| New King James Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, | 1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, |
| 2to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” | 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace. |
| 3without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. | 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. |
| 4Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. | 4Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him. |
| 5And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; | 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. |
| 6but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. | 6But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. |
| 7Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. | 7Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior. |
| 8Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. | 8In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. |
| 9Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, | 9And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham, |
| 10for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. | 10for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. |
| 11Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? | 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? |
| 12For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. | 12For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. |
| 13For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. | 13For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. |
| 14For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. | 14Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests. |
| 15And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest | 15And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, |
| 16who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. | 16who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. |
| 17For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” | 17For it has been testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. |
| 18For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, | 18So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable |
| 19for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. | 19(for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. |
| 20And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath | 20None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, |
| 21(for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The LORD has sworn And will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek’ ” ), | 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." |
| 22by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. | 22Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant. |
| 23Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. | 23Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. |
| 24But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. | 24But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently. |
| 25Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. | 25Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them. |
| 26For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; | 26For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. |
| 27who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. | 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. |
| 28For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. | 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. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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