¹Melkisedeki alikuwa mfalme wa Salemu, na kuhani wa Mungu Mkuu. Abrahamu alipokuwa anarudi kutoka vitani ambako aliwaua wafalme, Melkisedeki alikutana naye akambariki,

¹For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

²naye Abrahamu akampa sehemu ya kumi ya vitu vyote alivyokuwa navyo. (Maana ya kwanza ya jina hili Melkisedeki ni "Mfalme wa Uadilifu"; na, kwa vile yeye alikuwa mfalme wa Salemu, jina lake pia lina maana ya "Mfalme wa Amani.")

²to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is King of peace;

³Baba yake na mama yake hawatajwi, wala ukoo wake hautajwi; haisemwi alizaliwa lini au alikufa lini. Anafanana na Mwana wa Mungu, na anaendelea kuwa kuhani daima.

³without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God), abideth a priest continually.

⁴Basi, mwaona jinsi mtu huyu alivyokuwa maarufu. Baba Abrahamu alimpa sehemu moja ya kumi ya vitu vyote alivyoteka vitani.

⁴Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils.

⁵Tunajua vilevile kwamba kufuatana na Sheria, wana wa Lawi ambao ni makuhani, wanayo haki ya kuchukua sehemu ya kumi kutoka kwa watu, yaani ndugu zao, ingawaje nao ni watoto wa Abrahamu.

⁵And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest's office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham:

⁶Lakini huyo Melkisedeki hakuwa wa ukoo wa Lawi, hata hivyo alipokea sehemu ya kumi kutoka kwa Abrahamu; tena akambariki yeye ambaye alikuwa amepewa ahadi ya Mungu.

⁶but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises.

⁷Hakuna mashaka hata kidogo kwamba anayebariki ni mkuu zaidi kuliko yule anayebarikiwa.

⁷But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better.

⁸Tena, hao makuhani wanaopokea sehemu ya kumi, ni watu ambao hufa; lakini hapa anayepokea sehemu ya kumi, yaani Melkisedeki, anasemekana kwamba hafi.

⁸And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

⁹Twaweza, basi, kusema kwamba Abrahamu alipotoa sehemu moja ya kumi, Lawi (ambaye watoto wake hupokea sehemu moja ya kumi) alitoa sehemu moja ya kumi pia.

⁹And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receiveth tithes, hath paid tithes;

¹⁰Maana Lawi hakuwa amezaliwa bado, bali ni kama alikuwa katika mwili wa baba yake, Abrahamu, wakati Melkisedeki alipokutana naye.

¹⁰for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.

¹¹Kutokana na ukuhani wa Walawi, watu wa Israeli walipewa Sheria. Sasa, kama huduma ya Walawi ingalikuwa kamilifu hapangekuwa tena na haja ya kutokea ukuhani mwingine tofauti, ukuhani ambao umefuata utaratibu wa ukuhani wa Melkisedeki, na si ule wa Aroni.

¹¹Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need [was there] that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron?

¹²Maana ukuhani ukibadilika ni lazima Sheria nayo ibadilike.

¹²For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

¹³Naye Bwana wetu ambaye mambo hayo yote yanasemwa juu yake, alikuwa wa kabila lingine, na wala hakuna hata mmoja wa kabila lake aliyepata kutumikia madhabahuni akiwa kuhani.

¹³For he of whom these things are said belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar.

¹⁴Inafahamika wazi kwamba yeye alizaliwa katika kabila la Yuda ambalo Mose hakulitaja alipokuwa anasema juu ya makuhani.

¹⁴For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests.

¹⁵Tena jambo hili ni dhahiri zaidi: kuhani mwingine anayefanana na Melkisedeki amekwisha tokea.

¹⁵And [what we say] is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest,

¹⁶Yeye hakufanywa kuwa kuhani kwa sheria na maagizo ya kibinadamu, bali kwa nguvu ya uhai ambao hauna mwisho.

¹⁶who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life:

¹⁷Maana Maandiko yasema: "Wewe ni kuhani milele, kufuatana na utaratibu wa ukuhani wa Melkisedeki."

¹⁷for it is witnessed [of him,] Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.

¹⁸Basi, ile amri ya zamani ilifutwa kwa sababu ilikuwa hafifu na isiyofaa kitu.

¹⁸For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness

¹⁹Maana Sheria ya Mose haikuweza kukamilisha jambo lolote. Lakini sasa, mahali pake pamewekwa tumaini lililo bora zaidi ambalo kwalo tunaweza kumkaribia Mungu.

¹⁹(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God.

²⁰Zaidi ya hayo hapa pana kiapo cha Mungu. Wakati wale wengine walipofanywa makuhani hapakuwako kiapo.

²⁰And inasmuch as [it is] not without the taking of an oath

²¹Lakini Yesu alifanywa kuhani kwa kiapo wakati Mungu alipomwambia: "Bwana ameapa, wala hataigeuza nia yake: Wewe ni kuhani milele."

²¹(for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath by him that saith of him, The Lord sware and will not repent himself, Thou art a priest for ever);

²²Basi, kutokana na tofauti hii, Yesu amekuwa mdhamini wa agano lililo bora zaidi.

²²by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.

²³Kuna tofauti nyingine pia: hao makuhani wengine walikuwa wengi kwa sababu walikufa na hawakuweza kuendelea na kazi yao.

²³And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing:

²⁴Lakini Yesu si kama wao, yeye anaishi milele; ukuhani wake hauondoki kwake.

²⁴but he, because he abideth for ever, hath his priesthood unchangeable.

²⁵Hivyo, yeye anaweza daima kuwaokoa kabisa wote wanaomwendea Mungu kwa njia yake, maana yeye anaishi milele kuwaombea kwa Mungu.

²⁵Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

²⁶Basi, Yesu ndiye Kuhani Mkuu ambaye anatufaa sana katika mahitaji yetu. Yeye ni mtakatifu, hana hatia wala dhambi ndani yake; hayumo katika kundi la wenye dhambi na ameinuliwa mpaka juu mbinguni.

²⁶For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

²⁷Yeye si kama wale makuhani wakuu wengine; hana haja ya kutoa dhabihu kila siku, kwanza kwa ajili ya dhambi zake mwenyewe, kisha kwa ajili ya dhambi za watu. Yeye alifanya hivyo mara moja tu wakati alipojitoa yeye mwenyewe, na hiyo yatosha kwa nyakati zote.

²⁷who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the [sins] of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself.

²⁸Sheria ya Mose huwateua watu waliokuwa dhaifu kuwa makuhani wakuu; lakini ahadi ya Mungu aliyoifanya kwa kiapo na ambayo imefika baada ya sheria imemteua Mwana ambaye amefanywa mkamilifu milele.

²⁸For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, [appointeth] a Son, perfected for evermore.