New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 This "King Melchizedek of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him";
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For this Melchizedek, the king of Salem, a priest of the Most High God, who gave Abraham his blessing, meeting him when he came back after putting the kings to death,
2 and to him Abraham apportioned "one-tenth of everything." His name, in the first place, means "king of righteousness"; next he is also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace."
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And to whom Abraham gave a tenth part of everything which he had, being first named King of righteousness, and then in addition, King of Salem, that is to say, King of peace;
3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
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Being without father or mother, or family, having no birth or end to his life, being made like the Son of God, is a priest for ever.
4 See how great he is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils.
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Now see how great this man was, to whom our father Abraham gave a tenth part of what he had got in the fight.
5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their kindred, though these also are descended from Abraham.
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And it is true that by the law, those of the sons of Levi who have the position of priests may take a tenth part of the people's goods; that is to say, they take it from their brothers though these are the sons of Abraham.
6 But this man, who does not belong to their ancestry, collected tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises.
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But this man, who was not of their family, took the tenth from Abraham, and gave a blessing to him to whom God had given his undertaking.
7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.
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But there is no doubt that the less gets his blessing from the greater.
8 In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.
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Now at the present time, men over whom death has power take the tenth; but then it was taken by one of whom it is witnessed that he is living.
9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,
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And we may say that in Abraham, even Levi, who has a right to take the tenth part, gave it;
10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
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Because he was still in his father's body when Melchizedek came to him.
11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the levitical priesthood—for the people received the law under this priesthood—what further need would there have been to speak of another priest arising according to the order of Melchizedek, rather than one according to the order of Aaron?
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Now if it was possible for things to be made complete through the priests of the house of Levi (for the law was given to the people in connection with them), what need was there for another priest who was of the order of Melchizedek and not of the order of Aaron?
12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.
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Because if the priests are changed, it is necessary to make a change in the law.
13 Now the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.
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For he of whom these things are said comes of another tribe, of which no man has ever made offerings at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
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Because it is clear that our Lord comes out of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests from that tribe.
15 It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling Melchizedek,
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And this is even more clear if a second priest has come up who is like Melchizedek,
16 one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life.
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That is to say, not made by a law based on the flesh, but by the power of a life without end:
17 For it is attested of him, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
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For it has been witnessed of him, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
18 There is, on the one hand, the abrogation of an earlier commandment because it was weak and ineffectual
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So the law which went before is put on one side, because it was feeble and without profit.
19 (for the law made nothing perfect); there is, on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope, through which we approach God.
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(Because the law made nothing complete), and in its place there is a better hope, through which we come near to God.
20 This was confirmed with an oath; for others who became priests took their office without an oath,
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And as this is not without the taking of an oath
21 but this one became a priest with an oath, because of the one who said to him, "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever' "—
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(For those were made priests without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by him who says of him, The Lord gave his oath, which he will not take back, that you are a priest for ever);
22 accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.
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By so much is it a better agreement which we have through Jesus.
23 Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office;
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And it is true that there have been a great number of those priests, because death does not let them go on for ever;
24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.
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But this priest, because his life goes on for ever, is unchanging.
25 Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
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So that he is fully able to be the saviour of all who come to God through him, because he is ever living to make prayer to God for them.
26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
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It was right for us to have such a high priest, one who is holy and without evil, doing no wrong, having no part with sinners, and made higher than the heavens:
27 Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself.
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Who has no need to make offerings for sins every day, like those high priests, first for himself, and then for the people; because he did this once and for ever when he made an offering of himself.
28 For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
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The law makes high priests of men who are feeble; but the word of the oath, which was made after the law, gives that position to a Son, in whom all good is for ever complete.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.