7:1For this
Melchizedek,
king of
Salem, priest of
God Most High, who met
Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
7:2to whom also
Abraham divided a tenth part of all (
being first, by interpretation,
King of
righteousness, and then also
King of
Salem, which is
King of
peace;
7:3without
father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of
life, but made like unto the Son of
God), abideth a priest continually.
7:4Now consider how great this
man was, unto whom
Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils.
7:5And they indeed of the sons of
Levi that receive the priest's office have commandment to take tithes of the
people according to the
law, that is, of their
brethren, though these have come out of the loins of
Abraham:
7:6but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of
Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises.
7:7But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better.
7:8And here
men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
7:9And, so to say, through
Abraham even
Levi, who receiveth tithes, hath paid tithes;
7:10for he was yet in the loins of his
father, when
Melchizedek met him.
7:11Now if there was
perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the
people received the
law), what further need
was there that another priest should arise after the
order of
Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the
order of
Aaron?
7:12For the priesthood
being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the
law.
7:13For he of whom these
things are said belongeth to another tribe, from which no
man hath given attendance at the
altar.
7:14For it is evident that our
Lord hath sprung out of
Judah; as to which tribe
Moses spake nothing concerning
priests.
7:15And
what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of
Melchizedek there ariseth another priest,
7:16who hath been made, not after the
law of a carnal commandment, but after the
power of an endless
life:
7:17for it is witnessed
of him,
Thou art a priest for ever
After the order of Melchizedek.
7:18For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness 7:19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God. 7:20And inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath 7:21(for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath by him that saith of him,
The Lord sware and will not repent himself,
Thou art a priest for ever);
7:22by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. 7:23And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing: 7:24but he, because he abideth for ever, hath his priesthood unchangeable. 7:25Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 7:26For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 7:27who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself. 7:28For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, perfected for evermore.
