| New King James Version | NET 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, | 1Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him. |
| 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,” | 2To him also Abraham apportioned a tithe of everything. His name first means king of righteousness, then king of Salem, that is, 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, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time. |
| 4Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. | 4But see how great he must be, if Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of his plunder. |
| 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; | 5And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, although they too are descendants of Abraham. |
| 6but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. | 6But Melchizedek who does not share their ancestry collected a tithe from Abraham and blessed the one who possessed the promise. |
| 7Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. | 7Now without dispute 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. | 8and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. |
| 9Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, | 9And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. |
| 10for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. | 10For he was still in his ancestor Abraham's loins 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? | 11So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood--for on that basis the people received the law--what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in Aaron's order? |
| 12For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. | 12For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come as well. |
| 13For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. | 13Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever officiated at the altar. |
| 14For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. | 14For it is clear that our Lord is descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. |
| 15And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest | 15And this is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, |
| 16who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. | 16who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent but by the power of an indestructible life. |
| 17For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” | 17For here is the testimony about him: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." |
| 18For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, | 18On the one hand a former command is set aside because it is weak and useless, |
| 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. | 19for the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. |
| 20And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath | 20And since this was not done without a sworn affirmation--for the others have become priests without a sworn affirmation, |
| 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 Jesus did so with a sworn affirmation 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. | 22accordingly Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. |
| 23Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. | 23And the others who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them from continuing in office, |
| 24But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. | 24but he holds his priesthood permanently since he lives forever. |
| 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. | 25So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because 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 it is indeed fitting for us to have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate 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 has no need to do every day what those priests do, to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people, since he did this in offering himself once for all. |
| 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 subject to weakness, but the word of solemn affirmation that came after the law appoints a son made perfect forever. |
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