Hebrews 7

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Melchizedek, king of Salem, a priest of God Most High, came to meet Abraham when he returned fromdefeating the kings, and blessed him;	1 For this Melchisedech was king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him:
2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. By the interpretation of his name, he is, first, 'king ofsaving justice' and also king of Salem, that is, 'king of peace';	2 To whom also Abraham divided the tithes of all: who first indeed by interpretation, is king of justice: and then also king of Salem, that is, king of peace:
3 he has no father, mother or ancestry, and his life has no beginning or ending; he is like the Son of God.He remains a priest for ever.	3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but likened unto the Son of God, continueth a priest for ever.
4 Now think how great this man must have been, if the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the finestplunder.	4 Now consider how great this man is, to whom also Abraham the patriarch gave tithes out of the principal things.
5 We know that any of the descendants of Levi who are admitted to the priesthood are obliged by theLaw to take tithes from the people, that is, from their own brothers although they too are descended fromAbraham.	5 And indeed they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is to say, of their brethren: though they themselves also came out of the loins of Abraham.
6 But this man, who was not of the same descent, took his tithe from Abraham, and he gave his blessingto the holder of the promises.	6 But he, whose pedigree is not numbered among them, received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7 Now it is indisputable that a blessing is given by a superior to an inferior.	7 And without all contradiction, that which is less, is blessed by the better.
8 Further, in the normal case it is ordinary mortal men who receive the tithes, whereas in that case it wasone who is attested as being alive.	8 And here indeed, men that die, receive thithes: but there he hath witness, that he liveth.
9 It could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, actual y paid tithes, in the person of Abraham,	9 And (as it may be said) even Levi who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham:
10 because he was stil in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek came to meet him.	10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedech met him.
11 Now if perfection had been reached through the levitical priesthood -- and this was the basis of theLaw given to the people -- why was it necessary for a different kind of priest to arise, spoken of as being of theorder of Melchizedek rather than of the order of Aaron?	11 If then perfection was by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchisedech, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?
12 Any change in the priesthood must mean a change in the Law as wel .	12 For the priesthood being translated, it is necessary that a translation also be made of the law.
13 So our Lord, of whom these things were said, belonged to a different tribe, the members of whichhave never done service at the altar;	13 For he, of whom these things are spoken, is of another tribe, of which no one attended on the altar.
14 everyone knows he came from Judah, a tribe which Moses did not mention at al when dealing withpriests.	14 For it is evident that our Lord sprung out of Juda: in which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.
15 This becomes even more clearly evident if another priest, of the type of Melchizedek, arises who is apriest	15 And it is yet far more evident: if according to the similitude of Melchisedech there ariseth another priest,
16 not in virtue of a law of physical descent, but in virtue of the power of an indestructible life.	16 Who is made not according to the law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an indissoluble life:
17 For he is attested by the prophecy: You are a priest for ever of the order of Melchizedek.	17 For he testifieth: Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech.
18 The earlier commandment is thus abolished, because of its weakness and ineffectiveness	18 There is indeed a setting aside of the former commandment, because of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof:
19 since the Law could not make anything perfect; but now this commandment is replaced by somethingbetter-the hope that brings us close to God.	19 (For the law brought nothing to perfection,) but a bringing in of a better hope, by which we draw nigh to God.
20 Now the former priests became priests without any oath being sworn,	20 And inasmuch as it is not without an oath, (for the others indeed were made priests without an oath;
21 but this one with the swearing of an oath by him who said to him, The Lord has sworn an oath he wilnever retract: you are a priest for ever;	21 But this with an oath, by him that said unto him: The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever.)
22 the very fact that it occurred with the swearing of an oath makes the covenant of which Jesus is theguarantee al the greater.	22 By so much is Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23 Further, the former priests were many in number, because death put an end to each one of them;	23 And the others indeed were made many priests, because by reason of death they were not suffered to continue:
24 but this one, because he remains for ever, has a perpetual priesthood.	24 But this, for that he continueth for ever, hath an everlasting priesthood,
25 It fol ows, then, that his power to save those who come to God through him is absolute, since he livesfor ever to intercede for them.	25 Whereby he is able also to save for ever them that come to God by him; always living to make intercession for us.
26 Such is the high priest that met our need, holy, innocent and uncontaminated, set apart from sinners, and raised up above the heavens;	26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
27 he has no need to offer sacrifices every day, as the high priests do, first for their own sins and onlythen for those of the people; this he did once and for al by offering himself.	27 Who needeth not daily (as the other priests) to offer sacrifices first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, in offering himself.
28 The Law appoints high priests who are men subject to weakness; but the promise on oath, whichcame after the Law, appointed the Son who is made perfect for ever.	28 For the law maketh men priests, who have infirmity: but the word of the oath, which was since the law, the Son who is perfected for evermore.