A   This Melchisedech ^note kynge of Salem (which beynge prest of the most hye God, met Abraham as he returned agayne from the slaughter of the kynges, ∧ blessed him, vnto whom Abraham also gaue tithes of all the goodes) first is by interpretacion kynge of righteousnes: after that is he kynge of Salem also (that is to saye, kynge of peace) without father, without mother, without kynne, and hath nether begynnynge of dayes, ner ende of life: but is likened vnto the sonne of God, and contynueth a prest for euer.

But c&obar;sider how greate a man this was, to whom the Patriarke Abraham gaue tithes of the spoyles. ^noteAnd verely the children of Leui, whan they receaue the presthode, haue a commaundement acordynge to the lawe, to take the tithes of the people, that is to saye, of their brethr&ebar;, though they also came out of the loynes of Abraham.

B   But he whose kynred is not counted am&obar;ge them, receaued tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promes. Now is it so without all naysayenge, that the lesse receaueth blessynge of þe; better. And here men that dye, receaue tithes. But there he receaueth tithes, of whom it is witnessed that he lyueth. And to saye the trueth, Leui himselfe also which receaueth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham: for he was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham, whan Melchisedech met him.

Yf now therfore perfeccion came by the presthode of the Leuites (for vnder the same (presthode) the people receaued the lawe) what neded it then furthurmore, that another prest shulde ryse after the order of Melchisedech, and not after the order of Aaron?

^noteFor yf the presthode be tr&abar;slated, th&ebar; of necessite must the lawe be translated also. For he of whom these thinges are spoken, is of another trybe, of the which neuer man serued at the altare.

C   For it is euid&ebar;t, ^note that oure LORDE spronge of the trybe of Iuda, to the which trybe Moses spake nothinge c&obar;cernynge presthode, And it is yet a more euident thinge, yf after the symilitude of Mechisedech there aryse another prest, which is not made after þe; lawe of the carnall commaundement, but after the power of the endlesse life ^note (For he testifieth: Thou art a prest for euer after the order of Melchisedech) then the commaundement that wente before, is disanulled, because of his weaknesse, and vnprofitablenes. For the lawe made nothinge perfecte, but was an introduccion of a better hope, by þe; which hope we drawe nye vnto God. And for this cause is it a better hope, þt; it was not promysed without an ooth. Those prestes were made without an ooth, but this prest with an ooth, by him that sayde vnto him: The LORDE sware, and wyl not repente: Thou art a prest for euer after the order of Melchisedech. Thus is Iesus become a stabli&esset;her of so moch a better Testam&ebar;te.

D   And amonge them many were made prestes, because they were not suffred to endure by the reason of death. But this man, because that he endureth euer, hath an euerlastinge presthode. Wherfore he is able also euer to saue them, that come vnto God by him: ∧ lyueth euer, ^note to make intercession for vs.

For it became vs to haue soch an hye prest as is holy, innocent, vndefyled, separate from synners, and made hyer then heauen:

which nedeth not daylie ( ^note as yonder hye prestes) to offre vp sacrifice first for his awne synnes, and then for the peoples synnes. For that dyd he once for all, whan he offered vp him selfe. ^noteFor the lawe maketh men prestes which haue infirmitie: but the worde of the ooth, that came sence the lawe, maketh the sonne prest, which is perfecte for euermore.

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