希伯來書 7
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
大祭司麥基洗德
7 這位麥基洗德是撒冷王，也是至高上帝的祭司。當年亞伯拉罕殺敗眾王凱旋歸來的時候，麥基洗德迎上去為他祝福， 2 亞伯拉罕把戰利品的十分之一給了他。麥基洗德這名字的原意是「公義之王」，後來他又被稱為撒冷王，意思是「和平之王」。 3 他的父母、族譜、生辰、壽數都不得而知，他跟上帝的兒子相似，永遠擔任祭司的職分。
4 試想，連我們的祖先亞伯拉罕都將戰利品的十分之一給了他，可見他是何等的尊貴！ 5 按照猶太人的律法，那些承襲做祭司的利未後裔可以照例向自己的同胞，就是亞伯拉罕的後裔，收取十分之一。 6 但這位與猶太人沒有血緣關係的麥基洗德，不單接受了亞伯拉罕給他的十分之一，還為承受應許的亞伯拉罕祝福。 7 毫無疑問，那為人祝福的總比領受祝福的位分大。 8 收取十分之一的利未祭司都是會死的人，但那位收取十分之一的麥基洗德被證明仍然活著。 9 這樣說來，連接受十分之一奉獻的利未也透過亞伯拉罕向麥基洗德納了十分之一。 10 因為亞伯拉罕遇見麥基洗德時，利未雖然還沒有出生，卻已經在他祖先的身體裡面了。
大祭司耶穌
11 猶太人在利未祭司制度的基礎上承受了律法，如果通過這個祭司制度可以達到純全，又何必照麥基洗德的模式而不是亞倫的模式，另外興起一位祭司呢？ 12 既然這祭司制度更改了，律法也必須更改。 13 因為這裡所說的這位祭司屬於別的支派，那支派裡從來沒有在祭壇前供職的祭司。 14 顯然，我們的主基督屬於猶大支派，摩西從來沒有說這個支派會出祭司。
15-16 如果照麥基洗德的模式另外興起一位祭司，祂做祭司不是照律法要求的血統關係，而是照不能朽壞之生命的大能，事情就更加清楚了。 17 因為有一處經文為祂做見證說：「你照麥基洗德的模式永遠做祭司。」 18 以前的條例由於本身的弱點和無益被廢除了， 19 因為律法並沒有使人變得純全。但如今，我們可以藉著一個更美好的盼望來到上帝面前。
20 此外，耶穌做祭司並非沒有誓言作保，其他人做祭司沒有誓言作保。 21 上帝只對耶穌說過：
「主起了誓，絕不反悔，
你永遠做祭司。」
22 這誓言使耶穌成了更美之約的保證人。 23 以前做祭司的人數極多，但因為受死亡的限制，都不能長久擔任聖職。 24 然而，基督永遠活著，祂的祭司職位也永不更改。 25 所以祂能拯救那些靠著祂來到上帝面前的人，直到永遠，因為祂永遠活著，為他們祈求。
26 我們所需要的，正是這樣一位聖潔無瑕、良善純全、遠離罪惡、超越諸天的大祭司。 27 祂無需像其他大祭司每天先為自己的罪獻祭，然後為百姓的罪獻祭，因為祂只一次獻上自己的生命，便永遠完成了贖罪的工作。 28 根據律法所立的大祭司都有弱點，但律法之後憑誓言所立的大祭司——上帝的兒子永遠純全。
Hebrews 7
New Catholic Bible
A Different Kind of High Priest[a]
Chapter 7
Melchizedek.[b] 1 This Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, met Abraham as he was returning from his defeat of the kings, and he blessed him. 2 Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. His name first means “king of righteousness,” and then “king of Salem,” that is, “king of peace.” 3 Without father, or mother, or genealogy, and without beginning of days or end of life, thus bearing a resemblance to the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
4 Just consider now how great this man must have been for the patriarch Abraham to give him a tenth of his spoils. 5 The descendants of Levi who succeed to the priestly office are required by the Law to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, although they too are descended from Abraham. 6 However, Melchizedek, who was not of the same ancestry, received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises.
7 It is indisputable that a lesser person is blessed by one who is greater. 8 In the one case, it is ordinary mortal men who receive tithes; in the other, the recipient is one of whom it is attested that he is alive. 9 One could even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, actually paid tithes through Abraham, 10 inasmuch as he was still in his father’s loins when Melchizedek met Abraham.
11 Another High Priest according to the Order of Melchizedek.[c] If perfection was therefore achieved through the Levitical priesthood, on the basis of which the Law was given to the people, what need would there have been for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek rather than one according to the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is any change in the priesthood, there must also be a change in the Law.
13 Now the one about whom these things were said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe about which Moses said nothing in regard to priests.
15 This becomes even more obvious now that another priest has arisen, one like Melchizedek, 16 who was one not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is attested of him:
“You are a priest forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.”
18 The earlier commandment is abrogated because of its weakness and ineffectiveness, 19 since the Law brought nothing to perfection. On the other hand, a better hope is introduced through which we draw nearer to God.
20 This was confirmed by an oath. When others became priests, no oath was required, 21 but this one became a priest with the swearing of an oath by the one who said to him,
“The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent:
‘You are a priest forever.’ ”
22 Accordingly, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.
23 Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from remaining in office. 24 However, Jesus holds a perpetual priesthood because he remains forever. 25 Therefore, he has the full power to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to intercede for them.
26 The High Priest That We Needed.[d] It was fitting that we should have such a high priest—holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and raised high above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people. He accomplished this once for all when he offered himself. 28 The Law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the Law, appointed the Son who has been made perfect forever.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 7:1 A mysterious figure made his appearance in the story of Abraham: Melchizedek (see Gen 14:17-20), and Ps 110—which held a special place in Israel’s meditation on the Messiah—speaks of a mysterious priesthood of the kind exercised by Melchizedek (v. 4). The Letter to the Hebrews says that those passages foretell the priesthood of Christ. Yet the priesthood of Christ cannot be measured by the same standard as the Jewish priesthood, because it renders the latter obsolete.
- Hebrews 7:1 The figure of Melchizedek is full of symbols. His name means “king of righteousness”; his reign was one of “peace.” Most unusually, the Bible gives us no chronological or genealogical information about him, naming neither his ancestors nor his descendants. His priesthood does not seem to be connected in any way with a hereditary line of priests, but only with his own person, as though it were something everlasting. And Abraham, to whom is given all the power to bless and the promises for Israel, receives a blessing from Melchizedek and offers him a tithe. All the more, then, does this priest stand above all the descendants of the Patriarch, and especially Levi, from whom descends all the Jewish priests whose standing the people acknowledge by paying them a tithe (see Lev 27:30-33; Num 18:21f). In the person of Abraham, they all bowed down to the mysterious priesthood of Melchizedek, who prefigured Jesus.
- Hebrews 7:11 Jesus Christ, foretold by the person of Melchizedek, does not have a place in the priestly genealogies that were set up after Moses; his priesthood is based on the commitment of God himself, on the divine oath (vv. 20-22). He is the definitive mediator between God and humanity.
- Hebrews 7:26 A first conclusion rises as a chant of freedom and a beautiful hymn to Christ. Perishable offerings are no longer anything but a symbol of self-giving already completed in reality: Christ alone can commit himself completely to God, become an offering, and in his very person be the representative of human beings before God. The Son who has been made perfect forever: Jesus, the Son, is God, and he shares the divine attributes, e.g., holiness (see v. 26; Jn 8:46; 2 Cor 5:21); eternity (see Mic 5:2; Jn 1:1; 8:58; 17:5, 24; Col 1:17); omnipotence (see Heb 1:3; Mt 28:18; Rev 1:8); omniscience (see Mt 9:4; Jn 6:64; 16:30; Col 2:3); immutability (see Heb 1:11f; 13:8); omnipresence (see Mt 28:20; Jn 3:13; Eph 1:23); creative power (see Heb 1:8, 10; Jn 1:3; 1 Cor 8:6; Col 1:16f); power to forgive sins (see Mk 2:5, 7-10; Lk 24:47; Jn 1:29; Acts 10:43; 1 Jn 1:7); the right to be worshiped (see Mt 8:2; Phil 2:10).
Hebrews 7
King James Version
7 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
