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 for ever.
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 for ever,
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 for ever.” ’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 for ever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore he is able to save completely7:25 Or for ever 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 for ever.
Melikisedeki ũrĩa Mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai
17:1 Thab 76:2; Mar 5:7; Kĩam 14:18-20Atĩrĩrĩ, Melikisedeki ũcio aarĩ mũthamaki wa Salemu na mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai, o Ngai-Ũrĩa-ũrĩ-Igũrũ-Mũno. Nĩwe watũngire Iburahĩmu akĩinũka aarĩkia kũhoota athamaki, na akĩmũrathima, 2nake Iburahĩmu akĩmũhe gĩcunjĩ gĩa ikũmi kĩa indo ciothe. Rĩĩtwa rĩake rĩgĩtaũrwo mbere nĩ kuuga “mũthamaki wa ũthingu”; ningĩ “mũthamaki wa Salemu” nĩ kuuga “mũthamaki wa thayũ”. 37:3 Math 4:3Ndaarĩ na ithe kana nyina, kana kĩruka gĩake, na ndaarĩ na kĩambĩrĩria kĩa matukũ kana mũthia wa muoyo wake, nĩ ũndũ ũcio, we ahaana ta Mũrũ wa Ngai, egũtũũra arĩ mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai nginya tene.
47:4 Kĩam 14:20Ta mwĩciirie ũrĩa aarĩ mũnene: Atĩ o na ithe witũ Iburahĩmu nĩamũgaĩire gĩcunjĩ gĩa ikũmi kĩa indo iria aatahĩte! 5Na rĩrĩ, watho uugĩte atĩ andũ a rũciaro rwa Lawi arĩa matuĩkaga athĩnjĩri-Ngai metagie gĩcunjĩ gĩa ikũmi kuuma kũrĩ andũ, ũguo nĩ kuuga ariũ a ithe wao, o na gwatuĩka ariũ a ithe wao nĩ a rũciaro rwa Iburahĩmu. 67:6 Kĩam 14:19-20No mũndũ ũcio ndaarĩ wa rũciaro rwa Lawi, no nĩamũkĩrire gĩcunjĩ gĩa ikũmi kuuma kũrĩ Iburahĩmu, na akĩrathima ũcio werĩirwo ciĩranĩro. 7Na hatirĩ nganja atĩ mũndũ ũrĩa mũnini nĩwe ũrathimagwo nĩ ũrĩa mũnene. 87:8 Ahib 5:6Tũgakĩona atĩ, mwena ũmwe gĩcunjĩ kĩu gĩa ikũmi kĩũnganagio nĩ andũ arĩa macookaga gũkua, na nĩo Alawii; naguo mwena ũcio ũngĩ, kĩrutagĩrwo mũndũ ũrĩa uumbũrĩtwo ũhoro wake atĩ atũũraga o muoyo. 9O na mũndũ no oige atĩ Lawi, ũcio ũrutagĩrwo gĩcunjĩ kĩu gĩa ikũmi, we mwene nĩarutire gĩcunjĩ kĩu na njĩra ya Iburahĩmu, 10tondũ hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Melikisedeki aacemanirie na Iburahĩmu, Lawi aarĩ mũthiimo-inĩ wa ithe ũcio wa tene.
Jesũ ahaana ta Melikisedeki
117:11 Ahib 7:18-19; Ahib 8:7Korwo ũkinyanĩru kũna nĩũngĩonekanire na njĩra ya ũthĩnjĩri Ngai wa Alawii-rĩ, (nĩ ũndũ kĩrĩndĩ kĩaheirwo watho na njĩra ĩyo), gwakĩrĩ bata ũngĩ ũrĩkũ gũũke mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai ũngĩ, ũtariĩ ta Melikisedeki, na ndatuĩke ta wa nyũmba ya Harũni? 12Nĩgũkorwo ũhoro wa ũthĩnjĩri-Ngai ũngĩgarũrĩrwo-rĩ, o naguo watho no nginya ũgarũrĩrwo. 13Nake mũndũ ũrĩa maũndũ maya maarĩtio nĩ ũndũ wake oimĩte mũhĩrĩga-inĩ ũngĩ, ũrĩa gũtarĩ mũndũ waguo ũrĩ watungatĩra Ngai kĩgongona-inĩ. 147:14 Isa 11:1Nĩgũkorwo nĩkũĩkaine wega atĩ Mwathani witũ oimire mũhĩrĩga-inĩ wa Juda, na ha ũhoro wa mũhĩrĩga ũcio-rĩ, Musa ndaigana kuuga ũndũ o na ũrĩkũ ũkoniĩ athĩnjĩri-Ngai. 15Na rĩrĩ, ũhoro ũrĩa twarĩtie no ũmenyeke wega makĩria angĩkorwo mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai ũngĩ ũtariĩ ta Melikisedeki nĩonekanĩte, 16ũrĩa ũtuĩkĩte mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai, na ti kũringana na mũtugo wa rũciaro rwake, no nĩ tondũ wa ũhoti wa muoyo ũrĩa ũtathiraga. 177:17 Thab 110:4Nĩgũkorwo nĩkuumbũrĩtwo atĩrĩ:
“Wee ũrĩ mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai nginya tene,
o ta ũrĩa Melikisedeki aatariĩ.”
187:18 Arom 8:3Watho wa mbere nĩũtiganĩtwo naguo tondũ ndwarĩ na hinya na ũkaaga bata 197:19 Arom 3:20; Ahib 4:16(nĩgũkorwo watho ndũrĩ ũndũ watũmire wagĩrĩre kũna), no nĩtũheetwo kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro kĩega makĩria kĩrĩa gĩtũhotithagia gũkuhĩrĩria Ngai.
20Na ũndũ ũyũ ndwekirwo hatarĩ mwĩhĩtwa! Andũ acio angĩ nĩmatuĩkaga athĩnjĩri-Ngai hatarĩ mwĩhĩtwa, 217:21 Arom 11:29; Thab 110:4; Ahib 5:6nowe aatuĩkire mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai na mwĩhĩtwa, rĩrĩa Ngai aamwĩrire atĩrĩ:
“Jehova nĩehĩtĩte,
na ndangĩĩricũkwo, akoiga atĩrĩ:
‘Wee ũrĩ mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai nginya tene.’ ”
22Nĩ ũndũ wa mwĩhĩtwa ũyũ, Jesũ nĩatuĩkĩte mũrũgamĩrĩri wa kĩrĩkanĩro kĩrĩa kĩega makĩria.
23Ningĩ-rĩ, nĩgũkoretwo na athĩnjĩri-Ngai aingĩ ta acio hau mbere, nĩgũkorwo nĩmakuaga magakĩgirio gũthiĩ na mbere na ũtungata ũcio. 24No tondũ Jesũ atũũraga muoyo nginya tene-rĩ, ũthĩnjĩri-Ngai wake nĩ wa gũtũũra nginya tene. 257:25 Arom 8:34Nĩ ũndũ ũcio nĩahotaga kũhonokia kũna arĩa othe mokaga kũrĩ Ngai magereire harĩ we, nĩgũkorwo egũtũũra amathaithanagĩrĩra.
267:26 Ahib 4:14Tondũ nĩ kwagĩrĩire tũgĩe na mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai mũnene ta ũcio, atũhingagĩrie bata witũ, na akorwo arĩ mũtheru, na atarĩ ũcuuke, kana rĩhia, na aamũranĩtio na ehia, o na agatũũgĩrio igũrũ rĩa igũrũ. 277:27 Ahib 5:1We ndekũbatara kũruta magongona mũthenya o mũthenya ta ũrĩa athĩnjĩri-Ngai anene acio angĩ meekaga, mbere nĩ ũndũ wa mehia make mwene, na thuutha ũcio nĩ ũndũ wa mehia ma kĩrĩndĩ. We nĩarutire igongona nĩ ũndũ wa mehia mao ihinda o rĩmwe rĩa kũigana hĩndĩ ĩrĩa eerutire we mwene. 287:28 Ahib 2:10; Ahib 5:2Nĩgũkorwo watho ũtuaga andũ matarĩ hinya athĩnjĩri Ngai anene; no mwĩhĩtwa, ũrĩa wokire thuutha wa watho, nĩwaamũrire Mũriũ, ũrĩa ũtuĩkĩte mwagĩrĩru kũna nginya tene.
