1For this Malkitseḏeq, sovereign of Shalĕm, priest of the Most High Elohim, who met Aḇraham returning from the slaughter of the sovereigns and blessed him,

2to whom also Aḇraham gave a tenth part of all, his name being translated, indeed, first, ‘sovereign of righteousness,’ and then also sovereign of Shalĕm, that is, ‘sovereign of peace,’

3without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but having been made like the Son of Elohim, remains a priest for all time.

4Now see how great this one was, to whom even the ancestor Aḇraham gave a tenth of the choicest booty.

5And truly, those who are of the sons of Lĕwi, who receive the priesthood, have a command to receive tithes from the people according to the Torah, that is, from their brothers, though they have come from the loins of Aḇraham,

6however, the one whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Aḇraham, and blessed the one who held the promises.

7And it is beyond all dispute that the lesser is blessed by the better.

8And here it is men who die that receive tithes, but there it is someone of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

9And one might say that through Aḇraham even Lĕwi, who received tithes, gave tithes,

10for he was still in the loins of his father when Malkitseḏeq met him.

11Truly, then, if perfection were through the Lĕwitical priesthood – for under it the people were given the Torah – why was there still need for another priest to arise according to the order of Malkitseḏeq, and not be called according to the order of Aharon?

12For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there takes place a change of lawa also.

13For He of whom this is said belongs to another tribe, from which no one had attended at the altar.a

14For it is perfectly clear that our Master arose from Yehuḏah, a tribe about which Mosheh never spoke of concerning priesthood,

15and this is clearer still, if another priest arises in the likeness of Malkitseḏeq,

16who has become, not according to the Torah of fleshly command, but according to the power of an endless life,

17for He does witness, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Malkitseḏeq.”

18For there is indeed a setting aside of the former command because of its weakness and unprofitableness,

19for the Torah perfected naught, but the bringing in of a better expectation, through which we draw near to Elohim.

20And it was not without an oath!

21For they indeed became priests without an oath, but He became Priest with an oath by Him who said to Him, “יהוה has sworn and shall not regret, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Malkitseḏeq.’ ”

22By as much as this יהושע has become a guarantor of a better covenant.

23And indeed, those that became priests were many, because they were prevented by death from continuing,

24but He, because He remains forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.

25Therefore He is also able to save completely those who draw near to Elohim through Him, ever living to make intercession for them.

26For it was fitting that we should have such a High Priest – kind, innocent, undefiled, having been separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens,

27who does not need, as those high priests, to offer up slaughter offerings day by day, first for His own sins and then for those of the people, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

28For the Torah appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath which came after the Torah, appoints the Son having been perfected forever.