Hebrews · Chapter 7

[ edit] Soþli þis Melchiſedech, kyng of Salem, þe preſt of þe hiȝeſte God, þe which mette wiþ Abraham gon aȝen fro ſleynge of kyngis, and bleſſide him; to whom and Abraham departide tyþes of alle þingis; firſt ſoþli þe which is interpretid kyng of riȝtwyſneſſe, aftirward forſoþe and kyng of Salem, þat is to ſeie, kyng of pees, wiþ oute fadir, wiþ oute modir, wiþ oute genelogie, neþir hauynge bigynnynge of dayes, neþir ende of lyf; forſoþ he licned to þe ſone of God, dwelliþ preſt into wiþouten ende. Forſoþ biholde ȝe hou greet is þis man, to whom and Abraham patriark ȝaf tiþes of þe beſte þingis.

And ſoþeli men takynge preſþod of þe ſones of Leeuy han maundement for to take tyþes of þe peple, vp þe lawe, þat is to ſeye, of her briþeren, þouȝ and þei wenten out of þe leendis of Abraham. Forſoþ he whos generacioun is not noumbrid in hem, tooke tiþis of Abraham; and he bleſſide þis Abraham, þe which hadde repromyſſiouns. Forſoþ wiþoute aȝenſeyinge, þat þat is leſſe, is bleſſid of þe betere. And here ſoþli men deiynge taken tiþis; forſoþ þer it is witneſſid, þat he lyueþ. And þat it is ſo ſeid, by Abraham, and Leeuy, þat took tiþis, is tiþid; forſoþ and ȝit he was in his fadris leendis, whanne Melchiſedech mette wiþ him.

Þerfore if endyng was by preſþod of Leeuy, forſoþe vndir hym þe peple took þe lawe, what ȝit was it nedeful, anoþer preſt for to ryſe, vp þe ordre of Melchiſedech, and not for to be ſeid vp þe ordre of Aaron? Forſoþe þe preſþod tranſlatid, it is nede þat and tranſlacioun of lawe be maad. Forſoþe he in whom þes þingis ben ſeid, is of anoþer lynage, of þe which no man was preſt, or redy, to þe auter. Soþli it is opynly knowun, þat oure Lord is born of Juda, in which lynage Moyſes ſpak no þing of preſtis. And more ȝit it is knowun, if vp þe ordre of Melchiſedech anoþer preſt ryſiþ; þe which is not maad vp þe lawe of fleiſchly maundement, but vp vertu of lyf inſolible, or þat may not be vndon.

Soþli he witneſſiþ, For þou art a preſt into wiþouten ende, vp þe ordre of Melchiſedech; forſoþ reprouyng of þe maundement bifore goynge is maad, for þe vnſadneſſe and vnprofyt of it. Forſoþ þe lawe brouȝte no þing to perfit þing, forſoþ þe bryngyng yn of betere hope, by which we neiȝen to God. And hou greet it is, not wiþoute ſweringe; forſoþ oþere ben maad preſtis wiþ oute an oþ; forſoþ þis preſt wiþ an oþ, by hym þat ſeide to hym, Þe Lord ſwoor, and it ſchal not rewe him, Þou ert a preſt into wiþouten ende, vp þe ordre of Melchiſedech; in ſo moche Jheſu is maad biheter of þe betere teſtament.

And ſoþli oþere mo ben maad preſtis vp þe lawe, for þat þat þei weren forbeden by deeþ for to dwelle; forſoþ þis man, for þat he dwelle into wiþouten ende, haþ euerelaſtyng preſþod. Wherfore and he may ſaue into wiþouten ende, comynge nyȝ bi hym ſilf to God, euermore lyuynge for to preye for vs. Forſoþ it bycaam þat ſuch a man were biſchop to vs, hooly, innoſent, inpolute, or ful clene, departid fro ſynful men, and maad hiȝer þan heuenes; þe which haþ not nede ech day, as preſtis, firſt for his owne giltis for to offre ooſtis, or ſacrificis, aftirward for þe peple; ſoþli he dide þis þing, onys offrynge him ſilf.

Forſoþ þe lawe ordeynede men preſtis hauynge ſykeneſſe, or freelte; forſoþ þe word of ſwering, þe which is aftir þe lawe, ordeynede þe ſone perfyt into wiþouten ende.