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.
Omuyambi Melkisedek
1 Melkisedek nguka okwa li omukwaniilwa gwaSalem nomuyambi gwaKalunga gwokombandambanda. Abraham sho a li ta zi kiita, hoka a sindi aakwaniilwa mbeyaka, Melkisedek okwe mu tsakaneke nokwe mu yambeke. 2 Abraham okwe mu pe oshitimulongo shomiinima mbyoka e yi kwata miita. Edhina ndika Melkisedek otali ti “Omukwaniilwa guuyuuki”, ihe molwaasho okwa li omukwaniilwa gwaSalem, edhina lye otali ti ishewe “Omukwaniilwa gwombili”. 3 Melkisedek nguka ke na he, ye ke na yina nenge ezimo; ko inaku tumbulwa wo evalo lye neso lye. Okwa yelekwa nOmuna gwaKalunga: Oye ota kala omuyambi sigo aluhe.
4 Ano mpaka omu wete kutya Melkisedek okwa li omuntu omunene. Onkee kuku Abraham okwe mu pe oshitimulongo shomiinima mbyoka e yi kwata miita. 5 Aayambi ayehe yomezimo lyaLevi oya lombwelwa kompango, ya pule mAaisraeli oshitimulongo. Oyo otaye shi pula maakwawo, nando nayo wo oyomoluvalo lwaAbraham. 6 Melkisedek ye mwene ka li gwomezimo lyaLevi, ihe okwa pewa oshitimulongo kuAbraham nokwa yambeke Abraham tuu ngoka a pewa omauvaneko kuKalunga. 7 Osha yela kutya ngoka a yambeke mukwawo, oku na esimano li vule lyaangoka a yambekwa. 8 Aayambi mboka taa pula iitimulongo, ohaa si, ihe Melkisedek ngoka a pula wo iitimulongo, ina sa, ongaashi enyolo tali ti. 9 Abraham sho a gandja oshitimulongo, aanezimo lyaLevi oye shi gandja wo. 10 Oshoka uuna ndwiyaka Abraham a tsakaneke Melkisedek, Levi ka li a valwa natango.
11 Pautho lyompango Aaisraeli oya li ye na okudhiginina uuyambi wopaLevi. Iilonga yaayambi Aalevi ando oya li ya gwana, ando kakwa li kwa pumbiwa we omuyambi gulwe, e ye palandulathano lyaMelkisedek, halyopaAron. 12 Oshoka muuyambi sho mwe ya elunduluko, nomompango wo omu na okulunduluka. 13 Oshoka Omuwa gwetu ngoka ta popiwa mpaka, ke shi gwomezimo lyaayambi, nokakwa li nando ogumwe gwomezimo lye a li moshilonga shuuyambi. 14 Omuwa gwetu okwa tseyika nawa kutya okwa zi mezimo lyaJuda, ndyoka Moses inee li tumbula nando, sho a popi aayambi.
Omuyambi gulwe a fa Melkisedek
15 Oshinima ngashingeyi oshe ya puuyelele: Opwe ya omuyambi gulwe a fa Melkisedek. 16 Nguka ina ningwa omuyambi kaantu nenge komalombwelo gaantu, ihe okwa ningi omuyambi koonkondo oonamwenyo ndhoka kaadhi na ehulilo. 17 Oshoka enyolo otali ti: “Ongoye to ka ninga omuyambi gwaaluhe ngaashi Melkisedek.” 18 Ano ompango onkulu oya dhimwa po, oshoka kayi na we oonkondo, oya kulupa. 19 Oshoka ompango yaMoses inayi vula okugwanitha sha. Onkee ano ngashingeyi opwa tulwa etegameno ewanawalela, mundyoka tatu hedha kuKalunga.
20 Okwa gwedhwa wo okugana kwaKalunga. Nale inaku ningwa egano lya tya ngeyi, uuna aayambi mbeyaka ya langekwa moshilonga. 21 Ihe Jesus okwa ningi omuyambi koonkondo dhegano, uuna Kalunga e mu lombwele a ti:
“Omuwa okwa gana,
ita lundulula we edhiladhilo lye:
‘Ongoye to ka ninga omuyambi gwaaluhe.’ ”
22 Ano eyooloko ndika otali ningi Jesus a kale omugameni gwehangano ewanawa li vule ndiyaka.
23 Ope na wo eyooloko ekwawo: Aayambi mbeyaka yalwe oya li oyendji, oshoka oya si noinaa vula okutsikila iilonga yawo. 24 Ihe Jesus oku na omwenyo sigo aluhe, onkee oshilonga she shuuyambi itashi kuthwa po kugulwe. 25 Onkee ota vulu aluhe okuhupitha mboka taye ya kuKalunga taa pitile muye. Oshoka oku na omwenyo aluhe note ya galikanene koshipala shaKalunga.
26 Ano Jesus oye omuyambi omukuluntu ngoka te tu gwanithile oompumbwe dhetu. Oye omuyapuki, ke na nando oshipo nenge oondjo. Oye okwa kuthwa maantu nokwa yeluthilwa kombandambanda megulu. 27 Oye ina fa aayambi yalwe mboka haa yamba esiku kehe, tango omolwoondjo dhawo yene, opo ihe dhaantu yalwe. Ihe Jesus okwa yamba eyambo lumwe aluke, sho i igandja ye mwene. 28 Aantu mboka ya hogololwa pampango yaMoses, ya ninge aayambi aakuluntu, oya li aankundi. Ihe okugana kwaKalunga hoka kwa ningwa hugunina yompango, okwa langeke Omwana ngoka ta kala a gwana a pwa sigo aluhe.
