1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. 2To him Abraham also gave a tenth of all. [He was] first by interpretation king of righteousness, and after that also king of Salem, which is king of peace, 3without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, [he] remains a priest continually. 4Now consider how great this man [was], to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 5And truly they [who are] of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priest, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the Law, that is, from their brothers, though they come out of the loins of Abraham. 6But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7And without all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8And here men who die receive tithes; but there he [receives them], of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9And if I may say so, Levi, also, who receives tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. 10For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. 11Therefore if 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 Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made in the law also. 13For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from 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 it is still far more evident, since there arises another priest after the likeness of Melchizedek, 16who is made, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17For He testifies, You [are] a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. 18For truly there] is a putting away of the commandment which went before, because of 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 to God. 20And inasmuch as [He was] not made priest] without an oath 21(for those priests were made without an oath, but this one was made with an oath by Him who said to Him, The Lord swore and will not repent, You [are] a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek,) 22by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better covenant. 23And they truly were many priests, because they were not allowed to continue because of death; 24but He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by Him, [since He] ever lives to make intercession for them. 26For such a high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens, 27who does not need, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice daily, first for his own [sins] and then for the people's sins. For He did this once for all, when He offered up Himself. 28For the Law appoints men high priests who have infirmity, but the word of the swearing of an oath, after the Law, [has consecrated] the Son forever, having been perfected.