Hebrews 7–8

¹For this Melchisedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who did meet Abraham turning back from the smiting of the kings, and did bless him, ²to whom also a tenth of all did Abraham divide, (first, indeed, being interpreted, ‘King of righteousness,’ and then also, King of Salem, which is, King of Peace,) ³without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, and being made like to the Son of God, doth remain a priest continually. ⁴And see how great this one is, to whom also a tenth Abraham the patriarch did give out of the best of the spoils, ⁵and those, indeed, out of the sons of Levi receiving the priesthood, a command have to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, their brethren, even though they came forth out of the loins of Abraham; ⁶and he who was not reckoned by genealogy of them, received tithes from Abraham, and him having the promises he hath blessed, ⁷and apart from all controversy, the less by the better is blessed— ⁸and here, indeed, men who die do receive tithes, and there he, who is testified to that he was living, ⁹and so to speak, through Abraham even Levi who is receiving tithes, hath paid tithes, ¹⁰for he was yet in the loins of the father when Melchisedek met him.

¹¹If indeed, then, perfection were through the Levitical priesthood—for the people under it had received law—what further need, according to the order of Melchisedek, for another priest to arise, and not to be called according to the order of Aaron? ¹²for the priesthood being changed, of necessity also, of the law a change doth come, ¹³for he of whom these things are said in another tribe hath had part, of whom no one gave attendance at the altar, ¹⁴for it is evident that out of Judah hath arisen our Lord, in regard to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. ¹⁵And it is yet more abundantly most evident, if according to the similitude of Melchisedek there doth arise another priest, ¹⁶who came not according to the law of a fleshly command, but according to the power of an endless life, ¹⁷for He doth testify—‘Thou art a priest—to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;’ ¹⁸for a disannulling indeed doth come of the command going before because of its weakness, and unprofitableness, ¹⁹(for nothing did the law perfect) and the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw nigh to God. ²⁰And inasmuch as it is not apart from oath, (for those indeed apart from oath are become priests, ²¹and he with an oath through Him who is saying unto him, ‘The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest—to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;’) ²²by so much of a better covenant hath Jesus become surety, ²³and those indeed are many who have become priests, because by death they are hindered from remaining; ²⁴and he, because of his remaining—to the age, hath the priesthood not transient, ²⁵whence also he is able to save to the very end, those coming through him unto God—ever living to make intercession for them. ²⁶For such a chief priest did become us—kind, harmless, undefiled, separate from the sinners, and become higher than the heavens, ²⁷who hath no necessity daily, as the chief priests, first for his own sins to offer up sacrifice, then for those of the people; for this he did once, having offered up himself; ²⁸for the law doth appoint men chief priests, having infirmity, but the word of the oath that is after the law appointeth the Son—to the age having been perfected.

Chapter 8

¹And the sum concerning the things spoken of is: we have such a chief priest, who did sit down at the right hand of the throne of the greatness in the heavens, ²of the holy places a servant, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord did set up, and not man, ³for every chief priest to offer both gifts and sacrifices is appointed, whence it is necessary for this one to have also something that he may offer; ⁴for if, indeed, he were upon earth, he would not be a priest—(there being the priests who are offering according to the law, the gifts, ⁵who unto an example and shadow do serve of the heavenly things, as Moses hath been divinely warned, being about to construct the tabernacle, for ‘See (saith He) thou mayest make all things according to the pattern that was shewn to thee in the mount;’)—

⁶And now he hath obtained a more excellent service, how much also of a better covenant is he mediator, which on better promises hath been sanctioned, ⁷for if that first were faultless, a place would not have been sought for a second. ⁸For finding fault, He saith to them, ‘Lo, days come, saith the Lord, and I will complete with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah, a new covenant, ⁹not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day of My taking them by their hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt—because they did not remain in My covenant, and I did not regard them, saith the Lord,— ¹⁰because this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord, giving My laws into their mind, and upon their hearts I will write them, and I will be to them for a God, and they shall be to Me for a people; ¹¹and they shall not teach each his neighbour, and each his brother, saying, Know thou the Lord, because they shall all know Me from the small one of them unto the great one of them, ¹²because I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawlessnesses I will remember no more;’— ¹³in the saying ‘new,’ He hath made the first old, and what doth become obsolete and is old is nigh disappearing.

Chapter 9