1 P orque este Melquisedec, rey de Salem, sacerdote del Dios Altísimo, que salió a recibir a Abraham que volvía de la derrota 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 quien asimismo dio Abraham los diezmos de todo; cuyo nombre significa primeramente Rey de justicia, y también Rey de Salem, esto 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 genealogía; que ni tiene principio de días, ni fin de vida, sino hecho semejante al Hijo de Dios, permanece sacerdote para siempre.

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 onsiderad, pues, cuán grande era éste, a quien aun Abraham el patriarca dio diezmos del botín.

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

5 C iertamente los que de entre los hijos de Leví reciben el sacerdocio, tienen mandamiento de tomar del pueblo los diezmos según la ley, es decir, de sus hermanos, aunque éstos también 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 P ero aquel cuya genealogía no es contada de entre 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 Y sin discusión alguna, el menor es bendecido por el mayor.

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

8 Y aquí ciertamente reciben los diezmos hombres mortales; pero allí, uno de quien se da testimonio de 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 decirlo así, en Abraham pagó el diezmo también 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 estaba en los lomos de su padre cuando Melquisedec le salió al encuentro.

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

11 S i, pues, la perfección fuera por el sacerdocio levítico (porque bajo él recibió el pueblo la ley), ¿qué necesidad habría aún de que se levantase otro sacerdote, según el orden de Melquisedec, y que no fuese 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 orque cambiado el sacerdocio, necesario es que haya también cambio de ley;

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

13 y aquel de quien se dice esto, es de otra tribu, de la cual nadie sirvió al 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 nuestro Señor vino 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 esto es aun más manifiesto, si a semejanza de Melquisedec se levanta un sacerdote distinto,

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

16 n o constituido conforme a la ley del mandamiento acerca de la descendencia, sino según el poder de una vida indestructible.

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 ues se da testimonio de él: Tú eres sacerdote para siempre, Según el orden de Melquisedec. m

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

18 Q ueda, pues, abrogado el mandamiento anterior a causa de su debilidad e ineficacia

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

19 ( pues nada perfeccionó la ley), y de 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 esto no fue hecho 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; pero éste, con el juramento del que le dijo: Juró el Señor, y no se arrepentirá: Tú eres sacerdote para siempre, Según el orden de Melquisedec. m

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 P or tanto, Jesús es hecho fiador de un mejor pacto.

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

23 Y los otros sacerdotes llegaron a ser muchos, debido a que por la muerte no podían continuar;

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 un sacerdocio inmutable;

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

25 p or lo cual puede también salvar perpetuamente a los que por él se acercan a Dios, viviendo siempre para interceder 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: santo, inocente, sin mancha, 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 aquellos sumos sacerdotes, de ofrecer primero sacrificios por sus propios pecados, y luego por los del pueblo; porque esto lo hizo una vez para siempre, 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 sumos sacerdotes a débiles hombres; pero la palabra del juramento, posterior a la ley, al Hijo, hecho perfecto para siempre.

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.