The Priest Melchizedek
1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and a priest of the Most High God. As Abraham was coming back from the battle in which he defeated the four kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him one tenth of all he had taken. (The first meaning of Melchizedek's name is “King of Righteousness”; and because he was king of Salem, his name also means “King of Peace.”) 3 There is no record of Melchizedek's father or mother or of any of his ancestors; no record of his birth or of his death. He is like the Son of God; he remains a priest forever.
4 You see, then, how great he was. Abraham, our famous ancestor, gave him one tenth of all he got in the battle. 5 And those descendants of Levi who are priests are commanded by the Law to collect one tenth from the people of Israel, that is, from their own people, even though they are also descendants of Abraham. 6 Melchizedek was not descended from Levi, but he collected one tenth from Abraham and blessed him, the man who received God's promises. 7 There is no doubt that the one who blesses is greater than the one who is blessed. 8 In the case of the priests the tenth is collected by men who die; but as for Melchizedek the tenth was collected by one who lives, as the scripture says. 9 And, so to speak, when Abraham paid the tenth, Levi (whose descendants collect the tenth) also paid it. 10 For Levi had not yet been born, but was, so to speak, in the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him.
11 It was on the basis of the levitical priesthood that the Law was given to the people of Israel. Now, if the work of the levitical priests had been perfect, there would have been no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek, not of Aaron. 12 For when the priesthood is changed, there also has to be a change in the law. 13 And our Lord, of whom these things are said, belonged to a different tribe, and no member of his tribe ever served as a priest. 14 It is well known that he was born a member of the tribe of Judah; and Moses did not mention this tribe when he spoke of priests.
Another Priest, like Melchizedek
15 The matter becomes even plainer; a different priest has appeared, who is like Melchizedek. 16 He was made a priest, not by human rules and regulations, but through the power of a life which has no end. 17 For the scripture says, “You will be a priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.” 18 The old rule, then, is set aside, because it was weak and useless. 19 For the Law of Moses could not make anything perfect. And now a better hope has been provided through which we come near to God.
20 In addition, there is also God's vow. There was no such vow when the others were made priests. 21 But Jesus became a priest by means of a vow when God said to him,
“The Lord has made a solemn promise
and will not take it back:
‘You will be a priest forever.’”
22 This difference, then, also makes Jesus the guarantee of a better covenant.
23 There is another difference: there were many of those other priests, because they died and could not continue their work. 24 But Jesus lives on forever, and his work as priest does not pass on to someone else. 25 And so he is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them.
26 Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinners and raised above the heavens. 27 He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins first and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all, when he offered himself. 28 The Law of Moses appoints men who are imperfect to be high priests; but God's promise made with the vow, which came later than the Law, appoints the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
Melikisedeki niŋ Iburayima
1 Ñiŋ Melikisedeki mu Salaamu saatewo mansakewo le ti nuŋ, aniŋ Alla Mansa Tallaa la piriisoo*. Kabiriŋ Iburayima be muru kaŋ naŋ ka bo keloo la, a ye mansakewolu noo daameŋ, Melikisedeki niŋ a benta, aduŋ a neemata Iburayima ma le. 2 Iburayima fanaa ye feŋolu bee jakoo dii a la le. Melikisedeki too kotoo mu Tiliŋo Mansa le ti, aduŋ ate mu Kayiroo Mansa fanaa le ti, kaatu Salaamu kotoo mu kayiroo le ti. 3 Melikisedeki faamaa la kuwo maŋ yitandi, waraŋ a baamaa, sako a bonsuŋ saataroo. A la baluwo foloodulaa maŋ safee, sako a labandulaa, bari ate be le ko Alla Dinkewo*. A be tu la piriisiyaa le la fo abadaa.
4 Ali a juubee, a la kuwo warata ñaameŋ! Hani m̀ mumu Iburayima faŋo ye jakoo dii ñiŋ Melikisedeki la le feŋolu to, a ye mennu soto keloo to. 5 Wo Lewi lasiloo moolu, mennu naata ke piriisoolu ti, ì ye yaamaroo soto Luwaa kono le ka jakoolu taa moolu bulu, hani wolu mu ì baadiŋolu* ti, baawo ì fanaa bota Iburayima le bala. 6 Bari ñiŋ kewo, Melikisedeki, a maŋ bo nuŋ Lewi lasiloo kono, bari a ye jakoo soto Iburayima bulu le. Aduŋ Iburayima ye Alla la laahidoolu soto ñaa-wo-ñaa, bari Melikisedeki neemata a ma le. 7 Ñoosaboo te ñiŋ kuwo to ko, meŋ ka neemoo dii, wo le la kuwo warata ka tambi, a neemata meŋ ma. 8 Jakoolu ka dii piriisoolu le la, mennu ka faa. Bari ñiŋ kumoo fota Melikisedeki la kuwo le to, meŋ be baluuriŋ, ko a seedeyaata ñaameŋ. 9 Moo si hani a fo noo ko, Lewi faŋo meŋ lasiloo moolu ka jakoolu taa, wo ye jakoolu dii Melikisedeki la le ka bo niŋ Iburayima la. 10 Kaatu biriŋ Melikisedeki niŋ Lewi mumu Iburayima benta, wo ye a tara le, Lewi maŋ wuluu foloo, bari a be nuŋ wo lasiloo kono le.
Yeesu la kuwo be le ko Melikisedeki
11 Moolu ye Luwaa soto ka bo niŋ Lewi lasiloo la piriisiyaa le la, bari niŋ ì si timma noo ka bo wo la, muŋ ne duŋ ye a tinna, suuloo tarata piriisi doo la naa to? Muŋ ne ye a tinna ì suulata moo la, meŋ na piriisiyaa be ko Melikisedeki la piriisiyaa be ñaameŋ, a maŋ ke ko Haaruna taa? 12 Niŋ falindiroo keta piriisiyaa to, wo to luwaa fanaa ñanta faliŋ na le. 13 Kaatu ñiŋ kuwolu fota moo meŋ na kuwo to, a bota lasili doo le to, moo nene maŋ bo meŋ kono ka piriisiyaa dookuwo ke sadaajanidulaa* to. 14 A koyita le ko, m̀ Maariyo bota Yahuuda lasiloo le kono, aduŋ Musa nene maŋ feŋ fo ñiŋ lasiloo la kuwo to, biriŋ a diyaamuta piriisiyaa la kuwo la.
15 Wo kuwo naata seneyaa le set, biriŋ piriisi doo naata, meŋ be ko Melikisedeki. 16 A maŋ naa ke piriisoo ti ka bo niŋ luwaa la yaamaroo la, meŋ ye Lewi lasiloo londi wo dookuwo to, bari a naata ke piriisoo ti ka bo niŋ badaa-badaa baluwo semboo la. 17 Kaatu a la kuwo seedeyaata le ko:
“Ite keta piriisoo le ti fo abadaa,
ko Melikisedeki la piriisiyaa be ñaameŋ.”
18 Wo to, yaamari kotoo ñanta landi la kara la le, kaatu a maŋ semboo waraŋ nafaa soto. 19 Musa la Luwaa* maŋ feŋ ne timmandi, bari a ye siloo le parendi jikoo ye, meŋ si ǹ sutiyandi noo Alla la.
20 Kabiriŋ Alla ye a la laahidoo dii ñiŋ jikoo la kuwo to, a ye a bambandi niŋ kaloo le la. A nene maŋ i kali piriisi doolu kerekeroo to ì la dookuwo la, 21 bari kaloo keta Yeesu dammaa le la kuwo to ko:
“Maariyo ye i kali le,
aduŋ a te a hakiloo faliŋ na:
‘Ite keta piriisoo le ti fo abadaa.’ ”
22 Ñiŋ kaloo ye a tinna le, Yeesu keta sankayaaraŋo ti kambeŋ kutoo ye, meŋ beteyaata kambeŋ kotoo ti.
23 Piriisi jamaa le be jee nuŋ, saayaa le ye ì la piriisiyaa dookuwo daŋ. 24 Bari Yeesu ye a la piriisiyaa meŋ soto, wo nene te baŋ na, kaatu a be tu la baluuriŋ ne fo abadaa. 25 Wo le ye a tinna a ka moolu kiisa noo, mennu ka sutiyaa Alla la ka bo niŋ ate la, baawo a be baluuriŋ ne fo abadaa ka duwaa ì ye.
26 Yeesu le mu wo ñoŋ piriisi kuntii baa ti, ǹ suulata meŋ na. A seneyaata le, a nene maŋ junuboo ke, a maŋ sootaari soto. A landita kara la ka bo junubelaalu kono, aduŋ a wulindita horomoo kono le santo, saŋ fatoolu kunto. 27 A maŋ ke ko piriisi kuntii baa doolu, mennu suulata ka beeyaŋ sadaalu* bondi luŋ-wo-luŋ, ì faŋolu foloo la junuboolu ye, wo koolaa moo doolu. Bari ate ye sadaa bo siiñaa kiliŋ moolu bee ye, biriŋ a ye a faŋo dii sadaa ti. 28 Tooñaa, Musa la Luwaa ye hadamadiŋolu tomboŋ ì la sembentaŋyaa kono le, ka ke piriisi kuntii baalu ti. Bari Luwaa koolaa, Alla ye a la kaloo dii ka a Dinkewo le tomboŋ ñiŋ dookuwo to, aduŋ ate timmandita le fo abadaa.
