Christian Standard Bible

King James Bible

1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings,

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;

2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace.

2To 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;

3Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

3Without 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.

4Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him.

4Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

5The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people--that is, from their brothers and sisters--though they have also descended from Abraham.

5And 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:

6But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.

6But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

7Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior.

7And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

8In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives.

8And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

9And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham,

9And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

10for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

10For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

11Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron?

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 when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well.

12For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

13For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar.

13For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

14Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

14For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

15And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears,

15And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

16who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life.

16Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

17For it has been testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

17For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

18So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable

18For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

19(for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

19For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

20None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath,

20And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

21but he became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever."

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:)

22Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

22By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

23Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office.

23And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

24But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently.

24But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

25Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.

25Wherefore 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.

26For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

27He doesn't need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do--first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself.

27Who 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.

28For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever.

28For 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.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.