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

²to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of all — first being translated "king of righteousness," then also "king of Salem," which is "king of wholeness,"

³without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest for all time.

⁴Now consider how great this one was, to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth out of the best spoils.

⁵And those indeed from the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment to take a tenth from the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, though these have come out of the loin of Abraham.

⁶However the one not tracing his ancestry from them has collected a tenth from Abraham, and he has blessed the one who has the promises.

⁷Now apart from all dispute, the inferior is blessed by the superior.

⁸And here indeed dying men receive tithes, but in that place it is testified that he lives on.

⁹And so, a word to speak: through Abraham, Levi also, the one receiving tithes, has paid the tithe.

¹⁰For he was still in the loin of his father when Melchizedek met with him.

¹¹Then if indeed perfection were through the Levitical priesthood — for upon it the people has received the law — what need was there still for another to arise priest according to the order of Melchizedek and not to be named according to the order of Aaron?

¹²For when the priesthood is being changed, from necessity a change of law also takes place.

¹³For he concerning whom these things are spoken has belonged to another tribe, from which no one has served at the altar.

¹⁴For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, as to which tribe Moses spoke no thing concerning priests.

¹⁵And it is yet more excessively evident, if according to the likeness of Melchizedek another priest arises,

¹⁶who has been constituted not according to a law of a fleshly commandment but according to the power of an indestructible life;

¹⁷for it is testified that you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

¹⁸For there is indeed a putting away of the preceding commandment because of its weakness and uselessness —

¹⁹for the law perfected no thing — and then the introduction of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

²⁰And to as much as it was not apart from an oath — for those truly have become priests without an oath,

²¹however he with an oath through the One who is saying to him: "the Lord has sworn and will not change his mind; you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" —

²²by so much also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

²³And those indeed have become many priests because of being prevented by death from continuing;

²⁴however he, because of his abiding forever, holds a permanent priesthood;

²⁵wherefore also he is able to rescue to the uttermost those drawing near to God through him, always living to intercede for them.

²⁶Indeed such a high priest was fitting for us also, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from the sinners, and having become higher than the heavens;

²⁷who has not need every day, as the high priests, first to offer up sacrifices for their own sins then for those of the people; for this he did once for all, having offered up himself.

²⁸For the law appoints men as high priests having weakness, however the word of the oath, which is after the law, a Son perfected forever.