Dual Panel1Now this <3778> Melchizedek <3198>, king <935> of Salem <4532>, priest <2409> of the most high <5310> God <2316>, met <4876> Abraham <11> as he was returning <5290> from <575> defeating <2871> the kings <935> and <2532> blessed <2127> him <846>.
2To him <3739> also <2532> Abraham <11> apportioned <3307> a tithe <1181> of <575> everything <3956>. His name first <4412> means <2059> king <935> of righteousness <1343>, then <1899> king <935> of Salem <4532>, that <3739> is <1510>, king <935> of peace <1515>.
3Without father <540>, without mother <282>, without genealogy <35>, he has <2192> neither <3383> beginning <746> of days <2250> nor <3383> end <5056> of life <2222> but <1161> is like <871> the son <5207> of God <2316>, and he remains <3306> a priest <2409> for <1519> all time <1336>.
4But <1161> see <2334> how great <4080> he <3778> must be, if Abraham <11> the patriarch <3966> gave <1325> him a tithe <1181> of his plunder <205>.
5And <2532> those of the sons <5207> of Levi <3017> who receive <2983> the priestly office <2405> have <2192> authorization <1785> according to <2596> the law <3551> to collect a tithe <586> from the people <2992>, that <5124> is <1510>, from their <846> fellow countrymen <80>, although <2539> they too are descendants <1831> <3751> of Abraham <11>.
6But <1161> Melchizedek who does <1075> not <3361> share <1075> their <846> ancestry <1075> collected a tithe <1183> from Abraham <11> and <2532> blessed <2127> the one who possessed <2192> the promise <1860>.
7Now <1161> without <5565> dispute <485> the inferior <1640> is blessed <2127> by <5259> the superior <2909>,
8and <2532> in one case <5602> tithes <1181> are received <2983> by mortal <599> men <444>, while in the other <1563> by him who is affirmed <3140> to be alive <2198>.
9And <2532> it could be said <2031> <2036> that Levi <3018> himself, who receives <2983> tithes <1181>, paid a tithe <1183> through <1223> Abraham <11>.
10For <1063> he was <1510> still <2089> in <1722> his ancestor <3962> Abraham’s loins <3751> when <3753> Melchizedek <3198> met <4876> him <846>.
11So <3767> if <1487> perfection <5050> had in fact been possible through <1223> the Levitical <3020> priesthood <2420>– for <1063> on <1909> that basis <846> the people <2992> received the law <3549>– what <5101> further <2089> need <5532> would there have been for another <2087> priest <2409> to arise <450>, said <3004> to be in <2596> the order <5010> of Melchizedek <3198> and <2532> not <3756> in <2596> Aaron’s <2> order <5010>?
12For <1063> when <3346> the priesthood <2420> changes <3346>, a change <3331> in the law <3551> must come <1096> as well.
13Yet <1063> the one <3739> these things <5023> are spoken about <3004> belongs <3348> to a different <2087> tribe <5443>, and no one <3762> from <575> that tribe <3739> has ever officiated <4337> at the altar <2379>.
14For <1063> it is clear <4271> that <3754> our <2257> Lord <2962> is descended <393> from <1537> Judah <2448>, yet Moses <3475> said <2980> nothing <3762> about <4012> priests <2409> in <1519> connection with that <3739> tribe <5443>.
15And <2532> this is <1510> even <2089> clearer <4054> <2612> if <1487> another <2087> priest <2409> arises <450> in <2596> the likeness <3665> of Melchizedek <3198>,
16who <3739> has become a priest not <3756> by <2596> a legal <3551> regulation <1785> about physical <4560> descent <1096> but <235> by <2596> the power <1411> of an indestructible <179> life <2222>.
17For <1063> here is the testimony <3140> about him: “You <4771> are a priest <2409> forever <1519> <165> in <2596> the order <5010> of Melchizedek <3198>.”
18On the one hand <3303> a former <4254> command <1785> is <1096> set aside <115> because <1223> it <846> is weak <772> and <2532> useless <512>,
19for <1063> the law <3551> made <5048> nothing <3762> perfect <5048>. On the other hand <1161> a better <2909> hope <1680> is introduced <1898>, through <1223> which <3739> we draw near <1448> to God <2316>.
20And <2532> since <2596> this was not <3756> done without <5565> a sworn affirmation <3728>– for <1063> the others <3303> have become <1096> priests <2409> without <5565> a sworn affirmation <3728>,
21but <1161> Jesus did so with <3326> a sworn affirmation <3728> by <1223> the one who said <3004> to <4314> him <846>, “The Lord <2962> has sworn <3660> and <2532> will <3338> not <3756> change <3338> his mind <3338>, ‘You <4771> are a priest <2409> forever <1519> <165>’”–
22accordingly <2596> <5118> Jesus <2424> has become <1096> the guarantee <1450> of a better <2909> covenant <1242>.
23And <2532> the others <3303> who became <1096> priests <2409> were <1510> numerous <4119>, because <1223> death <2288> prevented <2967> them from continuing in office <3887>,
24but <1161> he holds <2192> his priesthood <2420> permanently <531> since <1223> he <846> lives <3306> forever <1519> <165>.
25So <3606> he is able <1410> to save <4982> completely <3838> those who come <4334> to God <2316> through <1223> him <846>, because he always <3842> lives <2198> to <1519> intercede <1793> for <5228> them <846>.
26For <1063> it is indeed fitting <4241> for us <2254> to have such <5108> a high priest <749>: holy <3741>, innocent <172>, undefiled <283>, separate <5563> from <575> sinners <268>, and <2532> exalted <1096> above <5308> the heavens <3772>.
27He has <2192> no <3756> need <318> to do every <2596> day <2250> what those priests <749> do, to offer <399> sacrifices <2378> first <4386> for <5228> their own <2398> sins <266> and then <1899> for the sins of the people <2992>, since <1063> he did <4160> this <5124> in offering <399> himself <1438> once for all <2178>.
28For <1063> the law <3551> appoints <2525> as high priests <749> men <444> subject <2192> to weakness <769>, but <1161> the word <3056> of solemn affirmation <3728> that came after <3326> the law <3551> appoints a son <5207> made perfect <5048> forever <165>.