7 Or are ye ignorant, brethren (for I speak to men who know ^[a]the law), that the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth? ² For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband. ³ So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man. ⁴ Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God. ⁵ For when we were in the flesh, the ^[b]sinful passions, which were through the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. ⁶ But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

⁷ What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through ^[c]the law: for I had not known ^[d]coveting, except the law had said, ^[e]Thou shalt not ^[f]covet: ⁸ but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of ^[g]coveting: for apart from ^[h]the law sin is dead. ⁹ And I was alive apart from ^[i]the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died; ¹⁰ and the commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death: ¹¹ for sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me. ¹² So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good. ¹³ Did then that which is good become death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good;—that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful. ¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. ¹⁵ For that which I ^[j]do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ But if what I would not, that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good. ¹⁷ So now it is no more I that ^[k]do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to ^[l]do that which is good is not. ¹⁹ For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise. ²⁰ But if what I would not, that I do, it is no more I that ^[m]do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. ²¹ I find then ^[n]the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present. ²² For I delight ^[o]in the law of God after the inward man: ²³ but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity ^[p]under the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of ^[q]the body of this death? ^25 [r]I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I of myself with the mind, indeed, serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.

7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² 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; ³ 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.

⁴ Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils. ⁵ 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: ⁶ but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises. ⁷ But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better. ⁸ And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. ⁹ And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receiveth tithes, hath paid tithes; ¹⁰ for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.

¹¹ 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? ¹² For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. ¹³ For he of whom these things are said ^[a]belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar. ¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests. ¹⁵ And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest, ¹⁶ who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an ^[b]endless life: ¹⁷ for it is witnessed of him,

¹⁸ For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness ¹⁹ (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God. ²⁰ And inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath ²¹ (for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath ^[d]by him that saith ^[e]of him,

²² by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. ²³ And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing: ²⁴ but he, because he abideth for ever, ^[g]hath his priesthood ^[h]unchangeable. ²⁵ Wherefore also he is able to save ^[i]to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. ²⁶ For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; ²⁷ 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. ²⁸ 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.

8 ^[j]Now ^[k]in the things which we are saying the chief point is this: We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ² a minister of ^[l]the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. ³ For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that this high priest also have somewhat to offer. ⁴ Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts according to the law; ⁵ who serve that which is a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned of God when he is about to ^[m]make the tabernacle: for, ^[n]See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount. ⁶ But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises. ⁷ For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second. ⁸ For ^[o]finding fault with them, he saith,

¹³ In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away.