1 M elchizedek 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.

Porque 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.

2 A braham 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.

Abraham 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,

3 M elchizedek 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.

sin 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

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

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

5 T he 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.

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.

6 M elchizedek 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.

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

7 T he one who shows respect is always greater than the one who receives it.

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

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

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

9 W e might say that Levi, who receives one-tenth part, paid one-tenth part through Abraham.

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

10 L evi was not yet born. He was still inside Abraham’s body when Abraham paid Melchizedek.

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

11 T he 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.

Ahora 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?

12 F or when the family group of religious leaders changed, the Law had to be changed also.

Porque cuando se cambia el sacerdocio, necesariamente ocurre también un cambio de la ley.

13 T hese 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.

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

14 O ur 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

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

15 W e can see that a different Religious Leader has come. This One is like Melchizedek.

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

16 C hrist 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.

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

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

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

18 G od put the Law of Moses aside. It was weak and could not be used.

Porque ciertamente, queda anulado el mandamiento anterior por ser débil e inútil

19 F or 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.

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

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

Y por cuanto no fue sin juramento,

21 G od 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.”

pues 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 ”,

22 C hrist makes this New Way of Worship sure for us because of God’s promise.

por eso, Jesús ha venido a ser fiador de un mejor pacto.

23 T here 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.

Los sacerdotes anteriores eran más numerosos porque la muerte les impedía continuar,

24 B ut Jesus lives forever. He is the Religious Leader forever. It will never change.

pero El conserva su sacerdocio inmutable puesto que permanece para siempre.

25 A nd 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.

Por 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.

26 W e 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.

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

27 C hrist 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.

que 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.

28 T he 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.

Porque 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.