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¹ And this Melchisedech, king of Salem, and preest of the hiyeste God, which mette with Abraham, as he turnede ayen fro the sleyng of kyngis, and blesside hym;² to whom also Abraham departide tithis of alle thingis; first he is seid king of riytwisnesse, and aftirward kyng of Salem, that is to seie, king of pees,³ with out fadir, with out modir, with out genologie, nether hauynge bigynnyng of daies, nether ende of lijf; and he is lickened to the sone of God, and dwellith preest with outen ende.⁴ But biholde ye how greet is this, to whom Abraham the patriark yaf tithis of the beste thingis.⁵ For men of the sones of Leuy takinge presthod han maundement to take tithis of the puple, bi the lawe, that is to seie, of her britheren, thouy also thei wenten out of the leendis of Abraham.⁶ But he whos generacioun is not noumbrid in hem, took tithis of Abraham; and he blesside this Abraham, which hadde repromyssiouns.⁷ With outen ony ayenseiyng, that that is lesse, is blessid of the betere.⁸ And heere deedli men taken tithis; but there he berith witnessyng, that he lyueth.⁹ And that it be seid so, bi Abraham also Leuy, that took tithis, was tithid; and yit he was in his fadris leendis,¹⁰ whanne Melchisedech mette with hym.

¹¹ Therfor if perfeccioun was bi the preesthood of Leuy, for vndur hym the puple took the lawe, what yit was it nedeful, another preest to rise, bi the ordre of Melchisedech, and not to be seid bi the ordre of Aaron?¹² For whi whanne the preesthod is translatid, it is nede that also translacioun of the lawe be maad.¹³ But he in whom these thingis ben seid, is of another lynage, of which no man was preest to the auter.¹⁴ For it is opyn, that oure Lord is borun of Juda, in which lynage Moises spak no thing of preestis.¹⁵ And more yit it is knowun, if bi the ordre of Melchisedech another preest is risun vp;¹⁶ which is not maad bi the lawe of fleischli maundement, but bi vertu of lijf that may not be vndon.¹⁷ For he witnessith, That thou art a preest with outen ende, bi the ordre of Melchisedech;¹⁸ that repreuyng of the maundement bifor goynge is maad, for the vnsadnesse and vnprofit of it.¹⁹ For whi the lawe brouyt no thing to perfeccioun, but there is a bringing in of a betere hope, bi which we neiyen to God.²⁰ And hou greet it is, not with out sweryng; but the othere ben maad preestis with outen an ooth;²¹ but this preest with an ooth, bi hym that seide `to hym, The Lord swoor, and it schal not rewe hym, Thou art a preest with outen ende, bi the ordre of Melchisedech;<sup>22</sup> in so myche Jhesus is maad biheetere of the betere testament.<sup>23</sup> And the othere weren maad manye preestis, `therfor for thei weren forbedun bi deth to dwelle stille;²⁴ but this, for he dwellith with outen ende, hath an euerlastynge preesthod.²⁵ Wherfor also he may saue with outen ende, comynge nyy bi hym silf to God, and euermore lyueth to preye for vs.²⁶ For it bisemyde that sich a man were a bischop to vs, hooli, innocent, vndefoulid, clene, departid fro synful men, and maad hiyere than heuenes;²⁷ which hath not nede ech dai, as prestis, first for hise owne giltis to offre sacrifices, and aftirward for the puple; for he dide this thing in offringe hym silf onys.²⁸ And the lawe ordeynede men prestis hauynge sijknesse; but the word of swering, which is after the lawe, ordeynede the sone perfit with outen ende.