1For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2to whom Abraham also 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; 3without father, without mother, without lineage, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually. 4Now consider how great this one [was], unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 5And verily those that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they also have come out of the loins of Abraham; 6but he whose descent is not counted in those took tithes from Abraham and blessed him that had the promises. 7And without any contradiction the less is blessed of the better. 8In the same manner, here men that die take tithes; but there he [received them], of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9And as I may so say, Levi also, who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. 10For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. 11If 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? 12For the priesthood being transposed, there is made of necessity a translation also of the law. 13For he of whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, of which no one presided [at] the altar. 14For [it is] manifest that our Lord sprang out of Juda, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15And it is yet far more manifest: if there arises another priest who is like unto Melchisedec, 16who is not made according to the law of a carnal commandment, but by the virtue of an indissoluble life; 17for the testimony is of this manner, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 18For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness of it; 19for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope [did], by which we draw near unto God. 20And [even more], inasmuch as it [is] not without an oath 21(for the others indeed without an oath were made priests, but this one with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord swore and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec); 22by so much better testament is Jesus made surety. 23And the others, truly, were many priests because they were not able to continue by reason of death: 24but this [man], because he continues forever, has the intransmissible priesthood. 25Therefore he is able also to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. 26For it was expedient that we have such a high priest, [who is] holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens, 27who needs 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. 28For the law makes men high priests who have weakness; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, has made perfect [a] Son forever.: