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Greek: New Testament (NAS)
English: John Barach
Chapter 7
The Identity of Melchizedek
1 Οὗτος γὰρ ὁ Μελχισέδεκ, βασιλεὺς Σαλήμ, ἱερεὺς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου, ὁ συναντήσας Ἀβραὰμ ὑποστρέφοντι ἀπὸ τῆς κοπῆς τῶν βασιλέων καὶ εὐλογήσας αὐτόν, 2 ᾧ καὶ δεκάτην ἀπὸ πάντων ἐμέρισεν Ἀβραάμ, πρῶτον μὲν ἐρμηνευόμενος βασιλεὺς δικαιοσύνης ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ βασιλεὺς Σαλήμ, ὅ ἐστιν βασιλεὺς εἰρήνης, {Gen. 14:17-20} 3 ἀπάτωρ ἀμήτωρ ἀγενεαλόγητος, μήτε ἀρχὴν ἡμερῶν μήτε ζωῆς τέλος ἔχων, ἀφωμοιωμένος δὲ τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ μένει ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸ διηνεκές.
1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. 2To him Abraham also apportioned a tenth of everything. His name is translated first as “king of righteousness,” and then also “king of Salem,” which means “king of peace.” {Gen. 14:17-20} 3Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but having been made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest for all time.
The Greatness of His Priesthood
4 Θεωρεῖτε δὲ πηλίκος οὗτος, ᾧ [καὶ] δεκάτην Ἀβραὰμ ἔδωκεν ἐκ τῶν ἀκροθινίων ὁ πατριάρχης. 5 καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Λευὶ τὴν ἱερατείαν λαμβάνοντες ἐντολὴν ἔχουσιν ἀποδεκατοῦν τὸν λαὸν κατὰ τὸν νόμον, τοῦτ' ἔστιν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν, καίπερ ἐξεληλυθότας ἐκ τῆς ὀσφύος Ἀβραάμ· 6 ὁ δὲ μὴ γενεαλογούμενος ἐξ αὐτῶν δεδεκάτωκεν Ἀβραὰμ καὶ τὸν ἔχοντα τὰς ἐπαγγελίας εὐλόγηκεν. 7 χωρὶς δὲ πάσης ἀντιλογίας τὸ ἔλαττον ὑπὸ τοῦ κρείττονος εὐλογεῖται.
4Now observe how great this man was, to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the choice spoils. 5And those from the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tithe from the people—that is, from their own brothers—even though they have all come from the loins of Abraham. 6But this man, who does not share their genealogy, collected a tithe from Abraham and blessed the one who held the promises. 7Now beyond all dispute, the lesser is blessed by the greater.
8 καὶ ὧδε μὲν δεκάτας ἀποθνῄσκοντες ἄνθρωποι λαμβάνουσιν, ἐκεῖ δὲ μαρτυρούμενος ὅτι ζῇ. 9 καὶ ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, δι' Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Λευὶ ὁ δεκάτας λαμβάνων δεδεκάτωται· 10 ἔτι γὰρ ἐν τῇ ὀσφύϊ τοῦ πατρὸς ἦν ὅτε συνήντησεν αὐτῷ Μελχισέδεκ.
8In the one case, tithes are received by mortal men; but in the other, by one of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9And, so to speak, even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes through Abraham; 10for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
A New Priest, A New Law
11 Εἰ μὲν οὖν τελείωσις διὰ τῆς Λευιτικῆς ἱερωσύνης ἦν, ὁ λαὸς γὰρ ἐπ' αὐτῆς νενομοθέτηται, τίς ἔτι χρεία κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισέδεκ ἕτερον ἀνίστασθαι ἱερέα καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρὼν λέγεσθαι; 12 μετατιθεμένης γὰρ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἐξ ἀνάγκης καὶ νόμου μετάθεσις γίνεται. 13 ἐφ' ὃν γὰρ λέγεται ταῦτα, φυλῆς ἑτέρας μετέσχηκεν, ἀφ' ἧς οὐδεὶς προσέσχηκεν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ· 14 πρόδηλον γὰρ ὅτι ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέταλκεν ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν, εἰς ἣν φυλὴν περὶ ἱερέων οὐδὲν Μωϋσῆς ἐλάλησεν.
11Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people were given the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, rather than being designated according to the order of Aaron? 12For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity a change of the law also takes place. 13For the one of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14For it is plain that our Lord descended from Judah, a tribe about which Moses said nothing concerning priests.
15 καὶ περισσότερον ἔτι κατάδηλόν ἐστιν, εἰ κατὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα Μελχισέδεκ ἀνίσταται ἱερεὺς ἕτερος, 16 ὃς οὐ κατὰ νόμον ἐντολῆς σαρκίνης γέγονεν ἀλλὰ κατὰ δύναμιν ζωῆς ἀκαταλύτου. 17 μαρτυρεῖται γὰρ ὅτι
  Σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα
κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισέδεκ. {Psalm 110:4}
15and this is even more abundantly clear if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, 16who has become a priest not according to a law of a physical commandment, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17For it is witnessed of Him:
  “You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.” {Psalm 110:4}
18 ἀθέτησις μὲν γὰρ γίνεται προαγούσης ἐντολῆς διὰ τὸ αὐτῆς ἀσθενὲς καὶ ἀνωφελές — 19 οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐτελείωσεν ὁ νόμος ἐπεισαγωγὴ δὲ κρείττονος ἐλπίδος δι' ἧς ἐγγίζομεν τῷ θεῷ.
18For on the one hand, a set-aside of the previous commandment occurs because of its weakness and uselessness 19(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, there is the introduction of a better hope through which we draw near to God.
The Oath and the Guarantor
20 Καὶ καθ' ὅσον οὐ χωρὶς ὁρκωμοσίας· οἱ μὲν γὰρ χωρὶς ὁρκωμοσίας εἰσὶν ἱερεῖς γεγονότες, 21 ὁ δὲ μετὰ ὁρκωμοσίας διὰ τοῦ λέγοντος πρὸς αὐτόν,
  Ὤμοσεν κύριος
καὶ οὐ μεταμεληθήσεται,
Σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. {Psalm 110:4}
22 κατὰ τοσοῦτο [καὶ] κρείττονος διαθήκης γέγονεν ἔγγυος Ἰησοῦς.
20And it was not without an oath! For those others became priests without an oath, 21but He with an oath through the one saying to Him:
  “The Lord has sworn
and will not change His mind:
‘You are a priest forever.’” {Psalm 110:4}
22Because of this, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.
23 καὶ οἱ μὲν πλείονές εἰσιν γεγονότες ἱερεῖς διὰ τὸ θανάτῳ κωλύεσθαι παραμένειν· 24 ὁ δὲ διὰ τὸ μένειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἀπαράβατον ἔχει τὴν ἱερωσύνην· 25 ὅθεν καὶ σῴζειν εἰς τὸ παντελὲς δύναται τοὺς προσερχομένους δι' αὐτοῦ τῷ θεῷ, πάντοτε ζῶν εἰς τὸ ἐντυγχάνειν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν.
23Furthermore, the former priests were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; 24but He, because He remains forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25Therefore, He is also able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
The Perfect High Priest
26 Τοιοῦτος γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ ἔπρεπεν ἀρχιερεύς, ὅσιος ἄκακος ἀμίαντος, κεχωρισμένος ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ ὑψηλότερος τῶν οὐρανῶν γενόμενος, 27 ὃς οὐκ ἔχει καθ' ἡμέραν ἀνάγκην, ὥσπερ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς, πρότερον ὑπὲρ τῶν ἰδίων ἁμαρτιῶν θυσίας ἀναφέρειν ἔπειτα τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ· τοῦτο γὰρ ἐποίησεν ἐφάπαξ ἑαυτὸν ἀνενέγκας. 28 ὁ νόμος γὰρ ἀνθρώπους καθίστησιν ἀρχιερεῖς ἔχοντας ἀσθένειαν, ὁ λόγος δὲ τῆς ὁρκωμοσίας τῆς μετὰ τὸν νόμον υἱὸν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τετελειωμένον.
26For such a high priest was indeed fitting for us: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens; 27who has no need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices day after day—first for his own sins and then for those of the people—since He did this once for all when He offered up Himself. 28For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.