1 For this Melchisedec, King of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from smiting the kings, and blessed him;
2 to whom Abraham gave also the tenth portion of all; first being interpreted King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is King of peace;
3 without father, without mother, without genealogy; having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but assimilated to the Son of God, abides a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this {personage} was, to whom {even} the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth out of the spoils.
5 And they indeed from among the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is from their brethren, though these are come out of the loins of Abraham:
6 but he who has no genealogy from them has tithed Abraham, and blessed him who had the promises.
7 But beyond all gainsaying, the inferior is blessed by the better.
8 And here dying men receive tithes; but there {one} of whom the witness is that he lives;
9 and, so to speak, through Abraham, Levi also, who received tithes, has been made to pay tithes.
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedec met him.
11 If indeed then perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, for the people had their law given to them in connexion with *it*, what need {was there} still that a different priest should arise according to the order of Melchisedec, and not be named after the order of Aaron?
12 For, the priesthood being changed, there takes place of necessity a change of law also.
13 For he, of whom these things are said, belongs to a different tribe, of which no one has {ever} been attached to the service of the altar.
14 For it is clear that our Lord has sprung out of Juda, as to which tribe Moses spake nothing as to priests.
15 And it is yet more abundantly evident, since a different priest arises according to the similitude of Melchisedec,
16 who has been constituted not according to law of fleshly commandment, but according to power of indissoluble life.
17 For it is borne witness, *Thou* art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedec.
18 For there is a setting aside of the commandment going before for its weakness and unprofitableness,
19 (for the law perfected nothing,) and the introduction of a better hope by which we draw nigh to God.
20 And by how much {it was} not without the swearing of an oath;
21 (for they are become priests without the swearing of an oath, but he with the swearing of an oath, by him who said, as to him, The Lord has sworn, and will not repent {of it}, *Thou* {art} priest for ever {according to the order of Melchisedec};)
22 by so much Jesus became surety of a better covenant.
23 And they have been many priests, on account of being hindered from continuing by death;
24 but he, because of his continuing for ever, has the priesthood unchangeable.
25 Whence also he is able to save completely those who approach by him to God, always living to intercede for them.
26 For such a high priest became us, holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and become higher than the heavens:
27 who has not day by day need, as the high priests, first to offer up sacrifices for his own sins, then {for} those of the people; for this he did once for all {in} having offered up himself.
28 For the law constitutes men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the swearing of the oath which {is} after the law, a Son perfected for ever.
1 Sest see Melkisedek - Saalemi kuningas, kõige kõrgema Jumala preester, kes tuli vastu Aabrahamile, kui see oli koju minemas pärast võitu kuningate üle, ja õnnistas teda,
2 kellele ka Aabraham jagas kümnist kõigest saagist ja kes on esmalt, nagu teda tõlgitsetakse, „Õiguse kuningas", aga siis ka Saalemi kuningas, see on „Rahu kuningas",
3 kes on isata, emata, ilma suguvõsata, ilma päevade alguseta ja ilma eluotsata, ent kes on sarnastatud Jumala Pojaga - jääb preestriks igavesti.
4 Vaadake siis, kui suur on see, kellele ka peavanem Aabraham andis saagist kümnist.
5 On ju neil Leevi poegadelgi, kes saavad preestriameti, käsk võtta kümnist käsuõpetuse järgi rahva, see on oma vendade käest, ehk küll nemadki on lähtunud Aabrahami niudeist.
6 Kuid see, kes ei põlvnenudki nendest, võttis kümnise Aabrahami käest ja õnnistas teda, kellel olid tõotused.
7 Ent vasturääkimata on selge, et alam saab õnnistuse ülemalt.
8 Ja siin võtavad kümnist surelikud inimesed, aga seal see, kellest tunnistatakse, et ta elab.
9 Ja Aabrahami kaudu on, niiöelda, Leevigi, kes võtab kümnist, pidanud kümnist maksma;
10 sest ta oli veel isa niudeis, kui Melkisedek temale vastu tuli.
11 Kui nüüd täiuslikkus oleks leviitide preestriameti kaudu olnud saavutatud — sest sellele on rajatud rahva käsuõpetus — mis vajadust siis veel oli, et teistsugune preester tõusis Melkisedeki korra järgi ega nimetatud teda Aaroni korra järgi?
12 Sest preestriameti muutmisega sünnib paratamatult ka käsuõpetuse muutus.
13 Sest See, Kellest seda öeldakse, on pärit teisest suguharust, kellest veel ükski ei ole saanud altari juurde.
14 On ju teada, et meie Issand on tärganud Juudast, kelle suguharule Mooses ei ole midagi kõnelnud preestriametist.
15 Ja asi saab veel palju selgemaks, kui tõuseb teistsugune Melkisedeki sarnane Preester,
16 Kes ei ole lihaliku käsusõna käsku mööda saanud preestriks, vaid hääbumatu elu väge mööda.
17 Sest tunnistatakse: „Sina oled preester igavesti Melkisedeki korra järgi!"
18 Endise käsusõna tühistus sünnib ju selle tõttu, et see oli jõuetu ja kasutu -
19 ei ole ju käsk midagi viinud täiuslikkusele - ent asemele seatakse parem lootus, mille kaudu me tuleme Jumala ligi.
20 Ja niivõrd kui see ei tekkinud ilma vandeta — sest need on saanud preestreiks ilma vandeta,
21 Tema aga vandega selle seadmisel, kes Temale ütles: „Issand on vandunud ja Tema ei kahetse seda mitte: Sina oled preester igavesti!" —
22 Sedavõrd on palju parem ka leping, mille käemeheks on saanud Jeesus.
23 Oli ju neid palju, kes said preestreiks, sellepärast et surm neid keelas jäämast.
24 Aga Temal on selle tõttu, et Ta jääb igavesti, preestriamet, mis ei lähe kellegi teise kätte.
25 Sellepärast võib Ta ka täielikult päästa need, kes tulevad Tema läbi Jumala juurde, elades aina selleks, et kosta nende eest.
26 Niisugune Ülempreester peabki ju meil olema: püha, veatu, laitmatu, eraldatud patustest ja kõrgemale saanud kui taevad,
27 Kellel ei ole mitte iga päev vaja nõnda nagu ülempreestril esiti tuua ohvreid enese pattude eest ja siis rahva pattude eest; sest seda on Ta igaks puhuks teinud, kui Ta Iseenese tõi ohvriks.
28 Sest käsk seab nõdrad inimesed ülempreestreiks, aga vande sõna, mis on hilisem käsuõpetusest, seab Poja, Kes on täiuslikuks saanud igaveseks.