book 7
1 这麦基洗德,就是撒冷王,又是至高神的祭司,本是长远为祭司的。他当亚伯拉罕杀败诸王回来的时候,就迎接他,给他祝福。
This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
2 亚伯拉罕也将自己所得来的取十分之一给他。他头一个名翻出来,就是仁义王,他又名撒冷王,就是平安王的意思。
and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace."
3 他无父,无母,无族谱,无生之始,无命之终,乃是与神的儿子相似。
Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.
4 你们想一想,先祖亚伯拉罕,将自己所掳来上等之物取十分之一给他,这人是何等尊贵呢。
Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!
5 那得祭司职任的利未子孙,领命照例向百姓取十分之一,这百姓是自己的弟兄,虽是从亚伯拉罕身中生的,(身原文作腰),还是照例取十分之一
Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people--that is, their brothers--even though their brothers are descended from Abraham.
6 独有麦基洗德,不与他们同谱,倒收纳亚伯拉罕的十分之一,为那蒙应许的亚伯拉罕祝福。
This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
7 从来位分大的给位分小的祝福,这是驳不倒的理。
And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.
8 在这里收十分之一的都是必死的人。但在那里收十分之一的,有为他作见证的说,他是活的。
In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.
9 并且可说,那受十分之一的利未,也是借着亚伯拉罕纳了十分之一。
One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,
10 因为麦基洗德迎接亚伯拉罕的时候,利未已经在他先祖的身中。(身原文作腰)
because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
11 从前百姓在利未人祭司职任以下受律法,倘若藉这职任能得完全,又何用另外兴起一位祭司,照麦基洗德的等次,不照亚伦的等次呢?
If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?
12 祭司的职任既已更改,律法也必须更改。
For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law.
13 因为这话所指的人,本属别的支派,那支派里从来没有一人伺候祭坛。
He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.
14 我们的主分明是从犹大出来的。但这支派,摩西并没有提到祭司。
For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
15 倘若照麦基洗德的样式,另外兴起一位祭司来,我的话更是显而易见的了。
And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears,
16 他成为祭司,并不是照属肉体的条例,乃是照无穷之生命的大能。(无穷原文作不能毁坏)。
one 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.
17 因为有给他作见证的说,你是照着麦基洗德的等次永远为祭司。
For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
18 先前的条例,因软弱无益,所以废掉了。
The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless
19 (律法原来一无所成)就引进了更美的指望,靠这指望我们便可以进到神面前。
(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
20 再者,耶稣为祭司,并不是不起誓立的。
And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath,
21 至于那些祭司,原不是起誓立的,只有耶稣是起誓立的。因为那立他的对他说,主起了誓决不后悔,你是永远为祭司。
but 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 forever.'"
22 既是起誓立的,耶稣就作了更美之约的中保。
Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
23 那些成为祭司的,数目本来多,是因为有死阻隔不能长久。
Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;
24 这位既是永远常存的,他祭司的职任,就长久不更换。
but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.
25 凡靠着他进到神面前的人,他都能拯救到底。因为他是长远活着,替他们祈求。
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
26 像这样圣洁,无邪恶,无玷污,远离罪人,高过诸天的大祭司,原是与我们合宜的。
Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
27 他不像那些大祭司,每日必须先为自己的罪,后为百姓的罪献祭,因为他只一次将自己献上,就把这事成全了。
Unlike 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.
28 律法本是立软弱的人为大祭司。但在律法以后起誓的话,是立儿子为大祭司,乃是成全到永远的。
For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.