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.

En 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,

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.

et 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, -

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.

qui 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.

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

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

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.

Ceux 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;

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.

et lui, qui ne tirait pas d'eux son origine, il leva la dîme sur Abraham, et il bénit celui qui avait les promesses.

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

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

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.

Et ici, ceux qui perçoivent la dîme sont des hommes mortels; mais là, c'est celui dont il est attesté qu'il est vivant.

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

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

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

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

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.

Si 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?

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Et, comme cela n'a pas eu lieu sans serment,

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.”

-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. -

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

qui 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.

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.

En 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.