5:1For every chief priest -- out of men taken -- in behalf of men is set in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins,

5:2able to be gentle to those ignorant and going astray, since himself also is compassed with infirmity;

5:3and because of this infirmity he ought, as for the people, so also for himself to offer for sins;

5:4and no one to himself doth take the honour, but he who is called by God, as also Aaron:

5:5so also the Christ did not glorify himself to become chief priest, but He who spake unto him: `My Son thou art, I to-day have begotten thee;'

5:6as also in another place He saith, `Thou art a priest -- to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;'

5:7who in the days of his flesh both prayers and supplications unto Him who was able to save him from death -- with strong crying and tears -- having offered up, and having been heard in respect to that which he feared,

5:8through being a Son, did learn by the things which he suffered -- the obedience,

5:9and having been made perfect, he did become to all those obeying him a cause of salvation age-during,

5:10having been addressed by God a chief priest, according to the order of Melchisedek,

5:11concerning whom we have much discourse and of hard explanation to say, since ye have become dull of hearing,

5:12for even owing to be teachers, because of the time, again ye have need that one teach you what are the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God, and ye have become having need of milk, and not of strong food,

5:13for every one who is partaking of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness -- for he is an infant,

5:14and of perfect men is the strong food, who because of the use are having the senses exercised, unto the discernment both of good and of evil.

6:1Wherefore, having left the word of the beginning of the Christ, unto the perfection we may advance, not again a foundation laying of reformation from dead works, and of faith on God,

6:2of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on also of hands, of rising again also of the dead, and of judgment age-during,

6:3and this we will do, if God may permit,

6:4for it is impossible for those once enlightened, having tasted also of the heavenly gift, and partakers having became of the Holy Spirit,

6:5and did taste the good saying of God, the powers also of the coming age,

6:6and having fallen away, again to renew them to reformation, having crucified again to themselves the Son of God, and exposed to public shame.

6:7For earth, that is drinking in the rain many times coming upon it, and is bringing forth herbs fit for those because of whom also it is dressed, doth partake of blessing from God,

6:8and that which is bearing thorns and briers is disapproved of, and nigh to cursing, whose end is for burning;

6:9and we are persuaded, concerning you, beloved, the things that are better, and accompanying salvation, though even thus we speak,

6:10for God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the labour of the love, that ye shewed to His name, having ministered to the saints and ministering;

6:11and we desire each one of you the same diligence to shew, unto the full assurance of the hope unto the end,

6:12that ye may not become slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patient endurance are inheriting the promises.

6:13For to Abraham God, having made promise, seeing He was able to swear by no greater, did swear by Himself,

6:14saying, `Blessing indeed I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee;'

6:15and so, having patiently endured, he did obtain the promise;

6:16for men indeed do swear by the greater, and an end of all controversy to them for confirmation is the oath,

6:17in which God, more abundantly willing to shew to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, did interpose by an oath,

6:18that through two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, a strong comfort we may have who did flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us,

6:19which we have, as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and entering into that within the vail,

6:20whither a forerunner for us did enter -- Jesus, after the order of Melchisedek chief priest having become -- to the age.

7:1For this Melchisedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who did meet Abraham turning back from the smiting of the kings, and did bless him,

7:2to whom also a tenth of all did Abraham divide, (first, indeed, being interpreted, `King of righteousness,' and then also, King of Salem, which is, King of Peace,)

7:3without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, and being made like to the Son of God, doth remain a priest continually.

7:4And see how great this one is, to whom also a tenth Abraham the patriarch did give out of the best of the spoils,

7:5and those, indeed, out of the sons of Levi receiving the priesthood, a command have to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, their brethren, even though they came forth out of the loins of Abraham;

7:6and he who was not reckoned by genealogy of them, received tithes from Abraham, and him having the promises he hath blessed,

7:7and apart from all controversy, the less by the better is blessed --

7:8and here, indeed, men who die do receive tithes, and there he, who is testified to that he was living,

7:9and so to speak, through Abraham even Levi who is receiving tithes, hath paid tithes,

7:10for he was yet in the loins of the father when Melchisedek met him.

7:11If indeed, then, perfection were through the Levitical priesthood -- for the people under it had received law -- what further need, according to the order of Melchisedek, for another priest to arise, and not to be called according to the order of Aaron?

7:12for the priesthood being changed, of necessity also, of the law a change doth come,

7:13for he of whom these things are said in another tribe hath had part, of whom no one gave attendance at the altar,

7:14for it is evident that out of Judah hath arisen our Lord, in regard to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

7:15And it is yet more abundantly most evident, if according to the similitude of Melchisedek there doth arise another priest,

7:16who came not according to the law of a fleshly command, but according to the power of an endless life,

7:17for He doth testify -- `Thou art a priest -- to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;'

7:18for a disannulling indeed doth come of the command going before because of its weakness, and unprofitableness,

7:19(for nothing did the law perfect) and the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw nigh to God.

7:20And inasmuch as it is not apart from oath, (for those indeed apart from oath are become priests,

7:21and he with an oath through Him who is saying unto him, `The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest -- to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;')

7:22by so much of a better covenant hath Jesus become surety,

7:23and those indeed are many who have become priests, because by death they are hindered from remaining;

7:24and he, because of his remaining -- to the age, hath the priesthood not transient,

7:25whence also he is able to save to the very end, those coming through him unto God -- ever living to make intercession for them.

7:26For such a chief priest did become us -- kind, harmless, undefiled, separate from the sinners, and become higher than the heavens,

7:27who hath no necessity daily, as the chief priests, first for his own sins to offer up sacrifice, then for those of the people; for this he did once, having offered up himself;

7:28for the law doth appoint men chief priests, having infirmity, but the word of the oath that is after the law appointeth the Son -- to the age having been perfected.