The Priestly Family of Melchizedek
1 Melchizedek was both king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He was the one who went out and gave Abraham his blessing, when Abraham returned from killing the kings. 2 Then Abraham gave him a tenth of everything he had.
The meaning of the name Melchizedek is “King of Justice.” But since Salem means “peace,” he is also “King of Peace.” 3 We are not told he had a father or mother or ancestors or beginning or end. He is like the Son of God and will be a priest forever.
4 Notice how great Melchizedek was! Our famous ancestor Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had taken from his enemies. 5 The Law teaches that even Abraham's descendants must give a tenth of what they possess. And they are to give this to their own relatives, who are the descendants of Levi and are priests. 6 Although Melchizedek wasn't a descendant of Levi, Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had. Then Melchizedek blessed Abraham, who had been given God's promise. 7 Everyone agrees a person who gives a blessing is greater than the one who receives the blessing.
8 Priests are given a tenth of what people earn. But all priests die, except Melchizedek, and the Scriptures teach that he is alive. 9 Levi's descendants are now the ones who receive a tenth from people. We could even say that when Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth, Levi also gave him a tenth. 10 This is because Levi was born later into the family of Abraham, who gave a tenth to Melchizedek.
11 Even though the Law of Moses says the priests must be descendants of Levi, those priests cannot make anyone perfect. So there needs to be a priest like Melchizedek, rather than one from the priestly family of Aaron. 12 And when the rules for selecting a priest are changed, the Law must also be changed.
13 The person we are talking about is our Lord, who came from a tribe that had never had anyone to serve as a priest at the altar. 14 Everyone knows he came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never said priests would come from that tribe.
15 All of this becomes clearer, when someone who is like Melchizedek is appointed to be a priest. 16 That person wasn't appointed because of his ancestors, but because his life can never end. 17 The Scriptures say about him,
“You are a priest forever,
just like Melchizedek.”
18 In this way a weak and useless command was put aside, 19 because the Law cannot make anything perfect. At the same time, we are given a much better hope, and it can bring us close to God.
20-21 God himself made a promise when this priest was appointed. But he did not make a promise like this when the other priests were appointed. The promise he made is,
“I, the Lord, promise that you
will be a priest forever!
And I will never
change my mind!”
22 This means that Jesus guarantees us a better agreement with God. 23 There have been a lot of other priests, and all of them have died. 24 But Jesus will never die, and so he will be a priest forever! 25 He is forever able to save the people he leads to God, because he always lives to speak to God for them.
26 Jesus is the high priest we need. He is holy and innocent and faultless, and not at all like us sinners. Jesus is honored above all beings in heaven, 27 and he is better than any other high priest. Jesus doesn't need to offer sacrifices each day for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. He offered a sacrifice once for all, when he gave himself. 28 The Law appoints priests who have weaknesses. But God's promise, which came later than the Law, appoints his Son. And he is the perfect high priest forever.
Melhisedeka priesterība
1 Melhisedeks, Salemas ķēniņš, visaugstā Dieva priesteris, saticis Ābrahāmu, kas atgriezās no ķēniņu sakaušanas, to svētīja; 2 un Ābrahāms viņam atmērīja desmito tiesu no visa , viņa vārds tulkojumā nozīmē – taisnības ķēniņš, viņš ir arī Salemas ķēniņš , tas nozīmē – miera ķēniņš, 3 bez tēva, bez mātes, bez cilts rakstiem, bez dienu iesākuma un bez dzīves beigām, darīts līdzīgs Dieva Dēlam, viņš paliek priesteris uz mūžiem. 4 Raugiet, cik liels ir bijis tas, kam cilts tēvs Ābrahāms deva desmito tiesu no kara laupījuma. 5 Arī Levija dēliem, kas priesterību saņēmuši pēc bauslības pavēles, tika dotas tiesības saņemt desmito tiesu no tautas, tas ir, no saviem brāļiem, kas arī tāpat cēlušies no Ābrahāma gurna. 6 Bet Melhisedeks, kas nebija cēlies no viņu cilts, saņēma desmito tiesu no Ābrahāma un svētīja viņu, kam bija doti Dieva apsolījumi; 7 bez šaubām, lielākais taču dod svētību mazākajam. 8 Vienā gadījumā desmito tiesu saņem mirstīgi cilvēki, bet otrā – tas, par kuru apliecināts, ka viņš ir mūžīgi dzīvs. 9 Var teikt arī tā: pat Levijs, kas saņem desmito tiesu, pats to ir devis caur Ābrahāmu; 10 viņš gan vēl bija sava cilts tēva gurnā, kad Melhisedeks satika Ābrahāmu.
Priesteris pēc Melhisedeka kārtas
11 Ja nu pilnība būtu sasniegta caur levītisko priesterību, uz kuru pamatojoties tautai tika dota bauslība, kāda gan vajadzība būtu celt citu priesteri, kas nosaukts pēc Melhisedeka, nevis Ārona kārtas? 12 Bet, mainoties priesterībai, ir jāmainās arī bauslībai. 13 Tas, par ko tas viss ir teikts, ir piederīgs pie citas cilts, no kuras neviens nav kalpojis pie altāra, 14 jo visiem zināms, ka mūsu Kungs ir uzausis kā gaisma no Jūdas cilts; šai ciltij Mozus par priesterību neko nav sacījis. 15 Viss top daudz skaidrāks, ja cits priesteris tiek celts pēc Melhisedeka līdzības, 16 kurš par tādu tapis nevis pēc bauslības noteiktās cilvēciskās kārtības, bet gan nesatricināmas dzīvības spēkā. 17 Jo liecība ir šāda:
tu esi priesteris mūžīgi
pēc Melhisedeka kārtas.
18 Tātad iepriekšējā pavēle tiek atcelta tās nespēka un nederīguma dēļ, 19 jo bauslība nevienu nav darījusi pilnīgu, bet ieviesta tiek labāka cerība, caur kuru mēs tuvojamies Dievam. 20 Un tas nav noticis bez zvēresta, lai gan tie bez zvēresta bija tapuši par priesteriem, 21 bet Jēzus – ar zvērestu, tādēļ par viņu ir sacīts:
Kungs ir zvērējis
un nenožēlos:
tu esi priesteris mūžīgi.
22 Pēc šā zvēresta Jēzus ir kļuvis par labākas derības galvotāju. 23 Turklāt par priesteriem ir kļuvuši daudzi, jo nāve neļāva tiem pastāvīgi palikt amatā, 24 bet viņam ir nepārejoša priesterība, jo viņš paliek mūžīgi. 25 Tādēļ viņš arī var pilnīgi izglābt tos, kas caur viņu nāk pie Dieva, jo viņš vienmēr ir dzīvs, lai par tiem iestātos. 26 Tāds augstais priesteris mums bija vajadzīgs: svēts, bezgrēcīgs, neaptraipīts, nošķirts no grēciniekiem, tāds, kas pacēlies augstāk par debesīm, 27 kam nav nepieciešams kā tiem augstajiem priesteriem ik dienas pienest upurus vispirms par saviem grēkiem un tad par tautas grēkiem; viņš to ir veicis, reizi par visām reizēm pienesdams upurim sevi pašu. 28 Jo bauslība ieceļ par augstajiem priesteriem cilvēkus, kas ir nespēcīgi, bet zvēresta vārds, kas nāk pēc bauslības, ieceļ Dēlu, kas mūžam pilnīgs.
