1 P orque este Melquisedec, rey de Salem, sacerdote del Dios Altísimo, salió al encuentro de Abraham cuando éste regresaba de la matanza de los reyes, y lo bendijo.

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

2 A braham le entregó el diezmo de todos los despojos, cuyo nombre significa primeramente rey de justicia, y luego también rey de Salem, esto es, rey de paz,

And Abraham gave to him a tenth portion of all. He is primarily, as his name when translated indicates, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, which means king of peace.

3 s in padre, sin madre, sin genealogía, no teniendo principio de días ni fin de vida, siendo hecho semejante al Hijo de Dios, permanece sacerdote a perpetuidad. Grandeza de Melquisedec

Without father or mother or ancestral line, neither with beginning of days nor ending of life, but, resembling the Son of God, he continues to be a priest without interruption and without successor.

4 C onsiderad, pues, la grandeza de este hombre a quien Abraham, el patriarca, dio el diezmo de lo mejor del botín.

Now observe and consider how great this was to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils.

5 Y en verdad los de los hijos de Leví que reciben el oficio de sacerdote, tienen mandamiento en la ley de recoger el diezmo del pueblo, es decir, de sus hermanos, aunque éstos son descendientes de Abraham.

And it is true that those descendants of Levi who are charged with the priestly office are commanded in the Law to take tithes from the people—which means, from their brethren—though these have descended from Abraham.

6 P ero aquel cuya genealogía no viene de ellos, recibió el diezmo de Abraham y bendijo al que tenía las promesas.

But this person who has not their Levitical ancestry received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who possessed the promises.

7 Y sin discusión alguna, el menor es bendecido por el mayor.

Yet it is beyond all contradiction that it is the lesser person who is blessed by the greater one.

8 A quí, ciertamente hombres mortales reciben el diezmo, pero allí, los recibe uno de quien se da testimonio de que vive.

Furthermore, here tithes are received by men who are subject to death; while there, they are received by one of whom it is testified that he lives.

9 Y , por decirlo así, por medio de Abraham aun Leví, que recibía diezmos, pagaba diezmos,

A person might even say that Levi himself, who received tithes (the tenth), paid tithes through Abraham,

10 p orque aún estaba en los lomos de su padre cuando Melquisedec le salió al encuentro. Cristo, sacerdote para siempre

For he was still in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met him.

11 A hora bien, si la perfección era por medio del sacerdocio levítico (pues sobre esa base recibió el pueblo la ley ), ¿qué necesidad había de que se levantara otro sacerdote según el orden de Melquisedec, y no designado según el orden de Aarón?

Now if perfection (a perfect fellowship between God and the worshiper) had been attainable by the Levitical priesthood—for under it the people were given the Law—why was it further necessary that there should arise another and different kind of Priest, one after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one appointed after the order and rank of Aaron?

12 P orque cuando se cambia el sacerdocio, necesariamente ocurre también un cambio de la ley.

For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is of necessity an alteration of the law as well.

13 P ues aquel de quien se dicen estas cosas, pertenece a otra tribu, de la cual nadie ha servido en el altar.

For the One of Whom these things are said belonged to another tribe, no member of which has officiated at the altar.

14 P orque es evidente que nuestro Señor descendió de Judá, una tribu de la cual Moisés no dijo nada tocante a sacerdotes.

For it is obvious that our Lord sprang from the tribe of Judah, and Moses mentioned nothing about priests in connection with that tribe.

15 Y esto es aún más evidente, si a semejanza de Melquisedec se levanta otro sacerdote,

And this becomes more plainly evident when another Priest arises Who bears the likeness of Melchizedek,

16 q ue ha llegado a ser lo, no sobre la base de una ley de requisitos físicos, sino según el poder de una vida indestructible.

Who has been constituted a Priest, not on the basis of a bodily legal requirement, but on the basis of the power of an endless and indestructible Life.

17 P ues de El se da testimonio: Tu eres sacerdote para siempre segun el orden de Melquisedec.

For it is witnessed of Him, You are a Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.

18 P orque ciertamente, queda anulado el mandamiento anterior por ser débil e inútil

So a previous physical regulation and command is cancelled because of its weakness and ineffectiveness and uselessness—

19 ( pues la ley nada hizo perfecto ), y se introduce una mejor esperanza, mediante la cual nos acercamos a Dios.

For the Law never made anything perfect—but instead a better hope is introduced through which we come close to God.

20 Y por cuanto no fue sin juramento,

And it was not without the taking of an oath,

21 p ues en verdad ellos llegaron a ser sacerdotes sin juramento, pero El por un juramento del que le dijo: El Señor ha jurado y no cambiara: “ Tu eres sacerdote para siempre ”,

For those who formerly became priests received their office without its being confirmed by the taking of an oath by God, but this One was designated and addressed and saluted with an oath, The Lord has sworn and will not regret it or change His mind, You are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

22 p or eso, Jesús ha venido a ser fiador de un mejor pacto.

In keeping with, Jesus has become the Guarantee of a better (stronger) agreement.

23 L os sacerdotes anteriores eran más numerosos porque la muerte les impedía continuar,

was made up of many, because they were each prevented by death from continuing;

24 p ero El conserva su sacerdocio inmutable puesto que permanece para siempre.

But He holds His priesthood unchangeably, because He lives on forever.

25 P or lo cual El también es poderoso para salvar para siempre a los que por medio de El se acercan a Dios, puesto que vive perpetuamente para interceder por ellos.

Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them.

26 P orque convenía que tuviéramos tal sumo sacerdote: santo, inocente, inmaculado, apartado de los pecadores y exaltado más allá de los cielos,

the High Priest to our needs, as was fitting—holy, blameless, unstained by sin, separated from sinners, and exalted higher than the heavens.

27 q ue no necesita, como aquellos sumos sacerdotes, ofrecer sacrificios diariamente, primero por sus propios pecados y después por los pecados del pueblo; porque esto lo hizo una vez para siempre, cuando se ofreció a sí mismo.

He has no day by day necessity, as high priests, to offer sacrifice first of all for his own sins and then for those of the people, because He once for all when He brought Himself which He offered up.

28 P orque la ley designa como sumos sacerdotes a hombres débiles, pero la palabra del juramento, que vino después de la ley, designa al Hijo, hecho perfecto para siempre.

For the Law sets up men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of oath, which after the institution of the Law,, a Son Who has been made perfect forever.