|
Chapter 7 |
| 1 | For this
Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham
returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; |
| 2 | To whom
also Abraham 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; |
| 3 |
Without father, without mother, without descent, having
neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God;
abideth a priest continually. |
|
4 | Now consider how great this man was,
unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. |
| 5 |
And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the
priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the
law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of
Abraham: |
| 6
| But he whose descent is not counted from them received
tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. |
| 7 | And
without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. |
| 8 | And
here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is
witnessed that he liveth. |
|
9 | And as I may so say, Levi also, who
receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. |
|
10 | For he was yet in the
loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. |
| 11 | If 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? |
| 12 |
For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of
the law. |
| 13
| For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to
another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. |
| 14 | For
it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake
nothing concerning priesthood. |
| 15 | And it is yet far more
evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another
priest, |
| 16
| Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment,
but after the power of an endless life. |
|
17 | For he testifieth, Thou
art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. |
| 18 | For there is
verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and
unprofitableness thereof. |
|
19 | For the law made nothing perfect, but
the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
|
| 20 | And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: |
| 21 | (For
those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said
unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after
the order of Melchisedec:) |
|
22 | By so much was Jesus made a surety of
a better testament. |
| 23 | And they truly were many priests, because
they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: |
| 24 | But this
man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. |
| 25 |
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by
him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. |
| 26 | For such
an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from
sinners, and made higher than the heavens; |
|
27 | Who needeth 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. |
| 28 |
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the
oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for
evermore. |
