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.
Oupristeli waMelkisedek nhumbi wa tya
1 Osheshi Melkisedek ou, ohamba yaSalem, omupristeli waKalunga wOkombadambada, ou a shakeneka Abraham ndele te mu nangeke noupuna, Abraham eshi a finda eehamba, 2 ou Abraham e mu pa oshitimulongo moinima yaye aishe, oye tuu ou, ngaashi edina laye yo tali ti, tete “ohamba youyuki,” navali “ohamba yaSalem” nokutya, ohamba yombili; 3 ou ehe na nande xe ile ina ile epata, ke nexulilo lokukala kwaye ile ehovelo lomafiku aye, ndele e shii okuyelekwa nOmona waKalunga, Oye ta kala omupristeli alushelushe.
4 Taleni hano ye apa e fike, ou natatekulu Abraham mwene e mu pa oshitimulongo moihakanwa yaye. 5 Paife ovana vaLevi, ava va pewa oupristeli, ove noshipango va tambule pomhango oshitimulongo kovanhu, nokutya, kovamwaxe, nande ova dja moshinena shaAbraham. 6 Ndelenee ou nande ke fi omukwapata lavo, okwa tambula kuAbraham oshitimulongo nokwa nangeka noupuna ou kwa li e nomaudaneko. 7 Opo kape na nande eemhata nokutya, omunini ota nangekwa noupuna komukulunhu. 8 Ndelenee apa, ovanhu ovo ve nokufya, tava tambula oshitimulongo, ndele kwinya ou ta hepaululwa oku nomwenyo. 9 Ndele handi ti, naLevi yo, ou ha tambula oshitimulongo, okwa yandjela muAbraham oshitimulongo, 10 osheshi ye okwa li moshinena shaxekulu, Melkisedek eshi e mu shakeneka.
Oupristeli waKristus wa kandula po winya wOvalevi
11 Hano ewaneneno ngeno la fikifwa koupristeli wOvalevi, osheshi molwao oshiwana sha pewa omhango, oshike hano kwa li ku nokuholoka omupristeli umwe e lili panghedi yaMelkisedek ndele hapanghedi yaAron? 12 Osheshi apa pe nelunduluko loupristeli, nomhango yo oi nokulunduluka; 13 osheshi ou te shi tongelwa, ye owomapata e lili, omu kwa li inamu dja nande oumwe a yakula moaltari. 14 Eshi sha shiivika vali okutya, Omwene wetu a dja mepata laJuda, olo Moses kwa li ine li lombwela sha kombinga youpristeli.
15 Ndele eshi tashi monika unene nawa shi dule penya, eshi tapa holoka omupristeli e lili a fa Melkisedek, 16 umwe ou ina ninga omupristeli palombwelo lomhango yopambelela, ndelenee okeenghono domwenyo itau nyonwa po. 17 Osheshi oye ta hepaululwa:
“Oove omupristeli fiyo alushe
opanghedi yaMelkisedek.”
18 Ndele osho ngaha onghedi ikulu tai dimwa po, osheshi oya li ihe neenghono noihe noshilonga, 19 ngaashi omhango inai dula okufikifa sha kewano; ndelenee ponhele yayo tapa tulwa eteelelo liwa li dule linya, mulo hatu ehene kuKalunga.
20 Ndele ngaashi eshi inashi ningwa pehe neano, osheshi venya va ninga ovapristeli paha li eano, 21 ndelenee ou e shi ningilwa neano, okwa nangekwa mo kwaau a tya kuye:
“Omwene okwa ana, ndele ite lialuluka:
‘Oove omupristeli fiyo alushe.’ ”
22 Osho ngaha Jesus a ninga omupameki wehangano liwa li dule linya.
23 Ndele venya va li vahapu va kala ovapristeli, shaashi va nyengwa okukala po omolwefyo, 24 ndelenee Oye shaashi ta kala po alushe, e noupristeli tau kalelele. 25 Onghee hano ota dulu yo okuxupifa shili ava tava ehene kuKalunga mokweendela muye, shaashi oku nomwenyo alushe, e va ilikanene.
Omuyapuki okwe liyandja ponhele yovalunde
26 Heeno, omupristeli omukulunhu a tya ngaha okwe tu wapalela yo, omuyapuki ehe nomatimba, ke na nande oshipo, a yoololwa movalunde, nokwa ningwa munene a yelwa pombada yomaulu. 27 Ou ita pumbwa ngaashi ovapristeli ovakulunhu, okuyamba keshe efiku, tete omolwomatimba aye mwene, opo nee a yambe omolwomatimba oshiwana. Osheshi Oye e shi ninga lumwe aluke, eshi e liyandja Ye mwene eyambo. 28 Osheshi omhango otai nangeke moupristeli ovakulunhu, ovanhu va nyika oungone, ndelenee ondjovo ei yeano, oyo ya shikula omhango, otai nangeke Omona ou a ningwa a wana a pwa fiyo alushe.
