King James Bible

New Living Translation

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;

1This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against the kings, Melchizedek met him 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;

2Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had captured in battle and gave it to Melchizedek. The name Melchizedek means “king of justice,” and king of Salem means “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.

3There is no record of his father or mother or any of his ancestors—no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling the Son of God.

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

4Consider then how great this Melchizedek was. Even Abraham, the great patriarch of Israel, recognized this by giving him a tenth of what he had taken in battle.

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:

5Now the law of Moses required that the priests, who are descendants of Levi, must collect a tithe from the rest of the people of Israel, who are also descendants of Abraham.

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

6But Melchizedek, who was not a descendant of Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham. And Melchizedek placed a blessing upon Abraham, the one who had already received the promises of God.

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

7And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed.

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

8The priests who collect tithes are men who die, so Melchizedek is greater than they are, because we are told that he lives on.

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

9In addition, we might even say that these Levites—the ones who collect the tithe—paid a tithe to Melchizedek when their ancestor Abraham paid a tithe to him.

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

10For although Levi wasn’t born yet, the seed from which he came was in Abraham’s body when Melchizedek collected the tithe from 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?

11So if the priesthood of Levi, on which the law was based, could have achieved the perfection God intended, why did God need to establish a different priesthood, with a priest in the order of Melchizedek instead of the order of Levi and Aaron?

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

12And if the priesthood is changed, the law must also be changed to permit it.

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

13For the priest we are talking about belongs to a different tribe, whose members have never served at the altar as priests.

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

14What I mean is, our Lord came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never mentioned priests coming from that tribe. Jesus Is like Melchizedek

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

15This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared.

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

16Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed.

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

17And the psalmist pointed this out when he prophesied, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

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

18Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless.

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

19For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

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

20This new system was established with a solemn oath. Aaron’s descendants became priests without such an oath,

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:)

21but there was an oath regarding Jesus. For God said to him, “The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow: ‘You are a priest forever.’”

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

22Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God.

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

23There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office.

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

24But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever.

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.

25Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

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

26He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.

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.

27Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins.

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.

28The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.