1 E n effet, ce Melchisédek, roi de Salem, sacrificateur du Dieu Très Haut, -qui alla au-devant d'Abraham lorsqu'il revenait de la défaite des rois, qui le bénit,

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 e t à qui Abraham donna la dîme de tout, -qui est d'abord roi de justice, d'après la signification de son nom, ensuite roi de Salem, c'est-à-dire roi de paix, -

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 q ui est sans père, sans mère, sans généalogie, qui n'a ni commencement de jours ni fin de vie, -mais qui est rendu semblable au Fils de Dieu, -ce Melchisédek demeure sacrificateur à perpétuité.

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 C onsidérez combien est grand celui auquel le patriarche Abraham donna la dîme du butin.

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

5 C eux des fils de Lévi qui exercent le sacerdoce ont, d'après la loi, l'ordre de lever la dîme sur le peuple, c'est-à-dire, sur leurs frères, qui cependant sont issus des reins d'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 e t lui, qui ne tirait pas d'eux son origine, il leva la dîme sur Abraham, et il bénit celui qui avait les promesses.

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 O r c'est sans contredit l'inférieur qui est béni par le supérieur.

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

8 E t ici, ceux qui perçoivent la dîme sont des hommes mortels; mais là, c'est celui dont il est attesté qu'il est vivant.

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 D e plus, Lévi, qui perçoit la dîme, l'a payée, pour ainsi dire, par Abraham;

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

10 c ar il était encore dans les reins de son père, lorsque Melchisédek alla au-devant d'Abraham.

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

11 S i donc la perfection avait été possible par le sacerdoce Lévitique, -car c'est sur ce sacerdoce que repose la loi donnée au peuple, -qu'était-il encore besoin qu'il parût un autre sacrificateur selon l'ordre de Melchisédek, et non selon l'ordre d'Aaron?

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 C ar, le sacerdoce étant changé, nécessairement aussi il y a un changement de loi.

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

13 E n effet, celui de qui ces choses sont dites appartient à une autre tribu, dont aucun membre n'a fait le service de l'autel;

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 c ar il est notoire que notre Seigneur est sorti de Juda, tribu dont Moïse n'a rien dit pour ce qui concerne le sacerdoce.

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 C ela devient plus évident encore, quand il paraît un autre sacrificateur à la ressemblance de Melchisédek,

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

16 i nstitué, non d'après la loi d'une ordonnance charnelle, mais selon la puissance d'une vie impérissable;

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 c ar ce témoignage lui est rendu: Tu es sacrificateur pour toujours Selon l'ordre de Melchisédek.

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

18 I l y a ainsi abolition d'une ordonnance antérieure, à cause de son impuissance et de son inutilité,

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

19 - car la loi n'a rien amené à la perfection, -et introduction d'une meilleure espérance, par laquelle nous nous approchons de Dieu.

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 E t, comme cela n'a pas eu lieu sans serment,

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

21 - car, tandis que les Lévites sont devenus sacrificateurs sans serment, Jésus l'est devenu avec serment par celui qui lui a dit: Le Seigneur a juré, et il ne se repentira pas: Tu es sacrificateur pour toujours, Selon l'ordre de Melchisédek. -

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 J ésus est par cela même le garant d'une alliance plus excellente.

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

23 D e plus, il y a eu des sacrificateurs en grand nombre, parce que la mort les empêchait d'être permanents.

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 ais lui, parce qu'il demeure éternellement, possède un sacerdoce qui n'est pas transmissible.

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

25 C 'est aussi pour cela qu'il peut sauver parfaitement ceux qui s'approchent de Dieu par lui, étant toujours vivant pour intercéder en leur faveur.

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 I l nous convenait, en effet, d'avoir un souverain sacrificateur comme lui, saint, innocent, sans tache, séparé des pécheurs, et plus élevé que les cieux,

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 ui n'a pas besoin, comme les souverains sacrificateurs, d'offrir chaque jour des sacrifices, d'abord pour ses propres péchés, ensuite pour ceux du peuple, -car ceci, il l'a fait une fois pour toutes en s'offrant lui-même.

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 E n effet, la loi établit souverains sacrificateurs des hommes sujets à la faiblesse; mais la parole du serment qui a été fait après la loi établit le Fils, qui est parfait pour l'éternité.

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.