The Priest Melchizedek
1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and a priest of the Most High God. As Abraham was coming back from the battle in which he defeated the four kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him one tenth of all he had taken. (The first meaning of Melchizedek's name is “King of Righteousness”; and because he was king of Salem, his name also means “King of Peace.”) 3 There is no record of Melchizedek's father or mother or of any of his ancestors; no record of his birth or of his death. He is like the Son of God; he remains a priest forever.
4 You see, then, how great he was. Abraham, our famous ancestor, gave him one tenth of all he got in the battle. 5 And those descendants of Levi who are priests are commanded by the Law to collect one tenth from the people of Israel, that is, from their own people, even though they are also descendants of Abraham. 6 Melchizedek was not descended from Levi, but he collected one tenth from Abraham and blessed him, the man who received God's promises. 7 There is no doubt that the one who blesses is greater than the one who is blessed. 8 In the case of the priests the tenth is collected by men who die; but as for Melchizedek the tenth was collected by one who lives, as the scripture says. 9 And, so to speak, when Abraham paid the tenth, Levi (whose descendants collect the tenth) also paid it. 10 For Levi had not yet been born, but was, so to speak, in the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him.
11 It was on the basis of the levitical priesthood that the Law was given to the people of Israel. Now, if the work of the levitical priests had been perfect, there would have been no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek, not of Aaron. 12 For when the priesthood is changed, there also has to be a change in the law. 13 And our Lord, of whom these things are said, belonged to a different tribe, and no member of his tribe ever served as a priest. 14 It is well known that he was born a member of the tribe of Judah; and Moses did not mention this tribe when he spoke of priests.
Another Priest, like Melchizedek
15 The matter becomes even plainer; a different priest has appeared, who is like Melchizedek. 16 He was made a priest, not by human rules and regulations, but through the power of a life which has no end. 17 For the scripture says, “You will be a priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.” 18 The old rule, then, is set aside, because it was weak and useless. 19 For the Law of Moses could not make anything perfect. And now a better hope has been provided through which we come near to God.
20 In addition, there is also God's vow. There was no such vow when the others were made priests. 21 But Jesus became a priest by means of a vow when God said to him,
“The Lord has made a solemn promise
and will not take it back:
‘You will be a priest forever.’”
22 This difference, then, also makes Jesus the guarantee of a better covenant.
23 There is another difference: there were many of those other priests, because they died and could not continue their work. 24 But Jesus lives on forever, and his work as priest does not pass on to someone else. 25 And so he is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them.
26 Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinners and raised above the heavens. 27 He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins first and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all, when he offered himself. 28 The Law of Moses appoints men who are imperfect to be high priests; but God's promise made with the vow, which came later than the Law, appoints the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
Omupristeri Melkisedek
1 Nu ingwi melkisedek wa ri ombara ya Salem nomupristeri wa Ndjambi wOkombandambanda. Abraham tja kotokere okuza kovita ma katoṋene ozombara ine, Melkisedek we mu tjakanena ne mu sere ondaya. 2 Abraham we mu pere otjitjamurongo tjovipundwa avihe. Rutengatenga ena ndi Melkisedek ri ha kutja “Ombara yOusemba,” neye tjinga a ri ombara ya Salem, ena re wina ri heya kutja “Ombara yOhange”. 3 Ihe ya Melkisedek na ina nooihe mukururume kave iwe. Nu wina kape nokutjiukwa kutja eye wa kwatwa ruṋe nu wa ṱa ruṋe. Eye wa sana nOmuna wa Ndjambi, nu ma karerere omupristeri nga aruhe.
4 Tareye kutja Melkisedek wa ṱekire pu tjike! Nangarire Abraham, ingwi tate mukururume, we mu pere otjitjamurongo tjoviṋa avihe mbya kahuurire movita. 5 Novapristeri mbe ri ozondekurona za Levi ve nousemba, otja komaraerero wOmatwako, wokuwonga otjitjamurongo motjiwaṋa tja Israel, okutja movazamumwe vawo, nandarire kutja imba ovazamumwe vawo owo wina ozondekurona za Abraham. 6 Melkisedek ka ri ondekurona ya Levi, nungwari wa kamburire otjitjamurongo ku Abraham, ingwi omurumendu ngwa perwe omakwizikiro wa Ndjambi, ne mu sere ondaya. 7 Nu kape nozombata kutja ingwi ngu sera ondaya eye omunene pu ingwi ngwa serwa ondaya. 8 Nu komunda wovapristeri imba Ovalevi otjitjamurongo tji wongwa i ovandu mbe koka; nungwari komunda wa Melkisedek ihi otjitjamurongo tji wongwa i omundu ngu hongononwa i omatjangwa kutja u nomuinyo. 9 Rumwe omundu ma tja Abraham tja yandjere otjitjamurongo, Levi, ihe mukururume yozondekurona nḓe wonga ihi otjitjamurongo, wina we tji yandjere. 10 Orondu Levi tjandje keya kwatwa, nungwari wa ri morutu rwa ihe Abraham, Melkisedek tja hakaena na ye.
11 Nu otja koupristeri wOvalevi, otjiwaṋa tja Israel tja perwe Omatwako wa Moses. Nambano ndoovazu otjiungura tjoupristeri wOvalevi tja yenenisirwe, katja rira ohepero kutja pe penduke omupristeri warwe komuhingo woupristeri wa Melkisedek, nu ku ku he ri komuhingo woupristeri wa Aron. 12 Noupristeri tji mau rundururwa, inga omatwako wina maye sokurundururwa. 13 Nu oMuhona wetu ngu hungirirwa oviṋa mbi eye owomuhoko warwe; nu kape na umwe womuhoko we ngwa karera otja omupristeri potjipunguhiro. 14 Pe tjiukwa nawa kutja eye wa zire momuhoko wa Juda; nu Moses ka tamunine omuhoko mbwi indu tja hungirire oupristeri.
Omupristeri warwe ohamukwao na Melkisedek
15 Nu wina mape kahuka nawa komeho, tji matu ripura kutja mape penduka omupristeri warwe ohamukwao na Melkisedek. 16 Eye ka zikirwe omupristeri otja komaraerero womatwako wovandu, nungwari wa rira omupristeri momasa womuinyo mbu ha yanda. 17 Orondu omatjangwa maye tja: “Oove omupristeri nga aruhe komuhingo woupristeri wa Melkisedek.” 18 Omazikamisiro nga omakuru maye isiwa po, tjinga aye noungundipare nu ayehe ri ohepero. 19 Orondu Omatwako wa Moses kaye notjiṋa tji ya yenenisa. Nambano eṱe twa muna omaundjiro omasemba komeho mu matu sora okuya ku Ndjambi.
20 Nu tji tji ri otjinanḓengu komeho okongwi okutja wina pe nomayaneno wa Ndjambi. Nu imba Ovalevi tji va zikirwe okurira ovapristeri, Ndjambi kayaneno, 21 nungwari Jesus tja rira omupristeri Ndjambi we mu yanenene, indu tja tjere ku ye:
“Muhona wa tjiti oruyano,
nu ke nokurunduruka ko:
‘Oove omupristeri nga aruhe.’ ”
22 Motjimbe tjoruyano ndwi, Jesus ongu ma tjiti kutja omerikutiropamwe nga ye yenenisiwe.
23 Pa ri ovapristeri ovengi, nowo va tjaerwa i onḓiro nu otji ve ha yenene okukayendisa otjiungura tjawo komurungu otja ovapristeri, 24 nungwari Jesus u nomuinyo nga aruhe, nu motjiungura tje otja omupristeri kamu pingene omundu. 25 Neye otje nomasorero, nambano na aruhe, okuyama imba mbe ya ku Ndjambi mena re, eye tjinga e nomuinyo nga aruhe okuveyarikaṋena ku Ndjambi.
26 Jesus eye onguri Omupristeri Otjiuru eṱe ngu twa hepa. Eye omuyapuke nomuhinauvi nomukohoke; eye wa yapurwa kovarunde nu wa yerwa kombanda momayuru. 27 Eye ke ri otja Ovapristeri Oviuru ovakwao; nu kahepero kutja eye eyuva arihe rutenga a punguhire ourunde we omuini ozombunguhiro, nu tjazumba a punguhire imbwi wotjiwaṋa. Eye tje ripunguha omuini, wa punguha ombunguhiro ye rumwe na aruhe. 28 Omatwako wa Moses ye zika ovandu mbe ha yenenene okurira ovapristeri oviuru; nungwari omakwizikiro wa Ndjambi nga zikwa nomayaneno nu nge keya kombunda yOmatwako, ya zika Omuna okurira Omupristeri Otjiuru ngwa yenena aruhe nga aruhe.
