Hebrews 7

1 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;

ουτος γαρ ο μελχισεδεκ βασιλευς σαλημ ιερευς του θεου του υψιστου ο συναντησας αβρααμ υποστρεφοντι απο της κοπης των βασιλεων και ευλογησας αυτον

2 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.”

ω και δεκατην απο παντων εμερισεν αβρααμ πρωτον μεν ερμηνευομενος βασιλευς δικαιοσυνης επειτα δε και βασιλευς σαλημ ο εστιν βασιλευς ειρηνης

3 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.

απατωρ αμητωρ αγενεαλογητος μητε αρχην ημερων μητε ζωης τελος εχων αφωμοιωμενος δε τω υιω του θεου μενει ιερευς εις το διηνεκες

4 Consider, then the importance of this Melchizedek, to whom even the patriarch Abraham himself gave a tithe of the choicest spoils.

θεωρειτε δε πηλικος ουτος ω {VAR2: [και] } δεκατην αβρααμ εδωκεν εκ των ακροθινιων ο πατριαρχης

5 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.

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

6 But Melchizedek, although not of this lineage, received tithes from Abraham, and gave his blessing to the man who had God’s promises.

ο δε μη γενεαλογουμενος εξ αυτων δεδεκατωκεν αβρααμ και τον εχοντα τας επαγγελιας ευλογηκεν

7 Now no one can dispute that it is the superior who blesses the inferior.

χωρις δε πασης αντιλογιας το ελαττον υπο του κρειττονος ευλογειται

8 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.

και ωδε μεν δεκατας αποθνησκοντες ανθρωποι λαμβανουσιν εκει δε μαρτυρουμενος οτι ζη

9 Moreover, in a sense, even Levi, who is the receiver of the tithes, has, through Abraham, paid tithes;

και ως επος ειπειν δι αβρααμ και {VAR1: λευις } {VAR2: λευι } ο δεκατας λαμβανων δεδεκατωται

10 for Levi was still in the body of his ancestor when Melchizedek met Abraham.

ετι γαρ εν τη οσφυι του πατρος ην οτε συνηντησεν αυτω μελχισεδεκ

11 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?

ει μεν ουν τελειωσις δια της λευιτικης ιερωσυνης ην ο λαος γαρ επ αυτης νενομοθετηται τις ετι χρεια κατα την ταξιν μελχισεδεκ ετερον ανιστασθαι ιερεα και ου κατα την ταξιν ααρων λεγεσθαι

12 With the change of the priesthood a change of the Law became a necessity.

μετατιθεμενης γαρ της ιερωσυνης εξ αναγκης και νομου μεταθεσις γινεται

13 And he of whom all this is said belonged to quite a different tribe, no member of which has ever served at the altar.

εφ ον γαρ λεγεται ταυτα φυλης ετερας μετεσχηκεν αφ ης ουδεις προσεσχηκεν τω θυσιαστηριω

14 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.

προδηλον γαρ οτι εξ ιουδα ανατεταλκεν ο κυριος ημων εις ην φυλην περι ιερεων ουδεν μωυσης ελαλησεν

15 All this becomes even yet plainer when we remember that a new priest has appeared, resembling Melchizedek,

και περισσοτερον ετι καταδηλον εστιν ει κατα την ομοιοτητα μελχισεδεκ ανισταται ιερευς ετερος

16 and that he was appointed, not under a Law regulating only earthly matters, but by virtue of a life beyond the reach of death;

ος ου κατα νομον εντολης σαρκινης γεγονεν αλλα κατα δυναμιν ζωης ακαταλυτου

17 for that is the meaning of the declaration – “You are for all time a priest of the order of Melchizedek.” (aiōn g165)

μαρτυρειται γαρ οτι συ ιερευς εις τον αιωνα κατα την ταξιν μελχισεδεκ (aiōn g165)

18 On the one hand, we have the abolition of a previous regulation as being both inefficient and useless

αθετησις μεν γαρ γινεται προαγουσης εντολης δια το αυτης ασθενες και ανωφελες

19 (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.

ουδεν γαρ ετελειωσεν ο νομος επεισαγωγη δε κρειττονος ελπιδος δι ης εγγιζομεν τω θεω

20 Then again, the appointment of this new priest was ratified by an oath, which is not so with the Levitical priests,

και καθ οσον ου χωρις ορκωμοσιας οι μεν γαρ χωρις ορκωμοσιας εισιν ιερεις γεγονοτες

21 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)

ο δε μετα ορκωμοσιας δια του λεγοντος προς αυτον ωμοσεν κυριος και ου μεταμεληθησεται συ ιερευς εις τον αιωνα (aiōn g165)

22 And the oath shows the corresponding superiority of the covenant of which Jesus is appointed the surety.

κατα τοσουτο {VAR1: και } {VAR2: [και] } κρειττονος διαθηκης γεγονεν εγγυος ιησους

23 Again, new Levitical priests are continually being appointed, because death prevents their remaining in office;

και οι μεν πλειονες εισιν γεγονοτες ιερεις δια το θανατω κωλυεσθαι παραμενειν

24 but Jesus remains for all time, and therefore the priesthood that he holds will never pass to another. (aiōn g165)

ο δε δια το μενειν αυτον εις τον αιωνα απαραβατον εχει την ιερωσυνην (aiōn g165)

25 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.

οθεν και σωζειν εις το παντελες δυναται τους προσερχομενους δι αυτου τω θεω παντοτε ζων εις το εντυγχανειν υπερ αυτων

26 This was the high priest that we needed – holy, innocent, spotless, withdrawn from sinners, exalted above the highest heaven,

τοιουτος γαρ ημιν {VAR1: [και] } {VAR2: και } επρεπεν αρχιερευς οσιος ακακος αμιαντος κεχωρισμενος απο των αμαρτωλων και υψηλοτερος των ουρανων γενομενος

27 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.

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

28 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)

ο νομος γαρ ανθρωπους καθιστησιν αρχιερεις εχοντας ασθενειαν ο λογος δε της ορκωμοσιας της μετα τον νομον υιον εις τον αιωνα τετελειωμενον (aiōn g165)