6as also in another place, he says:
Thou art a priest forever,
After the order of Melchizedek;
7who, in the days of his flesh offering up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and being heard on account of his godly fear, 8though a Son yet learned from what he suffered the [required] obedience, 9and being perfected became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him; 10called by God, High Priest[10], after the order of Melchizedek.
11Of whom we have much to say, and hard to be explained, since ye have become dull of hearing. 12For though ye ought, on account of the time, to be teachers, ye again have need that some one teach you the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. 13For every one who partakes of milk is inexperienced in the word of righteousness; for he is a child. 14But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, who by use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.
VI. Wherefore, leaving the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2of the doctrine of immersions, and of the laying on of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3And this we will do[3], if God permit. 4For it is impossible that they who have once been enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6and have fallen away, should again be renewed to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame. 7For the earth which has drunk in the rain oft coming upon it, and brings forth herbs fit for those for whose sake it is tilled, receives blessing from God; 8but if it bears thorns and briers it is rejected, and is near to cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered and still do minister to the saints.
11But we desire that each one of you show the same diligence, for the full assurance of the hope unto the end; 12that ye may not become slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13For when God made the promise to Abraham, because he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself, 14saying: Surely, blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15And so, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16For men indeed swear by the greater; and the oath is to them an end of all gainsaying, for a confirmation. 17Wherein God, wishing more abundantly to show to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath; 18that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible that God should lie, we may have strong encouragement, who fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us, 19which we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast, and entering within the vail; 20where as forerunner for us Jesus entered, having become a high priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.
VII. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of all; first indeed being interpreted King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; 3without father, without mother, without table of descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life[3], but likened to the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
4Now consider how great this man was, to whom Abraham the patriarch also gave a tenth of the spoils. 5And they indeed that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they have come out of the loins of Abraham; 6but he whose descent is not reckoned from them has taken tithes of Abraham, and has blessed him who had the promises. 7And without any contradiction, the less is blessed by the better. 8And here indeed men who die receive tithes; but there, one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9And so to speak, Levi also, who receives tithes, has paid tithes in Abraham; 10for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.