Hebrews 7

¹And this Melchisedech, king of Salem, and preest of the hiyeste God, which mette with Abraham, as he turnede ayen fro the sleyng of kyngis, and blesside hym;

²to whom also Abraham departide tithis of alle thingis; first he is seid king of riytwisnesse, and aftirward kyng of Salem, that is to seie, king of pees,

³with out fadir, with out modir, with out genologie, nether hauynge bigynnyng of daies, nether ende of lijf; and he is lickened to the sone of God, and dwellith preest with outen ende.

⁴But biholde ye how greet is this, to whom Abraham the patriark yaf tithis of the beste thingis.

⁵For men of the sones of Leuy takinge presthod han maundement to take tithis of the puple, bi the lawe, that is to seie, of her britheren, thouy also thei wenten out of the leendis of Abraham.

⁶But he whos generacioun is not noumbrid in hem, took tithis of Abraham; and he blesside this Abraham, which hadde repromyssiouns.

⁷With outen ony ayenseiyng, that that is lesse, is blessid of the betere.

⁸And heere deedli men taken tithis; but there he berith witnessyng, that he lyueth.

⁹And that it be seid so, bi Abraham also Leuy, that took tithis, was tithid; and yit he was in his fadris leendis,

¹⁰whanne Melchisedech mette with hym.

¹¹Therfor if perfeccioun was bi the preesthood of Leuy, for vndur hym the puple took the lawe, what yit was it nedeful, another preest to rise, bi the ordre of Melchisedech, and not to be seid bi the ordre of Aaron?

¹²For whi whanne the preesthod is translatid, it is nede that also translacioun of the lawe be maad.

¹³But he in whom these thingis ben seid, is of another lynage, of which no man was preest to the auter.

¹⁴For it is opyn, that oure Lord is borun of Juda, in which lynage Moises spak no thing of preestis.

¹⁵And more yit it is knowun, if bi the ordre of Melchisedech another preest is risun vp;

¹⁶which is not maad bi the lawe of fleischli maundement, but bi vertu of lijf that may not be vndon.

¹⁷For he witnessith, That thou art a preest with outen ende, bi the ordre of Melchisedech;

¹⁸that repreuyng of the maundement bifor goynge is maad, for the vnsadnesse and vnprofit of it.

¹⁹For whi the lawe brouyt no thing to perfeccioun, but there is a bringing in of a betere hope, bi which we neiyen to God.

²⁰And hou greet it is, not with out sweryng; but the othere ben maad preestis with outen an ooth;

²¹but this preest with an ooth, bi hym that seide `to hym, The Lord swoor, and it schal not rewe hym, Thou art a preest with outen ende, bi the ordre of Melchisedech;

²²in so myche Jhesus is maad biheetere of the betere testament.

²³And the othere weren maad manye preestis, `therfor for thei weren forbedun bi deth to dwelle stille;

²⁴but this, for he dwellith with outen ende, hath an euerlastynge preesthod.

²⁵Wherfor also he may saue with outen ende, comynge nyy bi hym silf to God, and euermore lyueth to preye for vs.

²⁶For it bisemyde that sich a man were a bischop to vs, hooli, innocent, vndefoulid, clene, departid fro synful men, and maad hiyere than heuenes;

²⁷which hath not nede ech dai, as prestis, first for hise owne giltis to offre sacrifices, and aftirward for the puple; for he dide this thing in offringe hym silf onys.

²⁸And the lawe ordeynede men prestis hauynge sijknesse; but the word of swering, which is after the lawe, ordeynede the sone perfit with outen ende.

Hebrews 7

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;

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, 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, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

²⁰And 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:)

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

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

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

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

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 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.