Προς Εβραιους 7
1 ουτοσ γαρ ο μελχισεδεκ βασιλευσ σαλημ ιερευσ του θεου του υψιστου ο συναντησασ αβρααμ υποστρεφοντι απο τησ κοπησ των βασιλεων και ευλογησασ αυτον
It was this Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and gave him his blessing;
2 ω και δεκατην απο παντων εμερισεν αβρααμ πρωτον μεν ερμηνευομενοσ βασιλευσ δικαιοσυνησ επειτα δε και βασιλευσ σαλημ ο εστιν βασιλευσ ειρηνησ
and it was to him that Abraham allotted a tithe of all the spoil. The meaning of his name is ‘king of righteousness,’ and besides that, he was also king of Salem, which means ‘king of peace.’
3 απατωρ αμητωρ αγενεαλογητοσ μητε αρχην ημερων μητε ζωησ τελοσ εχων αφωμοιωμενοσ δε τω υιω του θεου μενει ιερευσ εισ το διηνεκεσ
There is no record of his father, or mother, or lineage, nor again of any beginning of his days, or end of his life. In this he resembles the Son of God, and stands before us as a priest whose priesthood is continuous.
4 θεωρειτε δε πηλικοσ ουτοσ ω και δεκατην αβρααμ εδωκεν εκ των ακροθινιων ο πατριαρχησ
Consider, then the importance of this Melchizedek, to whom even the patriarch Abraham himself gave a tithe of the choicest spoils.
5 και οι μεν εκ των υιων λευι την ιερατειαν λαμβανοντεσ εντολην εχουσιν αποδεκατουν τον λαον κατα τον νομον τουτ εστιν τουσ αδελφουσ αυτων καιπερ εξεληλυθοτασ εκ τησ οσφυοσ αβρααμ
Those descendants of Levi, who are from time to time appointed to the priesthood, are directed to collect tithes from the people in accordance with the Law – that is from their own kindred, although they also are descended from Abraham.
6 ο δε μη γενεαλογουμενοσ εξ αυτων δεδεκατωκεν τον αβρααμ και τον εχοντα τασ επαγγελιασ ευλογηκεν
But Melchizedek, although not of this lineage, received tithes from Abraham, and gave his blessing to the man who had God’s promises.
7 χωρισ δε πασησ αντιλογιασ το ελαττον υπο του κρειττονοσ ευλογειται
Now no one can dispute that it is the superior who blesses the inferior.
8 και ωδε μεν δεκατασ αποθνησκοντεσ ανθρωποι λαμβανουσιν εκει δε μαρτυρουμενοσ οτι ζη
In the one case the tithes are received by people who are mortal; in the other case by one about whom there is the statement that his life still continues.
9 και ωσ εποσ ειπειν δια αβρααμ και λευι ο δεκατασ λαμβανων δεδεκατωται
Moreover, in a sense, even Levi, who is the receiver of the tithes, has, through Abraham, paid tithes;
10 ετι γαρ εν τη οσφυι του πατροσ ην οτε συνηντησεν αυτω ο μελχισεδεκ
for Levi was still in the body of his ancestor when Melchizedek met Abraham.
11 ει μεν ουν τελειωσισ δια τησ λευιτικησ ιερωσυνησ ην ο λαοσ γαρ επ αυτη νενομοθετητο τισ ετι χρεια κατα την ταξιν μελχισεδεκ ετερον ανιστασθαι ιερεα και ου κατα την ταξιν ααρων λεγεσθαι
If, then, perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood – and it was under this priesthood that the people received the Law – why was it still necessary that a priest of a different order should appear, a priest of the order of Melchizedek and not of the order of Aaron?
12 μετατιθεμενησ γαρ τησ ιερωσυνησ εξ αναγκησ και νομου μεταθεσισ γινεται
With the change of the priesthood a change of the Law became a necessity.
13 εφ ον γαρ λεγεται ταυτα φυλησ ετερασ μετεσχηκεν αφ ησ ουδεισ προσεσχηκεν τω θυσιαστηριω
And he of whom all this is said belonged to quite a different tribe, no member of which has ever served at the altar.
14 προδηλον γαρ οτι εξ ιουδα ανατεταλκεν ο κυριοσ ημων εισ ην φυλην ουδεν περι ιερωσυνησ μωυσησ ελαλησεν
For it is plain that our Lord had sprung from the tribe of Judah, though of that tribe Moses said nothing about their being priests.
15 και περισσοτερον ετι καταδηλον εστιν ει κατα την ομοιοτητα μελχισεδεκ ανισταται ιερευσ ετεροσ
All this becomes even yet plainer when we remember that a new priest has appeared, resembling Melchizedek,
16 οσ ου κατα νομον εντολησ σαρκικησ γεγονεν αλλα κατα δυναμιν ζωησ ακαταλυτου
and that he was appointed, not under a Law regulating only earthly matters, but by virtue of a life beyond the reach of death;
for that is the meaning of the declaration – ‘You are for all time a priest of the order of Melchizedek.’ (aiōn g165)
18 αθετησισ μεν γαρ γινεται προαγουσησ εντολησ δια το αυτησ ασθενεσ και ανωφελεσ
On the one hand, we have the abolition of a previous regulation as being both inefficient and useless
19 ουδεν γαρ ετελειωσεν ο νομοσ επεισαγωγη δε κρειττονοσ ελπιδοσ δι ησ εγγιζομεν τω θεω
(for the Law never brought anything to perfection); and, on the other hand, we have the introduction of a better hope, which enables us to draw near to God.
20 και καθ οσον ου χωρισ ορκωμοσιασ οι μεν γαρ χωρισ ορκωμοσιασ εισιν ιερεισ γεγονοτεσ
Then again, the appointment of this new priest was ratified by an oath, which is not so with the Levitical priests,
21 ο δε μετα ορκωμοσιασ δια του λεγοντοσ προσ αυτον ωμοσεν κυριοσ και ου μεταμεληθησεται συ ιερευσ εισ τον αιωνα κατα την ταξιν μελχισεδεκ (aiōn g165)
but his appointment was ratified by an oath, when God said to him – ‘The Lord has sworn, and will not change, “You are a priest for all time.”’ (aiōn g165)
22 κατα τοσουτον κρειττονοσ διαθηκησ γεγονεν εγγυοσ ιησουσ
And the oath shows the corresponding superiority of the covenant of which Jesus is appointed the surety.
23 και οι μεν πλειονεσ εισιν γεγονοτεσ ιερεισ δια το θανατω κωλυεσθαι παραμενειν
Again, new Levitical priests are continually being appointed, because death prevents their remaining in office;
but Jesus remains for all time, and therefore the priesthood that he holds will never pass to another. (aiōn g165)
25 οθεν και σωζειν εισ το παντελεσ δυναται τουσ προσερχομενουσ δι αυτου τω θεω παντοτε ζων εισ το εντυγχανειν υπερ αυτων
And that is why he is able to save perfectly those who come to God through him, living for ever, as he does, to intercede of their behalf.
26 τοιουτοσ γαρ ημιν επρεπεν αρχιερευσ οσιοσ ακακοσ αμιαντοσ κεχωρισμενοσ απο των αμαρτωλων και υψηλοτεροσ των ουρανων γενομενοσ
This was the high priest that we needed – holy, innocent, spotless, withdrawn from sinners, exalted above the highest heaven,
27 οσ ουκ εχει καθ ημεραν αναγκην ωσπερ οι αρχιερεισ προτερον υπερ των ιδιων αμαρτιων θυσιασ αναφερειν επειτα των του λαου τουτο γαρ εποιησεν εφαπαξ εαυτον ανενεγκασ
one who has no need to offer sacrifices daily as those high priests have, first for their own sins, and then for those of the people. For this he did once and for all, when he offered himself as the sacrifice.
28 ο νομοσ γαρ ανθρωπουσ καθιστησιν αρχιερεισ εχοντασ ασθενειαν ο λογοσ δε τησ ορκωμοσιασ τησ μετα τον νομον υιον εισ τον αιωνα τετελειωμενον (aiōn g165)
The Law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the words of God’s oath, which was later than the Law, name the Son as, for all time, the perfect priest. (aiōn g165)
