American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God), abideth a priest continually.
Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils.
And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest's office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham:
but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises.
But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better.
And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receiveth tithes, hath paid tithes;
for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.
Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron?
For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
For he of whom these things are said {Greek: hath partaken of. See chapter 2:14}belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests.
And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest,
who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an {Greek: indissoluble.}endless life:
for it is witnessed of him, {Psalms 110:4}Thou art a priest for everAfter the order of Melchizedek.
For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness
(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God.
And inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath
(for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath {Or, through}by him that saith {Or, unto}of him, {Psalms 110:4}The Lord sware and will not repent himself,Thou art a priest for ever);
by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.
And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing:
but he, because he abideth for ever, {Or, hath a priesthood that doth not pass to another}hath his priesthood {Or, inviolable}unchangeable.
Wherefore also he is able to save {Greek: completely.}to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself.
For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, perfected for evermore.
A Psalm of David.Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand,Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Jehovah will {Or, stretch}send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion:Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Thy people {Hebrew: are freewill-offering.}offer themselves willinglyIn the day of thy {Or, army}power, in {Or, in the beauty of holiness}holy array:Out of the womb of the morning {Or, Thy youth are to thee as the dew}Thou hast the dew of thy youth.
Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent:Thou art a priest for everAfter the {Or, manner}order of Melchizedek.
The Lord at thy right hand {Or, Hath stricken}Will strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
He will judge among the nations, {Or, The places are full of &c.}He {Or, hath filled}will fill the places with dead bodies;He {Or, Hath stricken}will strike through the head {Or, over a wide land}in many countries.
He will drink of the brook in the way:Therefore will he lift up the head.
And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of {Or, nations}Goiim,
that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar).
All these {Or, joined themselves together against}joined together in the vale of Siddim (the same is the Salt Sea).
Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in {Or, the plain of Kiriathaim}Shaveh-kiriathaim,
and the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.
And they returned, and came to En-mishpat (the same is Kadesh), and smote all the {Hebrew: field.}country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazazon-tamar.
And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar); and they set the battle in array against them in the vale of Siddim;
against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.
Now the vale of Siddim was full of {That is, bitumen pits.}slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and they that remained fled to the mountain.
And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew: now he dwelt by the {Or, terebinths}oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner. And these were confederate with Abram.
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan.
And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the {Or, north}left hand of Damascus.
And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, at the vale of Shaveh (the same is the King's Vale).
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was priest of {Hebrew: El Elyon.}God Most High.
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of {Hebrew: El Elyon.}God Most High, {Or, maker}possessor of heaven and earth:
and blessed be {Hebrew: El Elyon.}God Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him a tenth of all.
And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah, {Hebrew: El Elyon.}God Most High, {Or, maker}possessor of heaven and earth,
that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
{Or, let there be nothing for me: only that &c.}save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men that went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them taken their portion.
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore {Hebrew: they were polluted from the priesthood.}were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood.
The priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter upon the {Hebrew: warfare, or host (and so in verse 35, 39, 43).}service, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
A Psalm of David.Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand,Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Jehovah will {Or, stretch}send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion:Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Thy people {Hebrew: are freewill-offering.}offer themselves willinglyIn the day of thy {Or, army}power, in {Or, in the beauty of holiness}holy array:Out of the womb of the morning {Or, Thy youth are to thee as the dew}Thou hast the dew of thy youth.
Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent:Thou art a priest for everAfter the {Or, manner}order of Melchizedek.
The Lord at thy right hand {Or, Hath stricken}Will strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
He will judge among the nations, {Or, The places are full of &c.}He {Or, hath filled}will fill the places with dead bodies;He {Or, Hath stricken}will strike through the head {Or, over a wide land}in many countries.
He will drink of the brook in the way:Therefore will he lift up the head.