1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

1 Hic enim Melchisedech, rex Salem, sacerdos Dei summi, qui obviavit Abrahæ regresso a cæde regum, et benedixit ei:

2 To 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;

2 cui et decimas omnium divisit Abraham: primum quidem qui interpretatur rex justitiæ: deinde autem et rex Salem, quod est, rex pacis,

3 Without 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.

3 sine patre, sine matre, sine genealogia, neque initium dierum, neque finem vitæ habens, assimilatus autem Filio Dei, manet sacerdos in perpetuum.

4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even

B omit

the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

4 ¶ Intuemini autem quantus sit hic, cui et decimas dedit de præcipuis Abraham patriarcha.

5 And 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,

B omit

of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

5 Et quidem de filiis Levi sacerdotium accipientes, mandatum habent decimas sumere a populo secundum legem, id est, a fratribus suis: quamquam et ipsi exierint de lumbis Abrahæ.

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

6 Cujus autem generatio non annumeratur in eis, decimas sumpsit ab Abraham, et hunc, qui habebat repromissiones, benedixit.

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

7 Sine ulla autem contradictione, quod minus est, a meliore benedicitur.

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

8 Et hic quidem, decimas morientes homines accipiunt: ibi autem contestatur, quia vivit.

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

9 Et (ut ita dictum sit) per Abraham, et Levi, qui decimas accepit, decimatus est:

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

10 adhuc enim in lumbis patris erat, quando obviavit ei Melchisedech.

11 If therefore perfection were

B ⟨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?

11 ¶ Si ergo consummatio per sacerdotium Leviticum erat (populus enim sub ipso legem accepit) quid adhuc necessarium fuit secundum ordinem Melchisedech, alium surgere sacerdotem, et non secundum ordinem Aaron dici?

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

B omit

.

12 Translato enim sacerdotio, necesse est ut et legis translatio fiat.

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

13 In quo enim hæc dicuntur, de alia tribu est, de qua nullus altari præsto fuit.

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

ℵBA ⟨priests⟩

.

14 Manifestum est enim quod ex Juda ortus sit Dominus noster: in qua tribu nihil de sacerdotibus Moyses locutus est.

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

15 Et amplius adhuc manifestum est: si secundum similitudinem Melchisedech exsurgat alius sacerdos,

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

16 qui non secundum legem mandati carnalis factus est, sed secundum virtutem vitæ insolubilis.

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

17 Contestatur enim: Quoniam tu es sacerdos in æternum, secundum ordinem Melchisedech.

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

18 Reprobatio quidem fit præcedentis mandati, propter infirmitatem ejus, et inutilitatem:

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

19 nihil enim ad perfectum adduxit lex: introductio vero melioris spei, per quam proximamus ad Deum.

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

20 Et quantum est non sine jurejurando (alii quidem sine jurejurando sacerdotes facti sunt,

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

ℵ omit; B ⟨for ever⟩

:)

21 hic autem cum jurejurando per eum, qui dixit ad illum: Juravit Dominus, et non pœnitebit eum: tu es sacerdos in æternum):

22 By so much

ℵB ⟨much also⟩

was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

22 in tantum melioris testamenti sponsor factus est Jesus.

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

23 Et alii quidem plures facti sunt sacerdotes, idcirco quod morte prohiberentur permanere:

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

24 hic autem eo quod maneat in æternum, sempiternum habet sacerdotium.

25 Wherefore 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.

25 Unde et salvare in perpetuum potest accedentes per semetipsum ad Deum: semper vivens ad interpellandum pro nobis.

26 For such an high priest became

BA ⟨also became⟩

us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled

A ⟨and undefiled⟩

, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

26 Talis enim decebat ut nobis esset pontifex, sanctus, innocens, impollutus, segregatus a peccatoribus, et excelsior cælis factus:

27 Who 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

ℵA omit

himself.

27 qui non habet necessitatem quotidie, quemadmodum sacerdotes, prius pro suis delictis hostias offerre, deinde pro populi: hoc enim fecit semel, seipsum offerendo.

28 For 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.

28 Lex enim homines constituit sacerdotes infirmitatem habentes: sermo autem jurisjurandi, qui post legem est, Filium in æternum perfectum.