Melchizedek the Priest
1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” 3Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
4Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. 6This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
Jesus Like Melchizedek
11If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. 13He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17For it is declared:
“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”7:17 Psalm 110:4
18The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
20And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:
“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
‘You are a priest forever.’ ”7:21 Psalm 110:4
22Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.
23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore he is able to save completely7:25 Or forever those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
26Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
Ɔkɛseɛ Melkisedek
1Na saa Melkisedek yi yɛ Salemhene, ɛnna ɔsane yɛ Ɔsorosoro Onyankopɔn ɔsɔfoɔ. Ɛberɛ a Abraham firi ɔko a ɔkumm ahemfo ano reba no, Melkisedek hyiaa no hyiraa no. 2Abraham maa no nʼasadeɛ no mu nkyɛmu edu mu baako. Melkisedek din no nkyerɛaseɛ a ɛdi ɛkan no ne Tenenee Ɔhene. Esiane sɛ na ɔyɛ Salemhene no enti, wɔkyerɛɛ ne din no ase sɛ Asomdwoeɛhene. 3Obi nnim Melkisedek agya, ne maame, ne ne mpanimfoɔ ho asɛm. Saa ara nso na obi nnim nʼawoɔ ne ne owuo nso ho asɛm. Ɔsɛ Onyankopɔn Ba, na ɔda so yɛ ɔsɔfoɔ daadaa.
4Yei di ho adanseɛ sɛ na ɔyɛ onipa kɛseɛ a Agya Abraham mpo tumi ma no nʼasadeɛ mu nkyɛmu edu mu baako. 5Nanso, Lewi asefoɔ a wɔyɛ asɔfoɔ no Mmara na ɛhyɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnnye nkyɛmu edu mu baako mfiri wɔn ara wɔn nkurɔfoɔ Israelfoɔ nkyɛn a wɔn nso yɛ Abraham asefoɔ no. 6Melkisedek nyɛ Lewi aseni, nanso ɔgyee nkyɛmu edu mu baako firii Abraham nkyɛn hyiraa no maa ɔnyaa Onyankopɔn bɔhyɛ no. 7Akyinnyeɛ biara nni ho sɛ deɛ ɔma nhyira so sene deɛ ɔgye nhyira. 8Wɔde nnipa akatua nkyɛmu edu mu baako ma asɔfoɔ, nanso asɔfoɔ yi nyinaa wu, gye Melkisedek a Atwerɛsɛm no ka sɛ ɔte ase. 9Enti, nokorɛm, Abraham tuaa nkyɛmu edu no, Lewi a nʼasefoɔ gye nkyɛmu edu no nso nam Abraham so tuaa bi maa Melkisedek. 10Na wɔnwoo Lewi, nanso ɛsiane sɛ na ɔhyɛ ne nana Abraham mu saa ɛberɛ no a Melkisedek hyiaa no no enti na ɔtuaeɛ.
11Ɛnam Lewi asɔfodie so enti na wɔde Mmara no maa Israelfoɔ. Ɛno enti sɛ Lewifoɔ asɔfodie no tumi de pɛyɛ brɛ nnipa a, anka ɛho nhia sɛ wɔbɛfa ɔsɔfoɔ foforɔ bi sɛ Melkisedek a ɔmfiri Aaron abusua mu. 12Sɛ ɛba sɛ asɔfodie no sesa a, ɛma ɛho mmara no nso sesa. 13Nanso, yɛn Awurade a wɔka saa asɛm yi nyinaa fa ne ho no firi abusua foforɔ mu. Ne busuani biara nnii ɔsɔfoɔ wɔ afɔrebukyia ho da. 14Ɛyɛ sɛnnahɔ sɛ wɔwoo no too Yuda abusua mu, na Mose kaa asɔfoɔ ho asɛm no nso, wammɔ nʼabusua din da. 15Asɛm no da ne ho adi pefee, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔsɔfoɔ foforɔ bi aba a ɔte sɛ Melkisedek. 16Ɔno deɛ, ɛnnam onipa mmara so na wɔhyɛɛ no ɔsɔfoɔ, na mmom wɔnam nkwa a ɛnni awieeɛ tumi so na ɛyɛɛ no ɔsɔfoɔ. 17Atwerɛsɛm no ka sɛ,
“Wobɛyɛ ɔsɔfoɔ akɔsi daa
sɛdeɛ Melkisedek asɔfokwan nhyehyɛeɛ te no.”
18Wɔato mmara dada no atwene, ɛfiri sɛ, sintɔ bi wɔ mmara no mu, na ɛho nni mfasoɔ nso. 19Ɛno enti, Mose Mmara no antumi amma biribiara anyɛ pɛ. Nanso wɔde anidasoɔ pa bi a yɛnam so bɛn Onyankopɔn aba.
20Ɛno akyi, Onyankopɔn ntam abɛka ho. Ɛberɛ a ɔhyɛɛ Aaron asefoɔ asɔfoɔ no na ntam a ɛte saa nni hɔ. 21Yesu deɛ, ɔnam ntam so bɛyɛɛ ɔsɔfoɔ ɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ,
“Awurade aka ntam;
na ɔrensesa nʼadwene:
‘Wobɛyɛ ɔsɔfoɔ daa nyinaa.’ ”
22Saa ntam yi enti, Yesu gyina mu ma yɛn, na ɛma yɛne Onyankopɔn apam no di mu.
23Nsonsonoeɛ foforɔ bi nso wɔ hɔ. Na saa asɔfoɔ no dɔɔso, ɛfiri sɛ, na wɔwuwu a wɔntumi ntoa wɔn adwuma so. 24Nanso, Yesu deɛ, ɔwɔ hɔ daa na nʼasɔfodwuma no nso, obi ntoa so mma no. 25Enti, ɔtumi gye wɔn a wɔnam ne so ba Onyankopɔn nkyɛn no ɛnnɛ ne daa, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔte hɔ daa srɛ Onyankopɔn ma wɔn.
26Yesu ne Ɔsɔfopanin a ɔboa yɛn wɔ yɛn ahiasɛm mu. Ɔyɛ kronkron. Ɔnni mfomsoɔ biara wɔ ne mu, na ɔnyɛ bɔne. Wɔate no afiri nnebɔneyɛfoɔ ho na wɔapagya no aboro ɔsoro so. 27Ɔnte sɛ asɔfoɔ mpanin a aka no a, daa afɔrebɔ a ɔbɔ no kane no ɔbɔ wɔ ne bɔne a wayɛ ho ansa na afei, wabɔ afoforɔ deɛ no. Ɔbɔɔ afɔdeɛ baako pɛ a ɔde ne ho na ɛbɔeɛ. 28Mose Mmara no yi nnipa a wɔmfata ma wɔyɛ asɔfoɔ mpanin, nanso Onyankopɔn bɔ a ɔde ntam kaa ho no a ɛtaa Mmara no akyi no, yii Ɔba no a ɔyɛ pɛ daa nyinaa no.
