before for the weakness³⁷ and unprofitableness thereof.

For the law³⁸ made³⁹ nothing perfect, but the bringing in⁴⁰ of a better⁴¹ hope did; by the which we⁴² draw nigh unto God.

¶ And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

(For those priests were made without an oath⁴³; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord⁴⁴ sware⁴⁵ and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)

By so much was Jesus made a surety⁴⁶ of a⁴⁷ better testament⁴⁸.

And they truly were⁴⁹ many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

But⁵⁰ this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

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.

For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

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.

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.