Beginning
7 And this Melchisedec, king of Salem, and priest of the highest God [the priest of the highest God], which met Abraham, as he turned again from the slaying of the kings, and blessed him;
2 to whom also Abraham parted tithes of all things; first he is said king of rightwiseness [first soothly the which is interpreted king of rightwiseness], and afterward king of Salem, that is to say, king of peace,
3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, neither having beginning of days, neither end of life; and he is likened to the Son of God, and dwelleth priest without end [forsooth he likened to the Son of God, dwelleth priest into without end].
4 But behold ye how great is this [man] [Forsooth behold ye how great this is], to whom Abraham the patriarch gave tithes of the best things.
5 For men of the sons of Levi taking priesthood have commandment to take tithes of the people, by the law [And soothly men taking priesthood of the sons of Levi have commandment to take tithes of the people, after the law], that is to say, of their brethren, though also they went out of the loins of Abraham.
6 But he whose generation is not numbered in them, took tithes of Abraham; and he blessed this Abraham, which had repromissions.
7 Without any gainsaying [Forsooth without any against-saying], that that is less, is blessed of the better.
8 And here deadly men take tithes; but there he beareth witnessing, that he liveth. [And here soothly men dying take tithes; forsooth there it is witnessed, that he liveth.]
9 And that it be said so [And that it is so said], by Abraham also Levi, that took tithes, was tithed;
10 and yet he was in his father's loins, when Melchisedec met him.
11 Therefore if perfection was by the priesthood of Levi, for under him the people took the law, what yet was it needful, another priest to rise, by the order of Melchisedec, and not to be said by the order of Aaron [what yet was it needful, another priest to rise, after the order of Melchisedec, and not to be said after the order of Aaron]?
12 For why when the priesthood is translated, it is need [it is needful] that also [the] translation of the law be made.
13 But he in whom these things be said, is of another lineage, of which no man was priest to the altar [of which no man was priest, or ready, to the altar].
14 For it is open [Soothly it is openly known], that our Lord is born of Juda, in which lineage Moses spake nothing of priests.
15 And more yet it is known, if by the order of Melchisedec another priest is risen up; [And more yet it is known, if after the order of Melchisedec another priest riseth;]
16 which is not made by the law of fleshly commandment, but by [the] virtue of life that may not be undone. [the which is not made after the law of fleshly commandment, but after virtue of life indissoluble, or that may not be undone.]
17 For he witnesseth, That thou art a priest without end, by the order of Melchisedec; [Soothly he witnesseth, For thou art a priest into without end, after the order of Melchisedec;]
18 that reproving of the commandment before-going is made, for the unfirmness and unprofit of it.
19 For why the law brought nothing to perfection, but there is a bringing in of a better hope, by which we approach to God [by which we nigh to God].
20 And how great it is, not without swearing [that Christ is made priest after the order of Melchisedec];
21 but the others [forsooth others] be made priests without an oath; but this priest with an oath, by him that said to him, The Lord swore, and it shall not rue him, Thou art a priest without end, by the order of Melchisedec [Thou art a priest into without end, after the order of Melchisedec];
22 in so much Jesus is made [better] promiser of the better testament.
23 And [soothly] the others were made many priests, therefore for they were forbidden by death to dwell still [for that they were forbidden by death to dwell];
24 but this man, for he dwelleth without end [for that he dwelleth into without end], hath an everlasting priesthood.
25 Wherefore also he may save without end, coming nigh by himself to God, and evermore liveth to pray for us. [Wherefore and he may save into without end, coming nigh by himself to God, evermore living to pray for us.]
26 For it beseemed that such a man were a bishop to us, holy, innocent, undefouled, clean, separated from sinful men, and made higher than heavens;[a]
27 which hath not need each day, as priests, first for his own guilts to offer sacrifices, and afterward for the people; for he did this thing in offering himself once [soothly he did this thing, once offering himself].
28 And the law ordained men priests having frailty [having sickness, or frailty]; but the word of swearing, which is after the law, ordained the Son perfect without end [ordained the Son perfect into without end].
8 But a recapitulation on those things that be said. We have such a bishop, that sat on the right half of the seat of greatness in heavens,
2 the minister of saints, and of the very tabernacle, that God made [that God set], and not man.
3 For each bishop is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is need, that also this bishop have something that he shall offer [wherefore it is need, and this man, for to have something that he shall offer].
4 Therefore if he were on earth, he were no priest, when there were that should offer gifts by the law, [Therefore if he were on earth, he were not priest, when there were that should offer gifts after the law,]
5 which serve to the exemplar and shadow of heavenly things. As it was answered to Moses, when he should end the tabernacle, See, he said, make thou all things by the exemplar, that is showed to thee in the mount.[b]
6 But now he hath gotten a better ministry, by so much as he is a mediator of a better testament [by how much and he is a mediator of a better testament], which is confirmed with better promises.
7 For if that first had lacked blame [For if that first had been voided from blame], the place of the second should not have been sought.
8 For he reproving them saith [Forsooth reproving them he saith], Lo! days come, saith the Lord, and I shall make perfect a new testament on the house of Israel, and on the house of Juda;
9 not like the testament [not after the testament] that I made to their fathers, in the day in which I caught their hand, that I should lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they dwelled not perfectly in my testament, and I have despised them, saith the Lord.
10 But this is the testament, which I shall assign to the house of Israel after those days[c], saith the Lord, in giving my laws into the souls of them, and into the hearts of them I shall above write them; and I shall be to them into a God [and I shall be to them into God], and they shall be to me into a people.
11 And each man shall not teach his neighbour, and each man his brother, saying, Know thou the Lord; for all men shall know me, from the least to the more of them [from the less unto the more of them].
12 For I shall be merciful to the wickedness of them, and now I shall not bethink on the sins of them.
13 But in saying a new, the former waxed old; and that that is of many days, and waxeth old, is nigh the death [is nigh death].
9 [Soothly] And the former testament had justifyings of worship, and holy thing during for a time [and holy thing worldly, that is, during for a time].
2 For the tabernacle was made first, in which were candlesticks, and [a] board, and setting forth of loaves [and putting forth of loaves], which is said holy.
3 And after the veil, the second tabernacle, that is said sanctum sanctorum, that is, holy of holy things;
4 having a golden censer, and the ark of the testament, covered about on each side with gold, in which was a pot of gold having manna, and the rod of Aaron that flowered [and the rod of Aaron that flourished], and the tables of the testament;
5 on which things were cherubims of glory, overshadowing the propitiatory [upon which things were cherubims of glory, shadowing the propitiatory, or mercyable place]; of which things it is not now to say by all.
6 But when these were made thus together, priests entered evermore in the former tabernacle, doing the offices of sacrifices [ending the offices of sacraments];
7 but in the second tabernacle, the bishop [alone] entered once in the year, not without blood, which he offered for his ignorance and the people's.
8 For the Holy Ghost signified this thing [The Holy Ghost signifying this thing], that not yet the way of saints was opened, while the former tabernacle had state.
9 Which parable is of this present time, by which also gifts and sacrifices be offered, which be not able to make [which may not make] a man serving perfect by conscience,
10 only in meats, and drinks, and diverse washings, and rightwisenesses of flesh, that were set to the time of correction [put unto the time of correction].
11 But Christ being a bishop of goods to coming, entered by a larger and perfecter tabernacle [Forsooth Christ being a bishop of goods to come, by a larger and perfecter tabernacle], not made by hand, that is to say, not of this making,
12 neither by blood of goat bucks, or of calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the holy things, that were found by an everlasting redemption. [neither by blood of goat bucks, or calves, but by his own blood, entered once into holy things, when everlasting redemption was found.]
13 For if the blood of goat bucks, and of bulls, and the ashes of a cow calf sprinkled, halloweth unclean men to the cleansing of flesh,
14 how much more the blood of Christ, which by the Holy Ghost offered himself unwemmed to God, shall cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve God that liveth [for to serve to living God]?
15 And therefore he is a mediator of the new testament, that by death falling betwixt [that death falling between], into redemption of the trespassings that were under the former testament, they that be called take the promise of everlasting heritage.
16 For where a testament is, it is need, that the death of the testament maker come betwixt [come between].
17 For a testament is confirmed in dead men; else it is not worth [else it is (of) no worth], while he liveth, that made the testament.
18 Wherefore neither the first testament was hallowed without blood.
19 For when each commandment of the law was read of Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves, and of bucks of goats, with water, and red wool, and hyssop, and besprinkled [sprinkled] both that book and all the people,
20 and said [saying], This is the blood of the testament, that God commanded to you.
21 Also he sprinkled with blood the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the service in like manner [and all the vessels of ministry, or service, in like manner].
22 And almost all things be cleansed in blood by the law; and without shedding of blood remission of sins is not made.
23 Therefore it is need, that the exemplars [that the samplers] of heavenly things be cleansed with these things; but those heavenly things with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Jesus entered not into holy things made by hands, that be [the] exemplars of very things, but into heaven itself, that he appear now to the face of God for us;[d]
25 neither [nor] that he offer himself oft, as the bishop entered into holy things by all years in alien blood,
26 else it behooved him to suffer oft [else it behooved him oft to suffer] from the beginning of the world; but now once in the ending of the worlds, to the destruction of sin by his sacrifice he appeared.
27 And as it is ordained to men, once to die, but after this is the doom,
28 so Christ was offered once, to void the sins of many men [for to void, or do away, the sins of many men]; the second time he shall appear without sin to men that abide him into health.
10 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, not that image of things, may never make men approaching perfect by those same sacrifices, which they offer without ceasing by all years; [Forsooth the law having shadow of goods to come, not that image of things, by all years by those same hosts, which they offer without ceasing, never may make men coming nigh perfect;]
2 else they should have ceased to be offered, for as much as the worshippers cleansed once, had not furthermore conscience of sin [had no conscience of sin furthermore].
3 But in them [by oft offering] mind of sins is made by all years.
4 For it is impossible that sins be done away by blood of bulls, and of bucks of goats.
5 Therefore he entering into the world, saith, Thou wouldest not sacrifice and offering; but thou hast shaped a body to me;
6 [and] burnt sacrifices also for sin pleased not to thee.
7 Then I said, Lo! I come; in the beginning of the book it is written of me, that I do thy will, [thou] God.
8 He saying before, That thou wouldest not sacrifices, and offerings, and burnt sacrifices for sin [He above saying, or before, For thou wouldest not hosts, and offerings, and burnt sacrifices, for sin], nor those things be pleasant to thee, which be offered by the law,
9 then I said, Lo! I come, that I do thy will, God. He doeth away the first, that he make steadfast the second.
10 In which will we be hallowed by the offering of the body of Christ Jesus once.
11 And each priest is ready ministering each day, and oft times offering the same sacrifices, which be never able to do away sins.[e]
12 But this man offering one sacrifice for sins, for evermore sitteth in the right half of God the Father [for evermore sitteth on the right half of God the Father];
13 from thenceforth abiding, till his enemies be put a stool of his feet [till his enemies be put a stool under his feet].
14 For by one offering he made perfect for ever hallowed men.
15 And the Holy Ghost witnesseth to us; for after that he said [forsooth afterward he said],
16 This is the testament, which I shall witness to them after those days, the Lord saith [saith the Lord], in giving my laws in the hearts of them, and in the souls of them I shall above write them;
17 and now I shall no more think on the sins and the wickedness of them [and wickednesses of them].
18 And where remission of these is, now is there none offering for sin.
19 Therefore, brethren, having trust into the entering of holy things in the blood of Christ,
20 which [he] hallowed to us a new way, and living by the covering [by a veil, or covering], that is to say, his flesh,
22 approach we with very heart in the plenty of faith [nigh we with very heart in the plenty of faith]; and be our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with clean water,
23 and hold we the confession of our hope, bowing to no side [hold we the confession of our hope unbowing, unpliable]; for he is true that hath made the promise.
24 And behold we together in the stirring of charity and of good works;
25 not forsaking our gathering together, as it is the custom to some men, but comforting [them], and by so much the more, by how much ye see the day approaching.[f]
26 For why now a sacrifice for sins is not left to us, that sin willfully, after that we have taken the knowing of truth. [Forsooth to us sinning willfully, after the knowing of truth taken, now an host for sins is not left.]
27 For why some abiding of doom is dreadful, and the following of fire, which shall waste adversaries.
28 Who that breaketh Moses' law, dieth without any mercy, by two or three witnesses;
29 how much more guess ye, that he deserveth worse torments [him to deserve worse torments], which defouleth the Son of God, and holdeth the blood of the testament polluted, in which he is hallowed, and doeth despite [and shall do wrong, or despite,] to the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that said, To me vengeance, and I shall yield. And again, For the Lord shall deem his people.
31 It is fearedful to fall into the hands of God living.[g]
32 And have ye mind on the former days, in which ye were lightened, and suffered great strife of passions [in which ye lightened sustained great strife, or fight, of passions].
33 And in the tother ye were made a spectacle by shames and tribulations; in another ye were made fellows of men living so. [And soothly in the tother ye were made a spectacle by reproofs and tribulations; in the tother forsooth ye be made fellows of men living so.]
34 For also to bound men ye had compassion, and ye received with joy the robbing of your goods, knowing that ye have a better and a dwelling substance [and ye received with joy the raven of your goods, knowing you to have a better and dwelling substance].
35 Therefore do not ye lose your trust, which hath great rewarding.
36 For patience is needful to you, that ye do the will of God, and bring again the promise [that ye doing the will of God, bring again the promise].
37 For yet a little, and he that is to come shall come, and he shall not tarry.
38 For my just man liveth of faith; that if he withdraweth himself, he shall not please to my soul.
39 But we be not the sons of withdrawing away into perdition, but of faith into [the] getting of soul.
2001 by Terence P. Noble