1 ¶ Porque este Melquisedec, rey de Salem, sacerdote del Dios Altísimo, el cual salió a recibir a Abraham que volvía de la matanza de los reyes, y le bendijo,

Melchizedek was king of Salem. He was a religious leader for God. When Abraham was coming back from the war where many kings were killed, Melchizedek met Abraham and showed respect to him.

2 a l cual asimismo dio Abraham la décima parte de todo, primeramente él se interpreta Rey de justicia; y luego también Rey de Salem, que es, Rey de paz;

Abraham gave Melchizedek one-tenth part of all he had. Melchizedek’s name means king of what is right. Salem means peace. So he is king of peace.

3 s in padre, sin madre, sin linaje; que ni tiene principio de días, ni fin de vida, mas hecho semejante al Hijo de Dios, se queda Sacerdote eternalmente.

Melchizedek was without a father or mother or any family. He had no beginning of life or end of life. He is a religious leader forever like the Son of God.

4 M irad, pues, cuán grande sea éste, al cual aun Abraham el patriarca haya dado la décima parte de los despojos.

We can see how great Melchizedek was. Abraham gave him one-tenth part of all he had taken in the war.

5 Q ue ciertamente los que de los hijos de Leví toman el sacerdocio, tienen mandamiento de tomar del pueblo los diezmos según la Ley, es a saber, de sus hermanos aunque también ellos hayan salido de los lomos de Abraham.

The Law made the family of Levi the Jewish religious leaders. The Law said that the religious leaders were to take one-tenth part of everything from their own people.

6 M as aquel cuya genealogía no es contada en ellos, tomó de Abraham los diezmos, y bendijo al que tenía las promesas.

Melchizedek was not even from the family group of Levi but Abraham paid him. Melchizedek showed respect to Abraham who was the one who had received God’s promises.

7 Q ue sin contradicción alguna, lo que es menos es bendecido de lo que es más.

The one who shows respect is always greater than the one who receives it.

8 D el mismo modo, aquí ciertamente los hombres mortales toman los diezmos; mas allí, aquel los tomó del cual está dado testimonio que vive;

Jewish religious leaders receive one-tenth part. They are men and they all die. But here Melchizedek received one-tenth part and is alive.

9 y , (por decir, así) en Abraham pagó diezmos también el mismo Leví, que recibe los diezmos;

We might say that Levi, who receives one-tenth part, paid one-tenth part through Abraham.

10 p orque aún Leví estaba en los lomos de su padre, cuando Melquisedec salió a recibirle.

Levi was not yet born. He was still inside Abraham’s body when Abraham paid Melchizedek.

11 ¶ Pues si la perfección era por el sacerdocio levítico (porque bajo él recibió el pueblo la Ley) ¿qué necesidad había aún de que se levantara otro sacerdote según el orden de Melquisedec, y que no fuera llamado según el orden de Aarón?

The Law was given during the time when Levi and his sons were the religious leaders. If the work of those religious leaders had been perfect in taking away the sins of the people, there would have been no need for another religious leader. But one like Melchizedek was needed and not one from the family group of Aaron.

12 P ues traspasado el sacerdocio, necesario es que se haga también traspasamiento de la Ley.

For when the family group of religious leaders changed, the Law had to be changed also.

13 P orque aquel del cual esto se dice, de otra tribu es, de la cual nadie presidió el altar.

These things speak of Christ Who is from another family group. That family group never had a religious leader who killed animals and gave gifts at the altar for the sins of the people.

14 P orque manifiesto es que el Señor nuestro nació de la tribu de Judá, de la cual nada habló Moisés tocante al sacerdocio.

Our Lord came from the family group of Judah. Moses did not write anything about religious leaders coming from that family group. A Different Religious Leader Has Come

15 Y aún más manifiesto es, si se levanta otro Sacerdote que sea semejante a Melquisedec;

We can see that a different Religious Leader has come. This One is like Melchizedek.

16 e l cual no es hecho conforme a la ley del mandamiento carnal, sino por virtud de vida indisoluble;

Christ did not become a Religious Leader by coming from the family group of Levi as the Law said had to be. He became the Religious Leader by the power of a life that never ends.

17 p orque el testimonio es de esta manera: Que tú eres Sacerdote para siempre, según el orden de Melquisedec.

The Holy Writings say this about Christ, “You are a Religious Leader forever like Melchizedek.”

18 E l mandamiento precedente, cierto queda abolido por su flaqueza e inutilidad;

God put the Law of Moses aside. It was weak and could not be used.

19 p orque nada perfeccionó la ley, sino la introducción de una mejor esperanza (por la cual nos acercamos a Dios.)

For the Law of Moses could not make men right with God. Now there is a better hope through which we can come near to God.

20 Y tanto más en cuanto no es sin juramento,

God made a promise when Christ became the Religious Leader Who made the way for man to go to God.

21 p orque los otros ciertamente sin juramento fueron hechos sacerdotes; mas éste, con juramento por el que le dijo: Juró el Señor, y no se arrepentirá, que Tú eres sacerdote para siempre según el orden de Melquisedec.

God did not make such a promise when Levi’s family group became religious leaders. But when Christ became a Religious Leader, this is the promise God made, “The Lord has made a promise. He will never change His mind. You will be a Religious Leader forever.”

22 T anto de mejor testamento es hecho prometedor Jesús.

Christ makes this New Way of Worship sure for us because of God’s promise.

23 Y , los otros, cierto, fueron muchos sacerdotes en cuanto por la muerte no podían permanecer;

There had to be many religious leaders during the time of the Old Way of Worship. They died and others had to keep on in their work.

24 m as éste, por cuanto permanece para siempre, tiene el sacerdocio intransferible;

But Jesus lives forever. He is the Religious Leader forever. It will never change.

25 p or lo cual puede también salvar eternamente a los que por él se allegan a Dios, viviendo siempre para rogar por ellos.

And so Jesus is able, now and forever, to save from the punishment of sin all who come to God through Him because He lives forever to pray for them.

26 P orque tal Sumo Sacerdote nos convenía tener: Santo, inocente, limpio, apartado de los pecadores, y hecho más sublime que los cielos.

We need such a Religious Leader Who made the way for man to go to God. Jesus is holy and has no guilt. He has never sinned and is different from sinful men. He has the place of honor above the heavens.

27 Q ue no tiene necesidad cada día, como los otros sacerdotes, de ofrecer sacrificios primero por sus pecados, y luego por los del pueblo, porque esto lo hizo UNA VEZ ofreciéndose a sí mismo.

Christ is not like other religious leaders. They had to give gifts every day on the altar in worship for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. Christ did not have to do that. He gave one gift on the altar and that gift was Himself. It was done once and it was for all time.

28 P orque la ley constituye sacerdotes a hombres débiles; mas la palabra del juramento después de la ley, al Hijo, hecho perfecto eternalmente.

The Law makes religious leaders of men. These men are not perfect. After the Law was given, God spoke with a promise. He made His Son a perfect Religious Leader forever.