CHAPTER 7
1 And this Melchizedek, king of Salem, and [the] priest of the highest God, which met Abraham, as he turned again from the slaying of the kings, and blessed him;
2 to whom also Abraham parted tithes of all things; first he is said king of rightwiseness, and afterward king of Salem, that is to say, king of peace,
3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, neither having beginning of days, neither end of life; and he is likened to the Son of God, and dwelleth priest without end.
4 But behold ye how great is this [man], to whom Abraham the patriarch gave tithes of the best things.
5 For men of the sons of Levi taking priesthood have commandment to take tithes of the people, by the law, that is to say, of their brethren, though also they went out of the loins of Abraham.
6 But he whose generation is not numbered in them, took tithes of Abraham; and he blessed this Abraham, which had repromissions.
7 Without any gainsaying, that that is less, is blessed of the better.
8 And here deadly men take tithes; but there he beareth witnessing, that he liveth.
9 And that it be said so, by Abraham also Levi, that took tithes, was tithed;
10 and yet he was in his father’s loins, when Melchizedek met him.
11 Therefore if perfection was by the priesthood of Levi, for under him the people took the law, what yet was it needful, another priest to rise, by the order of Melchizedek, and not to be said by the order of Aaron?
12 For why when the priesthood is translated, it is need[ful] that also [the] translation of the law be made.
13 But he in whom these things be said, is of another lineage, of which no man was priest to the altar.
14 For it is open [or it is openly known], that our Lord is born of Judah, in which lineage Moses spake nothing of priests.
15 And more yet it is known, if by the order of Melchizedek another priest is risen up;
16 which is not made by the law of fleshly commandment, but by [the] virtue of life that may not be undone [or is indissoluble].
17 For he witnesseth, That thou art a priest without end, by the order of Melchizedek;
18 that reproving of the command-ment before-going is made, for the unfirmness and unprofit of it.
19 For why the law brought nothing to perfection, but there is a bringing in of a better hope, by which we nigh to God.
20 And how great it is, not without swearing, [that Christ is made priest after the order of Melchizedek];
21 but the others be made priests without an oath; but this priest with an oath, by him that said to him, The Lord swore, and it shall not rue him, Thou art a priest without end, by the order of Melchizedek;
22 in so much Jesus is made [better] promiser of the better testament.
23 And [soothly] the others were made many priests, therefore for they were forbidden by death to dwell still;
24 but this man, for he dwelleth without end, hath an everlasting priesthood.
25 Wherefore also he may save without end, coming nigh by himself to God, and evermore liveth to pray for us.
26 For it beseemed that such a man were a bishop to us, holy, innocent, undefouled, clean, separated from sinful men, and made higher than heavens;
27 which hath not need each day, as priests, first for his own guilts to offer sacrifices, and afterward for the people; for he did this thing in offering himself once.
28 And the law ordained men priests having sickness, [or frailty]; but the word of swearing, which is after the law, ordained the Son perfect without end.